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afrol News, 9 September - The NERICA (New Rice for Africa) varieties, specially designed in the 1990s to yield highly in West African natural conditions, are now starting to make an impact in the countryside of Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea. In particular women-headed households note significant economic eases. The new varieties had been researched on for a decade and were finally distributed to a large number of small rural households in Western Africa before the onset of this year's growing season. Real life results have shown out to parallel scientific test results as the harvests are being sold. The French news agency AFP has interviewed women organisations in Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea - two major NERICA test countries - and reactions to the new varieties were hilarious. Even women-led households with small earth plots could suddenly assure their family's basic nutrition and further make some benefits on the rice market. West Africa has about 20 million rice farmers, and most of them are women. The typical rice farmer has about one hectare of rice fields, which she or he only can use for a few years before weeds take control and soil fertility has degraded too much. Then, new land must be cleared for the low-yielding but principal food staple of the region. The NERICA varieties - developed at the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) near Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire - have combined the locally adapted resistances of low yielding African rice varieties with the high yields of non-resistant Asian varieties. The results are 50 percent higher yields and resistance against African pests and drought. Further, NERICA verities mature early and are substantially richer in protein.
Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea were among the first countries where the NERICA rices were distributed among the rural population during the testing of the varieties. In Guinea, the programme started already in 1998, where more than 1300 farmers participated in a program. Average farm yields were "rising from about 1 tonne to more than 1.5 tonnes per hectare with low inputs - and at least double that with good management and intermediate inputs," WARDA reported from Guinea. In Côte d'Ivoire, the official distribution NERICA programme was launched by Prime Minister Pascal Affi N'Guessan in March this year. The new varieties - now having passed their tests - were massively introduced to farmers in Côte d'Ivoire. Given the early maturation of the varieties, results of the introduction are now getting visible. The NERICA rices are now being introduced in 18 countries across West Africa. Sources: Based on press reports,
WARDA and
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