Status: Ongoing (April 2019 -April 2022)
Funder: USAID through AGRA
Scope: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania
Title: Competitive African Rice Initiative in East Africa Project (CARI-EA)
Funder: USAID through AGRA
Scope: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania
Duration: 3 Years (April 2019- April 2022)
Project Summary
The Competitive African Rice Initiative in East Africa (CARI-EA) Project is a 3-year project commissioned by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) strategy of Promoting Inclusive Transformation in Africa (PIATA) with a total funding of US$ 3.13 Million, and jointly implemented by Kilimo Trust and the EAC Secretariat.
The central aim of CARI-EA is to enable locally produced rice in East Africa to competitively substitute the current over 300 million US$ worth of rice imports to the East Africa Common Market. One of the key initiatives that the project will explore is to work with large businesses currently invested in the rice importation business, to attract them to increase sourcing and marketing of rice produced locally in the region. The second strategy will focus at rice millers as the central drivers of the competitiveness levels required to substitute imports. Finally, the project will also explore ways to increase manufacturing of tertiary products from rice to expand markets.
Project Goal
Contribute to Inclusive Transformation of the Rice Sector in East Africa for Sustainable Increase in Incomes of 220,000 Women, Men and Young People Employed in the Value Chain of Locally Produced Rice in the East Africa Community.
Target Beneficiaries
Directly, the project will support the transformation of 220,000 smallholder-farming households directly (150,000 SHFs in Tanzania; 50,000 SHFs in Uganda and 20,000 SHF in Kenya) – 40% women and at least 25% young people. CARI-EA will also impact 21 SMEs of millers-agro-processors and supplies of inputs and technologies – together estimated to employ about 500 - women, men and young people in EA.
Indirectly, the project will benefit another 440,000 households (300,000 in Tanzania; 100,000 in Uganda and 40,000 in Kenya) – through the systemic change in market, trading, rice products, financial, inputs and knowledge systems to be developed. However, through spill-over effects, of a better regional rice trading system, CARI-EA, will influence the entire rice 3 Million MT/year industry of locally produced Paddy in the EAC, made of 2.7 Million smallholder farmers; more than 1,500 SMEs of millers; and other actors.
Role of government in the project
Project Objectives:
Main Outputs:
Expected Outcomes:
Rachel Ajambo
Project Team Leader, CARI-EA
rajambo@kilimotrust.org