 Greetings from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. We at Tefeo are very pleased to join this gathering of the International Rice Congress planned in October in Singapore. One of the main themes of this Congress is looking at science and technology and how it can address the challenges of feeding the world. The world committed to ending hunger by 2030 and despite that we have a lot of challenges. We have a growing population, urbanization, climate change and enormous shocks, economic and environmental shocks and very many unforeseen factors. I will be one of the speakers speaking about not only the challenges today and in the future but also the enormous and important role that rice plays the world over. It is perhaps the largest staple crop that the very poor depend on. It also has huge significance politically, socially and culturally. If you look at this region, it's perhaps one of the largest crop grown in the region. It is also where the fertilizer used is perhaps the highest and a source of greenhouse gas emission. Innovation and its importance to small farmers is one of the themes of this conference and it is quite rightly so. But what is also encouraging is the International Rice Congress goes beyond that. This world at this point we are facing some of the important trends. There is increasing growth, there is globalization there is technology and innovation. All of this is having tremendous impact on the society and therefore rice sector cannot ignore that. As we speak now the Africa as a continent is consuming a lot more rice. The demand for rice is increasing. In Asia on the other hand the per capita consumption of rice is decreasing and there is dietary diversification happening. Yet the demand for high quality rice is increasing. The global food systems need to respond to all these changes and in a sense we also need to be looking at the sustainable intensification, the FAO's save and grow approach and also climate resilience food systems and we need to do all this working with other players and I am very pleased and encouraged to see inclusiveness is a priority for the International Rice Congress. Technology, innovation and information will be shared at this conference which will help in building a nutritious and world free of hunger. Ending hunger is our goal and I join you all in reaching achieving it more sooner than later.