AfricaRice Audio Podcasts

AfricaRice Director General calls for integration of rice science in regional policy agenda

Impressed with the outputs of the AfricaRice Regional Station in Saint Louis, Senegal, in terms of high-yielding and stress-tolerant varieties,  improved agronomic packages, policy options and knowledge, AfricaRice Director General Dr Harold Roy-Macauley said, “The work that is being done at this Regional Station by a very dynamic team is focused and relevant. However, more efforts need to be made to integrate rice science in the regional policy agenda.”

Dr Roy-Macauley made these remarks to the staff during his first visit to the Saint Louis Regional Station. “This Station has made significant contributions to the rice sector development in the Sahel region and it is clear that the Sahel countries need you.”

After receiving a warm welcome from the scientists and support staff of the Regional Station, Dr Roy-Macauley visited the experimental fields and the laboratories for biotechnology, grain quality and soil science. The Acting Regional Station Head Dr Kabirou Ndiaye gave a brief overview of the Station’s activities which was complemented by presentations by scientists.

Dr Roy-Macauley took the opportunity to explain the principles and pillars of his vision in order to help AfricaRice grow into a big pan-African international Center of Excellence for research, development and capacity strengthening.

Scenes from the visit of AfricaRice Director General Dr Harold Roy-Macauley to the Center's Regional Station in Saint Louis, Senegal

Cliquez ici pour écouter le discours du Dr Roy-Macauley / Click here to listen to Dr Roy-Macauley’s speech.

Dr Baboucarr Manneh highlights the achievements of the STRASA-Africa component

The Stress Tolerant Rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA) phase III Africa annual meeting was held on the 13th of February 2015 in Cotonou, Benin. Forty six (46) participants from 19 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia. Ghana, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and USA) attended this meeting. Sixteen countries which are involved in the project were represented by their focal points.

Key personalities present at the meeting were Dr Gary Atlin of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Dr Marco Wopereis, Deputy Director General-Research and Development, AfricaRice; Dr Mathew Morell, Deputy Director General, IRRI; Dr Abdelbagi Ismail, Overall STRASA Coordinator, IRRI; Dr Baboucarr Manneh, STRAS-Africa Coordinator; and Dr Issoufou Kapran, Program Officer, Seed Production and Dissemination, AGRA. Representatives of several STRASA development partners such as CORAF/WECARD (West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development) and NAFASO (Private company in Burkina Faso) were also present.

The presentations and discussions focused on progress made by AfricaRice and IRRI-ESA project scientists and NARS partners in identifying and developing scalable products such as abiotic stress tolerant genes, breeding lines and varieties as well as dissemination strategies for the newly released stress tolerant varieties. In 2014, three drought tolerant lines were submitted for release in Mali (WAB 358-5-2-3-3-P, CNAX3031-78-2-1-1, WABC265) and 6 cold tolerant lines (Scrid 006-2-4-2-3, HR 17570-21-5-2-5-2-2-1-5, ARICA 9, WAS 62-B-B-14-1, PSBRC 96, WAS 203-B-B-1) were also submitted for release in Burundi and Mali. The need for greater integration of gender issues into the strategic results framework of the project was also emphasized at the meeting. Drafts Seed Road Maps developed by NARS partners for the newly released stress tolerant varieties were updated at the meeting. 

Dr Baboucarr Manneh highlights the achievements of the STRASA-Africa component. 

Listen to this podcast.

AfricaRice agronomist Kazuki Saito wins France's prestigious Louis Malassis Young Promising Scientist Prize

Dr Kazuki Saito, AfricaRice agronomist from Japan, was awarded the Agropolis Foundation’s Louis Malassis Young Promising Scientist Prize in a ceremony held on 16 March 2015 in Montpellier, France, during the Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture 2015.

Named after Louis Malassis, a renowned French agronomist and agricultural economist who was an ardent supporter of farmers’ cause, the Prize recognizes exemplary and promising contributions of scientists in the field of agriculture and food. It consists of two categories – Distinguished Scientist and Young Promising Scientist.

Accepting the Louis Malassis Prize from Mr Henri Carsalade, Chair of the Board, Agropolis Foundation, Saito said, “I want to thank Agropolis Foundation for this incredible honor. This honor must be shared with all those who have worked with me and supported me. I recognize that our work within the Africa rice agronomy network with national partners has just begun. We have a huge challenge in front of us. I will continue to work hard to make a positive difference in rice production in Africa and in farmers’ livelihoods.”

Saito is the driving force behind the Africa-wide Rice Agronomy Task Force, convened by AfricaRice, which is conducting activities in 21 countries across Africa. Yield-gap survey protocols for the Agronomy Task Force, developed under Saito’s leadership, are currently being used in these countries by national research institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. The results from the surveys are enabling AfricaRice and its partners to identify the opportunities available to introduce technologies to close yield gaps.

Saito is involved in climate risk assessment and R&D priority setting for rice in Africa. He has developed a decision support application (app) for providing African farmers with field-specific management guidelines called ‘RiceAdvice.’ He is also leading a team that has developed the first version of a yield gap map for rice in nine African countries in the ‘Global Yield Gap Atlas’ website.

AfricaRice Deputy Director General Dr Marco Wopereis said “Saito has always shown determination, stamina and leadership in conducting field research in close collaboration with researchers and farmers, leading to tangible results often under difficult circumstances.”

Saito has been actively involved in training researchers, extension workers and students in themes relating to agronomy, including making use of smart phones to facilitate data entry and recognition of symptoms of pests, diseases and nutrient disorders in the field.

“Saito is a worthy recipient of the prestigious Louis Malassis Young Promising Scientist Prize and the AfricaRice family is very proud of his achievements,” AfricaRice Director General Dr Harold Roy-Macauley said.

Related links :

• Listen to audio podcast of Kazuki Saito – Winner of Louis Malassis Young Promising Scientist Prize
• The Story Behind the Science of Dr. Kazuki Saito
• Should technological innovation be the last piece of the “yield gap” puzzle in Africa?
• L’innovation technologique devrait-elle être le dernier morceau du casse-tête de « l’écart de rendement » en Afrique ?
• A game changer in Africa’s rice agronomy

AfricaRice’s new DG takes office, outlines strategic priorities

Describing the 2011-2020 strategic plan of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) to boost the rice sector in Africa as “evidenced-based and therefore very solid and powerful,” the new Director General of AfricaRice Dr Harold Roy-Macauley urged AfricaRice staff “to be adventurous and ingenious in the way we roll out our rice science.”

He stated that although AfricaRice’s mandate covers the rice sector in Africa, it is global in its approach, because of the growing importance and opportunities of the African rice sector in the global rice market. “Rice is global and it is big business,” said Dr Roy-Macauley. “It is the white gold of the future. We at AfricaRice should consider ourselves fortunate to be in big business already.”

Dr Roy-Macauley made these remarks in his first speech to the AfricaRice staff during the handover ceremony on 12 March 2015 at AfricaRice temporary headquarters in Cotonou, Benin, in which the Interim Director General Dr Adama Traoré handed over office to him.

Dr Roy-Macauley, a Sierra Leonean national, was appointed as the new Director General of AfricaRice at an Extraordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of AfricaRice held on 6 February 2015, in Kampala, Uganda.

After thanking Dr Traoré for ably steering the Center during the interim period, Dr Roy-Macauley outlined his first priorities that include the following:

•                 Rendering partnerships more efficient around rice science and sector development

•                 Strengthening capacity for rice science and sector development

•                 Improving access of small-holders rice producers to markets

•                 Reintegrating rice science in the policy agenda of countries

•                 Increasing investments in rice science and sector development           

To realize his vision for AfricaRice, he highlighted the need for AfricaRice Management and staff to focus on the implementation of four main pillars: 

1.     “Consolidation, which implies consolidating existing scientific and development activities to respond directly to the weaknesses observed in the rice value chain with special focus on integrating functional Innovation platforms (IPs) in rice value chain in the rice hubs and striking a better balance between varietal development and dissemination and agronomy.

2.     Efficiency/Efficacy, which implies improving the following key systems – monitoring, evaluation and learning; data and information collection and analysis; knowledge management; information and communication; cooperate services and quality delivery; and governance policies, leading to increased credibility of AfricaRice, the interest of development partners including the private sector and their investments and the sustainable funding of AfricaRice’s activities.

3.     Punctuality, which implies anticipating consequences (proactivity and rapidity), having great consideration of our clients, inspiring confidence in staff, and being polite, which will lead to improved client relationship and the reputation of AfricaRice Management.

4.     Excellence, which implies being very progressive, having a sense of responsibility and a spirit of openness, and recognizing diversity, merits and talents, which will lead to improved work environment.”

Listen to AfricaRice Director General Dr Harold Roy-Macauley’s maiden address.

 

Esther Leah Achandi received the Young Rice Scientist Award

Esther Leah Achandi received the Young Rice Scientist Award at the International Rice Congress held in Thailand, Bangkok in November 2014, for her research on  “Market participation by small holder rice farmers in Tanzania: A double hurdle analysis”.

Gaudiose Mujawamariya received the Young Rice Scientist Award

Gaudiose Mujawamariya received the Young Rice Scientist Award at the International Rice Congress held in Thailand, Bangkok in November 2014, for her research on “Demystification of consumer preferences for rice in urban areas of Dar es Salaam”. 

Adding value to Africa’s rice

In Africa, both the quantity and quality of rice suffer huge losses, especially during postharvest operations.

Until recently, R&D thrusts in Africa have focused mainly on how to increase rice production but relatively less on how to improve the quality of rice.

However, Africa’s rice sector is now more aware that producing just more rice is not enough and that quality—as well as quantity—is essential. To be competitive, Africa’s rice sector needs to make rice quality and marketing important.

Rising to the challenge, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) and AfricaRice, in partnership with McGill University, are spearheading an ambitious project on food security in Africa with a focus on rice postharvest handling and marketing.

The project is helping actors along the value chain add value to rice, the project is helping raise income, improve rice quality, and expand the market for locally produced rice products.

Facilitating information and knowledge exchange in rice sector development

AfricaRice organized a 3-day workshop and training event on 'Facilitating Information and Knowledge Exchange in Rice Sector Development' in Cotonou, Benin on 25-27 June 2014. Thirteen African countries were represented by national experts on communication, ICT and knowledge management. These experts are working in 'rice sector development hubs'. These hubs have been identified in 2012-2013 by AfricaRice member countries to ensure concentration of research efforts in strategic regions for rice sector development. This will facilitate connecting with public and private sector development initiatives, allowing for more rapid out-scaling of successful innovations and feedback to research. 

The objective of the workshop was to create a joint mechanism to i) share information and knowledge related to scalable rice technologies and activities in the Rice Sector Development Hubs in the most effective and efficient manner and, ii) to reach out to end-users of rice technologies and services, such as rice farmers, processors, agricultural machinery manufacturers, traders etc. 

Information and knowledge is most effectively shared through face-to-face interaction but large numbers of people will only benefit if this is combined using a multi-media platform using virtual access, video, radio and print.  

The Rice eHub (www.ricehub.org) established by AfricaRice is such a multi-media platform enabling countries involved to share 'stories from the field' in and around the Hubs and technical and institutional innovations that are making a positive difference in a systems and/or value chain context.  

The workshop enabled participants to discuss the use of video and rural radio to report on work with farming communities and to document scalable technologies taking into account local socio-economic settings. Rural radio will be used to accompany the rice community throughout the cropping season, advising on crop management practices and sharing experiences among value chain actors. 

Each country is expected to develop a 'rice knowledge management package' (combinations of video, rural radio, use of the Rice eHub, printed material, billboards etc.) that best fits their resources and priorities. Based on these country action plans, partners such as Farm Radio International and Digital Green will provide technical support to ensure the selected tools facilitate information and knowledge exchange with large numbers of end-users. 

The event was organized with support from the CGIAR Research Program on Rice, known as the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP), and the African Development Bank's project called SARD-SC.

Speakers in the podcast (in order of intervention) 

Benjamin Fiafor 

Farm Radio International, Ghana

Mohamed Dicko

Institut d'économie rurale (IER), Mali

Cynthia Nwobodo 

University of Nigeria, Nigeria

Celestin Kouassi  

Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA), Cote d'Ivoire

Djibrilla Abdou Malam Abdou  

Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), Niger

Ansah Isaac  

CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Ghana

Fota Gueye  

Institut sénégalais de recherches agricoles (ISRA), Senegal

Adesanya Fatimoh Oluwatoyin 

National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Nigeria

Podcast : R.Raman, AfricaRice

Innovation systems approaches: the way forward for agricultural R4D

Emphasizing that inclusive and participatory value chain approaches and innovation platforms are the way forward for agricultural R4D, Dr Adama Traoré, Chair of the just-concluded 4^th Agriculture Science Week for West and Central Africa, stated, “We are more interdependent today than in the past for achieving research impact.” Dr Traoré is the Interim Director General of AfricaRice.

Themed ‘Innovations in agro-sylvo-pastoral systems to feed West and Central Africa,’ the 4^th Agriculture Science Week for West and Central Africa was organized by the West and Central African council for agricultural research and development (CORAF/WECARD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Niger, 16-19 June 2014, in Niamey under the aegis of the Head of State of the Republic of Niger His Excellency Mahamadou Issoufou.

 

For more, listen to this podcast.

Podcast by : Savitri Mohapatra, R.Raman, AfricaRice

AfricaRice : A clarion call for greater investment in Africa's rice sector

The 3rd Africa Rice Congress, held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, 21 to 24 October 2013, issued a clarion call to increase investments in Africa's rice sector as well as in rice-related research, extension and capacity building so that the continent can realize its rice promise. 

The Congress declaration emphasized among others the need to invest in the modernization and mechanization of Africa's rice industry and aggregation of farm output, while safeguarding land rights of smallholders and improving livelihoods. It also called for the establishment of a world-class research infrastructure in Africa for rice genetic evaluation and the strengthening of the rice hub network to achieve greater and faster impact across the rice value chain. 

More than 650 participants attended the Congress from 60 countries --including 35 African countries. They comprised rice farmers, seed producers, rice processors, input dealers, agricultural machinery manufacturers and representatives from agricultural ministries, national and international rice research and extension communities, non-governmental organizations, donors and other development partners. 

For more, listen to this podcast.

Podcast by : R.Raman, AfricaRice, Savitri Mohapatra, AfricaRice