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Public Sector Rice Biotechnology Research
Rice is a major staple for a large segment of the world population,
Asia in particular. Consequently, it has been reported that, worldwide,
there are more applications of agricultural biotechnology being
researched on rice than for any other crop. Technologies for insect
 resistance,
abiotic stress resistance, herbicide resistance, and nutritional
enhancement are under development. Biotech research on rice is ongoing
in the United States, Europe, and especially in Asia.
Because of the importance of rice toward feeding people in many
nations that experience malnutrition, an assortment of countries
are working collaboratively on increasing rice production through
biotechnology. For example, there has been a multinational effort
toward sequencing the genome of rice. Such collaborative efforts
are beginning to bear fruit; genetic information on rice is becoming
freely and readily available to scientists.
While many research institutions are investigating methods to increase
world rice production, the International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in particular, is heavily invested
in rice biotechnology research. IRRI is a nonprofit agricultural
research and training center established to improve the well-being
of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers,
particularly those with low incomes.  It
is dedicated to helping farmers in developing countries produce
more food in limited land using less water, less labor, and fewer
chemical inputs, without harming the environment. IRRI is a member
of CGIAR, the
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, and supports
the Future
Harvest Project.
For many years, the Rockefeller
Foundation also invested in rice biotechnology research, helping
to train rice researches in Asia. As a result, several developing
country research institutions now have a cadre of scientists trained
to interact with -- and build on -- research conducted at IRRI.
Because of the substantial amount of rice bio-science research that
is underway, it is critical that public understanding of the benefits
and costs of rice biotechnology keep up with the science at home
and abroad.
Click here to learn
about rice biotechnologies for Asia...
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