A pouring rainstorm does not stop Project participants of the Japan-funded Emergency Rice Project in Sierra Leone from posing with AfricaRice Deputy Director General for Research, Dr. Marco Wopereis, IRRI Deputy Director General for Research, Dr. Achim Dobermann, and African Rice Coordinator from AfricaRice, Dr. Inoussa Akintayo. (Photo: R. Raman, AfricaRice)
The hills of Rwanda are once again alive with the sound of farmers singing as they harvest their crops. Rwanda, known as “The Land of a Thousand Hills,” is the most densely populated country in Africa and nearly 90% of the population depends on subsistence agriculture.
The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) and IRRI are carrying out several important joint projects in the region with support from various international funding agencies. Through these projects, the country benefits from the recent advances in rice science, targeted training of researchers and seed producers, and the exchange of elite germplasm.
Hopefully, efforts to stimulate agricultural growth and reduce hunger can help prevent conflicts and reduce vulnerability among resource-poor people in Africa.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
