Varanasi: The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with the World Bank, on Thursday, hosted a roundtable discussion on low methane rice at the IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) in Varanasi. The event is an integral part of the broader proposed UP-AGREES project, which aims to scale up Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) to harness its potential for mitigating methane emissions and promoting sustainable rice-based food systems in the region. Prominent participants from the World Bank 2030 Water Resources Group, Bayer, CORE Carbon X, Indian Oil Corporation, PyroCCS/Teo Ventures, Reddy's Foundation, and NARES institutes engaged in thought-provoking discussions on the multifaceted benefits of DSR, encompassing reduced greenhouse gas emissions , enhanced water conservation, and increased farm productivity.
The event also delved into the existing and potential opportunities for carbon resource management and India's vision for the future of carbon markets. IRRI director general Yvonne Pinto expressed gratitude to the World Bank and participating stakeholders for selecting ISARC as the venue for this pivotal initiative. "DSR has been a flagship initiative of IRRI and is among our cutting-edge solutions for rice-based agrifood systems facing climatic challenges.
This roundtable marks a pivotal moment and a committed effort towards strategizing the scaling up of DSR adoption in the region." IRRI has successfully collaborated with the World Bank on projects such as APART in Assam, the Climate Pro Project in Odisha, and the One Million Hectares of High-Quality Rice Project in Vietnam, among others, and proposed new partnerships in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. Dina Umali-Deininger from the World Bank commended the collaborative nature of the initiative, stating, "The partnership between IRRI and the World Bank under the UP-AGREES project is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovative solutions in agriculture.
By integrating the expertise and resources of various stakeholders, we aim to create a robust ecosystem that supports the widespread adoption of climate-smart practices like DSR." Shobha Shetty, World Bank global director for Agriculture and Food Global Practice, emphasized the potential of DSR in delivering faster planting, early maturing, and working around aerobic systems, making it a viable solution for reduced methane emissions. We also published the following articles recently How to eat rice and chapati to get maximum benefits Aged rice and wheat offered multiple health benefits, including a lower glycemic index for better blood sugar control, increased antioxidant levels to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, and improved digestibility.
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