Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) says rice production in Africa has gone up for the 6th consecutive year, reaching 21.6 million tonnes in 2006, about 6 per cent above 2005 production. A statement in Lagos, Friday, by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) which confirmed the production figure said the achievement was as a resullt of African rice farmers preference for growing "New Rice for Africa (NERICA)", a hybrid paddy rice developed by The African Rice Centre (WARDA) and its partners.

The institute attributed the record harvest growth to favorable weather conditions and the positive effects of the adoption of NERICA rice varieties which has been identified as a major factor in the growth which was the bringing of hope to millions of poor people in Africa. According to the statement, substantial production increases were reported in Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.