Japanese Ambassador to Benin visits AfricaRice

A delegation from the Japanese Embassy in Benin, led by the Ambassador, His Excellency Daini Tsukahara, visited AfricaRice on 26 March 2013 to get an overview of the Center’s research activities. Japan has historically been the most important donor of AfricaRice and has played a significant role in its development.

Extending a warm welcome to the Ambassador, AfricaRice Director General Dr Papa Seck said, “Japan and AfricaRice have forged one of the most productive partnerships for rice research and development in sub-Saharan Africa.”

“For more than three decades, we have worked together to improve food security, reduce poverty and promote the sustainable use of natural resources in the region through high-quality research,” Dr Seck added.

The delegation had a guided tour of the various laboratories and experimental fields at AfricaRice, accompanied by AfricaRice Deputy Director General Dr Marco Wopereis, as well as by Japanese Program Leaders and scientists working at AfricaRice: Drs Takashi Kumashiro, Koichi Futakuchi and Kazuki Saito.

The visit reaffirmed the strong ties between Japan and AfricaRice. “We were very impressed with the meticulous research work on rice that is being carried out by AfricaRice,” the Ambassador said after his visit.

“Japan has a long tradition of rice production and has a wealth of knowledge and experience about it, so we are very happy to support the research activities of AfricaRice and thus contribute to enhancing food security in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Referring to the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), which will be held in June 2013 in Yokohama, Japan, the Ambassador explained that improving food security in sub-Saharan Africa is one of the main priorities of this initiative.

Ambassador of Japan in Benin, visiting AfricaRice
(from left to right)
Dr Koichi Futakuchi (Sustainable Productivity Enhancement Program Leader, AfricaRice),
Dr Takashi Kumashiro (Genetic Diversity and Improvement Program Leader, Africarice),
H.E. Daini Tsukahara (Ambassador of Japan in Benin),
Gérard Zoundji (Embassy of Japan, Benin),
Kei Yoshimura (Embassy of Japan, Benin),
Dr Papa Abdoulaye Seck (Director General, AfricaRice),
Dr Marco Wopereis (Deputy Director General, Africarice) and
Kazuki Saito (Agro-physiologist, AfricaRice)

2013 AfricaRice Dr Robert Carsky Award

At the 33rd AfricaRice Board Meeting,  the 2013 AfricaRice Dr Robert Carsky Award was presented on 22 March to AfricaRice senior scientist Dr Francis E. Nwilene for his outstanding contribution to research and administration and to Ms Amoin Rose Nguessan, for her outstanding contribution to research support.

 

The annual award, which was instituted by AfricaRice in honor of the late Dr Robert Carsky, is conferred on the most outstanding Internationally Recruited Staff and the most outstanding General Support Staff, who have demonstrated high standards of excellence and made exceptional contributions to rice research, training and research support.

 

Congratulations to Francis and Rose!

Photo : (from left to right) Ms Amoin Rose Nguessan, Dr Rebecca Khelseau-Carsky, and Dr Francis E. Nwilene at the Dr Robert Carsky Award ceremony held at AfricaRice, Cotonou, Benin, 22 March 2013

Dr Seck elected as member of the prestigious African Academy of Sciences (AAS)

AfricaRice is delighted to announce that Dr Papa Abdoulaye Seck has been elected as a member of the prestigious African Academy of Sciences (AAS).

AAS is an Africa-wide organization, which honors and recognizes scientists who have made significant contribution to science in Africa and encourages the development of the research and technology base throughout the continent.

Election to membership in AAS is the highest academic accolade available to scientists and scholars in the continent. 

Dr Seck will receive the Certificate of Fellowship at a formal induction ceremony in the next General Assembly of AAS. This distinction adds to the many honors that Dr Seck has received during his career.

Reflections on Rice R4D in Africa

A new Blog by Dr Marco Wopereis, Deputy Director General, AfricaRice that presents his reflections on rice R4D in Africa.

Dr Wopereis first blog piece "Average rice yields in sub-Saharan Africa jump after the rice crisis" has been just published.

“We were pleased to learn that paddy rice production in SSA increased by 2.8 million tonnes from 2000 to 2007, and then accelerated, increasing by 4.7 million tonnes in the period 2007–2012,” said Dr Wopereis.

“But what’s more important, the analysis revealed that average rice yield in SSA increased by about 11 kg per ha per year from 1961 to 2007 and by a spectacular 108 kg per ha per year from 2007 to 2012, despite drought and floods in several African countries in 2011 and 2012.” 

For more information on this analysis, visit Dr Wopereis' Blog @  marcowopereis.wordpress.com

Helping global rice science make a difference

In a recent essay, Bill Gates says, "You can achieve incredible progress if you set a clear goal and find a measure that will drive progress toward that goal." He goes on to add "This may seem basic, but it is amazing how often it is not done and how hard it is to get right."

In order "to get it right," key scientists from AfricaRice, CIAT, CIRAD, IRD, JIRCAS, and IRRI, who serve as the Theme Leaders and focal persons of the CGIAR Research Program on Rice -- known as the Global Rice Science Partnership or GRiSP in short -- met recently at IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines, to develop clear pathways from global rice research outputs to development outcomes and impact and establish metrics for monitoring and evaluation.

GRiSP streamlines current rice research for development activities of the CGIAR and aligns them with more than 900 rice research and development partners worldwide to increase rice productivity and value for the poor, foster more sustainable rice-based production, help rice farmers adapt to climate change and improve the efficiency and equity of the rice sector.

IRRI leads GRiSP and activities in Asia, with AfricaRice leading the work in Africa and CIAT the work in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Other internationally operating research organizations such as CIRAD, IRD, and JIRCAS play a strategic role in GRiSP.

To learn more about how GRiSP can make a difference, watch the GRiSP Theme Leaders and focal persons speaking about their important meeting.

For more information on GRiSP, visit http://www.cgiar.org/rice-grisp/

Les femmes africaines dans la science rizicole : une lueur d’espoir

Son nom rime avec “espoir” et elle en est bien digne. Mme Espérance Zossou est une jeune béninoise doctorante au Centre du riz pour l’Afrique (AfricaRice) qui a à son actif de nombreux prix scientifiques dont celui du « Jeune chercheur le plus prometteur » reçu lors du Congrès du riz en Afrique en 2010. Son ambition est d’exceller dans le domaine de la recherche et de mettre son savoir au service de son pays.

Mais pour en arriver là, elle a dû surmonter de nombreux obstacles étant donné qu’elle a grandi dans une société traditionnelle qui accorde beaucoup plus d’importance aux garçons qu’aux filles. « Mes parents étaient peu considérés  dans notre communauté car ils n’avaient que des filles » raconte-t-elle.

« Cependant, mes parents, tous deux intellectuels, nous ont toujours inculqué la notion d’égalité entre garçons et filles dans tous les domaines, notamment l’éducation ». Aujourd’hui, ses parents ainsi que toute sa communauté, sont fiers  de ses réalisations.

Les études de master d’Espérance sur « les innovations technologiques, institutionnelles et organisationnelles déclenchées par une vidéo de paysan-à-paysan sur l’étuvage du riz dans le centre Bénin, ont permis de montrer l’importance des vidéos dans la formation rizicole pour le renforcement de l’apprentissage, des liens et des institutions rurales.

Ces travaux lui ont valu une bourse de la Coopération technique Belge (CTB), Bénin, pour poursuivre ses études de doctorat sur le « Rôle des outils de communication (vidéo et radio rurale) dans la transformation locale du riz et les impacts sur les moyens d’existence et les marchés ruraux ».

AfricaRice est fier d’avoir appuyé des femmes intellectuelles de la trempe d’Espérance. Au cours des  dernières années, le Centre a apporté son aide à Dr Khady Dramé et à Dr Yonnelle Moukoumbi, toutes deux lauréates du programme L’Oréal-UNESCO pour les femmes dans les sciences.

Le Centre est activement engagé dans le programme « Femmes africaines dans la recherche et le développement agricoles ». Il coordonne également les Bourses mondiales pour la science rizicole (GRiSS) en Afrique qui offre aux jeunes Africains, y compris aux femmes, l’opportunité de devenir experts dans une  discipline scientifique et d’avoir une compréhension plus élargie des obstacles qui affectent la science rizicole pour le développement.

Le nouveau plan stratégique d’AfricaRice prévoit davantage de renforcement des capacités de recherche en Afrique d’ici 2020, grâce à des bourses en doctorat et en Master (au moins 30 bourses par an, dont le tiers accordé aux femmes, un pourcentage qui avait déjà été atteint par AfricaRice en 2010) et des formations dans des domaines spécifiques à travers des stages et des formations de groupe.

« Ces efforts de renforcement des capacités permettront de façonner une nouvelle génération de chercheurs et d’agents de vulgarisation rizicoles, au moins 30 % de femme en Afrique » a indiqué Dr Marco Wopereis, Directeur général adjoint.

Mettant l’accent sur l’urgence de tels efforts, il a souligné qu’une étude menée en 2008 dans les 22 pays membres d’AfricaRice à l’époque, a révélé que seulement 250 à 275 chercheurs, dont seulement 15 femmes, étaient impliquées dans une certaine mesure dans la recherche rizicole.

« En célébrant aujourd’hui les réalisations des femmes à l’occasion de la Journée mondiale de la femme, nous espérons avoir plus de femmes chercheurs comme Espérance en Afrique pour nous aider à aborder les importantes questions  relatives à la sécurité alimentaire, au développement pacifique et à la réduction de la pauvreté sur le continent » a déclaré Dr Rita Agboh-Noameshie, chercheur et responsable du Groupe d’action Genre dans la recherche et le développement rizicoles à AfricaRice.

Le Groupe d’action Genre est en train de mettre en œuvre un programme de renforcement des capacités intégrant le genre pour les points focaux genres nationaux et les acteurs pertinents de la filière riz en vue de renforcer leurs capacités à faire face efficacement aux défis liés au genre dans les activités de R&D rizicoles.

« Bien que les femmes sont très impliquées dans les activités rizicoles dans les systèmes traditionnels de riz pluvial, de mangrove et de plateau en Afrique,  il y a très peu de femmes chercheurs. Il y a donc un grand risque de laisser échapper les perspectives plus larges requises pour le développement des technologies adéquates pour  avoir un impact concret » a expliqué Dr Agboh-Noameshie.

« Le Groupe d’action Genre va offrir aux jeunes femmes chercheurs prometteuses davantage de possibilités de poursuivre leur carrière dans les sciences agricoles » a-t-elle ajouté. 

African women in rice science: A bright spot of hope

Her name means “hope” and she is certainly living up to her name. Ms Espérance Zossou is a young PhD scholar from Benin at the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), who is the recipient of several science awards, including that of the “Most Promising Young Scientist,” which she received at the Africa Rice Congress in 2010. Her goal is to advance in her field of research and place her knowledge at the service of her country.

But to reach the position she has today, Espérance had to face many barriers as she grew up in a society where boys are traditionally given more importance than girls, “My parents were looked down upon by our community because they had only daughters,” she recounted.

“However, they brought us up to believe that we were equal to boys in all fields, particularly in education, as they are both academicians.” Today, not only her parents, but her entire community is proud of her achievements.

Espérance’s MSc study on “Technological, institutional and organizational innovations triggered by a farmer-to-farmer rice parboiling video in Central Benin” was pivotal in showing the importance of rice training videos in enhancing rural learning, linkages and institutions.

This helped her to win a scholarship through the Coopération Technique Belge (CTB) in Benin to pursue her doctoral study on the “Role of communication tools (video and rural radio) in local rice processing and impact on rural livelihoods and markets.”

AfricaRice is proud to have supported women scholars like Espérance. In the last few years, the Center has supported Dr Khady Dramé and Dr Yonnelle Moukoumbi, who were both laureates of the Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award.

The Center is actively involved in the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) program. It is also coordinating the Global Rice Science Scholarships (GRiSS) in Africa through which young Africans, including women, are offered the opportunity to be experts in a scientific discipline and to have a broader understanding of the issues that affect rice science for development.

AfricaRice’s new strategic plan projects that by 2020, research capacity in Africa will have increased through PhD and MSc fellowships (at least 30 per year, of which at least one-third will be awarded to female candidates, a percentage that was already achieved by AfricaRice in 2010) and training in specific areas through internships and group training.

 “These capacity-building efforts will help create a new generation of rice research and extension professionals in Africa, at least 30% of them women,” said Dr Marco Wopereis, AfricaRice Deputy Director General.

Highlighting the urgency of such efforts, he referred to a 2008 survey conducted among AfricaRice’s then 22 African member countries, which showed that only 250–275 researchers (including only 15 women) were involved to some extent in rice research.

“As we celebrate today the achievements of women on the occasion of the International Women's Day, we hope that there will be many more researchers like Espérance in Africa to help us find answers to the pressing issues of food security, peaceful development and poverty reduction in the continent,” said Dr Rita Agboh-Noameshie, AfricaRice scientist, who leads the Gender in Rice Research and Development Task Force.

The Gender Task Force is implementing a gender-mainstreaming capacity-building program for national gender focal points and relevant rice stakeholders, to reinforce their capacity to effectively address gender concerns in rice R&D activities.

“Although women undertake much of the work in traditional rainfed, mangrove, and upland rice in Africa, there are very few women rice scientists. Therefore, there is a big risk of missing the broader perspectives necessary to develop appropriate technologies and have tangible impact,” said Dr Agboh-Noameshie.

The Gender Task Force will create more opportunities for promising young women scientists to pursue their careers in rice science,” she added.