The national programme for the development of cereals has organized the first ever National Rice Partnership meeting.

During the meeting the different Rice Production Units of Ndop, Lagdo and Mbam in the North West, North and Centre Regions discussed and exchanged notes under a single coordination platform. Discussions were held under the theme “Ensuring the Wide Scale Diffusion of Research Products”.

One major challenge of the experts was to put in place strategies to execute research results carried out on different species of rice in different climatic zones.

A plan of action to boost the competitiveness of locally produced rice in the market was elaborated. According to Dr. Ngome Ajebe Sone, senior researcher at IRAD, it was an ideal forum to boost rice production and exchange of research results.

He indicated that the meeting is a follow-up of recommendations made during Africa Rice Forum that took place in February 2014.

The ultimate goal of the encounter was to improve on the quality and quantity of locally produced rice consequently checking the domination of foreign rice in local Markets.

On the occasion, the Africa Regional Rice Representative, Dr. Amadou Moustafa Beye, encouraged rice farmers to work with the various task forces that have been put in place.