December 2006

Burkina Faso Presidential Award Conferred on Dr Moussa Sié

The Africa Rice Center (WARDA) Scientist Dr Moussa Sié and the rice program of the Institut de l'environnement et de recherches agricoles (INERA) received the Burkina Faso Presidential Prize in December 2006.

The Presidential Prize honors the development of products that have contributed to achieving national development priorities including health, energy, agricultural development and poverty alleviation.

Dr Sié and the national rice program received the Prize for the success of nine rice varieties, including seven New Rice for Africa (NERICAs), which are helping to increase the rice productivity and production in Burkina Faso.

The Prize was given during the seventh anniversary celebration of the Forum for Scientific Research and Technological Innovations (FRSIT) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on 15 December 2006. The theme of the FRSIT event was “Extension, value-added research outputs, inventions and innovations for the benefit of the people.”

Dr Sié, in close association with national programs of West African countries, was instrumental in developing NERICAs adapted to lowland and irrigated ecologies, with very high potential for impact in Africa. For this important achievement, Dr Sié received the 2006 Fukui International Koshihikari Rice Prize of Japan earlier this year.

Award : http://www.warda.org/warda/award2sie.htm