Three scientists from the Japan International
Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) visited the Sahel Station with
AfricaRice program leader for Genetic Diversity and Improvement, Takashi Kumashiro,
on 21–22 March to discuss areas of collaboration — marker-assisted selection
(MAS) for shattering, blast and cold tolerance, and capacity-building involving
scientific exchange visits, and including AfricaRice Sahel breeding research
assistants.