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.
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| 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) |
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