The International Rice Committee (IRC) Steering Committee met at FAO, Rome, on 15 February 2002. The meeting was chaired by Mr E.A. Kueneman, Chief of the Crop and Grassland Service (AGPC) and attended by representative from 12 technical units. Its agenda was as follows:
Mr Kueneman opened the meeting and welcomed the participants. He proposed the following items for presentation under the agenda item "Other matters": 1) presentation by the Agro-Industries and Post-Harvest Management Service (AGSI) on "Small metallic silos: a valuable post-harvest technology recommended for small- and medium-scale rice farmers in Asia for improving food security", and 2) announcement of the forthcoming launch meeting of the Africa Rice Initiative by AGPC. Mr Qamar informed the participants of the study carried out on the adoption of hybrid rice in Asia, through the project "Development and Use of Hybrid Rice in Asia", funded by the Asian Development Bank and implemented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), national agricultural research centres and FAO under the framework of the International Task Force for Hybrid Rice (INTAFOHR). The agenda of the meeting was then approved.
Mr Kueneman briefed participants on the process leading to the adoption of the Resolution of the International Year of Rice by the 31st FAO Conference. The request to explore the possibility of a United Nations Declaration of the year 2004 as the International Year of Rice (IYR) was made by Dr Cantrell, Director-General of IRRI, to the Director-General of FAO in June 1999. The proposal was presented to the Office of the Director-General (ODG) and the Legal Office of FAO for a decision. The IRC Steering Committee, at its meeting held on 25 February 2000, also discussed the proposal, supported the idea and recommended that the Secretariat of the Commission contact the Liaison Office with the United Nations, New York, for further clarification and information on the procedures for the Declaration of the International Year by the UN General Assembly. In addition, the Expert Consultation on Yield Gap and Productivity Decline in Rice Production, held in Rome from 5 to 7 September 2000, expressed its support of the IYR. Further support was also received from the Executive Director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute in February 2001 and from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of Egypt in May 2001.
The 31st FAO Conference, held in November 2001, approved the Resolution on the IYR sponsored by the Delegation of the Philippines. The Conference proposed to the Director-General of FAO that a request be submitted to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) at its meeting in 2002 to declare the year 2004 as the IYR. Mr Kueneman also informed the participants of a draft letter for this purpose that had been prepared by AGPC and the Publishing and Multimedia Service for submission by FAO to UNGA. He was very optimistic that the ODG would support the idea of the Declaration of the IYR in 2004 by either UNGA or by FAO.
Mr Tran reported on progress regarding preparations for the 20th Session of the IRC, to be held in Bangkok from 23 to 25 July 2002. Participants were informed that the Memorandum of Responsibility had been sent to the Government of Thailand for its approval and signature. He also reported that arrangements had been made with the Rice Research Institute (RRI) of Thailand regarding the venue, the provision of support to the delegates and participants, and the organization of the field day. The Commission's official languages are English, French and Spanish. As RRI does not have facilities for simultaneous translation, it has agreed to the use of the conference room at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) for the session. The necessary arrangements have been made with UNESCAP. Mr Tran also reported on progress regarding the papers being prepared and submitted by the different technical units. First drafts of the following six papers had been received to date for distribution among the technical units concerned for their comments:
The Secretariat had also received confirmation from the responsible units not present at the meeting that the following papers were being prepared:
In addition, during the meeting the preparation of the following papers was confirmed:
Ms Calpe informed the meeting that it was difficult to prepare a project proposal at that stage as the data for 2002 were not yet available and asked if an alternative paper could be explored. The representative from AGPS commented that the paper on IPR needed extensive revisions. The participants were in agreement and Mr Tran informed them that comments from various technical units had been sent to the originator and Mr Esquinas for consideration. AGD/Genetic Resources, through Mr Esquinas, had agreed to the revision of the paper but had requested assistance from the commentators in providing their expertise, especially in rice IPR, to facilitate this exercise. Also discussed was a potential contribution from the Extension, Education and Communication Service (SDRE) on the transfer of hybrid rice.
The meeting made the following recommendations:
Copies of the report made by the Executive Secretary at the Commission's 19th Session (1998) were circulated as an example, and inputs were requested from AGPC, AGPS, AGPP, AGLW, AGLL, AGSI, SDRE, ESCB, ESNA, FIRI and Joint FAO/International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture (AGE). The proposed outline of the Secretary's report for the forthcoming Session was also presented. Mr Tran requested that the technical units concerned provide him with a summary of activities and achievements related to rice during the period 1999-2002 for the preparation of his report. The following recommendations were made:
Mr Kueneman requested that participants provide any comments and/or approval regarding the proposed contents of Volume 51 of the IRC Newsletter submitted by the Secretariat of the Commission. Participants were informed that materials for this volume were available in his office for consultation. The Meeting approved the proposed contents.
Mr Mejia, Agricultural Officer, AGSI, presented a paper on "Small metallic silos: a valuable post-harvest technology recommended for small- and medium-scale rice farmers in Asia for improving food security" and reported on the experiences gained by AGSI in the transfer of this low-cost and effective tool for grain conservation. Participants appreciated and commended the efforts of AGSI. It was recommended that improved methods be identified and conveyed to farmers with regard to the proper drying of rice to 14 percent moisture content or below for use with the silos.
Mr Nguyen, Agricultural Officer, AGPC, informed the participants of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between FAO and WARDA regarding the implementation of the Rapid Diffusion of Rice Technologies project in West Africa and subsequent collaboration between FAO and WARDA in the transfer of NERICA (New Rice for Africa), especially through the Special Programme for Food Security (SFPS). WARDA recently participated in the first coordination meeting of SPFS-Nigeria to present and discuss the proposed collaboration regarding the transfer of NERICA to farmers in Nigeria. WARDA and UNDP are organizing the launch meeting of the Africa Rice Initiative (ARI) on 27 to 28 March 2002. During the first phase NERICA transfer will be limited to Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria and Togo. WARDA and UNDP have therefore requested the assistance of FAO in promoting collaboration between ARI and SPFS in these countries.
It was recommended by the participants that the FAO offices concerned provide support to the participation of the SPFS national coordinators in these countries at the ARI launch meeting in order to facilitate the discussions and planning of collaborative activities between ARI and SPFS.
Réunion du Comité directeur de la Commission internationale du riz (CIR)
Le Comité directeur de la Commission internationale du riz (CIR) s'est réuni à la FAO, à Rome, le 15 février 2002 pour examiner les points suivants: la résolution de l'Année internationale du riz - 2004, la préparation de la vingtième session de la CIR qui se tiendra à Bangkok du 23 au 25 juillet 2002, le rapport du Secrétaire exécutif adressé aux États membres de la Commission, et le texte proposé pour le Bulletin de la CIR, Volume 51 (2002). Le Comité a approuvé le contenu du Bulletin de la CIR, volume 51 (2002) avec les recommandations suivantes:
Reunión del comité directivo de la Comisión Internacional del Arroz (CIA)
El Comité Directivo de la Comisión Internacional del Arroz se reunió en la Sede de la FAO, en Roma, el 15 de febrero de 2002 a fin de examinar y debatir los siguientes temas: la Resolución sobre el Año Internacional del Arroz - 2004, la preparación de la 20ª reunión de la CIA que se celebrará en Bangkok del 23 al 25 de julio de 2002, el informe del Secretario Ejecutivo dirigido a los países miembros de la Comisión, y el contenido propuesto del Noticiario de la CIA, volumen 51 (2002). El Comité Directivo aprobó el contenido del Noticiario de la Comisión Internacional del Arroz, Volumen 51 (2002) y recomendó lo siguiente:
