Capacity Development Training on ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture’ for BAU Farmers under the CRA Program

15 February 2023, ISARC, Varanasi - As a part of the ongoing collaboration between IRRI and Bihar Agriculture University (BAU) under the Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) Initiative of Government of Bihar, a three day capacity development training program centered around rice production practices was conducted at the IRRI South Asia Regional Center (ISARC), Varanasi from 9th-11th February 2023.

Promoting science-based nutrient management system for achieving sustainable food systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plains

The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of India are among the most fertile tracts in the world.  It is known as the country’s breadbasket where important food crops are grown on millions of hectares (ha), particularly rice and wheat. 

However, farmers here predominantly practice the rice-wheat cropping system with intensive use of resources. They often apply excess fertilizers to get higher yield but actually cause wastage of resources, higher incidence of pests and diseases, and soil and groundwater pollution.

OneRicePH workshop towards streamlining the Philippines’ rice breeding program

The International Rice Research Institute, together with the Philippine Department of Agriculture- Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), organized the OneRicePH validation workshop last January 31 to February 2, 2023 in Los Baños, Laguna. The activity entitled, “Stakeholders’ Workshop on Validation of Market Segments for Selected Priority Provinces”, aimed to validate the results of OneRicePH’s Module 1 baseline data collected, where all aspects of rice from production to market are identified and prioritized.

Learning Visit to IRRI in India by Delegates from Bangladesh: A Step towards Exploring Future Collaborations

17-23 January 2023 - The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) recently organized a week-long learning visit for a four-member delegation from the Government of Bangladesh, to gain and exchange knowledge around a number of important initiatives that the food sector in Bangladesh needs to further improve their rice system. The visit was hosted at IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), Varanasi.

Rice 2.0: Towards Transforming Rice Cultivation in Uttar Pradesh

3 February 2023, Varanasi, India – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the 2030  Water Resource Group (2030 WRG) organized a workshop titled “Rice 2.0- Transforming Rice  Cultivation in Uttar Pradesh” on lowering carbon and water footprints, and enhancing farm income  of rice farmers at the IRRI South Asia Regional Centres (ISARC), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Bridging formal and informal seed systems in Odisha through quality seed production and marketing training for women-led farmer group

The demand for quality paddy seeds from farmers is often impeded by factors like uneven access to technology, unreliable seed supply, and uncertain marketing arrangements. This holds true for most parts of Odisha. A few key reasons why farmer producer companies (FPCs) were facing challenges in quality rice seed production can be attributed to a lack of basic know-how and poor crop management practices. Through building the capacities of formal community-led institutions, local enterprises can serve the needs for quality seed as well as provide income opportunities for member women seed producers.

World Bank exec lauds IRRI’s work on agribusiness and rural transformation in Assam

World Bank Regional Integration and Engagement in the South Asia Region (SAR) Director Ms. Cecile Fruman visited Assam on 25 January to get firsthand understanding and appreciation of IRRI’s work on the World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART).