India is going to set up a regional center of the IRRI in Varanasi in Prime Minister’s constituency, to develop high-yielding rice varieties. The IRRI, which is known for its work in developing rice varieties that contributed to the Green Revolution in the 1960s and currently, it boasts of having offices in 17 countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday visited the global rice research center in the Philippines. A large number of Indian scientists are working in the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos, an urban locality situated at a distance of around 65 km from Manila.
The PMO tweeted saying “The Varanasi Center would help increase farmers’ income by enhancing and supporting rice productivity, reducing the cost of production, value addition, diversification and enhancement of farmers’ skills.”
Raveesh Kumar, the Spokesperson in the external affairs ministry said that the IRRI has successfully collaborated with Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) to introduce drought-tolerant, flood-tolerant and salt-tolerant varieties of rice in India.
Mr. Modi arrived in Manila on Sunday on a three-day visit to attend the ASEAN-India and the East Asia summits.