Uttar Pradesh : 3-day meet begins to promote climate-smart rice systems
The three-day Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) Conclave 2025 started at IRRI South Asia Regional Centre, Varanasi, uniting scientists, policymakers, industry, and farmers. Experts highlighted DSR’s climate-smart benefits: 20–40% water savings, 25–30% lower labor, and up to 40% methane reduction. Adoption requires mechanization, precision agronomy, and improved water management.
Varanasi: The three-day Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) Conclave 2025 began on Sunday at the International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) in Varanasi, bringing together scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, and farmer representatives to accelerate innovation and adoption of climate-smart rice systems.The inaugural session ‘Direct-Seeded Rice: Progress, Vision, and Policy Pathways for Large-Scale Adoption’, was chaired by Yvonne Pinto, director general, IRRI, and co-chaired by DP Wickramasinghe, secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, Sri Lanka. Experts highlighted DSR’s transformative potential as a climate-resilient, water-efficient, and profitable rice production method. Studies presented showed that DSR can reduce water use by 20–40%, lower labour demand by 25–30%, and cut methane emissions by up to 40%, while maintaining yields and improving farm profitability.Sharing insights from India, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, speakers underscored that mechanisation, precision agronomy, DSR-compatible varieties, and improved water management are key to overcoming adoption challenges.
“Direct-Seeded Rice is no longer a concept of the future—it’s a proven solution for today’s challenges,” said Yvonne Pinto, adding that collective action linking science, policy, and business models is vital for scaling DSR “responsibly and inclusively.”Virender Kumar said that Phase III of the Direct-Seeded Rice Consortium (DSRC) focuses on “scaling from pilots to landscape-level adoption through innovation, partnerships, and robust monitoring.” CM Yogi Adityanath will participate in a special session on Monday, marking the 150th anniversary of the state’s Department of Agriculture. The session will celebrate UP’s historic agricultural leadership and outline strategies to position the state as a “global food hub” by 2030.
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Source : The Times Of India
