The 22nd Session of the International Rice Commission (IRC) is scheduled for 29-30 November 2012 at FAO Headquarters, Rome Italy. The 21st Session of the IRC was convened in Chiclayo, Peru in 2006 (report available here).  

The declining participation of member countries in meetings of the Commission since 1994 was noted in the  auto-evaluation of “Support to Strategy Formulation and Promotion of Specific Action for Rice Development in Member Countries of the IRC” in 2006 (available here) and in the Independent External Evaluation of FAO in 2008 which recommended (recommendation 3.10) that the IRC be wound-up.  

The 22nd Session is particularly important as there is a need to take a decision on the future of the Commission.  This meeting, originally scheduled for April 2012 in Montpellier France, was postponed to November due to a lack of confirmed participation by member countries.   A quorum of 32 member countries is needed for decision making by the Commission.  

A Global Roundtable on Rice, convened in Montpellier France 3-4 July 2012 to discuss themes relevant to a possible future role for the IRC, was attended by experts from 22 member countries as well as representatives of the CGIAR consortium.  The report of this meeting has been forwarded to all Roundtable participants (report available here).

The 22nd Session focused on the future of the IRC. It was scheduled immediately prior to the 145th FAO Council in Rome to ensure a quorum for decision making.  In preparation for the 22nd Session a briefing of Permanent Representatives to FAO was convened on 22 October 2012.