Describing the 2011-2020 strategic plan of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) to boost the rice sector in Africa as “evidenced-based and therefore very solid and powerful,” the new Director General of AfricaRice Dr Harold Roy-Macauley urged AfricaRice staff “to be adventurous and ingenious in the way we roll out our rice science.”
He stated that although AfricaRice’s mandate covers the rice sector in Africa, it is global in its approach, because of the growing importance and opportunities of the African rice sector in the global rice market. “Rice is global and it is big business,” said Dr Roy-Macauley. “It is the white gold of the future. We at AfricaRice should consider ourselves fortunate to be in big business already.”
Dr Roy-Macauley made these remarks in his first speech to the AfricaRice staff during the handover ceremony on 12 March 2015 at AfricaRice temporary headquarters in Cotonou, Benin, in which the Interim Director General Dr Adama Traoré handed over office to him.
Dr Roy-Macauley, a Sierra Leonean national, was appointed as the new Director General of AfricaRice at an Extraordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of AfricaRice held on 6 February 2015, in Kampala, Uganda.
After thanking Dr Traoré for ably steering the Center during the interim period, Dr Roy-Macauley outlined his first priorities that include the following:
• Rendering partnerships more efficient around rice science and sector development
• Strengthening capacity for rice science and sector development
• Improving access of small-holders rice producers to markets
• Reintegrating rice science in the policy agenda of countries
• Increasing investments in rice science and sector development
To realize his vision for AfricaRice, he highlighted the need for AfricaRice Management and staff to focus on the implementation of four main pillars:
1. “Consolidation, which implies consolidating existing scientific and development activities to respond directly to the weaknesses observed in the rice value chain with special focus on integrating functional Innovation platforms (IPs) in rice value chain in the rice hubs and striking a better balance between varietal development and dissemination and agronomy.
2. Efficiency/Efficacy, which implies improving the following key systems – monitoring, evaluation and learning; data and information collection and analysis; knowledge management; information and communication; cooperate services and quality delivery; and governance policies, leading to increased credibility of AfricaRice, the interest of development partners including the private sector and their investments and the sustainable funding of AfricaRice’s activities.
3. Punctuality, which implies anticipating consequences (proactivity and rapidity), having great consideration of our clients, inspiring confidence in staff, and being polite, which will lead to improved client relationship and the reputation of AfricaRice Management.
4. Excellence, which implies being very progressive, having a sense of responsibility and a spirit of openness, and recognizing diversity, merits and talents, which will lead to improved work environment.”
Listen to AfricaRice Director General Dr Harold Roy-Macauley’s maiden address.
International Women’s Day 2019
Journée internationale de la femme 2019
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Big Data in Agriculture by AfricaRice Biometrician Dr Ibnou Dieng
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP) and AfricaRice by IBP Regional Deployment Manager Dr Alioune Mbow
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Welcome remarks by AfricaRice Deputy Director General Dr Etienne Duveiller
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Opening remarks by CNRA Director General Dr Yté Wongbé
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Opening remarks by AfricaRice Board member Prof Séraphin Kati-Coulibaly
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Opening address by AfricaRice Director General Dr Harold Roy-Macauley
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with technical partners - Professeur Pétronille Acray Zengbé, Directrice Générale de la Recherche et de l’Innovation, MESRS, Côte d’Ivoire
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with technical partners - M. Emmanuel Coulibaly, Aderiz
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with technical partners - M. Auguste Baïmey, (PADFA)/FIDA/MINADER
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with technical partners - Dr Brahima Koné, Enseignant Chercheur, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with technical partners - Dr Siaka KONE, Directeur, INPHB-Ecole Supérieure d’Agronomie (ESA)
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with technical partners - Dr Eric Kwadjo, Université Nangui Abrogoua
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with technical partners - Dr Alphonse Bouet, Chef Programme Riz, CNRA
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with value chain actors - Mme. Aichatou Camara, Etuveuse, Groupement de femmes
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with value chain actors - M. Thomas Tiacoh, CRCOPR/ROPPA
AfricaRice Science Week 2019 : Round table with value chain actors - M. Faustin Lohouri, CEO, BILOHF
Welcome Remarks by AfricaRice Director General at the High-Level Ministerial Conference on Rice
Statement from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
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