Wednesday, July 26 2006 14:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Nairobi: The first-ever Africa Rice Congress will be held next week in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, organisers said.

The meeting, from July 31 to August 4, will bring together about 300 scientists, economists, policy makers and civil society representatives from all over the world to chart the way forward for future rice research and development in order to contribute to achieving the 'Millennium Development Goals', organisers said Tuesday.

The Africa Rice Centre, together with key research organisations, is the main organiser of the meeting, which aims to address the challenges faced in rice production and productivity in Africa, said a statement from Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.

"The Congress will undertake a comprehensive review of past successes and experiences in rice development and explore sustainable intensification and diversification strategies for African rice-based cropping systems," the statement said.

The Rice Congress comes at a time when the demand for rice in Africa is growing at about 6 percent per annum, faster than anywhere else in the world.

Latest statistics shows sub-Saharan Africa now accounts for 20 percent of total world rice imports, which costs the region more than $1.2 billion annually.