In Africa,therehavebeenscatteredreportsofyieldstagnation.Thisstudyexaminedtrendsinriceyields
in 24AfricancountriesbasedonUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture(USDA)datafrom1960to2012
using segmentedlinearregression,anddeterminedfactorsaffectingvariationinyieldgrowthrates
across countries.About74%ofriceharvestedareainAfricarecentlywitnessedpositivericeyieldgrowth
ratesofgreaterthan35kgha1 year1. Liftingriceyieldsrequirescontinuedinvestmentinriceresearch
on technologydevelopment,developmentorrehabilitationofirrigationschemes,andupgradingofthe
existingrainfedlowlandstoirrigatedorpartiallyirrigatedsystems.Priorityshouldbegiventocountries
with highriceconsumptionlevels,wheretheinvestmentswillbemoreeffective.