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Stakeholders involved in rice research and development in Africa met virtually from February 14 to 17, 2022, for AfricaRice Science Week 2022, with the aim of defining ways and means of maximizing AfricaRice's performance, within One CGIAR's operational framework.

AfricaRice is a pan-African Center of Excellence for rice research, development and capacity building. It is one of 15 international agricultural research centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a global partnership of international organizations involved in food security research.

At the end of AfricaRice's previous Strategic Plan 2011 - 2020, it was decided to set a new strategic direction for rice research and development, in line with the new emerging challenges and One CGIAR's operational framework.

Celebrated under the theme "Positioning rice development in Africa under a single CGIAR", AfricaRice Science Week 2022 provided an opportunity for stakeholders to look ahead to the finalization and upcoming implementation of the new rice research and innovation strategy for Africa.

The new strategy is aligned with One CGIAR's global strategy and is firmly in line with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rice remains a staple food in Africa, for which the continent is still largely dependent on foreign imports. The new Rice Research and Innovation Strategy will help to take a major step towards rice self-sufficiency, by helping to bridge the gap between demand and supply".

says Dr Abdou TENKOUANO, Executive Director of CORAF.

"Implementing the new Strategy will improve the livelihoods of farmers and other players in the rice value chain in Africa," he stresses.

At the end of the five-day event, AfricaRice scientists had a better understanding of how the new Rice Research and Innovation Strategy is aligned with the One CGIAR strategy. 

Among many other results, a framework for engaging National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in operationalizing the new Rice Research and Innovation Strategy for Africa in the context of the constraints and opportunities presented by the Covid 19 pandemic, taking into consideration the core rice research and innovation activities as defined in the new Strategy, was also developed.

"By better understanding and taking ownership of this new Strategy, AfricaRice scientists will be able to better carry out their activities to boost the rice value chain in Africa," says Dr. TENKOUANO.

"This will certainly help ensure food security and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2, which aims to eliminate hunger. 

According to the FAO, total rice imports (milled rice equivalent) in Africa in 2020 are estimated at 15,504,538 tonnes, for a total value of 6,529,343,000 USD. Africa's total production for the same year is 25,272,498 tonnes, according to the same source.

One CGIAR, is a dynamic reformulation of CGIAR's partnerships, knowledge, assets and global presence, aimed at greater integration and impact in the face of today's interdependent global challenges.

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