AfricaRice to Boost Rice R&D Capacity in Eastern and Central Africa

24 Apr 2014 --- The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) Board of Trustees has approved the Center's Development Plan for 2014-2020, which proposes a stronger presence of the Center in Eastern and Central Africa in response to the growing demand from its member countries to enhance rice research and development (R&D) capacity in the two sub-regions.

"We approve the systematic expansion of AfricaRice's operations in Eastern and Central Africa for effective implementation of its Strategic Plan 2011-2020," the Board stated at its recent meeting in Cotonou, Benin. "The Center will continue to maintain an important presence in West Africa, while building up critical research mass in Eastern and Central Africa."

AfricaRice is one of the 15 international agricultural research Centers that are members of the CGIAR Consortium. It is also an intergovernmental association of 25 African member countries. Its temporary headquarters is based in Cotonou, Benin; research and support staff members are also located in Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The Center Development Plan, which is a companion document to the AfricaRice Strategic Plan 2011-2020, is based on the principles of decentralized mode of operation, long-term stable funding, strengthened capacity of AfricaRice scientists and national partners, and efficient support services.

The Plan anticipates that over the period 2014 - 2020, AfricaRice would return its Headquarters to Côte d'Ivoire and establish three Regional Centers, each focusing on specific groups of countries and rice environments and consisting of one or more stations, as follows: