News Overview

Meeting the goals of food security while addressing the threat of climate change requires a profound transformation in rice-based agriculture systems worldwide. Farmers need rice varieties resilient to climate change with higher productivity and better nutrition. And they need it quickly. Bolstering the National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems’ (NARES) breeding programs of the developing countries and their alignment with

Can Tho City, Vietnam ~ OneCGIAR-IRRI launched its new global initiative Seed Equal- Delivering Genetic Gains to Farmers Fields Initiative in Mekong River Delta (MRD), Vietnam. The launch commenced through the conduct of a workshop entitled “Seed Equal: Delivering Genetic Gains in Farmers’ Fields Workshop on Climate-Smart Rice Seed Production” held in Can Tho City from October 18th to 20th

To highlight the lessons learned, challenges ahead, and recommendations that could be taken into account for agricultural transformations in the Asian Mega-Deltas, the CGIAR Initiative on Securing the Food Systems of Asian Mega‐Deltas for Climate and Livelihood Resilience (AMD) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) organized an interactive dialogue event, which is officially part of the Benelux/EIB Pavilion at the

Various breeding trials are in place across India and have been happening for years as part of network-based germplasm-sharing and testing efforts. As a subsequent step, deliberation is underway to streamline methods for on-station and on-farm trials to identify exact-fit products for dissemination through seed system platforms. Through various breeding product validation strategies led by the International Rice Research (IRRI)

On 29 November 2022, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna to talk about how innovations and technologies could transform the Philippine agriculture sector and improve the lives of Filipino farmers. Marcos was welcomed by IRRI Director General Jean Balié followed by a tour inside the International Rice Genebank, a facility

(Thimphu, Bhutan, 23 November 2022) – During the two-day workshop on “Seeds Without Borders,” nine countries from Asia and the Pacific signed an agreement to strengthen the region’s seed sector. Seeds Without Borders is a regional seed policy agreement that speeds up the distribution of modern rice varieties across countries in Asia, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. In 2014,

Although several initiatives to reduce food production deficits and increase net food supply have yielded positive outcomes, it has been argued that food availability in itself is only one metric within the food security puzzle, and may not be sufficient to turn the tide towards achieving zero hunger.  Food cultural heritage and social values are key in driving changes in

On 11 November, USAID Administrator Samantha Power reaffirmed USAID’s commitment to the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) initiative, highlighting another installment of $43 million in line with AIM for Climate objectives. This investment will advance innovations for climate smart food systems to protect the yield and quality of crops and livestock from climate change, such as climate-responsive