"Africa rice farming system"
Development of sustainable rice cultivation and food production system in Africa
Related Research Program
Food
2022-07-27
Background
Sub-Saharan Africa is the world's most food insecure region, with one in four people chronically hungry. In order to secure a stable supply of food for the region and achieve the eradication of hunger set forth in the SDGs, food production technology that can adapt to the increasingly unstable growing environment and effectively utilize limited resources such as water and nutrients is required. To this end, we will create new technologies and knowledge that will lead to increased production of rice, a key crop in the region, and improved nutrition for the people, with the aim of building a sustainable food production system centered on rice cultivation.
Rice production (milled) and consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa
（Source：USDA Production, Supply Distribution Online at https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/app/index.html#/app/home）
Rice productivity is limited due to unstable water conditions, degraded soils with poor nutrient supply, and low fertilizer inputs by farmers.
Objectives
Develop new technologies and knowledge that will lead to a sustainable and nutrition-sensitive food production system centered on rice by integrating water management technologies, breeding materials and cultivation technologies, and to provide them to the target countries.
Development of breeding materials with enhanced adaptability to unstable production environments, improved nutritional quality and marketability
Development and evaluation of food production systems that make effective use of water and soil nutrients, leading to increased rice production, improved nutrition, and higher incomes for farmers
Research Themes
- Elucidation of the potential of paddy rice cultivation in Africa and development of technology to maximize output
- Development of breeding materials for rice and vegetables that contribute to increased food production and improved nutrition in Africa
- Development and impact assessment of cultivation technologies and production systems with excellent resource utilization that lead to improved nutrition and higher income
Target Countries
Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea
Target Beneficiaries
Research institutes in target countries, extension organizations (members), research institutes in other countries, international research institutes, international development projects
Project Leader
TSUJIMOTO Yasuhiro (Crop, Livestock and Environment Division)
Poster
Related Pages
JIRCAS Report
JIRCAS Showcases Agricultural Innovation at Agribusiness Creation Fair 2023
The research results of JIRCAS were exhibited at the "Agribusiness Creation Fair 2023" organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and held at Tokyo Big Sight, South Hall 2 from November 20 to 22, 2023.
Students of the MS Program in Global Agricultural Sciences of the University of Tokyo Visit JIRCAS
On November 9, 2023, a group of ten first-year students of the Master of Science program and one professor from the Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Tokyo visited JIRCAS.
Project Leader Tsujimoto et al. Win Japanese Society of Crop Science Best Paper Award
Dr. TSUJIMOTO Yasuhiro, Project Leader of the “Africa rice farming system” project, and colleagues from the Crop, Livestock and Environment Division received the 20th Japanese Society of Crop Science Best Paper Award for the paper titled "AZ-97 (Oryza sativa ssp. Indica) exhibits superior biomass production by maintaining the tiller numbers, leaf width, and leaf elongation rate under phosphorus deficiency".
Press Release
Event, Symposium
Seminar "The application of science and traditional knowledge to foster the utilization of foods obtained from local landscapes for improved nutrition and livelihoods"
Registration period:
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(JST)
- Place
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Vision Center Hibiya (Room 301 – Up to 40) + Webex(Hibiya Marine Building 3rd floor, 1-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006)
TICAD8 Official Side Event “Managing African Soil for Food Security and Environmental Sustainability” - Opportunities and Challenges of Agronomy to Solve Low Fertility/Nutrient Bottlenecks -
Registration period:
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(JST)
- Place
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Online (Zoom)
Field Information
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Pick Up849. Enhanced Rice Root Morphology Increases Phosphorus Uptake
Phosphorus, one of the three main plant nutrients, is closely linked to plant growth and yield. It is therefore essential to provide plants with sufficient phosphorus. However, many agricultural areas around the world are deficient in phosphorus, and in developing regions such as Africa, economic constraints make it difficult to purchase enough fertilizer. As a result, crops often suffer from chronic phosphorus deficiency. Through genetic analysis of two rice varieties with contrasting root shapes, JIRCAS has discovered genetic loci that control lateral root development and the number of crown roots in rice, and has shown that these genes play a role in increasing phosphorus uptake by plants in phosphorus-deficient fields. The results of this research are expected to lead to improved rice yields in developing regions where phosphorus deficiency is widespread, and to reduced fertilizer application as a result of improved phosphorus use efficiency in rice.
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Pick Up841. Table Salt for Soil Analysis ! ?
Soils have a unique property called "phosphorus (P) retention capacity," which refers to their ability to bind with phosphates. When soil has a high P retention capacity, the P fertilizer applied in a cropland may bind to the soil before being absorbed by crops. This reduces the efficiency of fertilization. Therefore, P retention capacity is used for fertilization management. Recent studies have shown a close relationship between P retention capacity and soil moisture content. A research team from JIRCAS and the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar used this relationship to develop a method that accurately and easily estimates P retention capacity from soil moisture content, including a clever use of table salt (sodium chloride). -
Pick Up789. Energy Intake and Seasons
One component of food security is stability, and seasonality is a major factor affecting food security, especially for smallholder farmers in developing regions. Even if food is available immediately after harvest, it may not be available before the harvest season.