Success stories

What makes NERICA special By Guy Manners, Information Officer, WARDA, Ivory Coast The basic idea was to combine the best traits of the Asian and African rice. Vital to the effort were gene banks that contain seeds of 1500 African rice varieties, which had faced extinction as farmers abandoned them for higher yielding Asian varieties. The rapid advances in agricultural science enabled the development of NERICA. WARDA's scientists overcame a series of disappointing failures when they succeeded in crossing two species using embryo rescue techniques. Genetic differences in the two species made breeding difficult, but also gave the new rice high levels of heterosis, the phenomenon whereby the progeny of two genetically different parents grows faster, yields more, and can resist stresses better than either parent. The new rice smothers grain-robbing weeds just like its African parents, survives both drought and pests, and is able to thrive in poor soils. The trait of higher productivity conferred by its Asian parents is also present, meaning that with few additional inputs the farmers using NERICA rice can double production and raise incomes. The panicles of this rice variety can hold 400 grains compared to the 75-100 grains of its African parents. Further improvement in the plant's architecture such as longer panicles with forked branches, strong stems and panicles that hold grain tightly and prevent shattering - will allow the new varieties to out yield others and produce bountiful harvests with modest fertilization. They mature 30-50 days earlier than traditional varieties allowing farmers to grow extra crops of vegetables or legumes. They are taller, thus making harvesting easier, and they grow better on fertile, acid soils that comprise 70% of the upland rice area in the region. In addition, there is 2% more body-building protein in these new varieties than either their African or Asian parents. Participation Participatory research is at the heart of the NERICA success story, and a strong relationship between scientists and farmers was a key ingredient. Through the mechanism of participatory varietal selection, farmers grew several varieties and provided valuable feedback to the scientists. In turn, the scientists were able to learn about the traits that were of most value to the farmers and then incorporate those preferences in subsequent breeding strategies. More than 1,300 farmers participated in the 1998 programme to start growing the new rice varieties in Guinea. This was followed by a 1999 project to increase seed supplies at the national level and carry out a farmer awareness campaign. Average farm yields are increasing from about one to more than one and a half tonnes per hectare with low inputs — and at least double that with good management and intermediate inputs. Research shows that use of NERICA by 10% of farmers in just three countries — Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone — should return an extra US$8 million to farmers annually. Adoption by 25% of farmers will return an additional US$20 million. By year 2006, if NERICA dissemination is extended as planned in Benin, the Gambia, Mali, Nigeria and Togo, as well as the initial three west African countries, the savings for the region in terms of rice imports could be as high as US$88 million per year. For further information contact: G.Manners@cgiar.org

NERICA — "New Rice for Africa"

NERICA, the "New Rice for Africa", is a remarkable example of Asian-African collaboration. It is a new variety of rice combining the hardiness of local African rice species with the high-productivity of Asian rice.

Developed in West Africa through the collaborative backing of the Japanese government, UNDP, the African Development Bank, the US Agency for International Development, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the Rockefeller Foundation, NERICA is protein-rich, weed-competitive and pest- and disease-resistant. It has a shorter growing cycle than traditional rice varieties (as few as 90 days compared with 140 days).

The initial experimental work at the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) has developed the rice into a valued crop capable of increasing farmers' harvests by 50 per cent. From the seven pilot countries —Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria and Togo— NERICA is being further disseminated to East African countries such as Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.

The History

International Joint Research: Hybridization between Rice Species

Initial research, which dated back to 1991, aimed to develop new African rice varieties suitable for West and Central African conditions. Phase I of the NERICA project started in March 1997, and Phase II began in April 2000 and is scheduled to run through 2003.

The project experimented with numerous crossings between the African species O. Glaberrima and Asian species O. Sativa in order to develop new upland varieties. It involved the participation of the following institutions worldwide:

Africa:

• 17 national agricultural research and extension systems,
• West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) .

Asia:

• International Rice Research Institute,
• Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences,
• Japan: University of Tokyo,
• Japan International Center for Agricultural Science,

Others include: the Institute of Research and Development (France), Cornell University (USA),International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Latin America).

Three new African rice varieties were developed and made ready for dissemination. Another 20 family lines were found very promising. The new African rice has a number of advantageous characteristics, such as higher yield ( a 25% to 100% increase without fertilizer), a shorter growing cycle, competitiveness against weeds , resistance to pest and diseases, 2% more protein content, and also an appealing taste. Farmers themselves had the opportunity to choose which varieties they preferred.

The Effects - Transforming Africa's food production

The new rice is transforming agriculture in a large portion of West Africa, potentially benefiting 20 million farmers — mostly women — and helping to reduce the region's high rice import bills.

Rice has come to contribute more calories and protein to people's diet than any other cereal in West Africa's humid conditions. Demand for rice is growing faster in this region than anywhere else in the world. In the last three decades, rice imports have increased eight-fold to over three million tonnes a year at a cost of almost US$1 billion. So the possibilities that NERICA offers are enormous. Estimates suggest West Africa could save US$88 million per year by growing NERICA.