Rice trading and information systems

Session: Rice is the daily staple food of 3.5 billion people. One out of 5 people on our planet derives a livelihood from rice. In 2050, the world will face a big production shortfall estimated at 40%. How can we address this global challenge while protecting the environment, adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts, and uplifting smallholder’s livelihoods? And how can we guarantee that consumers have access to safe, healthy and sustainable rice? This session will introduce participants to the Sustainable Rice Platform tool which measures sustainability in rice production and explain progress so far in pilots around the world, including Uganda and Tanzania.

Biographical information: Mark Blackett is the East Africa Regional Director for Rikolto.  Rikolto, formerly known as VECO, has been working in the East African Region for over 40 years and specializes in inclusive agribusiness development.  Mark has worked for both private and public sector organizations and over 15 years experience within the East Africa Region.  Mark is a Board Member for the Agribusiness Market Ecosystems Alliance (AMEA) and leads the Rikolto Global Rice Strategy team.  Mark’s current work focuses on supporting country, regional and global teams to develop and implement food system change strategies with a particular focus on horticulture, rice and pulse market chains.  This work includes pilots under the Sustainable Rice Platform and the Arusha Food Policy Initiative.