Speaker Announcement: IRRI’s Dr. Van Schepler-Luu will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming Plant Health 2025. During her presentation, she will highlight global collaboration on emerging rice diseases. 🔗 More:

In the Media: Bangladesh has approved 18 new rice varieties suited for Boro and Aman seasons and flood-prone areas with yields up to 8.19 t/ha. This builds on efforts by BRRI & IRRI to develop climate-resilient rice, including heat-tolerant varieties. 🔗

Research Spotlight: Flooded rice fields are a major source of agricultural methane. New research shows that salt-affected ecosystems can suppress these emissions, while still supporting rice cultivation. 🔗

To help combat hidden hunger, IRRI developed 3-in-1 healthier rice through gene stacking, combining vitamin A, iron, & zinc in a biofortified variety. This offers a practical solution to malnutrition, w/o requiring changes in diets or farming practices.

“Ecosystem integrity underpins rice production. Nature isn’t a backdrop to farming; it’s the foundation,” IRRI’s Ben Kemp said at the SIRS Seminar. He emphasized that disrupting landscapes entails significant trade-offs for rice, communities, and ecosystems.

Research Spotlight: How do communities drive sustainable farming transitions?. The study explores how communities in South America are using Indigenous & non-Western teaching methods to learn & guide their shift toward & sustainable & just farming systems.

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT: IRRI DG Dr. Yvonne Pinto will chair a panel on "Sustainable Rice Farming" at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit 2025. The session will explore how innovation & regional collaboration are reshaping rice systems. 🔗

Rice Today: In Nepal, women make up 70% of the agricultural workforce but often lack training & resources. A recent DSR trial on 30+ ha shows higher yields, lower labor, and 30% cost savings, making rice farming more viable and empowering for women. Read:

Bundled financial support lets Odisha farmers farm with less fear and more resilience. Read more:

RT @CGIARgender: Women’s empowerment is both a goal and a driver of just transformation in Food, Land, and Water Systems. How can we advanc….

Keeping pests in check with science 🪰🦗. At a recent IRRI-RDA training on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), experts introduced key paradigm shifts to help participants localize IPM strategies to address climate-driven challenges in rice production. Read:

RT @WorldBank: Half the world eats rice. But most of the 140 million farmers who grow it live in poverty. @WorldBank's Juergen Voegele joi….

IRRI & CGIAR are seeking an experienced leader to head the CGIAR Liaison Office for Asia & Pacific, who will be central in driving a demand-led research agenda of CGIAR in the region. APPLICATION ENDS TOMORROW! Apply Today:

Digital tools alone won’t transform agriculture, but empowered farmers can. Read CGIAR initiatives on increasing digital agency for farmers:

RT @WorldBankWater: The global rice industry is facing real turbulence: stagnating yields, extreme weather, water waste, and struggling far….

In 🇧🇩, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, IRRI is working through CGIAR’s Scaling for Impact program to accelerate the adoption of rice-based innovations that improve livelihoods, build resilience, & support Bangladesh’s goals. More:

Burundian diplomats visited IRRI’s Regional Crop Improvement Hub to learn how scientific innovation in rice research supports Burundi’s ambition to become a developed country by 2060. 🔗 Read more:

An IRRI study on using machine learning to improve nitrogen fertilizer recommendations won Best Scientific Poster at NAST 2025. This recognition highlights the critical role of data-driven innovations in promoting climate-smart, sustainable, & efficient rice farming.

WEBINAR: IRRI’s Dr. Ranjitha Puskur will present key insights from the CGIAR Gender Impact Platform on gender-responsive climate-smart agriculture, highlighting how empowering women w/ tailored solutions can strengthen climate change responses. Register:

In the Media: In this episode of the CNBC Debate, IRRI DG Yvonne Pinto emphasized how strategic public–private partnerships are essential to maximize the impact and return on investment in AI for agri-food systems. Watch the CNBC Debate: