Historical development, functions
and achievements of the International Rice Commission since 1949

D.V. Tran

Executive Secretary IRC, Crop and Grassland Service, Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO

Rice has been a staple food source for a great number of people for longer than any other food crop. In Asia, the ability to produce a rice surplus has given people the finance they need to develop their communities, while rice crop failure has led to widespread famine and political instability in many countries throughout the long history of the continent.

In 1948, facing the stagnation of world rice production, the 4th session of the FAO Conference established the International Rice Commission (IRC) in response to the deliberations of the Rice Study Group, which met at Trivandrum in India, and the International Rice Meeting, held at Baguio in the Philippines. The IRC Constitution came into force on 4 January 1949 comprising nine articles and 18 rules and regulations, and was registered with the UN as No. 1613 on 24 January 1952 (United Nations Treaty Series Volume 120, p.13).

The objective of IRC is to promote cooperative action in matters relating to the production, conservation, distribution and consumption of rice (excepting matters relating to international trade). The interest of FAO member countries in the activities of the Commission has been increasing since its establishment, as indicated by their notifications of acceptance of the Commission's Constitution. Membership of IRC has grown from 15 countries at its establishment to 60 at present. The Commission has made significant contributions to the green revolution in many rice producing countries, enabling world rice production to provide food security to more than half of the world's population during the last 50 years. The growth rate of world rice production, however, has declined since the beginning of the 1990s, posing a potential threat to the food security of a large section of the global population, especially in low-income and food-deficit countries.

This review provides information to create a better understanding of the role of the Commission, its functions and activities in contributing to worldwide food supply.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

Birth and growth of IRC

Article IX of the original Constitution stated that: "This Constitution shall enter into force as soon as notifications of acceptance have been received from the governments of at least ten countries members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations representing in the aggregate not less than half of the world production of rice in the crop year 1947/48 as shown by official statistics".

Notifications of acceptance were received from France, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Italy, India, Thailand, the Netherlands, Egypt, Myanmar and Mexico in 1948; these were followed by Cuba, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States in 1949 (FAO Legal Office). The Commission, therefore, was officially born and its first Regular Session was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1949. Membership of the Commission grew to 23 in 1953, 30 in 1963, 43 in 1973, 47 in 1983, 56 in 1993, and 60 at present (Table 1).

The present 60 country members of the Commission in-clude large to small rice producing countries, and major to minor rice consuming countries worldwide (Table 2).

Major amendments to the Constitution of the Commission

The Constitution adopted in 1949 was amended at the 3rd (1952), 4th (1954), 7th (1960), the Special (1973) and 15th (1982) Sessions. Major amendments include:

• Official languages: English and French were the initial official languages of the Commission. At the Special Session held in 1973 Spanish was added as the third official language.
• Transfer of the head office of the Commission from the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to FAO Headquarters in 1974.
• Convening of a Regular Session of the Commission at least once every four years instead of every two years.
• Between Regular Sessions, the Secretariat should organize ad hoc meetings, technical conferences and expert consultations on rice problems of particular importance or urgency to a specific region or subregion, in accordance with regional priorities.
• The Commission's Rules and Procedures may be amended by a majority, which is more than one-half of the membership instead of a two-thirds majority.

FUNCTIONS AND ORGANIZATION

Functions of the Commission

Article IV of the Constitution, which was amended by the 15th Session (1982), stated that the Commission shall, except in matters relating to international trade, have the functions of:

• keeping under review the scientific, technical and economic problems involved in the production, conservation, distribution and consumption of rice;
• encouraging and coordinating research on those problems and promoting its practical application;
• undertaking, where necessary and appropriate, cooperative projects directed at solving those problems;
• recommending to members of the Commission, through the Director-General of FAO, such national and international action as may appear to the Commission to be necessary or desirable for the solution of those problems;
• recommending to the Director-General of FAO the provision of technical assistance to members of the Commission in measures directed to that end;
• assembling, collating and disseminating, through FAO publications and otherwise, information relating to the problems and activities pertinent to the functions of the Commission;
• transmitting at appropriate intervals, to the Director-General of FAO, reports embodying views, recommendations and decisions, and making such other reports to the Director-General on matters relating to the production, conservation, distribution and consumption of rice, as the Commission itself may consider expedient, or the Director-General or the Conference of FAO may request.

The Secretariat of the Commission

Membership of the Secretariat of the Commission is determined by the Director-General of FAO. At present, it is composed of representatives of the following FAO Divisions and Services:

• From the Agriculture Department:
• Crop and Grassland Service, Plant Production and Protection Division;
• Plant Protection Service, Plant Production and Protection Division;
• Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service, Plant Production and Protection Division;
• Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service, Land and Water Development Division;
• Water Resources Development and Management Service, Land and Water Development Division;
• Agricultural Engineering Branch, Agricultural Support Systems Division;
• Agro-Industries and Post-Harvest Service, Agricultural Support Systems Division;
• Joint FAO/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Division.
• From the Economic and Social Department:
• Basic Foodstuffs Service, Commodity and Trade Division;
• Nutrition Planning, Assessment and Evaluation Service, Food and Nutrition Division.
• From the Sustainable Development Department:
• Women in Development Service, Women and Population Division;
• Research and Technology Development Service, Research, Training and Extension Division;
• Extension, Education and Communication Service.
• From the Fisheries Department:
• Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service, Fishery Resources Division.

The Secretariat coordinates activities related to rice undertaken by these technical divisions and services, as they provide technical assistance to countries that are members of the Commission. The Crop and Grassland Service hosts the Executive Secretariat of the Commission. The IRC Steering Committee consists of all members of the Secretariat and is chaired by the Di-rector of the Plant Production and Protection Division.

The Sessions of the Commission

The Sessions of the Commission are organized to provide fora for member countries to review progress made in rice research and development, arising issues and challenges in matters relating to the production, conservation, distribution and consumption of rice so that they can reorient their respective national programmes as required. During the Sessions, the Constitution and the work programme of the Commission are reviewed and recommendations for amendments and adjustment are made so that the work of the Commission remains relevant to changes in world rice production, conservation, distribution and consumption. A total of 19 Sessions have been organized since the establishment of the Commission (Table 3). The 20th Session will be organized in 2002 in either Thailand or Uruguay, to be decided by the Director-General of FAO in 2001.

IRC'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND RECENT ACTIVITIES

Pre-1990

The notable growth in rice production over the past 50 years is attributable, at least in part, to the works of the Commission, both directly and indirectly, in the application of technology, the implementation of cooperative programmes and the dissemination of information. The following are a few examples of the achievements obtained during the early years of the Commission:

• the initiation of a japonica x indica hybridization programme (1950);
• cataloguing of genetic stocks (1951);
• international blast nursery (1961);
• seminars on water and fertilizer management, industrial processing and mechanization;
• training courses in breeding and technology.

The results of these cooperative projects include the development of the Mahsuri variety, an intermediate type of rice with high quality and high yield, introduced in the 1950s. This variety is still cultivated in many countries in Asia and some in Africa.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the Commission, in collaboration and partnership with its member countries, national agricultural research systems (NARS), international agricultural research centres (IARCs), donors and FAO, implemented a large number of rice development projects and programmes supporting the green revolution in many countries. This was achieved in several thematic areas, including land and water development and use, fertilizer supply and integrated plant nutrition, integrated pest management, processing and marketing.

Since 1990

Member countries and international public organizations have been very supportive to and have actively participated in the work of the Commission. IRC collaborates with international and national agricultural research institutions and NARS in the execution of its activities. These include the following:

• In 1990 the Inter-regional Collaborative Research Network on Rice in the Mediterranean Climate Areas (MED-RICE) was organized by that region's NARS to support research and development of japonica rice.
• The African Network on Wetland Development and Management/Inland Valley Swamps (WEDEM/IVS) was created by NARS in sub-Saharan Africa in 1990 to promote the development of wetlands, especially inland valley swamps, for rice and food crop production.
• In Latin America, NARS organized a Working Group on Hybrid Rice (GRUTHA) in 1994, which joined with other working groups in 1999 to create the Working Group on Advanced Rice Breeding in Latin America and the Caribbean (GRUMEGA).
• In 1995, FAO, IRRI and NARS established the International Task Force on Hybrid Rice (INTAFOHR).
• As of February 2000, 24 countries (eight in Asia and the Pacific, 14 in Africa and two in Latin America) have implemented Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) projects with rice intensification as a major component. The average rice production of these countries during the period from 1996 to 1998 accounts for about 44 percent of total global rice production.
• In 1999, FAO and IRRI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen the collaborative action aimed at promoting wider adoption of hybrid rice technology outside China.
• Recently FAO and the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) signed another MOU to support Rapid Rice Technology Diffusion in West Africa (RARIDWA).
• During the 1990s, in addition to participation in networks on rice and related, country members of the Commission and international public institutions, including FAO, have approved and funded nine Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) projects and 16 research and development projects, which were formulated by the Crop and Grassland Service to support the work of the Commission (Table 4).
• The Commission has been giving importance to conservation of the environment and natural resources of rice production for future generations. In this regard, it promotes the development and adoption of integrated crop management to close the yield gaps and reverse the declining trend in rice productivity. An expert consultation will be organized in September 2000 in Rome to review technological options for closing yield gaps and reversing productivity declines in rice production and to recommend appropriate actions to member countries.

CHALLENGES TO IRC

The popularity of rice as a foodstuff has increased in a number of countries in Africa, America and elsewhere, where it is not a traditional major food crop. In Asia, the land and water resources for expansion of rice cultivation have been exhausted as a result of demographic pressure, urbanization and industrialization. Meanwhile, the yield potential of high-yielding varieties has reached a plateau. In many areas, large yield gaps are still evident, while in intensive production areas, a decline in productivity has been observed. Moreover, post-green revolution concerns about plant soil mining, serious pest infestation, genetic erosion, social inequity and environmental impact have been reported. Collaborative action at national and international levels is needed to reverse negative trends and to monitor and promote sustainable increased rice production for food security and poverty alleviation.

REFERENCES

FAO. 1949. Constitution of the International Rice Commission. Amended 1973. Rome.

FAO. 1952. IRC Newsletter Volume 1. Rome.

FAO. 1977. Report of the IRC Special Session. 24 November 1973, Rome.

FAO. 1983. IRC Newsletter Volume 32. Rome.

FAO. 1993. IRC Newsletter Volume 42. Rome.

Parthasarathy, N. 1965. Progress report of the work of the International Rice Commission. IRC Newsletter Volume 14, p. 26-34. Rome, FAO.

Évolution historique, fonctions et réalisations de la Commission internationale du riz
depuis sa création en 1949

L'Acte constitutif de la Commission est entré en vigueur le 4 janvier 1949. Sa mission est de promouvoir des actions de coopération en matière de production, conservation, distribution et consommation du riz (à l'exception des questions liées aux échanges internationaux). La Commission qui comptait 15 membres à sa création en compte maintenant 63. Elle a joué un rôle important dans la révolution verte de nombreux pays producteurs de riz, et la production mondiale a pu ainsi assurer la sécurité alimentaire de plus de la moitié de la population mondiale pendant les 50 dernières années. Parmi les résultats obtenus par la Commission au cours des premières années, on peut citer notamment: un programme d'hybridation du riz japonica x indica (1950); le catalogue des souches génétiques du riz (1951); l'International Blast Nursery (1961); l'organisation de séminaires sur la gestion des eaux et des engrais, la transformation industrielle et la mécanisation; et des cours de formation en matière de sélection et de technologies. Les résultats de ces projets de coopération ont abouti, entre autres, au cours des années 50, à l'élaboration du riz mahsuri, variété intermédiaire de qualité supérieure et à rendement élevé. Cette variété est encore cultivée dans de nombreux pays d'Asie et dans quelques pays d'Afrique.

Au cours des années 70 et 80, la Commission, en collaboration et en partenariat avec les États Membres, les Services nationaux de recherche agricole (SNRA), les Centres internationaux de recherche agronomique (CIRA), les donateurs et la FAO, a exécuté, à l'appui de la révolution verte dans de nombreux pays, un grand nombre de projets et de programmes de développement du riz. Cela s'est fait dans divers domaines thématiques, y compris le développement et l'utilisation des terres et des eaux, la fourniture d'engrais et la nutrition intégrée des plantes, la lutte intégrée contre les ravageurs, la transformation et la commercialisation. Pendant les années 90, la Commission a participé à l'élaboration, à la mise en place et au suivi de neuf projets de coopération technique et de 16 projets de recherche et de développement.

La Commission collabore avec des institutions internationales et nationales de recherche agricole et avec les Services nationaux de recherche agricoles (SNRA) pour mener à bien ses activités concernant: i) le Réseau coopératif interrégional de recherche sur le riz en climat méditerranéen (1990); ii) le Réseau africain sur le développement et l'aménagement des terres humides/marais des vallées intérieures (1990); iii) le Groupe de travail sur le riz hybride; iv) l'Équipe internationale spéciale du riz hybride (1995); et v) la participation de 24 pays au Programme spécial pour la sécurité alimentaire (PSSA).

En 1999, la FAO et l'IRRI ont signé un protocole d'accord afin de renforcer leur collaboration pour développer l'adoption de méthodes relatives au riz hybride à l'extérieur de la Chine. Récemment, la FAO et l'ADRAO ont conclu un autre protocole d'accord pour soutenir la diffusion rapide des technologies du riz en Afrique occidentale.

Desarrollo histórico, funciones y logros de la Comisión Internacional del Arroz
desde su creación en 1949

La Constitución de la Comisión entró en vigor el 4 de enero de 1949. Su mandato consiste en promover la acción cooperativa en asuntos relacionados con la producción, conservación, distribución y consumo de arroz (salvo las cuestiones relativas al comercio internacional). Los Miembros de la Comisión han pasado de 15 al momento de su creación a 63 en la actualidad. La Comisión ha realizado grandes aportaciones a la revolución verde en muchos países productores de arroz, lo que ha permitido que la producción mundial de arroz haya ofrecido seguridad alimentaria a más de la mitad de la población mundial en los últimos 50 años. A continuación se citan algunos ejemplos de los logros alcanzados en los primeros años de la Comisión: la iniciación de un programa de hibridización japonica x indica (1950); la catalogación de estirpes genéticas (1951); la International Blast Nursery (1961); la celebración de seminarios sobre ordenación de aguas y fertilizantes, elaboración industrial y mecanización; cursillos de capacitación en mejoramiento y tecnología del arroz. Entre los resultados de estos proyectos de cooperación figuraron el desarrollo de la variedad mahsuri, tipo intermedio de arroz de gran calidad y alto rendimiento, lo que se consiguió en los años cincuenta. Todavía se sigue cultivando esta variedad en muchos países de Asia y también en algunos africanos.

Durante los años setenta y ochenta, la Comisión, en colaboración y asociación con sus Estados Miembros, con los servicios y centros nacionales de investigación agrícola, donantes y la FAO llevó a cabo un gran número de proyectos y programas de desarrollo arrocero en apoyo de la revolución verde en muchos países. Se prestó ese apoyo a varios sectores temáticos, en particular al fomento y aprovechamiento de tierras y aguas, suministro de fertilizante y nutrición integrada de plantas, manejo integrado de plagas, elaboración y comercialización. A lo largo de la década de los noventa, la Comisión ha participado en la formulación, aplicación y seguimiento de nueve proyectos de cooperación técnica y 16 proyectos de investigación y desarrollo.

La Comisión colabora con instituciones internacionales y nacionales de investigación agrícola y con servicios nacionales de investigación agrícola para llevar a cabo sus actividades en: i) la Red interregional de investigación colaborativa sobre el arroz en las zonas de clima mediterráneo (1990); ii) la Red de desarrollo y ordenación de tierras húmedas y manglares de valles internos (1990); iii) el Grupo de Trabajo sobre Arroz Híbrido (1994); iv) el Grupo Internacional de Acción para el Arroz Híbrido (1995); y v) participación en el Programa especial para la seguridad alimentaria en 24 países.

En 1999, la FAO y el IRRI firmaron un memorando de entendimiento para potenciar la acción colaborativa encaminada a fomentar una adopción más amplia de la tecnología del arroz híbrido fuera de China, y últimamente la FAO y la ADRAO firmaron otro memorando de entendimiento en apoyo de la difusión rápida de la tecnología arrocera en el África occidental.