In a landmark moment for Sino-CGIAR and Sino-African agricultural research cooperation, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) have unveiled a commemorative plaque marking the establishment of Joint CAAS-AfricaRice Research Platforms.

The event was held during the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 General Assembly of the China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance (CAASTIA), in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The unveiling of the plaque was performed by the Deputy Director of the Institute of Crop Science, Prof. Wensheng Wang, representing CAAS, and Senior Advisor, Dr. Samuel Bruce-Oliver, representing AfricaRice on behalf of the Director General.

The initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between CAAS and AfricaRice in April 2025 during the CGIAR Science Week in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Joint Research Platforms aim to accelerate innovation and technology transfer in rice-based agri-food systems across Africa.

The key areas of collaborative research will be in the development of high-yielding, climate-resilient Green Super Rice varieties and hybrids tailored to African irrigated and rainfed ecosystems; and support for seed systems, rice processing technologies, and demonstration platforms in key African countries.

Others include design and testing of agronomic packages suited to diverse African rainfed environments; breeding of perennial rice varieties incorporating traits such as drought tolerance, iron toxicity resistance, and pest/disease resilience; joint evaluation and characterisation of African rice germplasm collections, including Oryza sativa, O. glaberrima, and wild species (O. longistaminata, and O. barthii), leveraging Chinese advances in functional and population genomics; and capacity Building & Knowledge Exchange through the implementation of short-term training, advanced degree programmes, and reciprocal research scholar exchanges.

The CAAS-AfricaRice Joint Research Programme, reflects a shared commitment to transforming rice research and development in Africa through inclusive innovation and scientific excellence.

The bodies said the plaque unveiled in Addis Ababa, stands as a lasting symbol of the strategic alliance and the promise it holds for food security and sustainable agriculture across the continent.