The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the AfricaRice Centre, has introduced an improved rice parboiling technology.

This is to enhance efficiency, product quality, and occupational safety for women rice processors in the Northern Region.

The technology, known as the Mini GEM Parboiler, is being promoted under the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Phase II (TAAT II) project, funded by the African Development Bank.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the rice value chain, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve the competitiveness of locally produced rice in Ghana.

Under the second phase of the TAAT II project, two units of the Mini GEM Parboiler have been installed in the Northern Region, one at CSIR-SARI in Nyankpala and the other at Kumbungu.

The Mini GEM Parboiling Technology installed at Kumbungu was procured by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), while the unit at CSIR-SARI in Nyankpala was procured under the TAAT II project.

The installation of the technology was preceded by intensive training and capacity-building workshops organised by CSIR-SARI, the Department of Agriculture (MoFA), and the AfricaRice Centre to equip women processors with skills to effectively use the system.

While the training and installation at Kumbungu took place from March 16 to 18, 2026, the CSIR-SARI in Nyankpala one was carried out from March 19 to 21, 2026.

Dr Joseph Maina Ndungu’u, Technology Transfer Officer at the AfricaRice Centre, speaking during the installation and training workshop, said the innovation was developed to improve efficiency while addressing challenges faced by women who dominate the rice parboiling activities.

He explained that the Mini GEM Parboiler was a post-harvest technology that enabled processors to parboil rice more efficiently compared to traditional methods widely used in rural communities.

“We are here to install the technology and train women processors on its use to improve the quality of their parboiled rice and increase productivity,” he said.

Dr Ndungu’u noted that the technology was being disseminated across African countries under the TAAT project, which seeks to accelerate agricultural transformation through proven innovations.

He said the AfricaRice Centre, a Pan-African research institution mandated to conduct research along the rice value chain, collaborated with national research institutions to adapt and deploy technologies for local use.

In Ghana, he said CSIR-SARI served as the key research partner responsible for promoting and adapting the technology.

Dr Ndungu’u urged policymakers to support the widespread adoption of the innovation to enable more processors to benefit.

He described the technology as a public good, explaining that governments could promote and commercialise it locally without paying intellectual property rights.

“If young people and local fabricators are supported to produce these technologies locally, they can be scaled across the country to benefit many rice processors,” he added.

Alhaji Dauda Abdul-Salam, Northern Regional Crop Officer at the Department of Agriculture, said the training targeted leaders of women rice parboiling groups and key actors within the rice value chain.

He said the improved parboiler had the capacity to process about 400 kilogrammes of rice at once — equivalent to approximately five bags, significantly higher than the traditional method, where a single bag may be processed in multiple batches.

“With the traditional method, women use small pots and containers, making the process labour-intensive, time-consuming, and inefficient,” he said.

Alhaji Abdul-Salam noted that the improved technology combined soaking and steaming into a single process, reducing processing time while improving cleanliness and overall rice quality.

He added that the system also reduced exposure to smoke and excessive heat, as it used rice husks as fuel instead of firewood.

“The traditional method exposes women to smoke and excessive heat, which has health implications, but this system reduces smoke and produces cleaner rice,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of proper moisture management in achieving high-quality rice, explaining that the ideal moisture content of paddy before processing should be between 12 and 14 per cent, with similar levels maintained after parboiling to ensure a higher proportion of whole grains during milling.

Mr Alex Yeboah, Rice Breeder at CSIR-SARI and Focal Person for the TAAT II project in Ghana, said the intervention focused on improving post-harvest processing within the rice value chain.

He explained that parboiling was a critical stage in rice processing as it reduced grain breakage during milling and improved the nutritional quality of rice.

He explained that nutrients from the bran layer diffuse into the grain during parboiling, making it more nutritious than rice milled directly after harvesting.

Mr Yeboah said the improved technology had been tested across several countries in West and Sub-Saharan Africa, where it had proven effective in improving efficiency, product quality, and working conditions for processors.

He added that the training had equipped the women processors with the technical skills required to operate the technology effectively and manage their activities as agribusiness ventures.

Participants were also trained in group dynamics and the use of moisture meters to ensure proper drying and processing of paddy rice.

Madam Paulina Abanbire, a beneficiary, expressed optimism that the improved technology would strengthen Ghana’s rice industry by enhancing the quality and competitiveness of locally produced rice while increasing incomes for women processors.

Source : Access Agric