Based in the Philippines, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the oldest and largest international agricultural research institute in Asia. It is an autonomous, nonprofit rice research and education organization with staff based in 14 countries in Asia and Africa.

Our mission is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure that rice production is environmentally sustainable. We work closely with most rice-producing and -consuming countries and their national agricultural research and extension systems as well as farming communities and a range of international, regional, and local organizations. In partnerships with these national systems, we conduct research and provide training and education for those helping rice farmers by disseminating information and proven, sustainable technologies.

IRRI was established in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations in cooperation with the Philippine government. Our headquarters—which feature modern laboratories, training and accommodation facilities, and a 252-hectare experimental farm—lie next to the main campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, about 60 kilometers south of the Philippine capital, Manila.  

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