Can Tho, Vietnam (April 8, 2025) — The Mekong River Delta, Vietnam’s leading rice-producing region, generates over 24 million tons of rice straw annually. Despite its potential as a valuable agricultural biomass, about 70% is either burned or returned to the soil, resulting in resource loss and higher greenhouse gas emissions. Such challenges were addressed at a recent forum in
by Veronica Mae Escarez Rice is a staple crop in the Philippines, and it serves as the main source of calories for millions of Filipino households. However, the country is vulnerable to various climatic threats and shocks such as flooding and drought, driving millions in capital losses for smallholder rice farmers and threatening the nation’s food security. The Philippine
Rice is a staple food in South Asia and a key source of livelihood for millions of farmers and families across the region. As climate change affects agriculture, scientists and institutions are developing improved rice varieties that are more productive, resilient, and suited to changing environments and market needs. This Seed Systems Product Diary presents new rice varieties
By Bushra Humaira As the world faces increasing climate challenges, biodiversity is emerging as one of most important components for future-proofing our planet. Biodiversity plays a critical role in sustaining life on Earth as it safeguards our ecosystem. On this International Day for Biological Diversity, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is working towards protecting and promoting biodiversity in
Bangkok, Thailand (May 13-16, 2025) – ” How can we clearly explain genome editing, and encourage collaborations to use it effectively and create lasting impact? ” This question has been looming over conversations as a dedicated group of scientists, regulators, and communicators from across Asia gathered in Bangkok for the “Precision, Policy, and People: A Genome Editing Workshop for Crop
Field observations and farmer-driven insights from 100+ farmers during two field days help shape the scaling and distribution of two promising hybrid rice varieties in Bangladesh. BHALUKA and PIRGANJ, Bangladesh (May 2025) — Two IRRI-supported field days placed farmers at the heart of hybrid rice evaluation, showcasing high-performing varieties and generating real-world insights for seed system development and scaling. Held
Participatory field evaluations with stakeholders reveal farmer-driven varietal preferences and offer strategic guidance for promoting and accelerating climate-resilient rice adoption across the value chain. MYMENSINGH, Bangladesh (April 2025) – Over 100 rice value chain actors, including farmers, seed dealers, millers, scientists, and extension officials, convened in Fulbaria, Mymensingh District to participate in a Crop Cafeteria Evaluation Event organized by
By Waseem Hussain, Mahender Anumalla, Margaret Catolos, Joie Ramos, Ma Teresa Sta. Cruz, and Myrtel Valenzuela In a landmark study published in The Plant Genome, IRRI scientists unveiled a next-generation flood-tolerant rice germplasm that outperforms current SUB1A varieties by 40–50% in submergence tolerance. This germplasm also exhibits high stagnant flooding tolerance, a trait lacking in SUB1A varieties. Floods Threaten Asia’s Rice Bowl—And SUB1A Alone Isn’t Enough