Philippine university to deliver scholarship program with IRRI

An agreement was signed between Central Mindanao University (CMU) and IRRI on 19 July 2013 to deliver the Gawad Patnubay College Scholarship Program for deserving dependents of agrarian reform beneficiaries, cooperatives, and local government units where the Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) operates.

Healthier rice on agenda of Philippines food officials' visit

IRRI's healthier rice research leader
Gerard Barry (left) and Oscar Gutierrez (right)
of the FDA.

Senior representatives of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) visited IRRI Headquarters on 29 July 2013 for a briefing on the Institute’s research on healthier rice, including Golden Rice.

Philippine agriculture oversight team visits IRRI

Participants of the COCAFM briefing at IRRI

IRRI welcomed the members of the secretariat of the Philippines’ Congressional Oversight Committee on Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM), led by Executive Director Jocelyn Rodriguez-Badiola, on 18 July 2013 for a briefing on the Institute’s research, specifically on healthier rice.

Ecological engineering data consolidated for planthopper project

The ADB-IRRI Rice Planthopper Project held its final data synthesis workshop to consolidate data on arthropod biodiversity collected from experiment sites in the past two years.

Bangladesh: First 5-ton flatbed dryer installed

Drying remains a key problem for farmers and other stakeholders in the rice postharvest chain in Bangladesh. To help overcome the problem, which is worst during the boro and aus (wet) harvest, a flatbed dryer was set up in the Jessore hub.

The establishment of the flatbed dryer was made possible through an agreement made in December 2012 between Ali Seed Farm and the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) in Bangladesh, under its postharvest component.

Women in rice farming to star at IRRI event

IRRI recognizes the crucial role of women in agriculture and food security, particularly in rice farming. In partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), the Institute will be hosting Women in rice farming, an event that gives tribute to women and their contributions to rice production, on 8 August 2013 at IRRI Headquarters.

Healthier rice takes center stage at international rice festival

V. Bruce J. Tolentino, IRRI’s communication and partnerships head, opened the International Rice Festival
with representatives from the National Nutrition Council, PhilRice, Oxfam, Megaworld Lifestyle Centers.The opening program included a rice wine-toasting ceremony and a cultural performance from the Indak Lahi dance troupe.

In keeping with Nutrition Month and the National Year of Rice (NYR) celebrations in the Philippines, IRRI

partnered with Megaworld Corporation to stage the International Rice Festival at Eastwood Mall, Quezon City, on 26–28 July 2013.

Labor economist is guest in July researchers' lunch

Ashok Mishra, professor of agricultural economics at Louisiana State University, USA, joined the Young Researchers Lunch for July. Dr. Mishra has been visiting IRRI over the past few months doing research on the economics of women in agriculture, as presented in a recent IRRI Seminar.

Nutrition Month: IRRI takes part in End Hunger concert

To show support for the fight against hunger and malnutrition, several staff members from IRRI jammed with counterparts from the health and nutrition community during the End Hunger concert, organized by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) as part of Nutrition Month celebrations in the Philippines.

IRRI delegation to the End Hunger Concert with DOH Asec Maria Bernardita Flores and Asec. Eric Tayag

Zeigler honored for science leadership

Robert Zeigler, IRRI director general, was conferred the 2013 Leadership in Science Public Service Award by the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB).

The award recognizes individuals who have advanced the mission of ASPB and its members through significant contributions to plant science and public policy leadership.

Media Day promotes tasty and nutritious rice

Twenty-nine members of the media, representing more than 20 agencies, attended IRRI’s Media Day, or Kanin Get It, 16 July 2013, at IRRI Headquarters. The event focused on promoting IRRI’s research on high-nutrient rice and grain quality.

“Kanin” is the Filipino word for steamed rice and is also a contraction of the word for eating it.

Third season-long rice farming training program held for extension agronomists

Participants attend a briefing on training
and field activities with Philippine farmers.

The 18-week Season-long Rice Farming Training for Extension Agronomists opened at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, on 17 June 2013.

IRRI urges staff to eat brown rice

Brown rice has more Vitamin B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), and B3 (niacin) than white (milled) rice, as 60–80% of these vitamins are removed during the milling process to attain white or polished white.

As part of Nutrition Month celebrations in the Philippines, IRRI is promoting the consumption of brown rice among its employees. IRRI’s larger brown rice campaign is part of its activities in keeping with the country’s National Year of Rice.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University signs research agreement with IRRI

As part of the 2013–16 IRRI-India Work Plan, the Institute and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) signed a memorandum of understanding on 28 June 2013 at TNAU to promote research, training, and exchange of information and technology on rice and its farming systems and value chains.

IRRI promotes eating brown rice among its staff

In support of the ongoing celebration of Nutrition Month  and the National Year of Rice in the Philippines, IRRI is promoting the consumption of brown rice as part of Nutrition Month ‘pledges’ that include:

• To not waste food, especially rice 
• To try brown rice, and 
• To add fruits and vegetables to the meal 

Online rice statistics tool updated

The Social Sciences Division (SSD) has recently updated World Rice Statistics (WRS), an online query facility, which may be accessed hereon at http://ricestat.irri.org:8080/wrs2.

IRRI joins the Philippines in celebrating Nutrition Month

IRRI joins the 39th celebration of the National Nutrition Month in the Philippines, with the theme “Gutom at malnutrisyon, sama-sama nating wakasan! (Together we can end poverty and malnutrition!)”

Nutrition Month was launched in Manila today, 2 July 2013, an event that brings focus on the country’s need for active stakeholder participation in addressing the basic causes of hunger. The annual campaign, held for the month of July every year, aims to create greater awareness about nutrition among Filipinos and is coordinated by the National Nutrition Council and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

Training course on phenotyping for abiotic stresses held for Asia and Africa scientists

IRRI's second regional training course on Phenotyping for abiotic stresses, GxE testing, seed storage, and farmer participation is ongoing at its Training Center, with 28 young rice scientists from Asia and Africa attending.

Nepal celebrates National Rice Day

Nepal celebrated its 10th National Rice Day on 29 June 2013, with more than 10,000 government and agriculture leaders, researchers, extension workers, and farmers joining the festivities held at farmers’ fields in Bhaktapur District and at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) Research Centre in Khumaltar.