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Asia-Africa Partnerships for Promoting Rice Research and

Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Kei Otsuka

Chair, Board of Trustees of IRRI

Director, FASID (Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development)

Graduate Program, Tokyo

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In the 1950s and the early 1960s in Asia, population was growing rapidly, grain yield was stagnant, and uncultivated land was being exhausted. Therefore, there was serious fear of future famine in Asia.

What is the difference between contemporary SSA and tropical Asia several decades ago?

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0

1

2

3

1961

1963

1965

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

t o

n /

h a

a

Sub- Saharan Africa South & Southeast Asia

Figure 1. Changes in Cereal Yield (ton/ha) in Sub- Saharan Africa and South/Southeast Asia

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Development and diffusion of a series of fertilizer-responsive, short-maturing, non-photoperiod sensitive, high-yielding modern varieties (MVs) in irrigated and favorable rainfed areas.

In order to realize a GR in SSA, where rainfall is low and unpredictable, irrigation is poorly developed, and prices of chemical fertilizer are often prohibitively high, we have to develop “appropriate” rice production technologies.

What Is Green Revolution?

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Why Rice? Rice is the fastest growing crop in SSA. SSA is endowed with huge uncultivated

wetlands. Accumulated knowledge of successful rice

Green Revolution in Asia can be transferred to SSA.

NERICA, “miracle” upland rice, has been already developed.

Aside from maize, which crop should we choose to focus on in SSA to reduce poverty?

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Figure 2. Yield Curves of Traditional Varieties (TVs) and Modern Varieties (MVs)

Yield/Ha

Improved MVs & irrigation

Fertilizer/Ha

TVs

Early MVs

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Figure 3. Changes in Rice Yield (ton/ha) in Major Rice-Growing Countries in Tropical Asia,

5 Year Moving AveragesTons/ha

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Vietnam

Bangladesh

India

Sri Lanka

Tons/ha

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Vietnam

Bangladesh

India

Sri Lanka

Year

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Figure 4. Yield (ton/ha) of Improved Varieties in the Philippines by Production Environment

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Yie

ld (

ton

s/h

a)

Irrigated

Rainfed

Upland

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Major Challenges to Realize a Green Revolution in SSA

1. Develop high-yielding, drought–tolerant (or early-maturing), and disease-resistant MVs

2. Establish sustainable soil nutrient management systems

3. Promote improved water management practices

Do we have evidence to support the importance of these “integrated crop management systems” for SSA?

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Table 1. Yield of NERICA in Uganda by previous crop and region (t/ha) Kijima, Sserunkuuma, and Otsuka (2006)

Previous crops

Average Traditional rice region

New rice region

Rice/maize 2.3 2.4 2.0

Leguminous crops

2.8 3.2 2.0

Tobacco 3.3 3.3 3.3

Average 2.6 2.8 2.0

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How to Promote NERICA?NERICA is surprisingly high-yielding and,

hence, extremely promising.NERICA is soil fertility-dependent (or

fertilizer-responsive) How to manage soil nutrients?

NERICA yield is low under severe drought How to manage water?

Adoption rate of NERICA is low (less than 1% in Uganda) How to build capacity?

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Table 2. Yield (ton/ha) of Lowland Rice in Doho Irrigation Scheme, Uganda, in 2001 S

serunkuuma, Ochom, and Ainembabazi (2004)

Season Average Payers of irrigation

fee

Payers of irrigation

fee

First 3.6 3.8 3.4

Second 3.9 4.0 3.9

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Table 3. Yield (t/ha) of Lowland Rice in Côte d’Ivoire in 2000/01

Sakurai (2006)

With water supply canals Without water supply canals

Recent MVs(Bouaké 189 & WARDA varieti

es)

Early MVs(Jaya, IR5 etc.)

Recent MVs(Bouaké 189 & WARDA variet

ies)

Early MVs(Jaya, IR5 etc.)

3.6 2.9 2.8 2.5

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Prospects of Research and Development for Lowland Rice Production in SSA

Despite the use of early MVs and little use of chemical fertilizer, lowland rice yield seems high in SSA, particularly if water is properly managed.

Due to population pressure, massive conversion of uncultivated wetlands to paddy fields is taking place in SSA.

There is huge potential in the improvement of lowland rice technology, which will have significant impacts on food security in SSA.

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Concluding Remarks (1)

It is no longer a dream to realize a rice Green Revolution in SSA, particularly if we develop strong partnerships between IRRI, which has successful Green Revolution experience in Asia, and WARDA, which has developed another “miracle rice” (i.e., NERICA) and established strong expertise, reputation, and networks in SSA, in such areas as capacity building, and development of appropriate MVs and sustainable soil and water management systems for SSA.

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Concluding Remarks (2)

We need better irrigation, credit, and marketing systems, and improved national R&D and extension systems in SSA.

But such social, economic, or institutional systems will be induced to develop, once truly profitable technologies are developed for this region.

This is the most important lesson we should learn from the successful experience in Asia.