Cradle-to-Cradle Rice Transformation

Malô is a Mali-based advisory firm specialized in transforming rice grown by smallholder farmers in West Africa into nutritious, affordable ingredients and meals. We deliver strategic and technical support to governments, development partners, and agribusinesses to unlock inclusive growth across the rice value chain—from field to fork.

Flowchart illustrating the Malo process for rice production, featuring rice husk transforming into electricity and biochar fertilizer, unprocessed rice converted to milled and fortified rice, rice bran producing rice bran oil and enriched animal feed.

Why We Do What We Do

Rice feeds over two-thirds of the world’s population, sustaining millions of farming families globally—from the West Indies to India. Yet rice offers far more than calories and livelihoods: it is a catalyst for sustainable development, rural prosperity, and nutritional security.

For Malô, rice is more than a staple—it’s a pathway to sustainable development, healthier communities, and resilient economies. With nearly 15 years of immersive research and collaboration alongside smallholder farmers, consumers, nutritionists, engineers, policymakers, humanitarians, and academics, we've created a comprehensive solution for rice sector transformation.

Infographic about challenges in Mali's rice farming sector, highlighting issues with financing, technology, and living conditions. Key statistics include high interest rates, inefficiency in milling, crop spoilage, widespread poverty, anemia, child malnutrition, and market details.

Our Advisory Expertise Includes:

  • Empowering Smallholder Farmers:
    Providing targeted education, technical training, and ongoing support to improve farming practices and productivity.

  • Reducing Agricultural Risks:
    Helping farmers significantly minimize harvest and post-harvest losses through evidence-based techniques and solutions.

  • Enhancing Financial Access:
    Strengthening cooperative structures and improving farmers’ financial literacy and creditworthiness, enabling better financial services and favorable credit conditions.

  • Optimizing Agro-processing Infrastructure:
    Advising on the design and implementation of state-of-the-art, cost-effective processing facilities utilizing energy-efficient technologies.

  • Creating Nutritious, Value-Added Products:
    Collaborating with partners to develop high-quality, rice-based products that generate significant social and economic returns for all stakeholders.