Significant Dates in IRRI History

January

1 January: 1993, the Asian Rice Biotechnology Research Network (ARBN) is established; 2001, with retirement, Gurdev Khush (photo) completes 29 years as head of the Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biochemistry Division and leader of various research programs.

4 January: 2008, L. Dale Haws (photo), 81, former crop production specialist at IRRI (1974-85), passes away. Click here to read in his memoirs his recollections of IRRI and click here to read a story about his work in Egypt during the early 1980s.

7 January: 2005, Sant Virmani, principal scientist, is named a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, which recognizes the contributions made by non-resident Indians (Pravasi Bhartiya) for the development of India and the world in general.

9 January: 2005, IRRI and CIMMYT announce the details of a new IRRI-CIMMYT Alliance aimed at boosting international efforts to fight rural poverty and strengthen food security in the developing world; 2007, the Cambodian Agricultural Research Institute (CARDI) in Phnom Penh officially inaugurates all of its new facilities with the completion of the last major structure, the Plant Breeding Center. More than 4,000 people attend (photo above). During the event, Prime Minister Hun Sen presents the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Sahametrei Medal (right) to former IRRI directors general M.S. Swaminathan and Ronald Cantrell in recognition of their contributions to the revival of rice research and development in the country.

10 January: 2005, IRRI uses its Rice Knowledge Bank to provide essential information on growing rice in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami.

12 January: 2007, IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler and Lao Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Sitaheng Rasphone (left and right, respectively, in photo at right) sign a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of IRRI’s office for the 6-country Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in Vientiane. Later this day, IRRI’s GMS office is formally opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Dr. Zeigler and Gary Jahn, IRRI representative to Laos and GMS coordinator.

15 January: 1983, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau visits IRRI (center in photo with then head of Agricultural Engineering Clarence Bockhop and then Philippine Prime Minister Cesar Virata).

19 January: 2001, genetically modified Golden Rice, which contains beta-carotene and other carotenoids, is delivered to IRRI by its Swiss co-inventor, Dr. Ingo Potrykus.

21 January: 2008, After months of preparation by staff of the Genetic Resources Center, a replicate set of the Global Rice Collection from 123 countries held by IRRI leaves for the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV), or Doomsday Vault.

22 January: 1998, Robert Havener (photo, left) arrives as interim director general; 2007, Ronald L. Phillips, IRRI BOT member (photo, right), is named a co-recipient of the 2007 Wolf Prize for Agriculture.

24 January: 2006, the new Crop Research Informatics Laboratory (CRIL) is jointly launched in Mexico and the Philippines. CRIL is the new scientific program of the IRRI-CIMMYT Alliance that unites key databases and research on the planet’s three most important crops: rice, wheat, and maize; 2007, Visitors and Information Services (VIS) is renamed Events, Visitors, and Information Services (EVIS).

25 January: 2003, in New Delhi, the achievements of agronomist Virendra Pal Singh are recognized as he departs IRRI after serving the Institute for 30 years working to improve the rice-farming systems in unfavorable environments; 2008, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announces a grant to IRRI for US$19.9 million over three years to initially help place improved rice varieties and related technology into the hands of 400,000 small farmers in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Bill Gates sound bite.

27 January: 2005, IRRI announces that it is establishing a regional hub in Laos that will enhance the Institute's commitment to Laos and the Greater Mekong Subregion.

29 January: 2004, Paul (Pao-chi) Ma, 97, a member of the first IRRI Board of Trustees (1960-62), passes away in Kunming, China.