The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested US$50 million to support the Green Super Rice project in African and Asian countries, which aims to grow new varieties that tolerate climate-change.
The project is being carried out by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
According to the foundation, as a global leader in hybrid rice, China’s experience with the grain can help small-scale growers in Africa increase yields and escape poverty.
The project aims to share high-quality rice varieties, germplasm resources and production techniques with other Asian and African countries.
It also aims to cultivate new varieties that can tolerate climate-change and adapt to local conditions.
Apart from high yields, the current research on green super rice focuses on adding new traits such as drought resistance and saline tolerance in order to improve adaptation to climate change.
“Green super rice should also resist diseases so that less pesticide is needed and ecological security is protected,” Xu said, adding that the strain was cultivated under challenges to both food security and the environment,” said Chikava.
From 2008 to 2019, the project covered nine African countries, 10 Asian countries and some provinces in China, and during that period, 79 green super rice varieties were approved in the two continents.
“Incomes are estimated to increase by US$1.4 billion,” he added.
However, the promotion of green super rice in Africa has not been successful because of insufficient investment in breeding, and an ineffective extended agriculture system.
“Although green super rice varieties can reach Africa, it’s hard to grow. That’s the problem that we are about to tackle,” Enock Chikava, the interim director of the Agricultural Development Department at the Gates Foundation, said.
He added that China’s agricultural transformation is compelling and that Africa can learn from its experience.
The foundation started supporting the establishment of a rice seed system in Africa this year, mainly in Nigeria and Mali during the first phase.
“We hope to improve the efficiency of commercial rice production in Africa and ensure its food security.”
Meanwhile, in its latest sixth annual Goalkeepers Report, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said increased investment in research and development is being encouraged to boost agricultural productivity in Africa, according to the latest sixth annual Goalkeepers Report released by the Bill& Melinda Gates Foundation.
Investment in research and development, according to the report, will help in mitigating the recent shocks to global supply of grain from Ukraine and Russia, including the ongoing threat of climate change.
The report presents bleak projections for future crop yields and agricultural productivity in Africa, where 14 countries depend on Russia and Ukraine for half their wheat supplies.
In addition, severe climate stress is the primary reason why more than 32 million people in Africa are projected to be hungry in 2030.
However, in his essay Bill Gates said innovative solutions, such as developing new crop seed varieties, were key to increasing productivity despite the changing climate.
He provided examples of planting climate-smart crops and using predictive modeling.
Heat waves in southern China are also affecting grain production, including rice and corn, but the Far East giant is making innovations in its agricultural sector to contribute to global food security.
Chikava underscored the acceleration of innovation in terms of seed systems, improvements to crop varieties and digital transformation in a country where more than half the population earns its living from farming.
This year’s Goalkeepers Report, entitled: ‘The Future of Progress’, noted that most of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which were expected to be achieved by 2030, will not be met.
However, the report is optimistic, and underscored opportunities to accelerate progress toward ending poverty, fighting inequality and reducing the effects of climate change in Africa.
