News Overview

The high use of chemical pesticides at large scales and the co-dependence of technologies, such as hybrid rice varieties and direct-seeded rice, are associated with higher pesticide use than traditional varieties and establishment methods have resulted in a technological lock-in for pesticide use, whereby the increasing use of pesticides reduces farmers’ willingness to adopt more environmentally friendly pest and weed

Manila, Philippines (23 October 2023) — The success of the Green Revolution technologies that transformed several rice-growing Asian countries from importers to exporters can be the foundation of Africa’s Green Revolution. Rice is a promising cereal crop for Africa because the agricultural technologies developed for Asia under the Green Revolution have high transferability, according to Dr. Keijiro Otsuka, a professor

Bangladesh and Nepal are two important rice economies of South Asia with large rice consuming populations. Rice productivity in these countries often goes beyond food security. It is at the core of these countries’ social and economic stability and environmental sustainability. However there are some common and stark differences in rice production challenges between the two countries. In the past

Manila, Philippines (23 October 2023) — In a world grappling with the dual challenges of food security and environmental sustainability, J.K. Ladha, a renowned agronomist and soil scientist, shared his vision for sustainable agriculture at the recent 6th International Rice Congress. In his presentation, Nature-Based Farming Solutions-Reimagined? , Dr. Ladha emphasized several key aspects of nature-based farming solutions (NBFS) with

16 October 2023, MANILA, Philippines — A multisectoral discussion exploring how climate-smart and resource-efficient direct-seeded rice (DSR) systems could be effectively and widely adopted by farmers across Asia and Africa was presented at the 6th International Rice Congress. The panel discussion, sponsored by Bayer, featured a diverse panel from different backgrounds. It included Berlinda Montanio, a DSR farmer from the

The IRRI-PhilRice-PCIC tripartite partnership will bring innovative crop insurance products to improve the resilience of Filipino farmers to climatic risks. MANILA, PHILIPPINES (19 October 2023) – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) are collaborating on the development of an area-based yield index insurance for rice based on

Manila, Philippines (October 17, 2023) — Rice research continues to be the core business of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). However, for the institute’s scientific outputs to have an impact, IRRI needs to communicate its research to farmers across Asia and Africa. This is where science communication comes in. Science communication plays an important role in ensuring IRRI’s research-for-development

Manila, Philippines (17 October 2023) — Private sector representatives attending the 6th International Rice Conference (IRC 2023) discussed how climate financing initiatives supported by Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) methodologies can help farmers access financial support to become active participants in sustainable rice production processes. In line with the theme of IRC 2023, Gene to Globe , Bill Salas, Chief