Cultivating Connections: FAE Team's Presence in Global and Regional Rice Events

Rice remains one of the most important food crops worldwide, contributing to the zero-hunger sustainable development goal and food security. However, the rice sector faces diverse biophysical, market, and institutional challenges that hinder its capacity to satisfy a growing demand.

In this context, it is essential to strengthen networks and join efforts between researchers from different institutions and diverse stakeholders to improve our understanding of current and future challenges and identify pathways to overcoming them with better-targeted research. In October, the International Rice Congress in Manila, Philippines, was the right opportunity for this interaction. Alliance researchers Robert Andrade and Athanasios Petsakos presented some of the studies of the Foresight and Applied Economic (FAE) team covering relevant matters for the rice sector, including greenhouse gas emissions, trade agreements, and competitiveness, the role of private-public alliances, data analysis, and research investment.

“For decades, rice research in Latin America has contributed to providing solutions to the region, but it also has the potential to spill over to other regions. These events are the perfect environment to strengthen our collaborative research network and extend our contributions beyond,” said Robert Andrade, Scientist leading rice research in the FAE team. Presenting at these events not only shares findings but also provides a unique opportunity for direct feedback from fellow researchers, fostering collaborative connections and constant knowledge evolution. The significance lies in disseminating discoveries and the dynamic dialogue they trigger, contributing to continuous progress in the field.