As part of facilitating IYR implementation, FAO convened a two-day Rice Conference at its Headquarters in Rome, 12-13 February 2004. The FAO Conference brought together leading experts from around the world to present their perspectives on latest trends and industry developments. The aim of the Conference was to mobilize the international community to confront the most pressing issues confronting the global rice sector, from local farming practices to international trade.

DOCUMENTS (all links are to PDF files unelss indicated otherwise)

The views expressed in these documents are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

1. Rice in global markets

Long-term prospects for the global rice economy [PDF] - Mahabub Hossain, Lead Economist, Social Sciences, IRRI

Rice market outlook [PowerPoint, zipped]- Concepción Calpe, Senior Commodity Specialist, FAO Commodities and Trade Division

The Doha Round agriculture negotiations [PDF] - Magdi Farahat, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, World Trade Organization

Implications of the WTO Doha Round for the rice sector [PDF] - Eric J. Wailes, L.C. Carter Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas, USA

Changing structure, conduct and performance of the world rice market [PDF] - David Dawe, Economist, IRRI

Marketing of value-added rice products in Japan: Germinated brown rice and rice bread [PDF] - Ito Shoichi, Professor, International Food Economist, Tottori University, Japan

Indonesia rice policy in view of trade liberalization [PDF] - Mulyo Sidik, BULOG, Indonesia

The present and prospects for trade of Chinese rice [PDF] - Yu Xubo, Vice President of COFCO

Rice: challenges in production and marketing in India [PDF] - Shailendra Nigam, Executive Director, Food Corporation of India

Thai rice: Sustainable life for rice growers [PDF] - Pramote Vanichanont, Thai Rice Millers Association

2. Sustainable rice-based production systems: Challenges and opportunities

Harnessing science and technology for sustainable rice-based production systems [PDF] - Gurdev Khush, Rice breeder, former Head of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry Department, IRRI

Agricultural diversification: opportunities and constraints [PDF] - Prabhu Pingali, Director, FAO Agriculture and Economic Development Analysis Division

Rice-based production systems and land and water conservation [PDF] - Daniel Renault, Senior Officer, FAO Water Resources, Development and Management Service

Biotechnology and its implications for production and trade [PDF] - Ronnie Coffman, Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Breeding, and Director of International Programs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University

New varieties and sustainable cropping systems to face food security [PDF] - Nour Ahmadi, Head of the Rice Working Group, CIRAD

Traditional rice-based livelihood systems and global indigenous agricultural heritage [PDF] - Parviz Koohafkan, Chief, FAO Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service

Hybrid rice for food security and nutrition [PDF] - Yuan Longping, Hybrid rice specialist, Director-General, China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center, Hunan, China

New challenges and technological opportunities for rice-based production systems for food security and poverty alleviation in Asia and the Pacific [PDF] - Ronald P. Cantrell and Gene P. Hettel, Director General and Head, Communication and Publications Services, IRRI

Challenges and technical opportunities for rice-based production systems for food security and poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa [PDF] - Toon Defoer, Technology Transfer Agronomist, WARDA, et al.

Challenges and technological solutions for rice-based systems in Latin America [PDF] - Luis R. Sanint, Executive Director, CIAT/FLAR

Rice-based production systems for food security and poverty alleviation in the Near-East and North Africa: New challenges and technological opportunities [PDF] - Badawi A. Tantawi, Vice-President, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt

Constraints and opportunities for the sustainable development of rice-based production systems in Europe [PDF] - A. Ferrero, Head of Department of Agronomy, Selviculture, and Terrain Management, University of Torino and N.V. Nguyen, Agricultural Officer, FAO Crop and Grassland Service

Enquiries
All enquiries concerning the Conference may be addressed to:

Ms Rita Ashton
Commodities and Trade Division
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Telephone: +39-06-57052057
Fax: +39-06-57054495
Email: Rita.Ashton@fao.org