Rice Research Hub for Greater Mekong Opens in Laos

The countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Yunnan province of People's Republic of China comprise the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), considered as one of the most important rice bowls in Asia. It is also one of the hardest hit by age-old problems of pests, diseases, floods, and drought.

For the first time in its history, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has established a Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) office to coordinate efforts to help farmers in the region deal with production problems and improve their lives. Lao Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Sitaheng Rasphone and IRRI Director General Dr. Robert Ziegler signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the establishment of the new GMS office in Vientiane, Laos on 12 January.

“Working with the national research programs of the GMS, we have developed a research strategy to reduce crop losses from floods, drought, and pests, while improving the yield potential and management efficiency of the most popular rice varieties,” Dr. Ziegler said. “IRRI’s most recent success in this area was the discovery of a gene that enables rice to survive complete submergence for 2 weeks. The gene is being introduced to several popular rice varieties, including a variety of Lao sticky rice.”

To read the press release, visit http://www.cgiar.org/newsroom/releases/news.asp?idnews=532.