Varanasi: The annual Rice Varietal Cafeteria Evaluation event was organised at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) here under the guidance of ISARC director Sudhanshu Singh and Norman Borlaug Field Scientist Award recipient and IRRI Seed System and Product Management South Asia head Swati Nayak.

The one-day event was held to provide farmers and other stakeholders a platform to observe, assess, and select the best varieties at the crop cafeteria that hosted 36 new varieties of different segments.

The event also included discussions on seed entrepreneurship, community seed production with FPO/FPCS, and early-generation seed production in collaboration with BHU providing valuable insights for future actions in Uttar Pradesh.

While addressing the inaugural session, Swati Nayak said such events are sure to play a crucial role in advancing sustainable agriculture for farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

This event at ISARC is part of broader efforts across South Asia to raise awareness among value chain actors, ensuring the integration of new rice varieties into the production chain. She said in recent years, the Seed System unit of ISARC has acted as the focal point for the dissemination of multiple rice varieties across various districts in Uttar Pradesh through extensive OFTs (On Farm Trials), Cluster demonstrations, and Minikit distributions. Varieties like MTU1156, Swarna Samridhi, CG Devbhog, Telangana Sona, and many other varieties are being availed to farmers through the Robust seed systems’ varietal dissemination models comprising early generation seed production, quality seed production training, and collaborations with public and private stakeholders. After the inauguration, the delegates shared their insights on the importance of choosing the right seed variety for maximizing yields with the participating farmers. IRRI scientists presented research findings into the latest advancements in rice seed systems and variety development.

Agriculture department joint director SN Dubey advised the farmers to choose such short-duration varieties that could help in early harvest, resulting in reduced incidences of stubble burning and providing surplus time for the next crop duration.

Uttar Pradesh Beej Nigam MD JK Tomar emphasized on the need for collaborative approaches between farmer clusters (like FPOS, SHGS, and women SHGS), IRRI, and UP Beej Nigam for establishing seed entrepreneurship, that will not only ensure better income but also ensure quick dissemination of improved varieties of rice across the state.

After the technical session, the rice varietal cafeteria visit showcased 36 rice varieties.

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Published Date: November 24, 2023