IRRI hosts CGIAR system-wide workshop on shared services for breeders in Asia

From November 12–14, 2024, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) hosted the CGIAR Breeding and Research Services (BRS) Shared Services Workshop for Asia at its headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines.

Organized by the CGIAR Breeding Resources Initiative (BRI) and IRRI Rice Breeding Innovations (RBI) Department through the IRRI Genotyping Services Laboratory (GSL), the workshop brought together experts, stakeholders, and partners to foster collaboration and enhance understanding of BRS capacities and services.

A participant shares his insights with workshop participants.

Over the three-day event, attendees engaged in a series of presentations, interactive sessions, and discussions led by experts in breeding, genotyping, digital solutions, business process management, elemental analysis, and trialing and nursery. The workshop served as a platform for building stronger networks among National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES), which will ultimately contribute to enhanced breeding efficiency and outcomes in Asia.

The workshop brought together 24 participants from 12 countries across Asia. These participants hailed from organizations focused on crop science, rice research, and sustainable agriculture.

Among the notable institutions represented were:

• India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
• Philippines: Bureau of Plant Industry, PhilRice Central Experiment Station, Institute of Crop Science at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Visayas State University, and the Institute of Plant Breeding at UPLB
• Laos: National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI)
• Vietnam: Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute
• Indonesia: Indonesian Center for Rice Standard Instrument Testing
• Uzbekistan: Rice Research Institute
• Sri Lanka: Rice Research and Development Institute
• Bangladesh: Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)
• Myanmar: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation
• Nepal: Nepal Agriculture Research Council under the National Rice Research Program
• Cambodia: Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI)
• Thailand: Phrae Rice Research Center

The event united experts and researchers specializing in a diverse array of essential crops, including rice, maize, cassava, groundnut, pigeonpea, chickpea, sorghum, pearl millet, lowland vegetables, bananas, corn, tomatoes, root crops, and coconut.

The  workshop aimed to:

• Introduce BRS Services – Provide a comprehensive overview of the BRS portfolio, highlighting the resources and tools available to support breeding programs.
  
  
• Make accessible resources – Equip participants with practical guidance on utilizing these services effectively.
  
  
• Share best practices – Facilitate the exchange of proven strategies and insights from BRS and its partners to drive innovation in breeding practices across the region.

Participants during a tour of various facilities in IRRI Headquarters.

Here are some of the feedback from workshop participants:

• “Our institute works on vegetable crops, fruit crops, fiber and industrial crops, and other indigenous crops. Our team particularly focuses on banana improvement. We are grateful to know more about BRS and are excited to take part in this endeavor. We can finally access these modern tools to help us in our research.” - Roanne Gardoce, University Researcher II, Institute of Plant Breeding, University of the Philippines Los Banos, Philippines
  
  
• “I have learned that CGIAR including IRRI performs research services especially for breeding. This service will make research easier. If you think about buying a machine or elements, it is very expensive. If you have a small project, you can't buy the machine. Through the BRS effort, we can send samples to CGIAR.” - Phanthasin Khanthavong, Senior researcher, Rice and Cash Crops Research Center, National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), Laos
  
  
• “The workshop is a good experience for us, especially in our country, because we need to improve our rice breeding system because in Central Asia we have some problems with water resources.” - Abdurashid Abibullaev, Junior researcher, Rice Research Institute, Uzbekistan

Workshop participants receiving their Certificates of Participation.

IRRI RBI Interim Department Head Dr. Sankalp Bholsale was delighted to host this significant event. “This workshop reaffirms IRRI’s commitment to strengthening research collaborations and fostering impactful solutions for agricultural advancement in the region.”

More photos of the workshop can be found here.

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