AGGRi Network Trials hold annual advancement meeting

The Annual Advancement Meeting of AGGRi Network Trials (ANT) 2023 was held from 11-12 March 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Since rice is the life of Bangladesh, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has played a significant role for the last six decades to improve rice research in the country. IRRI has been assisting Bangladesh in developing superior and high-yielding rice varieties by identifying novel breeding lines adapted to Bangladesh's diverse environmental conditions. Therefore, assisting farmers in boosting their production and enhancing the food security of the country. Implementing the AGGRi (Accelerated Genetic Gain in Rice) Network project stimulates the existing and new IRRI-NARES breeding networks to jointly develop sustainable breeding strategies based on carefully considered and agreed on product profiles for the replacement of old mega varieties within a target environment or market segment.

RDA and IRRI host seed production course for Bangladesh women farmers’ groups

The Rural Development Academy (RDA) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) conducted a training course on seed production, quality control, processing, and marketing for 60 women-led farmers groups on 28 – 29 November 2022 in Bogura District.

The course provided the participating women with classroom and hands-on training on seed production, different seed quality characteristics, processing, storage, packaging, and marketing. Mechanized System Rice Intensification procedure and seed licensing and registration procedures were also covered.

The activity is jointly implemented by RDA and IRRI in northern Bangladesh under the Accelerated Genetic Gain in Rice (AGGRi) Alliance. AGGRi collects robust data and verifies the suitability of promising modern high-yielding rice varieties for specific regions; compares the performance of popular varieties with candidate products; accelerates the expansion of candidate products at the field level, and collects farmers’ feedback.

RDA is a specialized autonomous rural development government institution in Sherpur Upazila in Bogra for training, research, and action research. The institution is officiated with the Rural Development and Co-operatives Division of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Co-operatives. 

The guests from  RDA Bogura included Director Md Khalid Aurangozeb, Assistant Director Fakar Uddin Talukdar, Additional Director Dr. Abdullah Al Mamun, and Training Director Md. Ferdous Hossain Khan.

Also attending the event were Dr. Daniel Menge, scientist, and Muhammad Ashraful Habib, senior specialist, from IRRI Seed Systems.

District Seed Certification Officer Mr. Shaduzzaman from the Seed Certification Agency, Bogura served as the resource person. The program was moderated by Mr. Md. Mozaharul Haque, RDA  agricultural consultant in Bogura. 

In 2022, The IRRI Bangladesh Seed System Team, in collaboration with other complimenting initiatives, conducted seed production of promising varieties, promoted new varieties in the farmers’ network, and carried out demonstrations through women farmers’ groups formed by IRRI’s networking partners in Bangladesh.

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Facilitating the adoption of new rice varieties in Nepal to benefit farmers, consumers, and national economy

Farmers, consumers, rice-based agri-food system stakeholders, and, ultimately, Nepal’s national economy would benefit from the faster adoption of new climate-resilient, high-yielding rice by the country’s farmers. To facilitate the adoption of new rice varieties, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Nepal Agriculture Research Council, Agriculture and Forestry University, Agriculture Knowledge Centers, and the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Program arranged a field visit  and roundtable discussion on 6 September 2022 in Chitwan.