Odisha and IRRI promote sustainable rice production using dhaincha and organic fertilizer

• IRRI promotes enhanced crop and soil productivity through the balanced use of chemical and organic fertilizers.
• IRRI and the Odisha Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment trained department-selected staff on dhaincha seed production and green manuring.
• The staff will share the benefits of dhaincha and organic fertilizer in rice-based cropping systems with farmers.

---

The Odisha Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE) promotes cultivating dhaincha and organic fertilizer to improve farmers' productivity and ensure the sustainability of the state’s agriculture sector.

Mekong Delta seeks sustainable future for rice industry with circular economy workshop

• Global experts addressed the challenges of rice production in the Mekong River Delta. 
• The primary issue is the vast amount of straw rice farming produces.
• Experts explored a circular economy approach involving innovative uses for rice straw and reducing environmental impact.

---

Can Tho City, Vietnam (7 June 2024)—Experts from international organizations and the public and private sectors discussed developing a circular economy based on rice production and processing to ensure the sustainability of the rice industry in the Mekong River Delta (MRD).

IRRI Diary: A vibrant spring wrap-up from Vietnam

Entry by Amber Sharick (IRRI Vietnam)

The IRRI Vietnam team has had an exciting few weeks supporting evidence-based decision-making through stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue.

Sea6 Energy visits IRRI HQ for possible BIC partnership

A delegation from Sea6 Energy visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Headquarters in Laguna, Philippines to explore possible research collaboration and membership through IRRI’s Bio-Innovation Center (BIC) program.

IRRI scientists provide CLRRI researchers with advanced training on experimental designs and data analysis

CUU LONG DELTA RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CLRRI), 15 April 2024—In response to the need for capacity-building efforts, particularly in data analysis using modern tools and breeding approaches, researchers from CLRRI underwent a workshop on “Experimental designs and modern statistical data analysis”. It was conducted by IRRI scientists, as part of the project "Securing the Food Systems of Asian Mega-Deltas through Identification of Salinity Tolerant Genotypes in Vietnam".

IRRI’s commitment to science and partnerships

IRRI works closely with national research partners in the rice value chain to understand their priorities and needs. Using an extensive portfolio of rice breeding innovations coupled with improved agronomic practices and advice, IRRI addresses the constraints they face.

Conventional rice breeding makes up the bulk of IRRI’s rice breeding research. This approach takes advantage of existing genetic variation to introduce desirable traits into cultivated crop varieties. 

IRRI also uses new breeding approaches to address producing food. New approaches produce crops that help supply the food requirements for an ever-increasing population, within a context of uncertainty from climate change, decreasing natural resource pools, and malnutrition. 

Biometrical genetics workflow app demonstration at IRRI Headquarters

Dr. Giovanny Eduardo Covarrubias, head of the RBI’s Breeding Analytics and Data Management unit, welcomed participants from different research units across IRRI to highlight the importance of enabling scientists to do their own analysis to accelerate decision-making.

The Breeding Analytics and Data Management team within IRRI’s Rice Breeding Innovations department demonstrated firsthand their biometrical genetics workflow application (bioflow) at IRRI Headquarters.

IRRI Seed Health and Logistics Unit leads quality management and cost recovery systems implementation across the CGIAR CoP at the 7th CGIAR GHU Workshop

CIAT, COLOMBIA, 15 April 2024 — Germplasm/Seed health units staff members from various CGIAR centers, including the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), meet once again for the 7th International Workshop of the CGIAR Germplasm Health Units, held from 15-19 April at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Headquarters in Palmira, Colombia.

Monde Nissin rep visits IRRI to explore opportunities for rice-based consumer products

The adviser to the Chief Executive Officer of the Monde Nissin Corporation recently visited IRRI Headquarters to meet with scientists and discuss innovative uses of rice for their company’s food products.

In memory of Dr. Uma Shankar Singh

IRRI mourns the passing of its esteemed former and founding South Asia Regional Centre director Dr. Uma Shankar Singh, on May 9, 2024.

USDA, MARD, and IRRI advance 4R nutrient management for enhancing fertilizer productivity and sustainability in Vietnam

Can Tho City, Vietnam (April 15-17, 2024) - The Plant Protection Department (PPD), in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), organized a Training of Trainers event focusing on nutrient management and strategies to boost fertilizer efficiency while mitigating carbon footprint. Under the Fertilize Right (FerRight) Project, the training aimed to impart essential knowledge on the 4Rs approach and the introduction of tailored nutrient management practices alongside innovative fertilizer technologies.

IRRI and PJTSAU hold training on advanced breeding techniques for regional partners in India to accelerate crop improvement programs

HYDERABAD, INDIA (27 February 2024) The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Hub and Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) organized the training Haplotype Analysis and its Application in Breeding for National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) in India on 27-28 February in Hyderabad.

One year on, IRRI and Shell evaluate progress of flagship project to reduce GHG emissions in rice cultivation

REMET-Rice is a climate change mitigation research collaboration by IRRI and Shell Nature-Based Solutions that aims to build the next generation of rice crop models and datasets toward low-emission solutions for Asian rice systems.

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines (23 April 2024) ~ A wealth of data gathered from multiple experiments and studies were shared and discussed during the first-year progress report and meeting of the Reducing Methane Emissions from Rice (REMET-Rice) Project, a flagship collaboration between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Shell Nature-Based Solutions.

IRRI wins Best Exhibit at KALRO Seeds Expo, showcasing GloMIP, improved technologies, and high-yielding rice varieties

To support the Kenyan government and KALRO’s efforts to improve rice production in the country by increasing farmers’ access to improved rice varieties, access to quality seeds, and advanced farming technologies, IRRI showcases its work under the AGGRi, SeedEqual, Market Intelligence, and ScaleDirect Initiatives at the Kilimo Biashara Expo where they won Best Exhibit.

USDA, MARD, and IRRI launch Fertilize Right Project to optimize fertilizer use of Vietnamese farmers

The Fertilize Right project is a 4-year, USD 4.4M project that will develop and promote efficient and sustainable uses of fertilizer based on the 4Rs of nutrient management (right source, right rate, right time, right place). The project is a joint collaboration between USDA and MARD, with IRRI as implementing partner, and its activities will include technology development, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation across 6 pilot provinces.

---

17 April 2024, HANOI, Vietnam ~ The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) recently launched the Fertilize Right Project, a USD 4.4 million project that aims to improve fertilizer use, boost farmer incomes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice cultivation.

Faster breeding and addressing climate risks prioritized during the South Asia Advancement meetings

By Maria Rowena M. Baltazar

INDIAN INSTITUTE of RICE RESEARCH, Hyderabad (02 April 2024) – The South Asia Advancement meetings, RBI’s annual initiative where scientists come together and select rice lines to be used for recycling as parents or for product development, released one rice line and six others for AICRPR (All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice) testing and amplification in 2024 wet season, respectively, with several more undergoing continuous deliberations for release before the end of April. The advancement of these rice lines will ensure rice production increases in the region at a shorter period tolerant of climate changes.

Hybrid Rice rises to the challenge of slower adoption by South Asian Farmers

INDIAN INSTITUTE of RICE RESEARCH, Hyderabad (05 April 2024) — Increase the yield of hybrid rice to 25 percent greater than inbred varieties. This is the challenge that hybrid rice scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), its National partners, and the private sector must address for South Asian farmers to adopt rice hybrids. The call emerged during the Hybrid Rice Adoption Strategy Workshop that happened during the South Asia Advancement meetings that the IRRI Rice Breeding Innovations (RBI) Department facilitated. The activity took place in the IIRR campus, a NARES partner of IRRI South Asia under Dr. Vikas Kumar Singh, RBI South Asia Breeding lead.

IRRI Rice Crop Manager team eyes stronger Indonesia partnerships

Medan, Palembang, Jakarta and Bogor (1-8 March 2024) - As part of the International Rice Research Institute’s (IRRI) commitment to advancing agricultural innovation in Indonesia's rice farming sector, team members of IRRI’s Rice Crop Manager team from the Philippines, India, and Indonesia met with various national partners across North Sumatra, South Sumatra, and West Java to advance field evaluations, knowledge sharing, dissemination and usage of the digital tool by local farmers.

Rice Crop Manager, known locally as Layanan Konsultasi Padi or LKP, is an agricultural web application developed by IRRI to help rice farmers maximize yields and profit with personalized and actionable fertilizer management guidelines based on Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) principles. LKP version 2.0, launched in Indonesia last October 2023, is an upgraded application with an improved user interface, accessibility to field-level information, and an optimized questionnaire for the generation of field-specific crop management advice.

The meetings included technical discussions with Indonesian scientists from national agencies and visits to rice-growing areas within rainfed and swampy agroecological zones, in alignment with the government’s plan of increasing rice production in these areas.

The RCM team met with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Badan Standardisasi Instrumen Pertanian (BSIP) to discuss collaboration and support for the field evaluation component of the project and the ongoing upgradation of LKP, with a focus on swampy agroecological zones. Agreements were made to collaborate for knowledge sharing and increased number of field evaluation trials in swampy areas.

The team also met with the Badan Penyuluhan dan Pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia Pertanian (BPPSDMP) Kementerian Pertanian / Agricultural Extension and Human Resource Development Agency of Ministry of Agriculture in Jakarta, to explore potential collaboration between IRRI's LKP and BPPSDMP's SIMLUHTAN, both digital tools designed to provide information to farmers and extension agents on good agricultural practices. While LKP offers site-specific nutrient and water management guidelines for rice production, SIMLUHTAN serves as a comprehensive platform for agricultural extension workers, facilitating data management and monitoring of extension activities, including subsidized fertilizer distribution. From the meeting, BPPSDMP concluded it will be beneficial to the extension agents and farmers if LKP is integrated with CYBEX.ID, the BPPSDMP-developed information system for sustainable agricultural extension.

Prof. Dr. Ir. Hasil Sembiring, MSc., IRRI Indonesia Liaison Scientist, elaborated the potential synergies between the two digital tools, saying “The potential collaboration between IRRI and the Director of Extension regarding these digital tools holds significant promise for the dissemination of agricultural technology. Extension workers, serving as frontline advocates for agricultural technology adoption and widely dispersed across Indonesia, play a crucial role in introducing new technologies to farmers. By providing extension workers with knowledge about LKP, there is a high likelihood that farmers will also adopt the LKP recommendations. This synergy has the potential to boost rice production and improve environmental sustainability.”

Another meeting of the RCM team was with the Badan Standardisasi Instrumen Pertanian Tanaman Pangan (BSIP-TP) / Agricultural Instruments Standardization Agency for Food Crops in Bogor. There were discussions on several key areas, including the status of ongoing trials in West Java and other provinces. Furthermore, discussion also included topics on LKP upgradation, dissemination, and monitoring and evaluation components. In particular, the user access levels for LKP version 2.0 were discussed in addition to the plans for the implementation of endline surveys.

The RCM Indonesia Project is being implemented by IRRI in collaboration with Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture - BSIP, and other local partners, with funding support from South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

###

Learn more about IRRI (www.irri.org) or follow us on social media and networks (all links down the right column).

IRRI Regional Director for Asia explores opportunities to strengthen partnerships with stakeholders in Bangladesh and Nepal

21-26 January 2024, Bangladesh and Nepal: 

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Regional Director for Asia, Dr. Jongsoo Shin, visited Bangladesh and Nepal from 21 to 26 January 2024 to strengthen IRRI’s partnership with major stakeholders in Bangladesh and Nepal. 

In Bangladesh, Dr. Shin met the newly appointed Agriculture Minister Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid, and congratulated him on behalf of IRRI on his prestigious appointment as the Minister of Agriculture. He briefed the Agriculture Minister about  IRRI’s research and development activities in Bangladesh and acknowledged the government’s strong support for IRRI. The Agriculture Minister appreciated IRRI’s significant contribution to increasing rice production in Bangladesh. The minister identified some challenges in Bangladesh's agri-food system such as the increasing population, scarcity of land and water, climate change, food price inflation, inefficient value chains, etc., and requested IRRI’s continued partnership to increase rice production in the future.

IRRI visits Central Java, Indonesia: promoting partnerships and field trials

(SEMARANG, Indonesia, 22 February) - Rice Crop Manager (RCM) Indonesia Project team members from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Badan Standardisasi Instrumen Pertanian (BSIP) Food Crops, and Balai Penerapan Standar Instrumen Pertanian (BPSIP) Central Java visited key partners in Central Java, Indonesia, to discuss the progress and challenges in project implementation of the IRRI-developed digital app, locally known as Layanan Konsultasi Padi (LKP).

IRRI and Rikolto Collaborate To Equip Indonesian Rice Farmers with Layanan Konsultasi Padi (LKP) 2.0 for Sustainable Crop Management

(SURAKARTA, Indonesia, 20 - 21 February) - The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its partner organization, Rikolto, are committed to improving the welfare of Indonesian rice farmers. In line with this, IRRI and Rikolto organized a two-day training program on LKP 2.0 (Layanan Konsultasi Padi) for 30 farmers representing four farmer’s organizations from Central Java and East Java. Among those 30 farmers, there were youth to support regeneration in the agriculture sector and women who play an important role in gender aspects to implement LKP recommendations. 

IRRI Burundi turns over seeds of improved rice variety to INERA to boost seed production in the Democratic Republic of Congo

03 September 2023 (South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo) – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Burundi transferred 300 kilograms of pre-basic seeds of Mugwiza rice to the National Institute for Agronomic Study and Research (INERA) to boost the production of quality foundation seed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Promoting sustainable rice farming in Burundi through high-quality seeds and good agricultural practices

Bujumbura, BURUNDI (14 November 2023) – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) conducted a training of trainers (ToT) on quality rice seed production and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to improve rice production and promote sustainable practices among farmers in Burundi, The program was a significant opportunity to enhance the trainees' skills and empower them to impart valuable knowledge to more farmers.

Women farmers in Bangladesh trained on quality seed production to build a pool of instructors for peer-to-peer learning

by Muhammad Ashraful Habib, Swati Nayak, & Md. Ahadat Hossain

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its partners hosted quality rice seed production training for women farmers to facilitate peer-to-peer learning among women-led groups in Bangladesh. 

Held on 07 February 2024 at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Regional Station in Barisal, the program trained 40 women from the Maddha Rakudia IPM Club Women’s Group and the Islampur Women Development Cooperative on rice seed production, processing, storage, and certification. The objective was to enable the participants to become master trainers who will coach new women trainers with less experience in quality rice seed production. 

The training was created with the help of several women-focused initiatives to provide women farmers with a conceptual and practical understanding of the various aspects of rice seed production, marketing, seed licensing, and seed registration. 

The participants also visited the seed conditioning system and lab equipment and received hands-on training in the use of power tillers in the field.

Because women are involved in rice production, training them is an effective way of developing entrepreneurship and promoting seed security. Building on this, IRRI initiated the Community-based Rice Seed Entrepreneurship Model (CBRSEM) in Bangladesh to develop their communication skills, social relationships, and decision-making abilities as well as rice production.  

CBRSEM helps women’s farming groups pool their resources and use their expertise to create resilient community-level seed systems that increase their access to quality seeds that lead to higher yield, better livelihood, and empowerment. A noteworthy accomplishment in the dissemination of better varieties through informal or semi-formal women-led social networks is the successful seed-production enterprises by women farmers’ organizations

Additionally, IRRI Bangladesh and complimenting initiatives will promote new varieties through farmer networks conduct seed production of promising varieties, and organize cluster demonstrations through women farmers' groups formed by IRRI's networking partners in Bangladesh. 

The activities are supported by the CGIAR Seed Equal Initiative and IRRI’s One Rice Breeding Strategy. 

For more information, please contact:

Muhammad Ashraful Habib is the Lead Specialist in seed System & Product Management at IRRI Bangladesh. Email: [email protected];  Md. Ahadat Hossain is a Field Technician Barisal region at IRRI Bangladesh. Dr. Swati Nayak is a Scientist and South Asia Lead for Seed Systems in IRRI and Global Lead for cereal seed systems in the CGIAR initiative, SeedEqual.

###

Learn more about IRRI (www.irri.org) or follow us on social media and networks (all links down the right column).

IRRI and Thailand Rice Department collaborate to promote sustainable straw composting technology in country

To promote the mechanization of rice straw collection and handling in Thailand, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Thailand Rice Department organized a training workshop and field demonstration on mechanized rice straw-based composting at Thailand Rice Science Institute (TRSI) in Suphanburi province, Thailand on 20 November 2023.