The Union Cabinet has approved setting up International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), South Asia Regional Center (ISARC) in Varanasi which will work on developing high-yielding rice varieties. A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) will soon be signed between India and IRRI, Philippines.
ISARC HIGHLIGHTS
1. Will be established at existing campus of the National Seed Research and Training Center.
2. HRD ministry will provide physical space for laboratories, offices & training classes with associated infrastructure and land at National Seed Research and Training Center
3. Will be commissioned within six months
4. Will be the first international center in the eastern India
“It will help in utilizing the rich biodiversity of India to develop special rice varieties. This will help India to achieve higher per hectare yields and improved nutritional contents”, said government statement.
Statement added that Centre would help adopt value chain based production system. “This will reduce wastage, add value and generate higher income for the farmers. This will benefit farmers in eastern India besides those in South Asian & African countries.
The Leadership
ISARC will operate under the governance of the IRRI Board of Trustees. A Coordination Committee will be headed by director general, IRRI. India’s agriculture secretary will be the co-chair. Other members of Coordination Committee will be deputy director general (crop sciences), ICAR, director of the NSRTC, IRRI representative in India, representative of Uttar Pradesh government and representatives of governments of Nepal & Bangladesh and private sector.
CERVA
A Center of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA) will also be set up in Varanasi. This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory to determine quality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw. CERVA will also undertake capacity building exercises for stakeholders across rice value chain.
