Inauguration of the Africa-Korea Rice Breeding Laboratory (AKRiL), AfricaRice Regional Station in Senegal
The inauguration ceremony of
the newly set up Africa-Korea Rice Breeding Laboratory (AKRiL) was held on 13
July 2017, at the AfricaRice Regional Station, Saint Louis,
Senegal. The laboratory has been donated by the Rural Development
Administration (RDA) of the Republic of Korea under the Korea-Africa Food and
Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI) to develop elite rice varieties for
Africa, as part of the
Africa Rice Development Partnership.
The
partnership seeks to broaden the African rice gene pool with high yield and
quality traits from Korean rice germplasm. It will also enhance African rice
breeding capacity by training national rice breeders, particularly in the
application of anther culture, which has high potential to increase rice yields
in Africa.

Dignitaries attending the
inauguration of AKRiL included Dr Kyu Seong Lee, Director General of the
International Technology Cooperation Center (ITCC), RDA, Korea; Dr Cho
Gyoung-rae, Secretary General, KAFACI; Dr Jane Ininda, Associate Program
Director, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA); Dr Alioune Fall,
Director General of the Institut sénégalais de recherches agricoles (ISRA); and
Dr Etienne Duveiller, AfricaRice Deputy Director General.
Dr Kyung-Ho Kang, Project
Coordinator, gave a guided tour of AKRiL after the unveiling of
the plaque and cutting of the ribbon. A sapling was planted to commemorate the
celebration.
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