In a country which still imports a significant part of its rice, each irrigated hectare is a battle won against food dependence. It is with this conviction that the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production, Bruno Nabagné Koné, opened the doors of his office this Monday to a delegation from the Israeli group Ekobell, led by Idan Pinhas and Kevin Guyonnet. During this interview, it was a question of taking stock of the progress of the Daloa Irrigated Rice Project (PRIDA), a flagship initiative which aims to develop 3,500 hectares of irrigated areas in the Haut-Sassandra region. digitalization and structural transformation of Ivorian agriculture. By reaffirming its support for the implementation of the project, it indexes PRIDA as one of the strategic levers of national food sovereignty. Ekobell, already active on the continent (the group signed a similar agreement with Cameroon in March 2026 for three rice agropoles representing nearly 98 billion CFA francs in investment), brings proven expertise in irrigation and intensive agricultural production.

The stakes are considerable, beyond the 3,500 hectares to be developed, PRIDA should, ultimately, generate more than 21,000 direct and indirect jobs, revitalizing a rural living area often weakened by the exodus of young people to the cities. A promise of employment and local development that resonates in a context where African youth are looking for viable alternatives to subsistence agriculture.