In September, over 30 government officials and technicians from the agricultural sector in nine countries, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Ghana, gathered at the BGI Center in Shenzhen for a week-long training session named the “2024 Seminar for Perennial Rice Production for African Countries.”

Group photo of participants of the 2024 Seminar for Perennial Rice Production for African Countries.

Based on multiple trials and promotion efforts in various African countries, BGI Group has accumulated substantial experience in the promotion and cultivation of perennial rice. Drawing on this, the training program focused on the characteristics of perennial rice and how to better cultivate it in Africa’s unique soil and climatic conditions, providing practical instruction and discussion.

The participants learned about the breeding process and cultivation techniques of perennial rice, gaining a deeper understanding of the needs and adaptability in different regions. They recognized that adjusting cultivation techniques according to local conditions is key to maximizing its production.

The BGI Bioverse technician introduces the characteristics of perennial rice.

As one of BGI Group's most successful perennial rice varieties introduced into Africa, PR 25 was one of the highlights discussed in this program. Participants were introduced to the cultivation and management techniques of PR 25, including its stable high yield and superior stress resistance characteristics, as well as planting density, fertilization schemes, and pest control. These techniques, while improving yields, also significantly reduce production costs, bringing new benefits and feasibility to agriculture, and demonstrating its broad application prospects.

In addition, participants learned how BGI Group uses its multi-omics platform and sequencing technology to generate high-precision genomic data to support precision breeding. The course also emphasized the progress made in genome research on wheat and corn, and how these advancements can be leveraged to improve crop yields, providing new approaches to tackle challenges such as climate change and crop resistance.

Leveraging the strengths of the organization’s platform for science research, BGI Bioverse, a subsidiary of BGI Group, is developing new varieties of crops through innovative technologies. Particularly, by collaborating with Yunnan University, BGI Bioverse has introduced perennial rice varieties into multiple African countries. Once planted, the perennial rice can be harvested for multiple times without intensive labor tasks such as transplanting young rice seedlings into a paddy. Among the important varieties of perennial rice, PR25 exhibits more stable high yields and superior stress resistance compared to traditional perennial rice varieties.

Participants visit an exhibition on agricultural ecology in Shenzhen.

Apart from the course on agriculture, participant also learned about BGI's contributions to life sciences and achievements in public health and agricultural genomics in Africa, which have enhanced local healthcare standards and promoted sustainable agricultural development.