Established in 1960, we are among the largest non-profit agricultural research centers in Asia, with headquarters in the Philippines and offices in 14 nations. Supported by donors and partners around the globe, we are known as the home of the Green Revolution in Asia. We help feed almost half the world’s population. Our mission is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure that rice production is environmentally sustainable.
The IRC is the world's largest gathering of the rice industry and is held every 4 years. IRC2010 will include the 28th International Rice Research Conference, the 3rd World Rice Commerce Conference, the 3rd International Rice Technology and Cultural Expo, and 50th anniversary celebrations of IRRI. MARD will also host the 3rd Ministerial Round Table Meeting comprising of all agriculture secretaries or ministers of major Asian countries.
In honor of IRRI’s 50th anniversary, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC) has issued a set of four stamps celebrating the Institute's important work in rice research for the world, much of it done in IRRI's host country.
The four stamps were officially released by Philippine Postmaster General Hector R. R. Villanueva in a special first-day issue ceremony at IRRI's headquarters in Los Baños on 14 April 2010, that date being IRRI's official birthday on which its Board of Trustees met for the first time in 1960. |Click here to order
The Web version of IRRI’s 2008 Annual Report is now online. Although as usual you can read about the Institute’s research progress, you can also see and hear about our work in a way that will make learning more about our accomplishments an enlightening and pleasurable experience. View video clips and connect to hundreds of links to discover the latest research results from IRRI’s seven programs and much, much more.
Farmers to get rice-growing advice via text messagesNews & Events (Press Release)
Rice farmers in the “texting capital” of the world—the Philippines—will soon have nutrient management advice tailored to their specific needs and delivered to their mobile phones. IRRI has joined hands with the Philippine Department of Agriculture to establish a system that responds to farmers' questions about their particular rice crops. Using the familiar interface of the ubiquitous mobile phone, farmers receive an SMS (text) reply recommending amounts, sources, and timing of fertilizer applications for profitable rice production in their paddies.
IRRN 2010 ArticlesUpdates
Read the latest technical reports for 2010 in the International Rice Research Notes, IRRI’s journal that helps scientists keep each other informed of current rice research findings. Among these articles, see how a common household vacuum cleaner can help rice researchers and find the latest data on rice plant performance under heat stress.
US$300 million fund-raising campaign launched for rice food security in AsiaNews & Events (Press Release)
In the face of unrelenting pressure on Asian rice production, the International Rice Research Institute has launched a US$300 million fund-raising campaign to support rice research and help find sustainable solutions. Organized to mark IRRI’s 50th anniversary in 2010, the five-year campaign, which comes at a key time for rice production and food security in Asia and around the world, has already raised $59 million.
New materials to facilitate PGRFA transferAnnouncements (Training)
An online self-study course on transferring plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), developed by IRRI's Training Center, is now available online in addition to new FAQs on the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA) recently put on the Web site.
International Rice Research Institute 2010