Two different groups of researchers have urged African countries to boost local rice production.

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the African Rice Breeders Network said the he move is to check the increasing global food prices, fight hunger and poverty. Both consortiums bring together scientists and rice growers.

"As long as Africa depends on imports for meeting our food demands, we will experience food crisis as the costs continue to rise for consumers. We must boost local production and grow our own food,” Dr.Ngongi Namanga, AGRA’s president said.

He was addressing rice growers, researchers and seed companies from more than 10 African countries in Kampala recently. The meeting was called to polarise new rice varieties and improve food security on the African continent.

Efforts to tackle diseases such, as Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) and Rice Blast that are rampant in the region were also discussed.

Facilitators asked countries to grow the stress -tolerant upland and low irrigated rice varieties to end rural poverty and hunger saying where these varieties have been released, rice production has significantly increased.

Uganda, Mozambique, Nigeria and Mali cited as having improved rice yields. The countries are growing Nerica, a new locally adapted rice variety that is resilient, high -yielding cross of African and Asian rice species.

According to AGRA, the demand for rice in sub-Saharan Africa doubles the rate of population, growth and consumption.

To increase production it was suggested that there was need for strong government support of rice breeding and seed distribution programmes.

"African rice consumption exceeds production. Only 54 per cent of Sub-Saharan Africa rice consumption is supplied locally. Farmers need new high yielding, locally adapted varieties to raise rice yield and turn around Africa’s food crisis situation.” said Jane Ininda, the AGRA programme officer.

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