News Overview

Bold investments, strategic partnerships, and scalable solutions were at the forefront of the discussions at the “Future of Global Food Systems Forum,” co-hosted by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to accelerate global food systems transformation, particularly for rice. While rice feeds over four billion people and supports 150 million smallholder farmers globally, its

June 3, 2025  | Svalbard, Norway – Tucked deep inside a mountain in the Arctic Circle, a new batch of seeds from ICARDA has just joined the world’s most important freezer: the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Our boxes arrived safely and were officially taken into the Vault on Thursday, June 3, 2025, joining nearly a million other seed samples from

In the Union of the Comoros, agriculture is the backbone of rural livelihoods—but food insecurity remains a pressing challenge. Limited arable land, climate-related stressors, degraded soils, and restricted access to markets and quality inputs have all contributed to low agricultural productivity. As a result, chronic malnutrition, particularly among children under five—remains alarmingly high. Rice, now the preferred staple food in

Press Release – June 23, 2025 A new study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production presents a novel approach to sustainable agricultural intensification, with promising implications for food security and land conservation in Senegal. Conducted by researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the study explores how farmers’ land-use decisions can be guided by the relative risks and returns of different

In Nkoemvone, a lush village in southern Cameroon, the bell of the public primary school now rings for young trees as well. Thanks to the My Farm Trees project, 31 native tree species — from the precious bubinga to the coveted sapelli — are growing under the careful watch of students organized into small watering brigades. Between geography lessons, these

Nairobi, 20 June 2025 (IITA) – Across Africa smallholder farmers battle working with degraded soils, inefficiency farming methods and climate change impacts which are constraining their productivity and profitability. What if a digital tool could help them make science-backed decisions on fostering soil health, knowing what seeds to plant, the type of fertilizer to apply and even what crop varieties

On 29 May 2025, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Thailand held a follow-up meeting with representatives from Thailand’s Rice Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives on the next phase of the country’s work plan that was jointly elaborated previously in February 2025. Led by Mr. Sommai Lertna, Acting Rice Production Technology Specialist, and Dr. Orathai Jaituy, Director

LAGUNA, Philippines (20 June 2025) —Regional cooperation and country-focused policy solutions for global rice market challenges were at the center of discussion in the plenary session of IRRI’s 65th celebrations on “Navigating Uncertainty: Global Rice Markets amid Trade Policy Shifts and Changing Climate” on June 10, 2025. “Climate change and trade policy shocks are amplifying the volatility of global rice