Co-creating strategies for climate resilience: Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop in Gender Equality Initiative Learning Labs West Bengal

By Afreen Khan and Ranjitha Puskur

KOLKATA, India (21 April 2025) -- As climate change continues to intensify across Eastern India, farming communities and especially women smallholder farmers, are facing mounting pressures on their lives and livelihoods. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), under the CGIAR GENDER Accelerator Sub Area of Work 1.2, organized a three-day Training of Trainers workshop in Kolkata last April 21–23, 2025. The workshop brought together lead women farmers from West Bengal Learning Labs in North and South 24 Parganas districts, alongside members of key partner organizations such as SEVA, Change Initiatives, PRADAN and ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI).

Cambodia estimates climate footprint in rice fields with IRRI training

May 27, 2025, Phnom Penh, Cambodia - In a crucial step towards a greener future, Cambodian agricultural experts have sharpened their skills in calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rice cultivation, thanks to a recent intensive training led by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). This activity is part of the Accelerating Scaling of Low-Emissions Rice in Southeast Asia (AcceLER) project supported by the Global Methane Hub. It aims to empower Cambodia and its neighbors to significantly cut methane emissions from rice farming – a bold 15% by 2030.

ASEAN Member States and Japan Reaffirm Commitment to Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Tokyo, Japan (March 17-19, 2025) – As greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions drive climate change, which in turn threatens agricultural productivity, the need for timely intervention has become more urgent—especially in regions where rice is a primary source of nutrition.. Key actors came together at the ASEAN-Japan Workshop on Carbon Neutrality, Food Security, and Agricultural Innovation aimed to share strategies for carbon neutrality in agriculture, promote collaboration between ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Japanese companies to co-develop climate-smart solutions and enhance agricultural competitiveness in the ASEAN region through low-carbon practices and technologies. 

Scaling readiness of improved nutrient management in rice through farmer clusters

“Start with the end in mind.” This idea guided the Workshop on Innovation Package and Scaling Readiness (IPSR) for the cluster-based recommendations of Rice Crop Manager Advisory Service (RCMAS). The workshop was held on March 11, 2025, in Cagayan de Oro. As part of the session, participants agreed on an end goal: “By 2028, DA Region 10, along with ATI-RTC 10, local government units (LGUs), NIA, and other partners, aims to reach 80% of rice clusters and get 40% of rice farmers to adopt the cluster-based RCMAS recommendations. This initiative will improve farming practices, boost productivity, and support the sustainability of the rice industry.”

ORYZA in action: A comprehensive training on rice growth and climate impact modeling

The Advanced Modeling for Environment, Emission, Exchange, and Extension (AM4E) – ORYZA modeling team successfully conducted a comprehensive training on the Practical Applications of ORYZA in Rice Research from March 24 to 28 at the IRRI Network Commons, Philippines.