Biotech Updates

FAO Notes Bumper Rice Harvest in Africa

May 8, 2009

There has been a steady increase in the rice production in Africa in the past years. According to the latest figures from the Rice Market Monitor released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), this has been because of favorable weather and the positive effect of Africa's adoption of NERICA's rice varieties.

"We do not think that it is just a coincidence that Burkina Faso and Mali have had these spectacular successes. They were the first countries to evaluate and release the lowland NERICA varieties developed recently by the Africa Rice Center (WARDA) in close association with national programs," said  Papa Abdoulaye Seck, WARDA Director General.

Because of their success in rice production, Nigeria was able to reduce its rice imports in 2005.  FAO said that West Africa is not the only region where NERICA is performing spectacularly. The varieties have leapfrogged from Guinea to Uganda in Eastern Africa, where they are blazing a new trail of success.

For more information on this topic, go to http://www.warda.org/warda/newsrel-riceharvest-may07.asp