RESUMEN
In Africa, rice has always been a staple food in some countries and the fastest growing food source there. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in terms of cereal production, rice is ranked second after maize and is an important source of income for the rice farmer. The objective of this study was to analyze and understand consumers' preferences and behaviors towards local and imported rice in the South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces, DRC. Data collected on 1565 rice-consuming households in eastern DRC showed that there is a great opportunity for the rice value chain and food policy development, and the promotion of local rice consumption. Consumers focus on local rice because it is cheaper, but it does not always meet their desired needs. Indeed, only urban consumers were more willing to pay for higher-quality rice. The development of the demand for local rice calls for strong investment in improving production, post-harvest practices, and market aspects. It was found that over 90% of rice consumers know about local rice production and over 84% have consumed it. In rural areas, there is typically lower consumption of imported rice. However, as households require more rice, they tend to rely more on imported varieties due to their availability in the market. The most preferred rice attributes were flavor, aroma, purity, swelling capacity, breakage rate, and whiteness. Therefore, rice producers should consider the habits and needs of consumers to improve market demand. In addition, good packaging, labeling, and marketing can also enhance local rice preference and competitiveness in South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces in eastern DRC. The findings of this study indicated that research aimed at improving local rice varieties with regard to yield, disease resistance, and organoleptic qualities could enable the population to consume more locally produced rice, which is often more affordable than imported rice. This could in turn significantly reduce the need for rice imports. These results suggest that research carried out to improve the yield and organoleptic qualities of local rice in this area can allow it to be more competitive on the market and can reduce the importation of rice.
RESUMEN
The Rural Household Multiple Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) is a standardized farm household survey approach which collects information on 758 variables covering household demographics, farm area, crops grown and their production, livestock holdings and their production, agricultural product use and variables underlying standard socio-economic and food security indicators such as the Probability of Poverty Index, the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, and household dietary diversity. These variables are used to quantify more than 40 different indicators on farm and household characteristics, welfare, productivity, and economic performance. Between 2015 and the beginning of 2018, the survey instrument was applied in 21 countries in Central America, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The data presented here include the raw survey response data, the indicator calculation code, and the resulting indicator values. These data can be used to quantify on- and off-farm pathways to food security, diverse diets, and changes in poverty for rural smallholder farm households.
