Science and Technical Partnership in Africa: Technologies, Platforms and Partnerships in support of the African agricultural science agenda, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, April 4&5, 2017

1. Scientific & Technical
Partnerships in Africa
The emerging rice varieties are evaluated for tolerance
to abiotic and biotic stresses, high yield and acceptable
consumer qualities. Using a combination of conventional
and marker assisted breeding methods the task force has
been able to identify and transfer tolerance to targeted
abiotic and biotic stresses into high yielding rice varieties.
The varieties have been tested under researcher-managed
and farmer-managed conditions where these stresses
occur. The superiority of the new varieties was clearly
demonstrated in the multi-country trials in ten countries
between 2008-2014 (AfricaRice 2015).
Products
Market demand and consumer preferences
Wide adoption of the next generation of new rice varieties
in Africa will depend upon market demand for the final
product of locally grown rice. Locally produced rice in
Africa is often less competitive than imported rice, due to
several factors, including: the high cost of production; poor
quality of some locally produced rice; lack of marketing
of consistently high quality product; poorly organised rice
value chain; and erratic supply of locally produced rice
throughout the year.
Hence, despite the significant price discount of locally
produced rice observed in certain markets in Africa, in
comparison with imported rice, urban consumers prefer
rice of Asian export quality standards, even if this is more
expensive. Also, locally produced rice lacks ‘a brand
identity’ (i.e. brand name, high grain quality, preferred
taste, competitive price and attractive packaging). The
new ARICA rice needs to be well promoted and easily
recognizable by consumers in the market as rice that
meets their preferences on quality, taste and price.
Delivery
Public private partnerships for the supply of high
quality seed of new ARICA rice varieties
A suite of new ARICA varieties suitable for various agro-
ecosystems across Africa is available. Demand by farmers
for seed of the new ARICA varieties is not being met
by current seed supply systems. Traditionally, AfricaRice
works with the National Agricultural Research System
(NARS) of member countries to test and disseminate new
varieties. Recently, there has been a shift in emphasis,
with a view to widening the partnerships to accelerate the
dissemination of new rice varieties. Other stakeholders
beyond the NARS are important when it comes to variety
dissemination after release.
With the emerging private sector and expanding market
opportunities in most countries of Africa, stakeholders in
the private sector are potential new partners and possible
investors in the rice business in Africa. These new partners
may include private seed enterprises, rice millers, rice
importers and large scale rice producers. An enabling policy
and regulatory environment that encourages investment
within individual countries is necessary. Small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) involved in agriculture are crucial for
efficiency and sustainability and for reaching a wider
market. SMEs are flexible enough to meet changing market
demands and can operate on smaller profit margins than
larger enterprises.
The challenge for private sector investment in the rice
seed business is the tendency of farmers to recycle their
own seed. Private seed companies may not be able to
recoup sufficient return on their investments of producing
high quality rice seed. Public-private partnerships (PPP)
are therefore essential for ensuring the supply/sale of
quality rice seed – with breeder and foundation seed being
produced by the public sector while certified seed
is produced by the private sector.
Multilateral financial institutions (e.g. AfDB and the World
Bank) could support the further development of sustainable
seed systems for dissemination and uptake of the
improved varieties through initiatives such as Technologies
for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) and the
Word Bank-supported regional agricultural productivity
projects in east and west Africa. Specific activities would
include support for multi-location testing and release of
improved varieties, seed production and promotion of the
varieties, skills enhancement of stakeholders on quality
seed production practices and seed entrepreneurship, and
development of relevant seed policies at national and
regional levels. The USAID supported seed program (WASP)
managed by CORAF, is a good example of development
partner engagement in a sustainable seed system
development in West Africa, with seed enterprise SMEs
at the centre of the plan.
Further information
Kerri Wright Platais | k.w.platais@cgiar.org
Program Head, Scientific and Technical Partnerships in Africa
Cultivating Science in Agriculture through Partnerships
IFPRI, April, 2017
Acknowledgements
IFPRI is pleased to acknowledge the following contributions to the Scientific and
Technical Partnerships in Africa brief on “Advanced Rice Varieties for Africa”.
Scientific and technical contributors: Josey Kamanda, Sidi Sanyang, Etienne
Duveiller and Harold Roy-Macauley, AfricaRice; Ernest Asiedu and Kodjo Kondo,
CORAF/WECARD.
IMPACT economic assessments: Nicostrato Perez and Mark Rosegrant, IFPRI.
Editor, S&T Partnerships in Africa briefs: Gabrielle Persley, Doyle Foundation.
Design: Eric Ouma and Kamau Wanyoike.
Photo credits: Shutterstock.
The financial support of the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) and the CGIAR Program on Policies, Markets and
Institutions (PIM) to this program is gratefully acknowledged
CORAF/WECARD
Af
rica Rice Cent
er

2. Context
Demand: Rice is a preferred food, especially in West
Africa, and in urban areas across the continent. The
growing demand for rice in Africa is driven by population
growth, increasing urbanization and climate change effects
that are reducing productivity within the rice growing
areas of Africa. Most of the rice consumed in Africa (over
90%) is imported from Asia and the USA. This represents
a substantial amount of foreign exchange earnings being
spent on importing rice, especially for the main rice
consuming countries, such as Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal
and Tanzania.
Supply: Most rice in Africa is grown within rain fed
production systems that have relatively lower productivity
when compared to irrigated systems. Rain fed systems are
also more vulnerable to climate change. Rice production in
Africa is hindered by many abiotic stresses such as drought,
salinity, flooding, iron toxicity and extreme temperatures.
Rice is also vulnerable to a range of pest and diseases.
These abiotic and biotic stresses all reduce rice yields in
farmers’ fields. There are also some postharvest issues
accounting for the poor quality of some locally grown rice.
Discovery
Advanced Rice Varieties for Africa (ARICA)
The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) has established an
Africa-wide Rice Breeding Task Force (ARBTF) to contribute
towards achieving rice self-sufficiency in Africa. This
breeders’ network enables newly developed rice varieties
to be evaluated across trial sites in more than 30 countries.
The objective is to accelerate the development and
deployment of the next generation of elite rice varieties
for major production systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
The breeding lines that enter the task force evaluation
system are contributed by many institutions, including
AfricaRice, the national agricultural research systems in rice
growing countries of Africa, the International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI), the International Center of Cooperation in
Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD), and the
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). These
institutes are also partners in the CGIAR Research Program
(CRP) on rice.
The Africa Rice Breeding Task Force uses a systematic and
multi-environment testing approach to increase efficiency
and efficacy in rice breeding across the continent. In
addition to rice breeders, farmers, members of national
variety release committees and other stakeholders such
as millers, traders and restaurant owners participate in the
evaluation of new rice lines. Organoleptic and palatability
tests are conducted before the release of varieties.
In addition, all material undergoes grain quality analysis.
All this is to ensure that varieties meet specifications
demanded by the market. (continued on page 4)
Impact
IFPRI’s IMPACT modelling
Assumptions: IFPRI’s IMPACT model was used to simulate different rice market scenarios (i.e. supply, demand, prices and trade)
for the countries of Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tanzania. Basic assumptions include: Productivity increase of 30% for the improved
rice varieties; farmers’ adoption rate of 48% to 60% respectively for the moderate and high adoption scenarios, by 2030. A baseline
scenario of business as usual with no ‘new rice technology initiative’ is assumed—with climate change as given for all scenarios.
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Figure 1b Cote D’Ivoire: Per capita rice production
kg/capita/year
(Source: Perez, N. IFPRI IMPACT model 2017)Historical Climate change Moderate adoption High adoption
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
800
600
400
200
0
-200
-400
-600
-800
-1,000
000 mt
Figure 1c Cote D’Ivoire: Net trade of rice
Cote D’Ivoire: IFPRI’s IMPACT simulations
shows that adoption of improved rice
technology can increase both total and per
capita rice production (Figures 1a, 1b) and
improve its projected trade position by
becoming self-sufficient by 2025 and turning
into a minor exporter by 2030 (Figure 1c).
Senegal: IFPRI’s IMPACT simulations shows
that adoption of improved rice technology
can increase production (Figures 2a, 2b)
and improve its projected trade position
by reducing imports in 2030, although
remaining a net importer (Figure 2c).
Tanzania: IFPRI’s IMPACT simulations
shows that adoption of improved rice
technology can increase production
(Figures 3a,3b) and further improve its
trade position to become a major regional
rice exporter by 2030 (Figure 3c).
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
000 mt
Figure 2a Senegal: Total rice production
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Figure 2b Senegal: Per capita rice production
kg/capita/year
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
000 mt
Figure 3a Tanzania: Total rice production
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Figure 3b Tanzania: Per capita rice production
kg/capita/year
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
-200
-400
000 mt
Figure 3c: Tanzania: Net trade of rice
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
0
-200
-400
-600
-800
-1,000
000 mt
Figure2c Senegal: Net trade of rice
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Years
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
000 mt
Figures 1a Cote D’Ivoire: Total rice production