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Abstract
Improving local rice production capacity is a key element on the agenda of most countries in
the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). There are several reasons for
this drive: (1) the high levels of rice imports, which constitute a burden on the countries’
financial resources; (2) the relatively high contribution of the commodity to national food
security programmes; (3) income generation for smallholder farm communities; and (4) the
contribution of rice to the improvement of nutritional status. The policy analysis matrix
approach was used to evaluate the policy-induced effects of the WAEMU common external
tariffs on the performance of irrigated rice production systems in Niger. The results show that
the irrigated rice production system receives little protection, and that retail rice marketing
channels are even less protected. The negative net policy effects indicate that greater
incentives are needed for enhanced system performance.