News Overview

IRRI and partners empower haor farmers with climate-smart innovations to improve productivity, resilience, and livelihoods in rice farming. Nikli, Kishoreganj (22 April 2025) – Bangladesh’s haor region, responsible for 25% of the country’s boro rice and 15% of annual rice production, is increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks, old technologies and practices, and systemic gaps in the rice value chain.

Ankita Tiwari* and Dr. Shalini Gakhar** Despite continuous advancements in agricultural technologies, there exists a significant digital gender divide globally, especially in rural and marginalized communities. Women farmers often face limited access to mobile phones, internet connectivity, digital literacy, and tailored training programs. These barriers constrain their ability to adopt climate-smart practices, access market information, and make informed farming decisions.

Sharif Ahmed and Humnath Bhandari Agriculture in Bangladesh is predominantly focused on rice, with approximately 75% of arable land dedicated to its cultivation. Farmers in the country cultivate rice up to three times a year, with the rice-rice cropping pattern covering about 27% of the country’s agricultural area. In certain regions, particularly in Northern Bangladesh, this figure can reach as

Quezon City, Philippines, (7 April, 2025) – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) signed a Memorandum of Agreement to implement digital innovations for increasing rice yields, optimizing water management, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Philippine rice sector. Agriculture accounts for 26% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with rice production contributing

CAGAYAN, Philippines (02 April 2025) — Diabetes is a global health issue, currently affecting 6.6 million people in the Philippines, with numbers steadily increasing. Among the major contributing factors are poor dietary choices, particularly excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates such as white rice. As consumers become more health-conscious, there is a growing demand for healthier food alternatives such as

Written by Ruvicyn Bayot CGIAR Science Week highlights how combining crop breeding with market intelligence from the very start of the process can contribute to identifying opportunities, promoting equity, and achieving greater impact. NAIROBI, Kenya (11 April 2025) — At the sidelines of the 2025 CGIAR Science Week, the CGIAR Market Intelligence Team shared their latest research findings with

NAIROBI, Kenya (10 April 2025) — Building on over two decades of experience in global climate research, CGIAR launched a Climate Action Program that focuses on strengthening the climate resilience of over 600 million smallholder farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Globally, a third of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission comes from agriculture, forestry, and land use industries.

LOS BAÑOS, PHILIPPINES (March 12, 2025) – Bacterial panicle blight (BPB), caused by the seed-borne and seed-transmitted pathogen Burkholderia glumae , is an emerging threat to rice production. Aside from yield losses, which can result in up to 70%, BPB also poses significant risks to seed production, international seed trade, and biodiversity. Although its prevalence remained low for many