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Odisha Eyes IRRI Centre

Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo has said that Odisha Government will provide all sorts of support for opening an Branch of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) here in the State.

Shri Singh Deo was addressing symposium on Science-based Rice Research in Collaboration with International Rice Research Institute and Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment.

Dr. Yvonne Pinto. Director General of International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines, highlighted new directions in the field of rice research in a science- based lecture.

Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, welcomed Ms. Pinto and highlighted the approach of the conference.

Deputy CM in his speech explained the origin of rice cultivation in Odisha and its relationship with our culture. He expressed his views on how the presence of various traditional varieties of rice such as Kala jeera rice, in the Koraput region is making Odisha proud on the global rice cultivation map.

He promised to provide all kinds of help from the government to open a research branch of this institute in Odisha in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute and the state government.

Dr. Pinto thanked the state government for being able to research many problems related to rice cultivation in the climate of Odisha and take steps to solve them. In the field of rice research, climate change issues, development of nutritious rice varieties of rice and creation of export oriented market along with creation of rice value chain promised to lead Odisha in the field of rice cultivation.

The International Rice Research Institute will play a significant role in eliminating hunger, poverty and malnutrition from the state through rice cultivation and creating a sustainable agricultural environment for rice cultivation by believing in science- based agricultural transformation of the state said by the Principal Secretary Agriculture Dr.Padhee.

Director Agriculture, Prem Chandra Choudhary, Director Horticulture, Nikhil Pawan Kalyan, Dean OUAT, Senior Officials of Agriculture department, and Scientists participated in this knowledge-based discussion. Later a question answer session was held.