New rice strains expected to reduce poverty, imports

Small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are the targeted beneficiaries of a strategy to introduce new rice varieties developed in West Africa to boost harvests, reduce poverty and save millions of dollars in imports. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported on Wednesday that the new varieties, known as NERICA (New Rice for Africa), combined the best qualities of African and Asian species. They produce up to twice the usual yields with fertiliser and improved management, and were substantially richer in protein, the statement said, adding that NERICA's high productivity could save West and Central African countries an estimated US $88 million in rice imports by 2005. The African Rice Initiative, spearheaded by the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), will invest more than US $15 million over the next five years to spread the new rice among small-scale and women farmers in seven pilot countries, UNDP reported. The seven are Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria and Togo. The initiative aims to make NERICA available as quickly and widely as possible through a participatory, community-based seed production strategy that will train farmers to grow seeds for other farmers and make a profit from it, according to the statement. Multiple varieties are to be introduced, letting farmers choose those that suit their needs, while complementary technologies to boost soil fertility and improve nutrition among farm families would be promoted. Market access will also be a focus to promote the sale of harvested rice, it added. WARDA developed the new varieties during the 1990s in cooperation with farmers in the region and using advanced biotechnology techniques. Financial and technical assistance came from UNDP and other partners, such as the government of Japan, the World Bank, the United States Agency for Development (USAID), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Rockefeller Foundation and the African Development Bank. More information on NERICAs