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News
and Notes
Milestones
 WARDA Hails Dr Monty Jones,
Co-winner of the 2004 World Food Prize
Dr Jones, Executive Secretary of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), was selected a co-recipient of the World Food Prize for developing the NERICA.
Dr Jones’ groundbreaking work on the NERICAs—today the symbol of hope for millions of poor in Africa—was carried out at The Africa Rice Center (WARDA) in the mid-90s.
NERICA is the fruit of a remarkable technological breakthrough that helped combine the best features of Asian and African rice varieties. It is
perfectly suited to African rice farmers and consumers.
Dr Jones shares this year’s prize with Professor Yuan Longping from China, whose work was instrumental in achieving the world’s first high-yielding hybrid rice varieties.
Director of Research, Dr Shellemiah Keya presenting a bag of NERICA to the First
Lady of Mali, Mrs Touré Lobbo Traoré on International Women’s Day,
8 March 2004. The African Rice Initiative (ARI), actively participated in the celebration.
The Africa Rice Center at the International Year of Rice (IYR) exhibition during the
23rd Session of FAO African Regional Conference, Johannesburg,
South Africa, 1-5 March.
Workshops
Participants of the Inland Valley Consortium (IVC) Annual Workshop,
Bamako, Mali, 16-20 February
Participants of the workshop on Planning Research Activities for the Improvement of Vegetable Production in West Africa, organized by the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) – Africa Rice Center joint project, Bamako, Mali, 9-11 March |
