Training programme on "Rice Production Technology"
A training programme on "Rice Production Technology" is being organized from 17-23 January 2012 with the active participation of 21 progressive farmers from ATMA, Begusarai, Bihar. Dr. T. Mohapatra, Director, CRRI inaugurated the programme on 17 January 2012. Dr. Lipi Das, Scientist, Social Science Division coordinated the programme.


Women in Agriculture Day Celebrated
The KVK, Santhapur and the CRRI celebrated the “Women in Agriculture Day” at village Budukunia in district Mahanga in Odisha on 4 Dec 2011. Farmwomen interacted with Dr Anand Prakash, Director (Acting), CRRI and other scientists from the CRRI and the KVK, Santhapur.

Director (Acting), CRRI evaluates RRLRRS, Gerua
Dr Anand Prakash, Director (Acting), evaluated the progress in research at the CRRI Regional Station, RRLRRS, at Gerua in Assam from 25 to 26 Nov 2011.He also visited trials in farmers’ fields.

CRRI Validates IPM Technology
The CRRI IPM Technology under rainfed shallow lowlands as part of the NCIPM-CRRI collaborative project was validated and popularized during kharif 2009, kharif 2010, and kharif 2011 in village Sighmapur of Cuttack district in Odisha. CRRI rice Pooja gave an average yield advantage of 1.2 t/ha over non-IPM fields with a benefit : cost ratio of 2.16.



 

CRRI Ready to Tackle Newer Challenges
Dr Anand Prakash, Director (Acting), CRRI, in his talk titled 'National Foodgrain Security up to XI Plan and Further ' spoke on the challenges faced by the agricultural scientists in responding to the newer,  emerging challenges due to biotic and abiotic stresses. He elaborated on the developments at the CRRI to tackle these challenges and the planning in the 12^th Five Year Plan. Dr Anand Prakash was delivering his talk at the 'National Symposium on Sustaining Agricultural Productivity and Food Security under Changing Climate' organized by the Gugly Centre for Biological Centre, Bhubaneswar and the Satyasai Charitable and Educational Trust, Cuttack, at Bhubaneswar on 11 Nov 2011.



Kisan Diwas held at Hazaribag
Dr Anand Prakash, Director (Acting), CRRI, inaugurated the Kisan Diwas at village Chauria in Hazaribag that was organized by the CRRI-CRURRS, Hazaribag on 4 November 2011. He spoke on the various programmes of the Research Station. Farmers also spoke on their experience of growing the varieties of the CRURRS and that they had a rice crop after two years. Dr M. Variar, Officer-in-charge and Dr V.D. Shukla also participated and spoke on the new initiatives of the Research Station.






Farmer’s Field Day and Training Programme held at KVK, Koderma

A farmer’s Field Day and training programme was held at the KVK, Koderma on 4 November 2011 that was inaugurated by Dr Anand Prakash, Director (Acting), CRRI. Dr Prakash listed out the new research activities to tackle emerging problems of growing rice. Dr V.K. Singh, PC, KVK, Koderma, spoke on the objectives. Dr M. Variar outlined the research programmes. Farmer’s spoke on their experiences. The KVK demonstrated the zero till machine and the reaper.

CRRI Awarded the “Think Odisha Leadership Award for Educational Institute of Excellence 2011”
The Times of India and Tefla’s “Think Odisha Leadership Award for Educational Institute of Excellence 2011” was awarded to the CRRI. Dr T.K. Adhya (right) received it from Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha (left) at the award function on 27 Aug 2011 in Bhubaneswar.

Dr T.K. Adhya attended the Crop Seminar at DDK, Guwahati
An Agricultural Crop Seminar entitled “Amar Pathar Amar Katha” under ‘Mass Media Support to Agricultural Extension’ was organized by Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati in collaboration with RRLRRS, Gerua at RRLRRS premises on 06.08.2011 to provide a platform for Scientists, Agricultural Officers and Farmers to interact with each other. Mr. Nilamani Sen Deka, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Government of Assam was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Dr. T. K. Adhya, Director, CRRI, graced the occasion and briefed the congregation of the farmers about research activities undertaken by CRRI Cuttack and its station at Gerua, technologies transferred and technologies in the pipeline for improving the flood-prone, rainfed, lowland rice scenario in Assam. A lively two and a half hour interaction took place between farmers and scientists from RRLRRS, Gerua, Assam Agricultural University and officers from the Department of Agriculture, Assam. The program was telecast live by Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati from 3.00 P.M. to 5.30 P.M. on 06.08.2011.

Dr T.K. Adhya Receives ICAR Norman Borlaug Award 2010
Shri Sharad Pawar, Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture, Government of India, gave the ICAR Norman Borlaug Award 2010 to Dr T.K. Adhya, during the ICAR Foundation Day on 16 Jul 2011 at New Delhi. Dr T.K. Adhya was given this award for outstanding studies on “Methane Production in Paddy Fields” that involved “Significant contributions in the frontier areas of agro-environmental science and natural resource management with tropical rice soil as the model ecosystem.”






Second Foundation Day Lecture Delivered by Dr. C.D. Mayee
On the eve of the 65^th Foundation Day of CRRI, Dr. C.D. Mayee, Chairman, ASRB, ICAR, New Delhi delivered the Second Foundation Day Lecture on “Do GM Regulations Aid or Abate Farm and Farmers?” on 22 April 2011 at the institute to the Scientists and Research Scholars.

65^th Foundation Day Celebrated
The CRRI celebrated its 65^th Foundation Day by organizing meeting, farmers’ visit, Kishan Gosthi, exhibition, award giving ceremony and cultural function on 23 April 2011. Dr. C.D. Mayee, Chairman, ASRB, ICAR, New Delhi inaugurated function as Chief Guest. Speaking on the occasion, he expressed his happiness on the achievements made by the Institute and urged the rice scientists to work hard towards the benefit of the farming community, particularly for the poverty stricken rice growers. Dr. S.K. Datta, DDG (CS), ICAR, Guest of Honour of the function, emphasized on the role of rice in food security for the countries across the globe including India and observed that the present rice production of the country (about 100 million tones) was a matter of satisfaction but should be raised further through evolving appropriate strategies including breeding programmes. Shri U.P. Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Orissa presented the rice production scenario in Orissa and wanted that state government agencies and farmers should take the help of different ICAR Institutes for their benefits. Dr. T.K. Adhya, Director, CRRI, presented the achievements made by Institute in the last decade specially to overcome the biotic and abiotic stresses. A documentary film on CRRI, an Oriya extension booklet on “Method of Scientific Rice Production”, CRRI Achievements@News and 2^nd Newsletter of KVK, Santhapur were released by the guests. Ten progressive farmers were felicitated on this occasion. Awards were distributed to the senior most employees and best workers of the Institute. The celebration ended with an impressive cultural programme and cash awards to meritorious wards of the employees.

 

CRRI Showcases its Technology at Natinal Level Kisan Mela 2011
CRRI participated in the National Level Kisan Mela 2011 at IARI, New Delhi from 3-5 March 2011. During the Mela CRRI showcased its premier technologies. The CRRI stall was visited and appriciated by distinguish visitors like Shri Arun Yadav, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture & Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India and Dr H.S. Gupta, Director and Vice-chancellor, IARI, New Delhi.

 
Dr T.K. Adhya Received the Dr N.S. Randhawa Memorial Award
Dr T.K. Adhya, Director was awarded the Dr N.S. Randhawa Memorial Award of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi for the biennium 2009-10 for his outstanding contributions in soil, water and environmental sciences and natural resources management. The award was conferred upon Dr Adhya by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, His Excellency Shri B.L. Joshi at the inaugural function of the Xth Agricultural Science Congress held at National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow. Hon'ble Shri Harish Rawat, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, presided over the function.



CRRI Received the Best Stall Award

The institute received the "Best Stall Award" in the Rural Technology Mela organized by National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad during 2-5 Feb 2011. Farmers, students, scientists and extension functionaries visited the stall in large numbers. All the visitors appreciated the information on rice varieties recently released by CRRI. Also the technology on rice-fish integrated farming systems towards improving livelihood option of rice farmers was highly appreciated. One insignia and a certificate for the Best Stall were presented.


Women in Agriculture Day Celebration
On the occasion of the Women in Agriculture Day, KVK, Santhapur, Cuttack organized a function on 4 Dec 2010 at village Mania of Tangi-Chowduwar block, to sensitize the farm women in their capacity and opportunities. An important theme appropriate to farmwomen i.e. technologies for farmwomen in homestead enterprises was focused through experience sharing, field study, demonstrations, inspirational talks, success stories and quiz competition. Dr. S.G. Sharma, Director-In-Charge, CRRI, inaugurated the function and Shri K.M. Padhi, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Cuttack was the guest of honour. Two hundred farmwomen were participated in the function and expressed their willingness to try the technologies in their homesteads.

Launch of DBT (Department of Biotechnology) INDIA-IRRI Network Project on Molecular Breeding of Rice for Drought, Flood and Salt Tolerance
Scientists from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Manila and 15 Indian institutions gathered at CRRI on 23 November, 2010 for the launching meeting of a Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India funded major program on “Improvement of Rice Varieties for Drought, Flood and Salt Tolerance using Modern Plant Breeding Methods.” In order to ensure good harvest, the project aims to transfer properties of tolerance to different stresses into popular high yielding rice varieties which are sensitive to these stresses. The “DBT India-IRRI Network project” aims to use marker-assisted breeding program to transfer major quantitative trait loci (QTL) or genetic characters for these traits into locally adapted high yielding varieties of rice. The launching meeting was chaired by Dr. T.K. Adhya, Director, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack. Dr. V.P. Gupta, Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India was the Chief Guest at the function.

The 5-year multi-institutional project has been sanctioned by the DBT at a total cost of INR 17.74 crores and involves ICAR institutes (4), State Agricultural Universities/Colleges (9) and Central Universities ((2) in a networking mode with Dr. N.K. Singh, National Professor, National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi as the Project Coordinator. For the first time, Indian rice breeders, biotechnologists and IRRI scientists have joined hands in such a major initiative to improve around a dozen highly popular rice varieties grown in the rainfed agro-ecosystem by imparting flood, drought and salt tolerance.  IRRI will provide advanced breeding lines and technical knowhow.  Dr. V.P. Gupta, Adviser Department of Biotechnology said that this is a major initiative of the DBT and the department has high hopes from this well focused project as it is tasked with the delivery of product in the form of improved rice varieties by the end of its tenure.

CRRI Signed MoU with Seed Company
A MoU was signed on 9 Sep 2010 between CRRI and a Private Seed Company, Sansar Agropol Pvt. Ltd., Bhubaneswar for production and marketing of the two CRRI bred hybrids, Ajay and Rajalaxmi. Under the agreement, CRRI will provide technical help and parental lines of the hybrids to the company for the production and marketing of the rice hybrids. The partnership would help the farmers of Orissa and neighboring states to get adequate quantity of hybrid rice seeds and help the institute to reach out the rice growers.

 

64th Foundation Day of CRRI
The institute celebrated its 64th Foundation Day on 23 April 2010 at the Campus. Dr. Damodar Rout, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Co-operation, Fishery and Animal Husbandry Department, Government of Orissa, inaugurated the function as the Chief Guest. Dr. T.K. Adhya, Director, CRRI provided the detailed information about the achievements of the institute. In this occasion the Chief Guest released three technology bulletins in Oriya language on “Sahbhagidhan”, “Rice Crop Calendar” and “Botanical pesticides” and awarded the identified progressive farmers of the state for their adoption of innovative rice farming practices. In his address Hon’ble Minister spoke elaborately the socio-economic constraints of the farmers’ of Orissa, dwindling land resources and constraints in implementation of agricultural programme of the state, also provided the detailed picture of the state agriculture policy on seeds, horticulture, integrated farming system and institutional credit for the farmers. While recollecting the program of the institute and the contribution of the institute for the development of agriculture in Orissa and India, he congratulated the Director and the scientists of the Institute and advised the farming community to make best use of the rice production technology and farming system model developed by the institute.

Media meet on newly introduced invasive weeds
Under the National Invasive weed surveillance program, a media meet on “Newly introduced invasive weeds” was held on 14 Dec 2009 at the Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack. Dr T.K. Adhya, Director briefed the activities of the program for early detection of newly introduced invasive weeds namely, Giant Rag Weed, Spiny Burr Grass, Hounds’ Tongue, Horse Neetle and European Field pansy. He also emphasized the role of media for creating public awareness to prevent further spreading and also to build up community efforts in weed surveillance and management/ containment through public cooperation. Dr K.S. Rao, Principal Investigator and Dr Sanjoy Saha, Area Coordinator of the National Invasive weed surveillance program also interacted with the media and clarified their queries. Drs. G.J.N. Rao, Head of Crop Improvement, A. Prakash, Head Crop Protection and S.G. Sharma, Head BPES were also present. Reporters from local Oriya newspapers, the Times of India, the Indian Express, and the Telegraph as well as the representatives from AIR and local television News Channels were attended.

Prof M.J. Modayil, Member ASRB visited CRRI
Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), New Delhi is planning to set up a system for conducting ARS Examination Online and CRRI, Cuttack has been identified as one of the centers to conduct such examinations. As part of preliminary assessment and to evaluate the facilities, Prof. M.J. Modayil, Member, ASRB visited CRRI on 11 Dec 2009, and expressed his satisfaction about the infrastructures available at CRRI to conduct such examinations. Prof. Modayil also visited experimental plots, research laboratories and Oryza museum of the institute. Addressing to the scientists, he appreciated the contributions of the CRRI to rice research.


DDG (Ag. Extn.) visits KVK, Santhapur
Dr K.D. Kokate, DDG (Agricultural Extension), ICAR visited the CRRI KVK at Santhapur on 4 Dec 2009. During his visit, Dr Kokate visited the KVK adopted village-Uchapada and inspected the Front-line demonstration on Beetal buck for genetic up-gradation of local goat and On-farm testing of duck. Dr T.K. Adhya, Director, CRRI explained about the benefits gained by farmers using CRRI technologies through KVK, Santhapur.

DDG also inaugurated "Women in Agriculture Day" function, where Dr S.S. Nanda, Dean Extension, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Dr T.K. Adhya, Director, CRRI and other dignitaries were also present.

Dr Kokate appreciated KVK's efforts in involving farmwomen in agricultural and allied discipline more productively and KVK's tremendous work for upliftment of SC/ST community.






Director-General, IRRI, Philippines visited CRRI
Dr R.S. Zeigler, Director-General, International Rice Research Institute, Philippines (IRRI), visited CRRI on 19 Nov 2009. During his visit, Dr Zeigler inaugurated the “Salinity Screening Facility” developed at the institute. Visiting to the research laboratories and experimental plots, he appreciated the well equipped research laboratories, well maintained experimental plots and the research facilities as well as the newly developed Oryza Museum. Addressing to the scientists, he valued the contributions of CRRI scientists in various aspects of rice research, especially CRRI-IRRI collaborative projects on “Germplasm Exchange, Genetic Enhancement/Biotechnology, Integrated Crop and Resource Management, Resource Conserving Technologies, Socio-economic and Gender Issue, Human Resource Development, Delivery of Knowledge and Technology (STRASA, CSISA).” He also emphasized to strengthen the collaboration in frontier areas like developing C₄ plant, incorporating genes responsible for tolerance to Drought and Salinity alongwith sub-1 gene.. He was accompanied by Dr S. Mohanty, Head Social Science, IRRI, Philippines.

CRRI Celebrated Dhan Diwas