Daily Tribune
The Department of Agriculture on Thursday announced that for the first time, the Philippines is hosting this October the International Rice Congress, a platform for rice-based food systems innovators to work towards shaping a food and nutrition secure future.
Convened by the International Rice Research Institute every four years, previous congresses were held in Beijing (2002), New Delhi (2006), Hanoi (2010), Bangkok (2014) and Singapore (2018).
The 6th IRC, which expects 2,000 delegates throughout the rice value chain, is organized by the International Rice Research Institute, the Consortium of International Agriculture Research Centers and the DA.
Already, over a thousand abstracts covering the eight different themes of the conference had been received by IRRI Internal Communications Specialist Xenina Ibabao.
These themes — which are the same guideposts and strategies adopted by the DA's Rice Program are: 1) Fast-tracking genetic solutions and varieties; 2) One health and nutritious rice value chains; 3) digital solutions across scales; 4) Nature-based farming solutions; 5) Transforming rice landscapes for climate resilience; 6) partnerships for scaling and impact; 7) sustainable global rice economy and 8) societal equity, equality and prosperity.
Keynote speakers
Keynote speakers are: Michael Graham, head of Crop Science Research and Development Breeding of Bayer; Prof. Sally Mackenzie of Biology and Plant Science of the Pennsylvania State University; Yvonne Pinto, director of Bioeconomy-AgBio of Eagle Genomics; William Salas, chief strategy officer of Regrow; Baboucarr Manneh, Director General of AfricaRice Center; Prof. Keijiro Otsuka of Development Economics of Kobe University of Japan; Secretary Himanshu Pathak of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education of New Delhi and Monetary Board member V. Bruce Tolentino, PhD, of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Private sector groups from global corporations to agripreneurial startups will find a platform to showcase their innovations, build their networks and secure partnerships and investments.
