by Gene Hettel Klaus J. Lampe, director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI, 1988-95), passed away peacefully on 6 February in his native Germany. He was 92. Dr. Lampe was an innovative leader and visionary during his 7 years at IRRI’s helm. His coordination of research teams from different disciplines resulted in the increased efficiency of growing rice,
SpeedFlower for indica and japonica rice offers a promising solution for addressing the limitations of longer generation times and seasonal constraints. The reduction in generation times by almost half can result in a faster varietal release process and ultimately increase in genetic gain. The speed breeding protocol can enable the development of new high-yielding rice varieties in a much shorter
By Martin Ndomondo , Dr Daniel Menge , and Dr Ajay Panchbhai SeedCast-Tanzania was officially launched by Dr. Patrick Ngwediagi, the Director General of the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), during the three-day NARES-IRRI breeding network’s Annual Advancement Meeting held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania last 30 August 2023. SeedCast is a digital innovation that aims to strengthen
MANILA, PHILIPPINES (18 February 2023) – The Philippine Department of Agriculture entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to continue their collaborative efforts to enhance the country’s rice sector competitiveness during a signing ceremony on 13 February 2024. The move is a bid to support the Philippine Development Plan that provides a policy
While most breeding efforts are focused on producing improved rice varieties, farmers in sub-Saharan Africa continue to use old varieties that are susceptible to various environmental stresses. Seeking to understand the disconnect, researchers combined qualitative and quantitative data on the preferred rice traits of farmers, researchers, custom millers, traders, administrators, and seed producers from Burundi. Through this innovative approach, the study uncovered
The Burundi office of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Institute of Agronomic Sciences of Burundi (ISABU) are jointly working to achieve one of the Great Lakes Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative, Rapid Delivery Hub (AID-I GRL) projects’ goals, which is providing high-quality rice seeds to rice farmers and seed producers in Burundi. This partnership is taking significant steps
Agriculture in Assam is characterized by low productivity because of frequent floods, drought, lack of irrigation facilities during the dry season, use of low-quality seed, limited agricultural mechanization, and the knowledge gap among stakeholders. However, it is possible to achieve double or triple cropping in the state with meticulous planning and the development and promotion of appropriate and farmer-friendly interventions
07 February 2024 (HOMA BAY COUNTY, Kenya) –The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) held a Farmers’ Field Day at the Oluch Kimira Rice Irrigation Scheme in Homa Bay County, Kenya on 7 February to upscale the adoption of high-yielding rice varieties and climate-smart agronomy for increasing the productivity income, and food security of Kenyan farmers. The activity contributes to the