Sixfold economic impact of irrigated rice science

Irrigated rice is planted in half the world’s rice fields (about 135 million hectares), and produces 75% of the world’s rice supply. Irrigated rice is consequently the most important agricultural ecosystem in Asia, producing the most food to feed the most people. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 444 million tons of rice was consumed worldwide in 2008. By 2050, this is expected to rise by 50%.
The Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) was established in 1997 with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It has provided a platform and mechanism for partnerships between national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) and IRRI. This has greatly strengthened the development and delivery of appropriate technologies and has helped identify and address regional research needs in irrigated rice.
Funding from SDC ended in December 2012. The IRRC continues to operate as a platform that houses projects such as: Closing the Rice Yield Gap (CORIGAP); Reducing risks & raising livelihoods in rice environments through improved knowledge of environment and management; Diversification and intensification of rice‐based systems in lower Myanmar, and Sustainable Rice Platform. These projects aim to improve food security and gender equity and alleviate poverty through optimized productivity and environmental sustainability of rice-based farming systems.