News Overview

UTTAR PRADESH, India (21 April 2023) The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with agricultural state universities and colleges (SUCs) namely, the Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agricultural and Technological, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Banda University of Agricultural and Technological, Chandrashekhar Azad University of Agricultural and Technological, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agricultural and Technological in

The role of rice in global food security is unavoidable as it is one of the three most essential food crops globally, after wheat and maize. In Bangladesh, the area under rice cultivation, particularly boro rice, must be extended to meet the increasing food demand, which may cause significant CH4 emissions and ultimately accelerate the effects of global warming.  Most

CALIFORNIA, United States of America (02 May 2023) – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) team were among the winners in the inaugural Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech , a global competition for innovative solutions to increase economic value to farmers. The IRRI-AfricaRice team was awarded US$150,000 for their project on flood-proofing Africa’s vulnerable rice farmers’

Ecological engineering is a novel approach to pest management that considers cultural practices rooted in environmental knowledge and nature-based solutions. This paradigm shift is gaining attention in pest management due to its potential for sustainability and effectiveness without compromising the health of the environment. Insect pests cause significant yield loss of around 20 to 30% in the field and in

The International Rice Congress is held every 4 years and for the first time ever will be held in the Philippines, on October 16-19, 2023, bringing together the latest in rice science and innovations across the globe. MANILA, Philippines (15, May 2023) – The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has pledged support in co-organizing the largest gathering of the stakeholders

It has been suggested that public breeders should put more emphasis on the integration of public good aspects into their work as compared to private enterprises, so that varietal resistances, for example, should be more important traits than yield. However, this has remained a normative framework so far. It is unclear to what extent the objectives of public breeders really

Harishankar has been using organic farming practices for the past 15 years and his farm has become a thriving ecosystem with increased biodiversity and improved water-retention capacity.  (Photo: ISARC) Harishankar, a farmer from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India had been practicing conventional farming for many years. However, he noticed a gradual decrease in the quality of his soil and farm

Biological diversity is undoubtedly a global asset of tremendous value to future generations. Yet, certain human activities are leading to the deterioration and significant reduction in the number of many species. To increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues, International Biodiversity Day is celebrated annually on 22 May.  This year’s theme, From agreement to action: Build back biodiversity, focuses