- The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) is the only CGIAR Research Center owned by African countries. It works to increase rice production and self-sufficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa through research and partnerships. - AfricaRice has developed over 200 improved rice varieties, good agricultural practices, and innovations along the rice value chain to boost yields and incomes for farmers. - It aims to increase rice self-sufficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa to 90% by 2020 through implementation of its 2011-2020 strategic plan which focuses on strengthening rice production, processing, and marketing.

1. Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice)
The only CGIAR Research Center owned by African countries

2. Importance of rice in SSA
• Fastest growing food staple: Demand growing at > 6% per year – faster than
any other food staple
• Strategic for food security: Most important energy source in West Africa and
Madagascar and 2nd most important in Africa
• Impact on economies: Local production covers about 60% of demand (imports
per year at >US$ 5 billion)
• Important for women: Main labor force in SSA’s rainfed ecologies (sowing to
processing and marketing)
• Viable career for youth: The rice sector
can employ many of the 17 million young
people who enter SSA’s job market
every year
• Huge potential: Africa has resources to
produce enough quality rice to feed itself
and to export

3. AfricaRice member states
• 26 Member States
• Headquarters: Côte d’Ivoire

4. • AfricaRice and partners have developed
a strategic plan (2011-2020) to boost
rice production in SSA
• This plan was approved by AfricaRice
Council of Ministers in 2011.
• The Strategic Plan is being implemented
with many partners across the research
to development continuum.
• Vision: increase rice self-sufficiency
ratio to almost 90% in 2020 leading to a
reduction in imports of about 5 million t
per year
AfricaRice 2011-2020 Strategic Plan

5. Implementation mechanisms: rice task forces, hubs and
innovation platforms (IP) approaches

6. Scalable innovations along
the rice value chain

7. • Holds the largest collection of African rice in
the world -- with over 20,000 accessions
• Two cultivated rice species (Oryza sativa
and O. glaberrima)
• Five African uncultivated (wild) rice species
(O. longistaminata, O. barthii, O. punctata,
O. brachyantha and O. eichingeri)
• Genebank being upgraded to world-class
standards at AfricaRice headquarters in
M’bé, Côte d’Ivoire; plans underway to
transform it into the ‘Africa rice biodiversity
center’
• ‘Safety duplicates’ material in long-term
mega-stores in NCGRP, Fort Collins,
Colorado, and in the Svalbard Global Seed
Vault, Norway
AfricaRice genebank

8. Varieties developed by AfricaRice and its partners
> 200 improved rice varieties released in last 30 years in
Africa:
• High-performing and climate-smart ‘Advanced rice for
Africa (ARICA)’ varieties
• Popular ‘New rice for Africa (NERICA)’ varieties: grown
on about 1.7 million ha across SSA. NERICA adoption
has lifted 8 million people out of poverty in 16 countries
• High-yielding ‘Sahel’ varieties for irrigated ecologies:
Present value of net benefits of Sahel adoption $ 24.6
million
• Hybrids: More than 50 hybrids developed by AfricaRice
show 15-20% yield advantage compared with inbred
check. Two hybrids selected for release in Senegal in
2017. New set of hybrids being tested in several
countries..
• Aromatic varieties: ‘ORYLUX’ series

9. Good agricultural practices (GAP)
basket development
Intervention Typical farmers’ practice
and problems
GAP component
Variety choice Old varieties New varieties
Land preparation Not bunded, not well leveled Bunding & leveling
Sowing Random transplanting &
delayed sowing
Transplanting at optimum density,
time
Weeding Single herbicide & two hand-
weedings
Single herbicide & weeding with
mechanical weeder
Fertilizer application Very variable Site-specific nutrient management
Water management Permanent standing water Timing of drainage before
harvesting

10. Crop management decision support tool:
RiceAdvice
• Allows rice farmers to apply mineral fertilizer more
efficiently to optimize production and profits and
reduce waste
• Helps rice farmers identify the best option for
fertilizers to be purchased, based on nutrient
requirement and fertilizer prices
• Farmers can increase rice yield by about 20%
and increase their profit margin by about $200
per hectare per season

11. Improved land and water management
Smart-valleys approach
• A low-cost, participatory and sustainable
approach to develop inland valleys for
rice-based systems
• Major advantages: increased water
retention in farmers’ fields, less risk of
fertilizer losses due to flooding and
increased rice yields
• In Togo and Benin, average rice yields
of farmers using Smart-valleys approach
more than doubled from 1.5–2 to 3.5–
4.5 t/ha
• Impact studies indicate the potential
adoption rate is 67%

12. Decision support: weed management
• Total rice production
losses attributable to
weeds in SSA estimated
at US$ 1.5 billion
• Tool developed for
identifying major rice
weeds of Africa
• Valuable resource for
professionals involved in
research, training and
management of rice
weeds in SSA

13. Mechanization
• Motorized weeders
• Threshers
• Combine harvesters

14. Improved rice processing - GEM rice parboiler
• An improved rice parboiling system called GEM, combined with
training and innovation platform approach is improving the livelihood
of more than 2000 rural women in Benin and Nigeria
• It is energy-efficient, shortens processing time, reduces drudgery, and
does not expose the women parboilers to heat burns
• With GEM, average monthly quantity of parboiled rice produced as
well as the average monthly income from this activity has more than
doubled
Milling machine

15. From production focus to value chain focus
Pioneering work on
experimental auctions and
value chain development in
Senegal
Packaging, branding and labeling
of locally produced rice for urban
and niche markets to enhance
consumer attractiveness to locally
produced rice in Glazou IP Parboiled rice “Riz Saveur” in Glazoue IP

16. Strengthening the capacity of rice professionals
• National agricultural
research and extension
staff
• Development Partners
• Rice Value Chain actors
(private & public)
Integrated Rice
Management
Course, AfricaRice
Training Center,
Saint Louis, Senegal

17. AfricaRice post-graduate trainees and
group capacity development programs
Total number of trainees in 2015

18. Framework for innovation in the food sector
• The Green Innovation Center for Agriculture
and Food Sector (GICAFS) set up at
AfricaRice in Benin is using a novel
approach, centered around scaling up of
agricultural innovations and offering a range
of services to rural communities, through
youth training and employment
• 124 young professionals selected for
deployment in 173 villages in Benin >>
Innovation & business development services
to ~30,000 farmers and further learning

19. Making Africa’s rice sector dynamic and profitable to
attract youth
Quality rice seed
SMART-valleys
approach
RiceAdvice
App ASI Thresher
GEM rice
Parboiler
Packaging
Branding
• Africa’s rice sector offers vast opportunities
for youth entrepreneurship
• AfricaRice is integrating rural youths in
innovation platforms (IPs) with business
opportunities centered around rice
technologies and innovations along the
value chain (use of RiceAdvice app, seed
production, mechanization, processing,
marketing…)
• For example, the establishment of rice
parboiling as a business for women and
youth is a big success of IPs in Benin and
Nigeria AfricaRice’s conceptual framework to promote
youth entrepreneurship in rice value chain

20. Scaling up with the help of private partners
• Bringing together small-to-medium
(SMEs) seed enterprises and scientists
• Collaborating with private sector on
certified rice seed production in Mali,
Burkina Faso and Uganda
• ASI thresher manufacturing in
partnership with private sector/SME
blacksmiths in Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire,
Senegal
ATAT /ASI threshers fabricated
by Hanigha Nigeria Ltd. Threshing
capacity: 2.5t/h ( suitable for irrigated
rice)
Mini – ASI Thresher 800 kg/h
(suitable for rainfed rice cology)

21. Thank you