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The history and future of African Rice. Food security and survival in a West African war zone

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  • Paul Richards

Abstract

The paper analyses farmer coping strategies under war-time conditions in Sierra Leone in order to identify why food-insecure farmers continue to value African Rice. African Rice has an important association with 'sokoihun' (forest enclaves). These enclaves - written in the history of the landscape - became once again important as war swept over rural communities in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone in the 1990s. The 'sokoihun' teach a lesson about innovation under adversity. War-affected rural populations might benefit from improving African Rice through genetic contribution from Asian Rice, reversing a mainstream institutional breeding strategy. In general, it is concluded that pro-poor plant improvement would benefit from careful contextual analysis and prior consultation with the food-insecure.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Richards, 2006. "The history and future of African Rice. Food security and survival in a West African war zone," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 41(1), pages 77-93.
  • Handle: RePEc:gig:afjour:v:41:y:2006:i:1:p:77-93
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    Cited by:

    1. Catherine E. Bolten & Richard “Drew” Marcantonio, 2023. "Usurious strangers and “a better tomorrow”: Agricultural loans, education, and the “poverty trap” in rural Sierra Leone," Economic Anthropology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 77-89, January.

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