Product Type: Grains – Rice
Stage: Processing & Packaging
Problem: Traditional parboiling method damaged high percentage of rice grains
Solution: “Grain quality enhancer, energy-efficient, and durable material” (GEM) parboiling system which reduces parboiling damage and waste

1. Parboiling rice is a process of partially boiling rice in the husk prior to milling. This is postharvest processing work which makes rice firmer, less sticky, and more nutritious to non-parboiled rice.
   
2. Parboiling as it is performed in rural regions contributes to livelihoods but is labor and time intensive. The process is also inefficient, utilizing lots of firewood and water and produces low-quality rice. Grains burned by the process are lost in processing.
3. A new technology improving the traditional parboiling tools was developed with models from the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development in Cameroon, the Food Research Institute in Ghana, and the National institute for Agricultural Research in Benin. The technology uses less fuel and water and uses hoists and rails to move larger volumes of rice over more even parboiling.
   
4. The technology, called “GEM” triples processing capacity per session, about 300-400 kg versus about 120 kg using traditional methods and reduces rice lost to burning in parboiling from about 24% to less than 2%. Future builds plan to increase capacity.