• Home
  • Agric
  • Sci, Tech & Innovation
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Hausa Articles/News
  • More
    • Business/Banking & Finance
    • Politics/Elections
    • Entertainments & Sports
    • International
    • Investigation
    • Law & Human Rights
    • Africa
    • Corruption/Accountability
    • Hassan Gimba
    • Column
    • Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Prof. M.K. Othman
    • Defense/Security
    • Education
    • Energy/Electricity
    • Entertainment/Arts & Sports
    • Society and Lifestyle
    • Food & Agriculture
    • Health & Healthy Living
    • International News
    • Interviews
    • Investigation/Fact-Check
    • Judiciary/Legislature/Law & Human Rights
    • Oil & Gas/Mineral Resources
    • Media/PR/Journalism
    • General News
    • Presidency
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Board Of Advisory
    • Privacy Policy
    • Ethics Policy
    • Teamwork And Collaboration Policy
    • Fact-Checking Policy
    • Advertising
  • The Stories
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Education: A Bleak Future for the Nigerian University System? By Prof. M. K. Othman
  • Dangote to African CEOs: Invest at home to drive continental growth
  • Former health minister, Prof. Adewole, to deliver 2025 FUTA registry lecture
  • Late Buhari: Nigerian government declares Tuesday public holiday
  • PTDF screens 5,723 shortlisted candidates for 2025/2026 overseas scholarships
  • Environment: Kano governor redeploys heads of key agencies to bolster development agenda
  • GRFFN secures 200 hectares for farming in Anambra
  • Green beans rival okra and peas in nutrition value
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
AsheNewsAsheNews
  • Home
  • Agric

    GRFFN secures 200 hectares for farming in Anambra

    July 14, 2025

    NCRI pushes frontier in zinc-enriched rice seed production through community-driven innovation

    July 13, 2025

    South Sudan’s livestock population outnumber humans in proportion of 3 to 1

    July 12, 2025

    Côte d’Ivoire inaugurates $232m China-backed cocoa grinding plant to boost local processing

    July 12, 2025

    Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa leap: From bean exporter to value creator

    July 12, 2025
  • Sci, Tech & Innovation

    Bitcoin blazes past $122K: Ethereum, XRP, and Dogecoin rally amid market optimism

    July 14, 2025

    ABU Enactus team wins €1,500 at 2025 Schneider battery innovation contest in Lagos

    July 9, 2025

    Investments rise in data, AI, outpacing physical assets — UN

    July 9, 2025

    Expert advises on phone anti-theft tools

    July 9, 2025

    Beyond internet connectivity: African voices urge global tech inclusion and innovation

    July 8, 2025
  • Health

    Former health minister, Prof. Adewole, to deliver 2025 FUTA registry lecture

    July 14, 2025

    Green beans rival okra and peas in nutrition value

    July 14, 2025

    Experts caution against drinking alcohol to fight cold

    July 14, 2025

    Nigerian doctor abroad blames brain drain on healthcare collapse

    July 14, 2025

    FG orders emergency care reforms at FMC Abuja

    July 14, 2025
  • Environment

    Environment: Kano governor redeploys heads of key agencies to bolster development agenda

    July 14, 2025

    Lives lost, more trapped as uncompleted building collapses in Kano

    July 14, 2025

    Heavy rains, thunderstorms to sweep across Nigeria for 3 days – NiMet

    July 14, 2025

    Dutse selected for major environmental milestone event

    July 12, 2025

    Tinubu backs tough action against state interference in mining – Alake

    July 12, 2025
  • Hausa Articles/News

    A Saka Baki, A Sasanta Saɓani Tsakanin ‘Yanjarida Da Liman, Daga Muhammad Sajo

    May 21, 2025

    Dan majalisa ya raba kayan miliyoyi a Funtuwa da Dandume

    March 18, 2025

    [VIDIYO] Fassarar mafalki akan aikin Hajji

    January 6, 2025

    Mafarkin gaisawa da makiyi, Tare da Sheikh Aliyu Y. Sokoto

    January 5, 2025

    [RA’AYI)] Adawar Siyasa A Jihar Sokoto Da Sauran Lamurra

    September 6, 2024
  • More
    1. Business/Banking & Finance
    2. Politics/Elections
    3. Entertainments & Sports
    4. International
    5. Investigation
    6. Law & Human Rights
    7. Africa
    8. Corruption/Accountability
    9. Hassan Gimba
    10. Column
    11. Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim
    12. Prof. M.K. Othman
    13. Defense/Security
    14. Education
    15. Energy/Electricity
    16. Entertainment/Arts & Sports
    17. Society and Lifestyle
    18. Food & Agriculture
    19. Health & Healthy Living
    20. International News
    21. Interviews
    22. Investigation/Fact-Check
    23. Judiciary/Legislature/Law & Human Rights
    24. Oil & Gas/Mineral Resources
    25. Media/PR/Journalism
    26. General News
    27. Presidency
    Featured
    Recent

    Education: A Bleak Future for the Nigerian University System? By Prof. M. K. Othman

    July 14, 2025

    Dangote to African CEOs: Invest at home to drive continental growth

    July 14, 2025

    Former health minister, Prof. Adewole, to deliver 2025 FUTA registry lecture

    July 14, 2025
  • About Us
    1. Contact Us
    2. Board Of Advisory
    3. Privacy Policy
    4. Ethics Policy
    5. Teamwork And Collaboration Policy
    6. Fact-Checking Policy
    7. Advertising
    Featured
    Recent

    Education: A Bleak Future for the Nigerian University System? By Prof. M. K. Othman

    July 14, 2025

    Dangote to African CEOs: Invest at home to drive continental growth

    July 14, 2025

    Former health minister, Prof. Adewole, to deliver 2025 FUTA registry lecture

    July 14, 2025
  • The Stories
AsheNewsAsheNews
Home»Food & Agriculture»AfDB-TAAT promotes trailblazing hybrid rice technology adapted to Africa
Food & Agriculture

AfDB-TAAT promotes trailblazing hybrid rice technology adapted to Africa

Abdallah el-KurebeBy Abdallah el-KurebeAugust 16, 2019No Comments4 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

The Rice Compact of the African Development Bank-funded project on Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) is paving the way for rice transformation in sub-Saharan Africa by promoting locally-adapted high-yielding hybrid rice varieties developed by the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice).

One such trailblazer is AR051H, which is the first hybrid rice variety released by the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA) in Senegal under the name ISRIZ-9 in 2017. With high yield potential of 11-13 t/ha, long slender grains and good milling quality, ISRIZ-9, is aromatic, a trait that is highly appreciated by Senegalese consumers.

As a result of heterosis (hybrid vigor), hybrid rice typically shows a yield advantage of 15‒20% over the best conventionally bred varieties (inbreds) grown under the same conditions. It can provide an avenue for African rice farmers to boost rice yields and improve profitability. Moreover, hybrid rice seed production can be a lucrative business for seed companies and create employment opportunities for Africa’s youth.

As part of its approach to catalyze agribusiness and entrepreneurship development in the rice value chain with the active involvement of seed enterprises, the TAAT Rice Compact facilitated the large-scale demonstration of ISRIZ-9 seed production at a Field Day organized by AfricaRice and ISRA at the AfricaRice regional station in Saint Louis, Senegal, on 6 August 2019.

“Hybrid rice technology developed for Africa is a magnificent achievement as it can revolutionize our rice production.” declared Mr Cheikh Sidi Vall from SRIA, a major seed enterprise in Mauritania. “We are very keen to test and adopt this in our country.” Mr Vall was one of the 77 participants from five countries (Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt), who attended the Field Day.

Thanking AfricaRice and the TAAT project, Mrs Peinda Cissé, Founder/Director of the FEPRODES women rice producers’ association in Saint Louis, remarked, “While research is continuing to develop productive rice varieties and hybrids like these, we farmers and seed producers must also adopt these new technologies, so that we can reduce rice imports and make our country self-sufficient in rice.”

According to Dr Sidi Sanyang, TAAT Rice Coordinator and AfricaRice Leader for Rice Sector Development Program, the main purpose of the Field Day was to initiate functional partnerships with seed enterprises in the production and commercialization of hybrid rice seeds and contribute to food and nutrition security in Africa.

“As part of the next step, seed enterprises are expected to support the large-scale hybrid demonstrations in farmers’ fields with technical backstopping from AfricaRice and ISRA,” Dr Sanyang explained. Seed of ISRIZ-9 and a few other promising hybrid lines developed by AfricaRice will be provided for these demonstrations.

The Field Day included an in-depth group discussion and question-answer session on the hybrid rice technology, which was coordinated by Dr Baboucarr Manneh, AfricaRice Irrigated Rice Breeder. “We have new hybrid lines, some of which are better than ISRIZ-9 and have yield potential of up to 14-15 t/ha,” Dr Manneh revealed during the discussions.

For a new technology such as hybrid rice in sub-Saharan Africa, capacity development is critical to its long-term sustainability. The TAAT Rice Compact and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) are partnering to initiate training in hybrid rice seed production.

“It is important for local companies to be trained in hybrid rice seed production as there are risks of rice diseases spreading through hybrid seed brought from outside Africa,” stated Dr Raafat El-Namaky, Hybrid Rice Breeder from Rice Research and Training Centre (RRTC), Egypt, who led the AfricaRice hybrid rice breeding program from 2009 to 2018.

Dr El-Namaky – who can claim the title of ‘Father of AfricaRice hybrid rice’ –spearheaded the development of almost 800 hybrids and their parental lines at AfricaRice. Some of these hybrids have been evaluated in several African countries. “AfricaRice has now more than 50 promising hybrids and at least 15 of these are ready for release and wide-scale adoption,” he told the participants of the Field Day.

In addition to participants from ISRA, AfricaRice and RRTC, the Field Day was attended by representatives from the following sectors, among others:

  • Agribusiness, seed enterprises and associations from Senegal, Mauritania and Mali (CNT, CASL, SEDAB, FASO-KABA, FEPRODES, GIE AGRITECH, GIE DYNN, UNIS, SRIA, KORKA RICE);
  • Donor community (USAID, Syngenta Foundation);
  • Research, development and extension organizations and university from Senegal and Mauritania (DRDR, SODAGRI, SAED, UGB, CNRADA, SONADER);
  • Rice farmers and seed producers from Senegal; and
  • National and local media agencies

Thanking the African Development Bank for its strong support to the promotion of the hybrid rice technology in Africa through the TAAT project and all the participants for their active participation, Dr Karim Traoré, interim head of the AfricaRice regional station in Saint Louis, stated “Hybrid rice means agri-business. All the key partners will work together to develop win-win public-private partnership models so that our farmers and seed enterprises can fully benefit from this technology.”

AfDB AfricaRice Field Day ISRA RRTC TAAT
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Abdallah el-Kurebe
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Related Posts

GRFFN secures 200 hectares for farming in Anambra

July 14, 2025

NCRI pushes frontier in zinc-enriched rice seed production through community-driven innovation

July 13, 2025

South Sudan’s livestock population outnumber humans in proportion of 3 to 1

July 12, 2025

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Education: A Bleak Future for the Nigerian University System? By Prof. M. K. Othman

July 14, 2025

Dangote to African CEOs: Invest at home to drive continental growth

July 14, 2025

Former health minister, Prof. Adewole, to deliver 2025 FUTA registry lecture

July 14, 2025

Late Buhari: Nigerian government declares Tuesday public holiday

July 14, 2025
About Us
About Us

ASHENEWS (AsheNewsDaily.com), published by PenPlus Online Media Publishers, is an independent online newspaper. We report development news, especially on Agriculture, Science, Health and Environment as they affect the under-reported rural and urban poor.

We also conduct investigations, especially in the areas of ASHE, as well as other general interests, including corruption, human rights, illicit financial flows, and politics.

Contact Info:
  • 1st floor, Dogon Daji House, No. 5, Maiduguri Road, Sokoto
  • +234(0)7031140009
  • ashenewsdaily@gmail.com
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
© 2025 All Rights Reserved. ASHENEWS Daily Designed & Managed By DeedsTech

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.