Workshop on sawah technology for sub-Saharan Africa

A workshop, entitled
‘Improving and sustaining rice production under changing climatic conditions’,
was organized, 22–24 November, in Kumasi, Ghana, to showcase the principles and
practices of the sawah technology.
The technology was developed by Prof. Toshiyuki Wakatsuki of the Kinki
University, Japan, to improve soil and water management, irrigation and
fertilizer efficiency to increase rice

AfricaRice Scientist wins 2011 Japan International Award for Young Researchers

Dr. Jonne Rodenburg, Agronomist with special focus on weed science at the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) has won the 2011 Japan International Award for Young Agricultural Researchers for spearheading the development of integrated weed management strategies for resource-poor rice farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

The Japan International Award for Young Agricultural Researchers recognizes

Un chercheur d’AfricaRice remporte le prix international japonais 2011 des jeunes chercheurs

Dr Jonne Rodenburg, malherbologue au Centre du riz pour l’Afrique (AfricaRice), a remporté le Prix international japonais des jeunes chercheurs agricoles pour avoir contribué au développement de stratégies intégrées de gestion des adventices pour les riziculteurs pauvres d’Afrique subsaharienne (ASS).

Le prix international japonais des jeunes chercheurs agricoles récompense des performances

Launch of Africa Rice Agronomy Task Force and Rice Processing and Value Addition Task Force

The Rice Agronomy and Rice
Processing and Value Addition Task Forces were launched at AfricaRice temporary
headquarters in Cotonou, 15–18 November. The launch
workshop was attended by participants from 14 African countries. Issues
relating to mechanization are dealt within these two Task Forces.



By end 2011,
all of the Task Forces proposed in the Strategic Plan had become operational, with

Recent research on rice diseases in Africa

The recent dramatic increase in world rice prices drastically affected
African countries, which are heavily dependent on rice imports. Consequently,
many African countries are trying hard to develop their largely unexploited
rice potential to boost domestic production. However, both expansion (the
development of new areas) and intensification of rice cultivation will bring
new problems, including

Les travaux récents sur les maladies du riz en Afrique

L’augmentation spectaculaire récente des prix du riz a considérablement affecté les pays africains qui dépendent fortement des importations de riz. Subséquemment, plusieurs pays africains ne ménagent aucun effort en vue de développer leur potentiel rizicole largement inexploité en vue de relancer la production locale.

Cependant, l’expansion (la mise en valeur de nouvelles superficies) et

JIRCAS 2011 International Symposium

AfricaRice DDG
Marco Wopereis, gave a key note presentation on
‘Realizing Africa’s rice promise’ during the opening of the 2011 JIRCAS
International Symposium, ‘Trends of International Rice Research and Japanese
Scientific Contribution — Support to GRiSP and CARD’, Tsukuba International
Congress Center, Epochal, Convention Hall 200, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, 14–15
November. The workshop was

JIRCAS 2011 International Symposium

AfricaRice DDG
Marco Wopereis, gave a keynote presentation on ‘Realizing Africa’s rice
promise’ during the opening of the 2011 JIRCAS International Symposium, ‘Trends
of International Rice Research and Japanese Scientific Contribution — Support
to GRiSP and CARD’, Tsukuba International Congress Center, Epochal, Convention
Hall 200, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, 14–15 November.



The workshop was