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What impact does IRRI have on rice research?
Our first breakthrough was the development in the 1960s of high-yielding, short-stemmed rice varieties that sparked what became known as the Green Revolution in rice. This is estimated to have saved millions of Asians from famine and provided a platform for the regions subsequent economic growth, which lifted more people out of poverty than at any other time in recorded history. That and a host of other IRRI-developed technologies have helped farmers grow 2.5% more rice each year since 1965, boosting rice production by an impressive 170%, from 199 million tons in 1961 to 540 million tons in 2000. This increased production has resulted in a spectacular drop in the real price of rice over the past 40 years, providing the poor with vital additional income. For every US$1 million invested in IRRIs research during this time, 15,000 rural poor were lifted out of poverty in India, while the impact of our improved rice varieties in Asia also saved thousands of hectares of forests from being turned into farmland, and greatly reduced the number of malnourished children.
Click here to
to view some stories about IRRI's achievements. |
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What is IRRI? IRRI's Mission Statement Why an international research center for rice? Who works and studies at IRRI? What impact does IRRI have on rice research? What is IRRI's research agenda? Who funds IRRI? Who sets IRRI policy? What are IRRI's future challenges? Board and staff directory FAQ Significant Dates in IRRI History |
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