AFROweeds project workshop

The annual workshop
of the AFROweeds project was held, 27–30 June in Cotonou to discuss with
project partners the progress made and future activities. It was attended by 23
participants. The AFROweeds project aims at establishing a viable
African–European weed science network, consolidating existing knowledge on weed
management by building a user-friendly web-based platform on weeds of West

AFROweeds project workshop

The annual
workshop of the AFROweeds project was held, 27–30 June in Cotonou to discuss
with project partners the progress made and future activities. It was attended
by 23 participants. The AFROweeds project aims at establishing a viable African–European
weed science network, consolidating existing knowledge on weed management by
building a user-friendly web-based platform on weeds of West

Field Day in the Senegal River middle valley

On 23 June,
the Sahel Station held a Field Day at its research farm in Fanaye, northern
Senegal, welcoming 60 participants from farmers’ associations, ISRA, Société
d’Aménagement et d’Exploitation des terres du Delta et des vallées du fleuve
Sénégal et de la Faléme (SAED), Centre National de Recherche
Agronomique et de Développement Agricole (CNRADA, Mauritania), the University of Thies,

Pioneering project launched to boost quality rice production in Africa

A pioneering project to enhance the quality and marketability of locally-produced rice through improved harvest and postharvest technologies in eight pilot countries of West and East Africa has just been launched by the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice). Describing the project as “one of the first-of-its-kind for rice in

Lancement d’un projet phare pour booster la production du riz de qualité en Afrique

Un projet phare pour améliorer la qualité et la commercialité du riz produit localement à travers des technologies améliorées de récolte et de post-récolte dans huit pays pilotes en Afrique de l’Ouest et de l’Est vient d’être lancé par le Centre du riz pour l’Afrique(AfricaRice).Selon Dr. Aliou Diagne, économiste d’AfricaRice, ce projet est parmi les premiers du genre pour la riziculture en ASS.

Rice is competitively produced in sub-Saharan Africa

Despite the potential, there was not sufficient support from national governments for the production of domestic rice in the past since it was believed to lack comparative advantage vis-à-vis imported rice, though evidence from empirical studies have repeatedly indicated that rice is competitively produced in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Le riz est produit de manière compétitive en Afrique sub-saharienne

Dans le passé, malgré le potentiel existant, il n’y avait pas suffisamment de soutien de la part des gouvernements nationaux pour la production de riz local puisqu’on croyait qu’il manquait un avantage comparatif vis-à-vis du riz importé. Cependant, les preuves issues d’études empiriques ont indiqué à plusieurs reprises que le riz est produit de manière compétitive enASS. Par exemple, sur la

Measuring and assessing the impacts of crop genetic improvement in Africa

Objective 3 of the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation- funded project ‘Diffusion and Impact of
Improved Varieties in Africa’ was launched, on 14–15 June, in Cotonou.
Objective 3 focuses on the assessment of the diffusion and adoption of improved
pearl millet, rice and sorghum varieties and their impact on poverty, food
security and selected factor productivity (land, labor and fertilizer) in

Measuring and assessing the impacts of crop genetic improvement in Africa

Objective 3 of the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation-funded project ‘Diffusion and Impact of Improved Varieties in Africa’
was launched, on 14–15 June, in Cotonou. Objective 3 focuses on the assessment
of the diffusion and adoption of improved pearl millet, rice and sorghum
varieties and their impact on poverty, food security and selected factor
productivity (land, labor and fertilizer) in Mali,

Boosting Africa’s rice sector

Most African governments have consolidated the gains in rice productivity made in 2008, after the food crisis hit the continent. This has involved a host of measures ranging from subsidy for seed and fertilizers to restoring irrigation infrastructure and establishing milling and storage structures. Despite this, Africa’s

Relancer le secteur rizicole en Afrique

La plupart des gouvernements africains ont consolidé les gains réalisés en 2008 dans la production rizicole, après que la crise alimentaire ait frappé le continent. Cela a impliqué une série de mesures allant de la subvention des semences et des engrais à la restauration des infrastructures d’irrigation et la mise en

Postharvest and policy project launching workshop

From 31 May to 2
June, AfricaRice launched its new project on food security in Africa to enhance
the quality and marketability of locally produced rice through improved harvest
and postharvest technologies, which is funded by CIDA. 

Postharvest and policy project launching workshop

From 31 May
to 2 June, AfricaRice launched its new project on food security in Africa to
enhance the quality and marketability of locally-produced rice through improved
harvest and postharvest technologies, which is funded by CIDA.