SeedCast – Innovative mobile app launched by IRRI to estimate seed demand for rice varieties in Odisha, India

IRRI together with the Odisha Department of Agriculture and the Odisha State Seed Corporation (OSSC) is connecting global innovative solutions to local needs through SeedCast, a mobile application and web-based Management Information System (MIS) portal for seed demand estimation.

SeedCast will help streamline the demand and supply of seeds for different varieties of rice. According to Dr. Saurabh Garg, Principal Secretary of the Odisha Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment, “seed corporations have been grappling with the issue of estimating demand for seeds. SeedCast will help estimate demand for varieties of rice seeds, which makes nearly 80% of the Kharif cultivation.” 

DNA fingerprinting to improve seed systems monitoring in Bangladesh

Stakeholders discuss the potential of DNA fingerprinting technology in addressing concerns presented in the Rice Monitoring Survey in South Asia (RMSSA) Workshop in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 08 May 2018.

To present information on and address concerns associated with the adoption of abiotic stress tolerant rice varieties in Bangladesh, a workshop on rice varietal monitoring and seed system improvement using DNA fingerprinting technology was held at the Center on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) International Conference Center (CICC), Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 8.

Helping Vietnam transform its rice sector through sustainable rice production practices

IRRI works with key partners in boosting Vietnam’s rice industry through the “Vietnam Sustainable Agricultural Transformation project” (VnSAT).  The  VnSAT Central Project Management  Unit  (CPMU) from the Ministry of Agricultural Rural Development (MARD) CPMU, and the Provincial Project Management Units (PPMU) from  eight provinces (An Giang, Tien Giang, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Soc Trang, Dong Thap, and Long An) in the Mekong River Delta are actively working with farmers to ensure sustainable rice farming in the country’s rice bowl.

Former IRRI cropping systems program leader passes away

John 'Johnny' W. Pendleton, 96, a leading international agronomist, passed away on 15 May in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) as an agronomist and cropping systems program leader in the institute's Multiple Cropping Unit during 1980-82. During his time at IRRI, Dr. Pendleton worked on major rice-legume cropping system combinations and their fertilizer management. As part of an FAO-sponsored expert consultation held in New Delhi in February 1982, he urged that all fertilizer research on cropping systems must include careful economic analysis. He stated that "farmers are not interested in more crops per year but in more profits from their land each year." IRRI sends it deepest condolences to Dr. Pendleton's family.

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Towards greater genetic gains in rice based agri-food systems in South Asia and Africa

On a mission to make Asia and sub-Saharan Africa more food secure, IRRI’s Stress-Tolerant Rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA) Project, chiefly supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), was launched in 2008. In its decade of implementation, STRASA has brought forth a new era of scientific excellence in rice science, as evidenced by the following impacts: extensive network of research and development and expertise generated from stress-tolerant rice varieties’ delivery and extension; strengthened supply chain networks; shared platforms for varietal knowledge enhancement, production and training; and widespread diffusion reaching farmers and benefiting consumers worldwide.

Bangladesh Government honors former IRRI Agronomist Dr. Md. M Abdul Mazid for contributions to Bangladeshi food security

Dhaka, Bangladesh—25 March 2018—The government presented the “Swadhinata Padak 2018” award to former IRRI Agronomist Dr. Md. M Abdul Mazid for his work on rice research and development that helped improve food security in Bangladesh.

The “Swadhinata Padak 2018”, more popularly known as the Independence Award, is the highest civilian honor the Prime Minister of Bangladesh awards individuals who have made remarkable contributions in their respective fields. Having devoted over 40 years in developing the rice-based agri-food systems of Bangladesh, Dr. Mazid has been given this honor for mitigating  “Monga” and accelerating agriculture research for development of flash flood submergence tolerance rice, pioneering seed production, and  training farmers in Bangladesh.

IRRI shares Rice Crop Manager experience during the 10th ICT4D Conference

Through partnership with national research partners, IRRI applies sustainable global solutions to local needs through information and communication technology (ICT) tools like Rice Crop Manager (RCM).

During the 10th ICT for Development (ICT4D) Conference, IRRI presented with other humanitarian and international development organizations like mPower Social Enterprise from Bangladesh, Farm Radio International from Malawi, and the Grantham Center for Sustainable Futures of the University of Sheffield, shares how government collaboration has been a key pathway to ownership, adoption, and in achieving scale and sustainability of agricultural information platforms.

IRRI strengthens ties with DLG to boost farm mechanization in Myanmar

During the workshop, participants were presented with farm mechanization technologies like laser leveling. Laser leveling results in a precisely leveled field which facilitates efficient use of water, fertilizers, herbicides.

IRRI, through the Closing the Rice Yield Gap Project (CORIGAP-PRO) and and in partnership with the Agricultural Development Support Project (ADSP) is working with the German Agricultural Society (DLG-Deutsche Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft) in the delivery of mechanization technologies for smallholder farmers in Myanmar.

CORIGAP-PRO partners map out outscaling strategies for impact

IRRI, through the Closing Rice Yield Gaps Project (CORIGAP-PRO), has been working with partners to facilitate various activities for scaling out technologies to improve farming practices of smallholder farmers in irrigated rice environments.

Representatives from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, together with IRRI scientists and a project partner from the Philippines, participated in an Impact Pathways Workshop to share experiences and describe country-specific outscaling strategies.

IRRI, PhilRice Los Baños team up to accelerate varietal adoption in the region

IRRI and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Los Baños Station are working together, through the NextGen Project, in accelerating the adoption of next generation varieties for smallholder farmers in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon Provinces.

According to PhilRice Los Baños Branch Director, Rhemilyn Relado, “we have good quality varieties which, coupled with mechanization and good farming practices and technologies, will boost rice production and improve the lives of farmers in the region.”