Recent severe cold snaps in Europe and North America demonstrate how much trouble a temperature change can cause. For rice, the cold can be devastating as it can cause sterility, which means no grain is produced.

Rice Today’s January-March 2010 edition explores how tropic-loving rice is being adapted to cold environments to boost rice yields in Korea and across rice-growing nations in Africa where rice is exposed to cold temperatures.

Demonstrating the extent of the “cold” issue, Rice Today also publishes maps of rice production in cold temperate regions and high-altitude areas in the tropics that experience cold temperatures. We also hear from rice farmers in the upland regions of the Philippines who are eagerly awaiting cold-tolerant rice varieties to help prevent yield losses.

Furthermore, taking a look at the upland regions of Chiang Mai, Thailand, life for farmers is already looking more promising. Their path out of poverty – by diversifying into high-value vegetable crops while still producing rice to make secure personal food security – is shared through an exposé on IRRI’s rice landscape management research to improve livelihoods.

African rice farmers and researchers are also addressing food security issues as they work together to adapt African rice production to climate change.

IRRI’s climate change researcher, Dr. Reiner Wassmann, shares his thoughts on what the absence of agriculture in the final agreement of the COP15 – the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference held in December 2009 – may mean for rice production.

On rice trade matters, Dr. Samarendu Mohanty, IRRI economist, outlines an initiative to develop a digital rice information gateway that can supply real-time rice crop monitoring and generate short- to medium-term projections on production, consumption, trade, and prices under different scenarios. In his medium-term outlook, Dr. Mohanty says that “rice prices will continue to rise as production fails to keep pace with demand growth because of low yield growth and limited area expansion.”

This issue’s Pioneer Interview features retired economists Randy Barker and Robert Herdt as they reminisce about their IRRI days and reflect on the evolution of IRRI’s social science research.

In this issue, we report more about the kickoff of IRRI’s 50th anniversary celebrations, starting with the 6th International Rice Genetics Symposium, the launch of IRRI’s 50th anniversary, and other related events. We also feature the Philippines in our first country highlight for the year.

All of these, plus the latest news, views, and books, are available now in Rice Today’s January-March 2010 edition. Free online registration for the full content and notification of future issues of Rice Today is now available. Subscribers’ copies are being mailed.

Philippine NFA says there’s enough supply of rice

Provincial Manager Rey Villacorta of the National Food Authority in the Philippines said there’s enough supply of NFA rice.

Manager Villacorta made the guarantee in the midst of pronouncements by rice retailers that the price of commercial rice will increase in the coming days.

“There are 50,000 bags of rice stocked at the warehouse where only 5,000 bags are being released,” he said. But they plan to double this number if there are many who will buy the NFA rice when prices of commercial rice in the market will increase.

Prices of NFA rice stays at P18.25 to P32 per kilo depending on its class. (IRRI)

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In Los Baños, Philippines the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) launches on its 50th anniversary celebrations to acknowledge how rice science has helped address food security, and to emphasize the ongoing need for rice science to tackle the challenges of poverty and climate change.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand formally launched IRRI’s 50th anniversary at IRRI’s headquarters in the Philippines, which will include 12 months of special activities to draw the world’s attention to rice – the crop that feeds half the world – and opportunities to achieve global food security.

“The plight of over 1 billion people stricken with poverty, 70% of whom live in Asia and depend on rice as their staple food, is our driving force for our research,” said IRRI’s Director General Dr. Robert Zeigler.

“We must find solutions to help increase rice yields and improve the sustainability of rice production because as rice yields increase the incidence of poverty decreases,” he added.

In fifty years, IRRI’s high-yielding rice varieties and other technologies, plus comprehensive training, have contributed to the doubling of average world rice yields. This has averted famine and prevented millions of hectares of natural ecosystems from being converted to farmland.

Since 1960, IRRI has also:

* Developed more than 457 rice breeding lines between 1966 and 2009 that have been released as 864 varieties in 78 countries.

* Conserved and shared the genetic diversity of rice in the International Rice Genebank, which contains over 109,000 different types.

* Managed pests and diseases through ecology, genetics, and education.

* Shared our rice knowledge with our international rice research and extension partners.

* Trained rice scientists at our training center and through our in-country training programs..

* Promoted sustainable soil and nutrient management, and worked to counteract water scarcity.

“We are honored to have Princess Sirindhorn launch our 50th anniversary celebrations,” said Dr. Zeigler. “IRRI’s achievements would never have been possible without our many partners and donors from all over the world and we look forward to celebrating with them.”

“We also want to thank our host nation, the Philippines, and recognize the hard work and commitment of the thousands of scientists and collaborators who have worked with IRRI over the last 50 years,” he added.

Several major events are planned for the anniversary, including

# The 50th annual meeting of IRRI’s Board of Trustees, 12-17 April 2010, followed by an alumni homecoming for all former IRRI staff and scholars, both in Los Baños, Philippines.

# The 3rd International Rice Congress (IRC2010), 9-12 November 2010, Hanoi, Vietnam. The IRC2010, the world’s largest gathering of the rice industry, has the theme Rice for Future Generations, and will include the 28th International Rice Research Conference, 3rd World Rice Commerce Conference, 3rd International Rice Technology and Cultural Expo, and other 50th anniversary activities of IRRI.

Other events are expected to be held around Asia in 2010 as each rice-producing nation celebrates its research and production achievements. (IRRI)

www.Cebu-Philippines.net is an up-to-date guide to Cebu Philippines and the Philippines. Providing current and relevant information about visa, airlines, hotels, resorts, jose rizal, scuba diving, travel, health and wellness

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