Burkina Faso develops eight new rice varieties using nuclear science to boost harvests

Rice consumption in Burkina Faso has doubled over the past decade, making stronger domestic production a national priority.

Scientists in Burkina Faso have developed eight rice varieties that produce higher yields, mature sooner and offer grain qualities suited to different consumer preferences. Released in 2025, the varieties are part of a national effort to grow more rice locally as consumption rises and imports continue to meet around half the country's demand.

The work received support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through their Atoms4Food initiative. Researchers used nuclear techniques to develop promising rice lines, then took them through field testing and official registration, with efforts now underway to increase seed supplies for farmers.

Developing rice for local fields and food preferences

Rice consumption in Burkina Faso has doubled over the past decade, making stronger domestic production a national priority. The country's rice breeding programme has been working on varieties that can deliver more grain and respond to local growing conditions, farmers' needs and consumer preferences.

Researchers used mutation breeding, a technique that applies radiation to speed up the natural process of genetic variation. They selected plants with useful characteristics and developed them into new rice lines, supported by training and expert assistance through the IAEA's technical cooperation programme.

The eight released varieties yield between 9 and 11 tonnes per hectare and mature in 95 to 106 days. Varieties already listed in Burkina Faso's national catalogue typically yield between 4 and 6 tonnes per hectare and take longer to mature.

Grain characteristics received attention alongside productivity. The new varieties include two with large grains, two rich in resistant starch and one waxy, or sticky, rice variety, giving the breeding programme a range of traits that matter beyond the harvest.

Imaël Henri Nestor Bassolé of Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo said the achievement extends beyond the release of eight varieties. Support from the IAEA and FAO has strengthened the country's scientific capacity, enabling researchers to continue developing crops suited to changing growing conditions and the needs of farmers and consumers.

Taking promising rice lines through testing and approval

A successful result in the laboratory does not immediately give farmers a new crop to plant. Researchers must test a rice line under local conditions, assess its suitability for farmers and consumers, and complete the registration process before its release.

Stronger national expertise in mutation breeding helped Burkina Faso's researchers carry promising lines through these stages. Building on earlier work, the IAEA-FAO collaboration supported registration, demonstration fields in Bama and Banzon, and research on future generations of improved rice.

In June 2025, eight of the eleven advanced mutant rice lines were officially registered in Burkina Faso's National Catalogue of Plant Species and Varieties. Their inclusion marked a major step in making the research available for agricultural production.

Researchers are continuing to work with the desirable traits identified in the released lines, seeking combinations that could contribute to further improvements in rice varieties.

Expanding seed supplies and planning further support

With official approval secured, work is underway to expand seed production and make the varieties more widely available. Demonstration fields are showing how they perform under local growing conditions, helping connect the research with practical use on farms.

The potential contribution to domestic rice supplies depends on moving through this stage, as farmers need access to seed before the benefits of the new varieties can reach more fields.

Dongxin Feng, Director of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, described Burkina Faso's progress as an example of how nuclear science can support food security and strengthen national research capacity. Through Atoms4Food, the organizations are working with countries to build on such results and support sustainable improvements across agrifood systems.

Burkina Faso hosted the first joint Atoms4Food Assessment Mission in May 2025. The mission identified priority areas for the next phase of support, providing direction for cooperation beyond the newly registered rice varieties.