50th annaul group meet of rice workers in Hyd from April 12

Indian Institute of Rice Research (formerly Directorate of Rice Research DRR), Hyderabad, a constituent of Institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, is organising 50th Annual Group meetings of rice workers during April 12-15 here.
The workshop would be inaugurated by Union Minister of Labour and Employment Badaru Dattatreya, an IIRR release said.
The meeting would be chaired by S Ayyapan, Secretary, DARE and Director General ICAR.
Telangana Minister of Agriculture P Srinivas Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister P Pulla Rao would be the special guests on this occasion.
Guests of honour would be director General, International Rice Research Institute, the Philippines, Dr Robert Zeigler and Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, New Delhi, Dr Gurbachan Singh.

More than 500 rice scientists of different national institutes including 25 scientists from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Philippines, would participate in this workshop, which is the largest rice researchers' gathering in the country.

The workshop is organised to review the work done across the country in the field of rice research during the year 2014-15 and to develop work-plans for next year.
Based on the recommendations made during the annual workshop, new rice varieties and hybrids are released either at central or at state level.
Till date, 1100 rice varieties including 75 hybrids and several other technologies have been developed and made available to the rice farming community.

Dr V Ravindra Babu, Project Director, IIRR, stated that during the Golden Jubilee year, the institute is geared up for achieving newer heights in rice research and coordination.
There are emerging challenges in rice farming and hence rice research in the country has to be re-oriented towards addressing such challenges.
The five-day event will bring together hundreds of rice scientists, private sector representatives, industry people, farmers from across the country and abroad.
During the event, 31 retired rice scientists and 22 innovative rice farmers who contributed immensely to rice research and development in the country will be felicitated, it was stated.

During the deliberations, it is expected that many rice varieties/hybrids suitable to various rice growing regions would be identified.
National and international initiatives would also be reviewed for improving the strategies for enhancing rice production and productivity, the release added.