New rice strain

A new strain of rice developed from African and Asian varieties by the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA) can yield up to 50 percent more than other breeds without the use of fertilizer, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

NERICA (New rice for Africa) was developed with support from UNDP, the Rockefeller Foundation and other partners. It matures 30-50 days earlier than other strains and is richer in protein, according to UNDP, which says it is also more resistant to disease, drought, acid soils, pests and weeds.

A group whose aim is to promote the dissemination of the new strain, the ‘NERICA Consortium for Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa’, was formed on 12 April at a meeting in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire. It includes regional networking bodies such as WARDA and national research groups. It also includes donor agencies and countries that co-organised the Bouake meeting: the Rockefeller Foundation, UNDP, USAID, the Japanese government and the World Bank. Eventually, the consortium is expected to include other stakeholders such as NGOs, farmers’ organisations and the private sector, WARDA said.

The Bouake meeting was attended by West African ministers and deputy ministers as well as some 100 participants from African and Asian research institutions.