Less Is More in India’s Upcoming Rice Breeding Strategy

Hyderabad, India (25 October 2025)—India is redefining how rice breeding responds to consumer and market demand. To move beyond yield as the sole measure of success, experts are aligning breeding pipelines with grain quality, market fit, and consumer preferences.

To advance this shift, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), CGIAR, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) convened a National Consultation on Market-Demand Segmentations and Breeding Pipelines for India at the ICAR–Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) in Hyderabad. Held under the IRRI–ICAR Work Plan Thematic Areas 1 & 2 and the CGIAR Breeding for Tomorrow (B4T) initiative, The event brought together more than 70 scientists, breeders, and private-sector partners to align India’s rice breeding strategy with evolving consumer trends.