Global research partners chart the path of GRiSP 2 and the next-generation CGIAR rice program

Representatives from CGIAR Centers and other international R&D agencies are planning the second phase of the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP), which is a single strategic and work plan for global rice research. Participants from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Africa Rice Center, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Agricultural Research for Development (Cirad), and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) are drafting a pre-proposal for a six-year CGIAR Research Program (CRP) on rice agri-food systems. The pre-proposal will be part of the new CRP portfolio from 2017 to 2022.

The new CRP portfolio is structured around 8 agri-food systems CRP, 4 global integrative CRPs, and 1 Genebank CRP. The agri-food system CRPs address major food commodity value chains, (maize, rice, wheat, grain legumes and dryland cereals, roots-tubers-bananas, fish, livestock, and trees and agroforestry) and adopt an integrated, agricultural systems approach to advancing productivity, sustainability, nutrition, and resilience outcomes at scale. The specific goal of the rice agri-food CRP is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve human health and nutrition, reduce the environmental footprint, and enhance ecosystem resilience of rice-based farming systems.

It aims to achieve its goals through high quality, impact-oriented global and regional research and development activities. The key entry point for achieving these goals is the substantial value addition and increase in the productivity and resource efficiency along the rice value chain. Novel elements of the program include a holistic value-chain approach, a livelihood approach that focuses on whole farm systems, more attention to gender equity and opportunities for youth employment, and utilizing new scientific opportunities, such as Big Data and new genomics.

The rice agri-food CRP will follow up on GRiSP, the current research program on rice funded by the CGIAR for 2010-2016, which consists of over 900 partners from the public, private, and civic society sectors. In addition to the rice agri-food CRP, CGIAR centers and other GRiSP partners will contribute directly to GRiSP through complementary projects and activities.

The GRiSP Writing Workshop is currently being held at the IRRI headquarters from 10-19 June.

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