Ouagadougou: "We can produce rice three times a year with a yield of 12 tons per hectare," says Professor Bassole. Professor Henri Nestor Bassole, teacher-researcher at the UFR SVT and head of the "Food and Biomolecules" research team at the Labesta laboratory, presented the progress of his work on the valorization of Burkinabe local products, focusing on neglected foods such as rice and certain forest products.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the goal is to demonstrate that these often underestimated foods possess specific nutritional and biological properties that deserve to be better known and consumed by the population. "Once people discover the benefits of these foods, they begin to incorporate them into their diet," emphasizes Professor Bassole.
Significant progress has been made on rice, specifically. In collaboration with INERA and Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, his team has developed new varieties capable of yielding up to 12 tons per hectare, with a short growing cycle allowing for three harvests per year. These varieties, adapted to different diets, far surpass the yields of varieties currently cultivated in Burkina Faso, which are limited to approximately 4 tons per hectare.
"With these new varieties, we are no longer just talking about food self-sufficiency. Burkina Faso can become a rice exporter," the teacher-researcher stated. He added that these varieties also incorporate specific nutritional qualities, particularly for people living with type 2 diabetes or obesity, as well as for growing children and workers performing significant physical exertion. "Some varieties contain up to 17% protein, thus contributing to the fight against undernutrition," noted Professor Henri Nestor Bassole.
He also stressed the role of value chain actors in the success of this project. Researchers in soil science, socio-economics, and genetics, along with local producers, seed companies, and rice parboilers, are collaborating to ensure the production, processing, and distribution of rice. Innovations such as mini-parboilers reduce parboiling time from 48-72 hours to less than 24 hours, thus facilitating processing and marketing.
Technology transfer also includes training for the country's producers and cooks to promote the use and development of different rice varieties. Since 2014, these efforts have been successful, with eight varieties being registered in Burkina Faso's national catalog of species and varieties by June 2025, and several varieties being developed that are unique on the African continent, the UJKZ professor and researcher affirmed.
In terms of recognition, Professor Bassole's team has won several awards, notably the first Adipro prize in the agri-food sector, and holds a patent for an ointment developed from Lannea microcarpa oil. For Professor Bassole, research is above all a matter of passion and service to the community. "The true value of research lies in the moral satisfaction of knowing that someone has been able to achieve their goals thanks to our work," he explained.
He paid tribute to the Burkina Faso Defense and Security Forces (FDS), adding, "It is thanks to their work that we have the peace of mind to work and move forward with our projects."