Presentation : Raafat El-Namaky, Hybrid Rice Breeder, Rice Research and Training Center (RRTC), Egypt

Raafat El-Namaky, Hybrid Rice Breeder, Rice Research and Training Center (RRTC), Egypt presenting at the Field Day to showcase the performance of hybrid rice varieties developed by AfricaRice, 6 August 2019, Saint Louis, Senegal

(Dr Baboucarr Manneh, AfricaRice Irrigated Rice Breeder, interpreting into French Dr Raafat El-Namaky's presentation)

AfDB-TAAT promotes trailblazing hybrid rice technology adapted to Africa

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).

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.

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