On March 22, 2022, the JICA Sadako Ogata Institute for Peace and Development (JICA Ogata Institute) held the 11th Knowledge Forum “Japanese Rice Crop Technology Spreading from Asia to Africa” in a webinar format.
In his opening remarks, Koji Makino, Deputy Director of JICA’s Ogata Research Institute, said, “In 2008, JICA launched an international initiative, the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD), with the goal of doubling rice production in Africa in 10 years. JICA has supported the initiative with the goal of doubling rice production in Africa in 10 years. Although this goal was achieved in 2018, the growth of rice production in Africa has been slower than the “Green Revolution” that once took place in Asia. We would like to deepen the discussion on what is important to bring about a “Green Revolution” in Africa.
Lecture by Keijiro Otsuka, Professor at Kobe University’s Center for Social System Innovation
The keynote speaker was Keijiro Otsuka, Professor-at-Large at Kobe University’s Center for Social System Innovation. He explained how the transfer of rice cultivation technology from Japan to Taiwan and Korea after World War I and then to Southeast and South Asia in the 1960s led to the “Green Revolution” and helped Asia overcome the food crisis that was predicted to occur due to population explosion and drought. The “Green Revolution” refers to the development and popularization of a series of high-yielding, fertilizer-sensitive varieties of rice since 1966, which have been called “miracle rice” because of their short stature and thick stalks that make them resistant to fall over. However, Professor Otsuka said, “The ‘Green Revolution’ is also called a revolution in varieties and fertilizer inputs, and many people involved still believe so. In fact, that is a big problem,” he raised.
Professor Otsuka also pointed out that while Africa’s population is exploding, there is little arable land left and food production is not growing fast enough, that one-third of rice consumption is imported from Asia, and that if agriculture in Asia slumps in the future, there will be a global shortage of rice. He also emphasized the need for a “Green Revolution” in Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of reducing poverty and eradicating hunger. He then added, “In Africa, paddy rice cultivated in rice paddies is promising. He pointed out that paddy rice is promising in Africa because there is still an abundance of unspoiled wetlands suitable for paddy rice cultivation, and there is potential for transferring cultivation technology from Asia. However, he also pointed out various problems, such as the lack of mechanization in Africa, the unavailability of buffaloes that were used during the “Green Revolution” in Asia, and the lack of basic cultivation techniques such as planting seedlings in a single row or creating a furrow in the paddy field. Professor Otsuka then noted, “One positive change is that rice yield is increasing in some African countries, and a ‘green revolution’ is about to take place. In a randomized controlled experiment conducted in various African countries, it was found that even if training in rice cultivation techniques is provided only to the leader farmers, the training spreads to the surrounding farmers, who also see an increase in rice yield. To realize the “Green Revolution,” it is important to teach cultivation techniques, not to introduce improved varieties and chemical fertilizers. We need to make this widely known to policy makers, development experts, and researchers in Africa.
Tatsushi Tsuboi, JICA Senior Technical Advisor on Rice Cultivation, commenting on his experiences in Africa.
The talk session, moderated by Mr. Hitoshi Fujika, Senior Researcher at JICA Ogata Research Institute, was followed by a panel discussion in which Professor Emeritus Masao Kikuchi of Chiba University and Mr. Tatsushi Tsuboi, JICA Senior Technical Advisor for Rice Cultivation, also participated as panelists. First, on the importance of cultivation technology, Mr. Tsuboi, who has been supporting the diffusion of cultivation technology in Asia and Africa for about 30 years, said, “Appropriate technology has not taken root in Africa because rice is not a major crop for farmers, and it is not a priority. Unlike in Asia, where paddy rice cultivation has always been widespread, it is difficult to teach farmers who are new to rice cultivation in Africa. Paddy rice cultivation, which involves creating paddy fields, growing seedlings, and planting rice, is labor-intensive and requires experience. It would be better to start with upland rice cultivation, which is easy to work with, and let them understand the benefits of rice cultivation before moving on to paddy rice cultivation, which is more labor-intensive,” he said, based on his experience in the field.
Professor Emeritus Masao Kikuchi of Chiba University, who pointed out the need for efficient irrigation development
In response to Professor Emeritus Kikuchi’s comment about the delay in irrigation development in Africa, Professor Emeritus Otsuka said, “It is true that without irrigation, the ‘Green Revolution’ would not have occurred in Asia, but there were many inappropriate investments, which is a point of reflection. The same effect could have been produced with less investment. Since there is much land in Africa that is suitable for rice cultivation, we should develop irrigation on various scales so that it can be used successfully,” he pointed out.
During the Q&A session, the speakers answered questions and comments such as, “With the decrease in farmland per capita, will rice be able to compete with other crops?” From the viewpoint of food security, the distribution of rice also needs to be improved,” the speakers answered these questions and comments. In his closing remarks, Mr. Shinjiro Amameishi, Deputy Director of JICA’s Economic Development Division, concluded the forum by saying, “We are still a long way from the ‘Green Revolution’ and JICA will continue to work together with African governments, academia, and practitioners.
© Source JICA
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