Latest links from IRRI: http://www.irri.org/WhatsNew.xml Copyright (c) 2005 IRRI. All rights reserved. 5/10/2008 12:00:00 AM The latest from Rice Today, the magazine of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): Los Baños, Philippines – The upward spiral of rice prices is causing anxiety, if not panic, for governments of both importing and exporting countries. Exporters, such as Vietnam and India, are restricting exports to ensure domestic supplies and stabilize prices. Importers, such as the Philippines, are scrambling to secure supplies and assure their populations that there’s enough rice to go around. The latest issue of Rice Today examines this burning issue, including an exclusive report on trade troubles in Thailand. The magazine also reports on a recent rice policy forum at IRRI, which examined key policy issues, including responses to rising prices. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=172 Thursday, April 10, 2008 Los Baños, Philippines - A major new partnership between the public and private sectors was made official here this week (3-4 April) with an aim to increase rice production across Asia via the accelerated development and introduction of hybrid rice technologies. The innovative new effort to increase rice production – and support for rice research – comes at a crucial time for Asia as the region struggles to deal with near record rice prices caused by stagnating yields. Robert Zeigler, director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), which convened and hosted this inaugural meeting of the Hybrid Rice Research and Development Consortium (HRDC), said during the opening session that there is no question this meeting represents the first pages of an entirely new chapter in the history of rice research. “Certainly, the success of hybrid rice in China is well known,” added Dr. Zeigler, “and the potential for hybrid rice to have an impact across the rest of the rice-growing world is something that we all believe is real.” http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=171 Friday, April 04, 2008 Los Baños, Philippines – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is receiving significant new funding to harness major scientific advances and address some of the biggest unsolved problems in agriculture. IRRI’s new project will help develop and distribute improved varieties of rice that can be grown in rainfed ecosystems—where farmers have little or no access to irrigation—and withstand environmental stresses such as drought, flooding, and salinity. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced a grant to IRRI for US$19.9 million over three years to initially help place improved rice varieties and related technology into the hands of 400,000 small farmers in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Farmers are expected to achieve a 50 percent increase in their yields within the next 10 years. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=168 Friday, January 25, 2008 Los Baños, Philippines – Spectacular rice terraces, some of which are thought to be more than 1,000 years old, are the landscape signature of Ifugao Province in the northern Philippines. The new issue of Rice Today combines anthropology and photography to explore the cultural and scientific significance of rice farming in this fascinating place. The series of stunning aerial photos helps shed light on an enduring culture...In the lead-up to the Institute’s 50th anniversary in 2010, Rice Today is publishing interviews with “IRRI Pioneers.” Peter Jennings, IRRI’s first rice breeder (1961-67), played a major role in the development of IR8, the rice variety that would ultimately change the face of agriculture across Asia. Dr. Jennings starts the series with a forthright and witty account of his time at IRRI. http://www.irri.org/publications/today/index.asp Tuesday, January 15, 2008 Aerobic rice cultivation is a production system, which involves the growing of specially developed, input-responsive rice varieties in well-drained, nonpuddled, and nonsaturated soils without ponded water. It aims at yield levels of from 4 to 6 t/ ha (and possibly beyond). A nonsaturated soil is also called an “aerobic soil.” Learn more about aerobic rice on a new IRRI Web site. http://www.irri.org/Aerobic_Rice/ARHome.htm Thursday, December 13, 2007 The work of rice researchers has received major encouragement as 2007 comes to a close, with staff at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and their colleagues receiving widespread recognition and several major awards. “These awards and the recognition that comes with them are clear confirmation of the world-class rice research being conducted today in Asia and elsewhere,” IRRI’s Director General Robert S. Zeigler said. “It’s vital that donors and the community in general recognize the work that is being done and the enormous impact it has—even if the media do not report it.” http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=166 Tuesday, December 04, 2007 Read this new publication of the IRRI-Japan Project on Submergence-Tolerant Rice Varieties. Learn about the latest being done to respond to the needs of rice farmers flash-flood-prone areas. http://www.irri.org/science/Sub1_RiceNews_Vol1No1.pdf Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Manila – A new international research initiative, linking the private and public sectors for the first time and launched today at the 2007 Asian Seed Congress, aims to boost the research and development of hybrid rice for the tropics. The Hybrid Rice Research and Development Consortium (HRDC), established by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), will strengthen public–private sector partnership in hybrid rice, a technology that can raise the yield of rice and thus overall rice productivity and profitability in Asia. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=165 Friday, November 09, 2007 China is home to more people than any other country on the planet. Feeding 1.3 billion people—a fifth of humanity—is an enormous challenge. One of the keys to China’s food security in recent decades is the country’s development of high-yielding hybrid rice varieties, which helped pull millions out of the hunger of the 1960s. The new issue of Rice Today looks at the fascinating history of hybrid rice, documenting how China, with help from IRRI, has become the hybrid world leader. As part of the latest issue’s China special, the magazine also ventured into the Chinese province of Anhui, where farmers are struggling to cope with rapidly diminishing access to water. With Chinese collaborators, IRRI is developing aerobic rice—varieties and crop management systems that yield well when grown in unflooded fields, like wheat or maize. Aerobic rice requires around 50% less water, is cheaper to manage, and requires less labor than lowland (flood-irrigated) rice. Aerobic varieties are also better able to withstand severe rains and flooding, prevalent in Anhui in the summer months, that can damage or destroy alternative summer crops such as maize and soybean. Maintaining the focus on China, Rice Today’s map section raises the question of whether or not climate change is affecting where rice is grown, while Grain of truth examines challenges for Chinese rice production. Meanwhile, in Vietnam and Laos, researchers are working on ways to improve the productivity of rice landscapes in the countries’ mountainous northern regions. Improved rice varieties, water use, and crop management in these notoriously unfavorable environments can give farmers the security they need to achieve food security, boost their income, and help the environment. The magazine’s stunning centerfold photo demonstrates the beauty of rice terraces in the same region. Looking at the faces behind rice research, the magazine profiles soon-to-ret http://www.irri.org/publications/today/index.asp Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Scientists have found a way for rice farmers to increase their profit and produce more food by optimally applying essential nutrients to their crops. Rice requires essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that are typically not present in the soil in sufficient amounts to meet crop needs. The approach developed by scientists for optimal application of supplemental nutrients enables farmers to achieve rice yields well-matched to their local climatic and crop-growing conditions. http://www.irri.org/irrc/ssnmrice/ Saturday, September 29, 2007 Vientiane, Lao PDR – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has announced the appointment of leading Australian agricultural scientist Elizabeth Woods as the new chair of its Board of Trustees. A former Rhodes Scholar and winner of several honors in Australian agriculture, Dr. Woods is recognized as an expert in tropical and subtropical agriculture and agribusiness. She takes over from Keijiro Otsuka, a respected agricultural economist from Japan, who is stepping down officially after almost four years in the position. IRRI’s independent 15-member Board of Trustees meets twice a year to set the Institute’s policies and review its research agenda. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=159 Saturday, September 29, 2007 Worldwide, about 79 million ha of irrigated lowlands provide 75% of the total rice production. Lowland rice is traditionally grown in bunded fields that are continuously flooded from crop establishment to close to harvest. It is estimated that irrigated lowland rice receives some 34–43% of the total world’s irrigation water, or 24–30% of the total world’s freshwater withdrawals. With increasing water scarcity, the sustainability, food production, and ecosystem services of rice fields are threatened. Therefore, there is a need to develop and disseminate water management practices that can help farmers to cope with water scarcity in irrigated environments. http://www.irri.org/publications/techbulletin/tech.asp?id=10 Friday, August 24, 2007 This project of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) worked at 12 sites (nine in India, two in Bangladesh, and one in Nepal), of which IRRI administered seven rice-rice/legume system sites, CIMMYT four rice-wheat system sites, and ICRAF one site on hill-slope agriculture. Two to four potential technologies per site were validated and two per site finally selected for up-scaling. This publication, produced at the end of the project period, contains three major sections: (1) project implementation, (2) case stories, and (3) technical advisory notes. Technical details of 14 technologies from seven IRRI-managed sites and one ICRAF-managed site are covered under the technical advisory notes (TANs). http://www.irri.org/publications/techbulletin/tech.asp?id=9 Thursday, August 23, 2007 With rising international rice prices threatening to double their US$2 billion annual rice import bill, the rice-consuming nations of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have finally received some good news. Three of the world’s leading international agricultural research institutes have announced plans to combine their activities in Africa and so create a powerful new force focused on boosting African rice production and saving the region millions of dollars in lost foreign exchange. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=156 Friday, August 17, 2007 Rice production and climate change—what will happen, what can be done? The latest from Rice Today, the magazine of IRRI. Climate change poses threats to rice production across the globe. Those likely to be worst affected are the poorer rice-producing countries of the tropics, home to millions who can least afford the possible lower yields and attendant higher prices. As if that’s not enough to worry about, rice farming produces significant amounts of the greenhouse gas methane, and so is itself a contributor to climate change. The July–September 2007 issue of Rice Today asks about the major impacts of climate change, and what can be done to adapt to or mitigate them. http://www.irri.org/publications/today/ Tuesday, July 03, 2007 Los Baños, Philippines – An exciting new program just launched in Asia is encouraging some of the world’s best and brightest young scientists to consider careers helping developing nations, instead of taking jobs focused on the developed world. It was started in response to growing concerns that young scientists doing very advanced research in the West are increasingly unaware of how their work could have a major impact on the problems faced by many poorer nations. Recent scientific breakthroughs – such as the sequencing of the rice genome in 2004 – have triggered exciting new progress in how to help poor farmers overcome such age-old problems as drought, flooding, and high levels of salinity. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=154 Friday, June 08, 2007 Los Baños, Philippines – A major international initiative is being launched to try to boost the income of the world’s millions of poor rice farmers and at the same time provide consumers with more nutritious, better tasting food. New scientific knowledge is allowing rice researchers to develop better quality rice varieties that could fetch a higher price from consumers, especially increasingly affluent rice consumers in Asia. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=153 Monday, May 07, 2007 Research summaries in the Annual Report of the Director General 2006-07 contain information on a project basis. Each file provides a project summary and highlights of research progress during 2006. IRRI contacts are also provided. This publication also includes: the Director General's Update; Publications and Seminars in 2006; Research Support Services; Honors, Awards, Appointments; Staff Changes in 2006; Personnel as of 31 Dec. 2006; Memoranda of Agreement; Degree and Postdegree Training; Financial Support and Special-Funded Projects; Weather Summary; IRRI's Research Partners; and the Audited Financial Statements. http://www.irri.org/science/progsum/prog2006.asp Wednesday, April 25, 2007 The Mekong is undeniably one of the most important rivers on Earth. It is the lifeblood of millions of people, providing water to grow rice in significant portions of six countries—Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China (the southern provinces of Yunnan and Guangxi). This area, known as the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), is home to 300 million rice farmers and consumers. Despite recent successes in the GMS (such as the achievement of rice self-sufficiency in Laos), one-quarter of the area’s population remains below the poverty line. Because of this, rice research and efforts to help the local farmers remain fundamental to the GMS’s continued economic development. The April–June issue of Rice Today investigates new work in the GMS that is set to increase rice productivity, improve livelihoods, and reduce poverty, while the new map page offers a snapshot of how geographic elevation and poverty in the Subregion are related. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=151 Tuesday, April 03, 2007 Jakarta, Indonesia – Efforts by Indonesia to avoid food shortages by increasing its rice production have received an important boost with the signing of a new agreement to help the nation’s millions of poor rice farmers with new technologies. Senior officials and scientists of the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD), and other agencies of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, signed the three-year agreement with the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on March 23 in Jakarta. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=150 Friday, March 30, 2007 The workshop, Clearing Old Hurdles With New Science: Improving Rice Grain Quality, will be the first international meeting specifically dedicated to rice quality in this century and it will be the first full meeting of the International Network for Quality Rice (INQR). The INQR, organized in 2006, has 75 members now from 26 rice-growing countries. The membership comprises people who do rice quality evaluation, starch scientists, and rice quality geneticists. The INQR is co-chaired by Melissa Fitzgerald (IRRI) and Christine Bergman (University of Nevada). http://www.irri.org/gqnrc/ Wednesday, March 14, 2007 Los Baños, Philippines – An unprecedented new agreement – that will involve the annual dispersal in perpetuity of US$600,000 - was unveiled today in the Philippines to help fund the protection and management of the world’s thousands of unique rice varieties. IRRI and the Rome-based Global Crop Diversity Trust unveiled the historic new agreement at a special dedication ceremony at IRRI’s Genetic Resources Center which houses more than 100,000 samples of rice, the biggest and most important such collection in the world. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=149 Monday, March 12, 2007 The important role, and impact, of women in rice research has been highlighted with the awarding of the L'Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science awards for 2007. One of the women recognized this year is a Peruvian scientist studying in the Netherlands. The award will enable her to further her studies on how rice production in the paddy fields of northeastern Thailand could be improved, while protecting the value of other associated plants used for food and medicine by local residents. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=148 Tuesday, February 27, 2007 Read about the latest events and activities at IRRI in the pages of Sandiwa. http://www.irri.org/publications/sandiwa/pdfs/Sandiwa72.pdf Thursday, February 15, 2007 In this issue, there is a special section featuring the abstracts from papers presented at the Fifth International Rice Genetics Symposium held in Manila, November 2005. Two mini reviews feature IRRI's new stratgic plan and a history of rice in Laos. http://www.irri.org/publications/irrn/irrn31-2.asp Thursday, February 01, 2007 Visit IRRI’s 2nd generation, user-friendly Photo Bank at www.ricephotos.org. There are currently around 1,000 new images in this bank with more being added all the time. However, until a critical mass of new photos are added and classic photos from the old photo bank are transferred, the classic photo bank will remain online at http://rice-photos.irri.org/. Special features include: 1) New breadth-taking images of rice landscapes, farmers, children, events, research, and other related subjects; 2) Fresh images added monthly; 3) Advanced keyword search; 4) All images at high resolution (300 dpi); 5) Instant downloads via a special link; 6) Image slideshow feature for a category; 7) Terms of Use and License Agreement for Images are now aligned with a Creative Commons License Deed...This month, the front page of the new Photo Bank features images of the Mayon Volcano in July and November tied to the Rice Today feature, Once were rice fields. http://www.ricephotos.org/ Thursday, January 25, 2007 Vientiane, Laos – Last year was another tough 12 months for Asia’s millions of poor rice growers. But, in one of the region’s most important rice bowls – the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) – many of the age-old problems usually facing farmers such as pests, diseases, floods, and drought hit particularly hard. In Vietnam, farmers watched as insects destroyed rice worth millions of dollars in one of the worst pest outbreaks in recent history, while in Thailand thousands of farmers saw their crops inundated by record flooding that also affected Cambodia and Laos...Dr. Robert Zeigler, IRRI director general, and the Lao Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Sitaheng Rasphone (left and right in photo above) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the establishment of the new GMS office in Vientiane on 12 January. The MOU stipulates IRRI’s framework for regional cooperation and complements the Institute’s strong bilateral relationship with Laos. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=147 Tuesday, January 23, 2007 Los Banos, Philippines – On 30 November 2006, Typhoon Durian slammed into the northeast coast of the Philippines. In the country’s Bicol region, around 1,000 people were killed and entire communities devastated. Rice farmers were particularly hard hit, losing entire farms under mammoth mudslides that swept down from the slopes of Mayon Volcano. In its January-March issue, Rice Today ventures into the danger zone to capture the stories and images of the embattled farmers and their families. Typhoons were particularly cruel in 2006. In September and October, Typhoon Xangsane and its remnants destroyed rice crops in the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Rice farmers confront typhoons and other extreme weather events every year, but scientists are finding ways to help mitigate or avoid damage. The latest issue of the magazine looks at the harm Xangsane inflicted on the International Rice Research Institute itself as well as research that will help farmers cope. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=146 Monday, January 15, 2007 Read about the latest events and activities at IRRI in the pages of Sandiwa. http://www.irri.org/publications/sandiwa/pdfs/Sandiwa71.pdf Monday, January 15, 2007 Singapore – Rice production in Southeast Asia – arguably the region’s most important industry – has received a major boost with the endorsement of three new strategies by the Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry of the ten-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Implemented and coordinated by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the new measures are aimed at three major challenges facing rice production in ASEAN. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=143 Wednesday, November 29, 2006 After being given an important new role by the rice-producing nations of Asia to support the free flow of rice research and knowledge, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has announced an important change in its copyright policy. Taking a leaf out of the software industry’s book, the Philippines-based Institute has announced that it will change its information copyright policy from the original all rights reserved. Effectively echoing the software industry’s open-source movement, others will now be able to use IRRI’s intellectual property provided they do not place restrictions on its use by anyone else. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=142 Friday, October 20, 2006 On World Food Day, Monday 16 October 2006, at a signing ceremony in FAO jointly with all other CGIAR centres, IRRI concluded an agreement with the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The Treaty introduces a new multilateral system for the safe conservation and fair use of plant genetic resources. It brings to an end over two decades of doubt and suspicion about the use and misuse of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, by ensuring that a fair share of the benefits arising from their use flow equitably to where they are most needed and most deserved - conservation of genetic resources primarily in developing countries. http://www.irri.org/GRC/GRChome/Home.htm Monday, October 16, 2006 Readers of the Oct.-Dec. 2006 bumper issue of Rice Today will learn of the story behind the rice that changed Asia, planning for the future, waterproof rice, and much, much more. Forty years ago, IRRI scientists released a new rice variety under the unremarkable name of IR8. The new rice, shorter and stouter than its traditional predecessors, would help stem widespread famine and change the face of agriculture in Asia. The latest issue of Rice Today takes a look back at the breeding of IR8 and the people behind it, and a personal account of the variety’s role in the Vietnam War. http://www.irri.org/publications/today/pdfs/5-4/RiceToday_5-4.pdf Tuesday, October 03, 2006 The world has changed enormously since IRRI developed its last strategic plan a decade ago. Recent scientific discoveries—particularly in genetics and genomics—now open up new opportunities to achieve impact that would have been difficult if not impossible as recently as the turn of the century. A reduction in poverty and sustainability of the rice production environment, through the use of modern technology and the latest communication tools, are at the heart of IRRI’s exciting and innovative plan. Rice remains the most important staple food on the planet since it feeds roughly half the population on a daily basis. Approximately 750 million of the world’s poorest people depend on it to survive. So, an agenda for continued research on this vital crop is still very relevant. IRRI’s plan (1) brings the best rice technologies to all regions of the world that need it, including East and southern Africa where demand is increasing; (2) focuses on health and nutrition; and (3) is committed to the long-term conservation and use of rice genetic resources. Five strategic goals and seven programs embodied in the plan are described as are three Frontier Projects being designed to continue beyond the life of the plan in research areas that have the potential to make an enormous impact on the lives of poor rice farmers and consumers. The new plan endeavors to take IRRI over a modest 9 years so that it can join colleagues and partners from around the world to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Nevertheless, much of the work will obviously extend well beyond that date. http://www.irri.org/BringingHope/ImprovingLives.pdf?id=138 Friday, September 01, 2006 A gene that enables rice to survive complete submergence has been identified by a team of researchers at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines and at the University of California's Davis and Riverside campuses. The discovery allows for development of new rice varieties that can withstand flooding, thus overcoming one of agriculture's oldest challenges and offering relief to millions of poor rice farmers around the world. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=138 Wednesday, August 09, 2006 A major international scientific effort was launched last week to develop and use a radical new approach to boost rice production and avoid potential rice shortages, or even future famine. Scientists have been working on different aspects of the approach since the early 1990s. But new knowledge generated by the sequencing of the rice genome is allowing researchers for the first time to discuss how they might work together to completely reconfigure what’s known as the engine of rice production, the plant’s photosynthetic system. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=137 Wednesday, July 26, 2006 In Asia, the question of whether or not to liberalize rice trade is a vexing one. If liberalization is to occur at all, it needs to happen gradually and with an understanding of how people—especially the poor—will be affected. Read about this contentious issue, including an interview with renowned agricultural economist David Dawe, in the latest issue of Rice Today. Coupled with our trade feature, the second of the new series of stunning photo centerfolds shows a different type of landscape: hills and valleys of rice sacks being unloaded from a ship docked at Manila, Philippines. The July-September issue of Rice Today also documents a unique event at IRRI headquarters. In April, Thai and Filipino high school students—all from rice-farming families—came to Los Baños for the first-ever rice camp. The camp, which aimed to boost the promising students’ interest in both rice and science, gave the teenagers an opportunity to try for themselves the latest research and production techniques. Along the way, new friendships and friendly rivalries blossomed. http://www.irri.org/publications/today/today.asp Saturday, July 01, 2006 Hanoi, Vietnam – In a new partnership, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is working with the member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to develop a series of environmental indicators for rice production in the region. When implemented, the indicators will allow each country to monitor and compare the environmental impact of its rice production with that of its neighbors, and either correct any problems or improve on existing practices. It’s the first time anywhere in the world that a series of environmental indicators is being developed to monitor the impact of agricultural production on such a large regional basis. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=135 Monday, June 05, 2006 The IRRN provides a mechanism to help scientists keep each other informed of current rice research findings. The concise scientific notes are meant to encourage rice scientists to communicate with one another to obtain details on the research reported. http://www.irri.org/publications/irrn/irrn31-1.asp Thursday, June 01, 2006 Access significant dates in IRRI's rich history as the Institute approaches its 50th anniversary in 2010. http://www.irri.org/about/history.asp Friday, April 28, 2006 Research summaries in the Annual Report of the Director General 2005-06 contain information on a project basis. Each file contains a project summary and highlights of research progress during 2005. http://www.irri.org/science/progsum/prog2005.asp Thursday, April 27, 2006 New book from IRRI and PhilRice: Why does the Philippines import rice? Meeting the challenge of trade liberalization, Edited by D.Dawe, P.Moya, and C.Casiwan. A perpetual question on the minds of many Filipinos is "Why do we import rice?" This book points to geography - the Philippines imports rice because it is a nation of islands without any major river deltas like those in Thailand and Vietnam, the world's top two rice exporters. http://www.irri.org/publications/catalog/newpub.asp Thursday, April 06, 2006 The April-June issue of Rice Today offers, for the first time, a spectacular photo centerfold—a stunning aerial view from above Ifugao Province in the northern Philippines, where the area’s indigenous people are painstakingly moving the earth to redirect a river and so carve out fertile new fields for planting rice. The magazine also features rice in the Mekong, reviewing the 15-year effort, led by IRRI and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, that has revolutionized rice production in Laos. We also look at the integration of livestock and rice farming in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam in Back to the future—an extract from Sharing Rice, a new book that examines the role of rice and rice research in fostering peace and prosperity in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Traditional rice varieties can harbor genes that offer resistance to potentially devastating stresses. Researchers have recently identified two genes that help plants withstand the scourge of saline or phosphorus-deficient soils, respectively. This information will ultimately help breeders develop high-yielding varieties that can also resist these problems. The magazine’s Rice facts column investigates the insidious impact of drought on poor rice farmers and their communities. All of this, plus the latest news and views, is available now in the April-June 2006 issue of Rice Today. http://www.irri.org/publications/today/today.asp Monday, April 03, 2006 Los Banos, Philippines – New evidence is emerging that climate change could reduce not only the world’s ability to produce food but also international efforts to cut poverty. However, the recent sequencing of the rice genome is already providing researchers with some of the tools they need to help poor rice farmers and consumers avoid the worst effects of the problem. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=126 Wednesday, March 29, 2006 The LITE project, funded by UK's Department for International Development, set out to discover the exact cause of an assumed drop in rice yield when farmers in Bangladesh stop spraying insecticide. The ultimate aim was to identify safe alternatives to insecticides. This new 16:41 video from IRRI explains what happened. http://www.irri.org/video.asp#LITE Thursday, March 23, 2006 FoSHoL is a 4-year project working for the improvement of food security and livelihoods of agriculture dependent resource-poor households mainly small and marginal farmers. This project is funded by the European Commission (EC), implemented by 3 international NGOs namely ActionAid Bangladesh, CARE Bangladesh and ITDG Bangladesh and coordinated by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). http://www.foshol.org/about_foshol.htm Thursday, March 23, 2006 The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has provided the financial resources needed for a 16-year effort to bring the Green Revolution to the Lao PDR, one of Asia's poorest nations. The accomplishments of the Lao-IRRI Rice Research and Training Project, led jointly by the Lao national rice research system and IRRI, were celebrated recently (14-15 March 2006) during a Project Completion Workshop in Laos. The link here provides access to publications, articles, and a new IRRI video, Celebrating the Land, which provide a wealth of information about the success and impact of the Lao-IRRI Project, which effectively closes in September 2006. http://www.irri.org/donors/SDC/index.asp Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Integration of rice and livestock production is not new. What have changed over the years are the nature and roles of the crop and animal components and the complexity of their interactions. The relationship between rice production and the raising of carabao and a few other animals approximately 40 years ago was based purely on need for subsistence. This relationship has now evolved into more complex systems, as influenced by various socioeconomic, environmental, and political factors...This limited proceedings consists mainly of country monographs that describe the status and direction of development of integrated crop-animal systems in the five main rice-growing countries of Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. http://www.irri.org/publications/limited/limited.asp?id=14 Tuesday, February 14, 2006 In a historic, first-ever visit to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) by an Indian head of state, Indian President Dr. A.P.J. Kalam placed special emphasis on using science and technology to help his country’s millions of poor rice farmers. President Kalam spent more than two hours hearing about the latest rice research and advising the Institute’s scientists on Sunday, February 5. His time at IRRI was part of an official four-day visit to the Philippines, the first trip to the Southeast Asian nation by an Indian president in 15 years. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=122 Tuesday, February 07, 2006 Mexico City, Mexico, and Los Banos, Philippines – The long, arduous and expensive process of developing new crop varieties received a major boost this week with the joint launch in Mexico and the Philippines of a new scientific program and facilities that unite key databases and research on the planet’s three most important crops, rice, wheat and maize. A joint venture between two of the world’s leading agricultural research centers – the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico – the new lab and research program were officially launched on Monday via a video conference link between IRRI and CIMMYT. This is the first major output of an alliance between IRRI and CIMMYT that was formally established last year. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=120 Wednesday, January 25, 2006 RIPPLE is a new quarterly newsletter produced by the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The Consortium aims to produce international links among scientists, managers, communicators, and farmers in lowland irrigated and favorable rainfed rice environments. http://www.irri.org/irrc/ripple/Ripple%20Jan2006_low.pdf Saturday, January 21, 2006 The concept of SSNM for rice was developed in the mid-1990s. It was then evaluated and refined from 1997 to 2000 in about 200 irrigated rice farms at eight sites in six Asian countries through the project “Reversing Trends in Declining Productivity (RTDP). From 2001 to 2004, the initial SSNM concept was systematically transformed to provide farmers and extension workers with simplified plant-need-based management of N, P, and K. Since 2005, increased emphasis has been placed on the dissemination of SSNM through expanded partnerships with research and extension organizations, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the private sector. Learn more by visiting this new Web site. http://www.irri.org/irrc/ssnm/index.htm Friday, January 20, 2006 IRRIAlumni.Net: IRRI’s alumni reunion will be held at the University of California at Davis, from June 23 to 25, 2006. As with previous reunions, there will be multiple activities and events, including a symposium on rice research and future directions, tours of fields, campus and research plots, the traditional Sunday run, dinners, brunches, and meriendas all day. Most importantly, the best part of the reunion is talking with friends. http://www.irrialumni.net/index.html Monday, January 16, 2006 This chapter excerpt from the forthcoming book, Sharing rice, peace, and prosperity in the Mekong Region, by Peter Fredenburg and Bob Hill, documents that spraying insecticides on young crops is worse than useless and how scientists have borrowed mass media techniques to convey this information to farmers. http://www.irri.org/media/impact/index.asp Thursday, January 12, 2006 The IRRN provides a mechanism to help scientists keep each other informed of current rice research findings. The concise scientific notes are meant to encourage rice scientists to communicate with one another to obtain details on the research reported http://www.irri.org/publications/irrn/irrn30-2.asp Sunday, January 01, 2006 Canberra and Los Banos – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has joined with the Australian-based organization CAMBIA to announce an exciting new joint venture to advance the BiOS Initiative. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=116 Tuesday, December 13, 2005 The medium term plan (MTP) for 2006-2008 reflects IRRI’s core agenda in addressing current and emerging problems in rice. It is guided by the broad framework of the strategic plan outlined in the document IRRI toward 2020 published in 1996, and updated in November 2003. http://www.irri.org/science/mtp/index.asp Tuesday, December 13, 2005 The genome sequence: making waves in rice research. Also features on Rice in the mountains: a new green revolution and stories from Thailand: the reckless rice breeder and improving jasmine rice. http://www.irri.org/publications/today/index.asp Thursday, December 01, 2005 Los Banos, Philippines – Breeding rice with higher levels of iron can have an important impact on reducing micronutrient malnutrition, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. The research, conducted by scientists from the Philippines and the United States, is a major step forward in the battle against iron deficiency, one of the developing world’s most debilitating and intractable public health problems affecting nearly 2 billion people. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=115 Thursday, December 01, 2005 Perlegen Sciences, Inc., and IRRI announced today that they will collaborate to identify DNA variation in fifteen rice strains. By identifying sequence variation between major rice varieties, the study will help uncover the genetic basis underlying important agricultural traits. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=113 Wednesday, November 16, 2005 The IRRI Web site links to three videos available on the Web site of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD). These programs discuss research implemented from 1998 to 2003 by the Mountain Agrarian Systems (SAM) Program, a joint research project of the Vietnam Agricultural Science Institute (VASI), IRD, the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), and IRRI. http://www.irri.org/video.asp#IRD Tuesday, November 08, 2005 The International Rice Congress 2006 (IRC2006) will be jointly organized by the Government of India (Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology, and Cooperation through the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Indian Council of Agricultural Research) and the International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, 9-13 October 2006, in New Delhi, India. The main aim of the Congress is to bring together all diverse stakeholders of the international rice community—researchers, farmers, extension workers, industrialists, business managers, and policy planners—in an effort to address the emerging issues. http://www.irri.org/irc2006/ Thursday, October 27, 2005 This prize was established by people at its birth place of Koshihikari to recognize rice researchers who are working in various institutions. This prize will be given to the two best nominees. Each laureate will receive 500,000 Japanese yen in connection　with the award (including airfaire and hotel cost). Deadline for nominations is 20 Nov. 2005. http://www.geocities.jp/koshihikarinet/ Wednesday, October 26, 2005 Hangzhou, China – China, the world's largest rice producer, has announced the launch of a major new research effort to further improve the overall quality of its rice varieties and boost their nutritional value. At a joint event this week in Hangzhou with the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Chinese officials formally opened a new Rice Quality and Nutrition Center at the China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI). The new Chinese facility will be closely linked to the Grain Quality and Nutrition Research Center opened at IRRI late last year. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=112 Thursday, October 20, 2005 Use this site to obtain information about the different rice ecosystems and relevant statistics for rice production in South, Southeast, and East Asia. http://gismapserver.irri.cgiar.org/atlas%20of%20rice/ Thursday, September 22, 2005 Via the Potash and Phosphate Institute (PPI): Nutrient Decision Support System (NuDSS) for Irrigated Rice: The production of this software program is an initiative of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium to provide decision support on site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) in the irrigated lowlands. http://www.irri.org/science/software/index.asp Sunday, September 18, 2005 Special report on Drought: Fighting the Dry Curse. The headlines do not scream at you from the front page.But their effect builds and, if you have followed the news from across Asia this past year or so, you will understand the scale of the problem. Drought does not have the immediacy of a tsunami or a flood, but it can kill just as effectively.Its method is slow, insidious and,in the end, more painful, grinding people slowly into the dust that lies where crops once stood. http://www.irri.org/publications/today/index.asp Saturday, September 10, 2005 View new videos produced by IRRI: 1) A Time of Change--Theme 1 of the Challenge Program on Water and Food and 2) Rice Science for a Better World. http://www.irri.org/video.asp Friday, September 09, 2005 Fertilizer Chooser is the final step in preparing a fertilizer program. Fertilizer Chooser assumes that a fertilizer recommendation for balanced plant nutrition is available and helps the user to Translate a nutrient recommendation into the correct amounts of different fertilizers needed to make up the right amount of nutrients. http://www.irri.org/science/software/index.asp Thursday, September 01, 2005 The IRRN provides a mechanism to help scientists keep each other informed of current rice research findings. The concise scientific notes are meant to encourage rice scientists to communicate with one another to obtain details on the research reported. http://www.irri.org/publications/irrn/irrn30-1.asp Friday, July 01, 2005 El Batan, Mexico. Two of the world's leading agricultural research institutes have announced more details of an exciting new Alliance to help improve the lives of the millions of poor farmers in the developing world growing the cereal crops rice, wheat and maize. http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=109 Friday, June 17, 2005 GreenRice.net is sponsored by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and is intended to serve as an evolving online resource to facilitate the development of an environmental agenda for rice agriculture. http://www.greenrice.net/ Sunday, June 05, 2005 An information summary for supporters of international rice research http://www.irri.org/media/hotline/hljun2005.asp Wednesday, June 01, 2005 World rice statistics (WRS), which are published periodically by IRRI, present a comprehensive time series of information related to rice. http://www.irri.org/science/ricestat/pdfs/WRS2005-Table19.pdf Tuesday, May 17, 2005 World rice statistics (WRS), which are published periodically by IRRI, present a comprehensive time series of information related to rice. http://www.irri.org/science/ricestat/pdfs/WRS2005-Table18.pdf Tuesday, May 17, 2005 World rice statistics (WRS), which are published periodically by IRRI, present a comprehensive time series of information related to rice. http://www.irri.org/science/ricestat/pdfs/WRS2005-Table13.pdf Wednesday, April 27, 2005