Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra inaugurated the “1st Virtual Indian Rice Congress - 2020” organized by the Association of Rice Research Workers at the ICAR-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, Odisha on 8th December, 2020.
Director General of International Rice Research Institute in Philippines, Dr. Mathew Morrel also marked his presence as the Guest of Honor. Meanwhile Dr. Ramesh Chand, NITI Aayog member delivered the Plenary Lecture.
A panel discussion was held on “Reinventing rice production system to achieve the SDGs” wherein nine Panelists across India with different backgrounds took part in the deliberations.
The Congress was organized together with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Delhi; ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad; Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar; Society for Advancement of Rice Research, Hyderabad & IRRI-South Asia Regional Centre, Uttar Pradesh.
The theme of the Congress was “Rice Research & Development for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals” with the aim to provide a platform for all rice stakeholders to interact as well as exchange ideas about the latest advances in rice science & brainstorm important policies to meet the UN’ Sustainable Development Goals and to sustain the cultivation of rice in India.
It was based on 4 broad areas i.e. sustainable rice farming, enhancing rice productivity & quality, biotic-stress management in rice & rice for livelihood security, equity and profitability.
(Source: NRRI, Odisha)
