Dr. Duwayri opened the meeting and welcomed the participants. He emphasised that rice is an important food crop in many developing countries and indicated that it is the only food crop which has an International Commission to promote cooperation and coordination of national and international efforts to promote its production. He recalled the importance which FAO attaches to the contribution of members of the Steering Committee with regard to the promotion of sustainable production of this commodity. He expressed his appreciation to the active participation of the members of the Steering Committee and emphasised the contribution of the IRC to the implementation of FAO's goal.

Following progress reports of the IRC Secretariat were presented:

• Progress in Hybrid Rice, Support to Regional and Inter-Regional Networks on Rice, and Updated Information on Rice Technologies by Mr. Tran (AGPC);

• Development of FAO's rice information and databases and provisions of technical assistance from AGPC to other FAO technical divisions/services in the matter of Rice and Rice-Based production systems by Mr. Nguyen (AGPC) assisted by Mr. Diemer (AGPC);

• Updated Information on Rice Trade and Prices by Mr. Mbabaali (ESCB);

• AGLW's Activities Related to Rice by Mr. Klemn (AGLW);

• Integrated Pest Management by Mr. Schulten (AGPP);

• Women's Role in Rice and Rice-Based Production Systems by Ms. Huvio (SDWW); and

• Rice-Fish Production Systems by Mr. Halwart (FIRI).

FAO's support to national programmes on hybrid rice development was recently strengthened with the approval of the project TCP/PHI/8812 by the Director-General. Also the project on "Hybrid Rice Development and Use", prepared by IRRI, with support from FAO/IRRI-sponsored International Task Force on Hybrid Rice (INTAFOHR), was recently approved by the Asian Development Bank. IRRI has drafted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and submitted it to FAO with the objective of strengthening the collaboration between FAO and IRRI in matter of hybrid rice and INTAFOHR.

In China, Super Hybrid Rice varieties with yields of 13 tonnes/ha have been successfully developed. These varieties have the following characteristics: canopy height of about 120 cm, panicle height of about 60 cm, and productivity rate of 100 kg/ha/day. Field tests on the performance of "Super Rice" lines, developed by IRRI, have been carried out by NARCs. Preliminary results indicate that problems related to unfilled grains, grain quality, and pest and disease resistance are possible constraints to wide adoption of IRRI's "Super Rice" varieties in the tropics. However, there are indications that IRRI's "Super Rice" may be promising in temperate areas.

With the objective of collection, analysis and dissemination of information on rice and rice-based production systems, the International Rice Commission and the Rice Development Programme of AGPC, in collaboration with other technical divisions/services of FAO, IARCs, and NARCs, has developed a number of databases on rice information and profiles of rice producing countries. Efforts have been made to integrate these databases and profiles into a more efficient and user-friendly computer programme to improve the dissemination of information on rice and rice-based production systems. The International Rice Commission and the Rice Development Programme of AGPC have also provided technical support and backstopping to other technical Divisions of FAO, especially the Special Programme for Food Security and Field Projects on rice and rice-based production systems.

The international rice trade is expected to increase from about 19.6 M tons in 1996 to a record 21.5 M tons forecast for 1998. This is largely attributed to the 1997 paddy production shortfalls in many of the major rice importing countries. Thailand, Vietnam, USA, India and Pakistan are anticipated to be the top rice exporters, whereas Indonesia, Iran, Brazil and the Philippines are expected to be the major rice importers in 1998. The international rice prices have been trending upwards since the beginning of the year, and this is likely to continue during most of 1998 due to the high import demand.

Although AGLW is not pursuing any activity, which is exclusively focused on rice, it gives technical assistance in irrigation and water resources management for rice cultivation, especially under the framework of the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). The pilot scheme at Bahi, on water component of the SPFS in Tanzania, is particularly successful. It demonstrated that early nursery and land preparation can be carried out a month before the onset of rain with the use of shallow (hand dug) wells and treadle pumps, resulting in a substantial increase in rice yields. Also a major technical cooperation project, focused on the production and marketing of irrigated rice, will be implemented soon in Benin. AGLW agrees to linkAQUASTAT to AGPC's Database on Rice Information. In addition, AGLW is undertaking the collection and analysis of information on upland rice cultivation with supplemental irrigation and is requestingcontributions from other technical divisions/services.

The Inter-Country Programme for the Development and Application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Rice continues to provide assistance to 12 countries in South and Southeast Asia. Significant increases in rice yields are experienced once farmers adopt IPM. The programme has started to promote IPM application on rice and other crops in Africa. The Global IPM facility, hosted by FAO, has been established as an inter-agency effort to promote IPM implementation.

There is a possibility of using the Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis (SEAGA) programme in rice farming projects and programmes. The sector guide on irrigation was presented as an example of the application of the SEAGA programme. The SEAGA guidelines are available at SDWW.

Fish production, in rice-based farming systems, has regained importance as pesticide use in rice decreases. The latest aggregated national production figures for fish, harvested from rice fields, were presented for the two largest producers: China and Egypt. In China, 377,000 t of fish were produced in 1.2 million ha rice fields in 1996. In Egypt, fish are raised on 173,000 ha, equivalent to 37% of the rice area and fish production from rice fields accounts for 32 % of the total aquaculture production in the country in 1995. The prospects, for further expansion of this integration, are favourable in many other countries. However, information, on rice-fish production systems, is still lacking.

1. The Steering Committee noted the potential contribution of Super Rice as compared? to sustainable rice production. However, the Steering Committee recommended concerted action, from concerned technical divisions/services, aimed at closing the yield gap, especially in developing countries. The participants were informed that the national policy and strategy for closing yield gaps will be treated as a major item and a selected group of countries have been invited to share their experiences during the 19th Session.

2. The Steering Committee recommended the following:

• IRC will undertake the collection, analysis and dissemination of information on the activities related to rice, and rice-based production systems, that the Special Programme for Food Security has carried out in Member Countries of FAO;

• AGPC and AGLW will explore the possibility of creating a linkage between Rice Database and AQUASTAT of AGLW;

• The concerned technical divisions/services and members of the Steering Committee will increase their efforts in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information on factors related torice, and rice-based production systems, especially the rice-fish cultivation systems and the women's role and participation in rice and rice-based production systems.

Back to Top 

The content proposed by the Secretariat of the IRC, which was presented by Mr. Tran (AGPC), was approved with the following additions to the Section on "MEETING, CONFERENCES, AND SYMPOSIA": The Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Group on Rice organised by ESCB and the E-mail Conference conducted by AGSI. The concerned technical divisions were recommended, by the Steering Committee, to submit contributions to the Secretariat of the IRC, maximum of 300 words or about half page, preferably in an electronic version on, or before, 15 April 1998.

Back to Top 

The presentation was made by Mr. Tran (AGPC). The major points of the presentation included:

a. Venue and dates: Cairo, Egypt, from 7 to 9 September 1998. The duration of the Session will be reduced from 5 to 3 days. Consequently, the number of papers to be presented will be reduced and the number of country reports/statements will be curtailed as well. In addition, 20 minutes will be allocated to the presentation of each paper and statements will be limited to 10 minutes per country.

b. Provisional Agenda and Programme: Commitments for the preparation and presentation of papers at the 19th Session have been received from:

- FAO technical Services: ESCB, SDWW, FIRRI, AGLW, AGSI, AGSE, AGPS, AGPP, and AGPC.

- IRRI, WARDA, CIAT, IIMI, FAO/IAEA

- RAP, RAF, RLC and MED-RICE.

- Case Studies on Rice policies in Indonesia and Viet Nam for Asia; Egypt for Africa; Brazil for Latin America. Contacts have been made for case studies on rice policy in Benin, Nigeria, and Cuba.

* Contributing technical divisions/services kindly note: that each paper should be limited to a maximum of 5,000 words and should have a summary and recommendations for the next four years or medium-term programmes.

c. Preparation of the Executive Secretary’s Report: Contributions from the technical divisions/services is needed. Please provide the Secretariat with your brief RP/Field activities relating to rice, which have been carried out in the last 4 years (one page maximum).

d. Updated list of ongoing and recently-completed field projects related to rice: Contributions from the technical divisions/services is needed. Please provide Mr. Nguyen with the necessary updated information.

- Centre Technique de Coopération Agricole and Rurale (CTA) has expressed its support with regard to the funding of the participation of Benin, Nigeria, Senegal, Mozambique, R.D. Congo, and Guyana, to the 19th Session.

- Under the current budgetary constraints, the following measures have been undertaken: (i) translation into two other languages for only summaries or abstracts of the submitted papers and (ii) photocopies of papers instead of printed copies will be made available.

f. Contribution from host country: The Egyptian Government, in addition to the provision of the Conference facilities for the 19th Session, has offered to organise, free of charge, a field trip for the participants to visit farmers' fields, rice mill plants and the rice research programme in Sakha, including lunch, and finally to collaborate with FAO in the organisation of the cocktail which will take place during the evening of 7 September 1998.

The Steering Committee recommended:

• Technical divisions/services and members of the Steering Committee will give priority, in their regular programme, to activities related to the preparation and participation to the 19th Session of the International Rice Commission.

• The concerned technical divisions/services will finance the travel of their staff who will be participating in the 19th Session.

• Technical divisions/services will provide the Secretariat of the IRC with the names of staff members from their respective divisions/services who will be participating in the 19th Session. Travel authorisations for the participants must be requested to FAO's Senior Management.

Back to Top 

1. The Steering Committee expressed its gratitude to the contribution and guidance of Mr. Aldington, Senior Advisor to ADG/AG, to the activities of the IRC and wished him an enjoyable retirement.

2. The Steering Committee expressed the need for the evaluation of the effect of Super Rice on human nutrition.

3. The Steering Committee took note of the potential impacts of the development in the field of biotechnology in rice, especially the transgenic rice and the associated Intellectual Property Right on future rice production, distribution and trade. The Steering Committee also noted that the issue of biotechnology and genetic resource utilisation is and will be addressed in other Meetings, Commissions, and bodies of FAO. Consequently, the Steering Committee recommended IRC to wait for the outcome of these Meetings before taking any action.