Four years after the first Africa Rice
Congress, held in Tanzania, the world has seen a further deterioration of global
rice stock levels and wildly fluctuating rice prices, mirroring increased demand
for rice and insufficient and uncertain production capacities in Asia. Africa is
especially at risk as it currently consumes far more rice than it produces. The
gap between demand and supply in sub-Saharan Africa reached approximately 10
million tonnes of milled rice in 2008, costing the region an estimated US$ 3.6
billion for imports. Riots broke out in 2008 in major African capitals because
of high food prices in general and rice prices in particular.
Africa’s dependence on rice imports is
clearly no longer sustainable. It is, therefore, of great importance to realize
Africa’s huge rice potential and turn the current rice deficit into an engine
for economic growth across the continent. Recent country-wide initiatives in
West Africa have shown that it is indeed possible to significantly raise rice
production. This Congress will allow debating the actual state and potential of
Africa’s rice economy, and the technological and institutional innovations,
policies and partnerships needed to realize Africa’s rice potential in a
sustainable and equitable manner, while adapting to climate change.
