Jointly hosted by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the second ICRISAT Center of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA) Global Webinar on Innovation in Rice Breeding and Seed Systems brought together more than 500 participants to discuss innovations for climate-resilient rice breeding and seed systems.
With climate change, geopolitical uncertainty and rising food demand placing unprecedented pressure on global food systems, ICRISAT and IRRI brought together more than 520 scientists, policymakers and agricultural leaders from around the world to advance collaboration and showcase innovations that are accelerating the delivery of improved rice varieties across the Global South.
Held on 23 July 2026, the webinar highlighted breakthrough approaches that are shortening breeding cycles, strengthening regional seed systems and helping climate-resilient rice varieties reach farmers faster.
IRRI experts presented on Rice Speed Breeding, Seeds Without Borders, and Market-Driven Rice Variety Development for Africa; three transformative approaches reshaping the rice innovation landscape.
The webinar also highlighted how stronger scientific collaboration and regional partnerships are becoming increasingly important to overcoming barriers to innovation and delivering climate-resilient crops at the scale and speed needed to address today’s global food security challenges.
Welcoming the growing momentum behind the ISSCA webinar series, Director General of ICRISAT, Dr Himanshu Pathak, said the measure of innovation is not what we discover, but the difference it makes in people’s lives.
“The challenges we face are shared, and so too must be our solutions.”
“The ISSCA webinar series reflects the collaborative spirit of CGIAR and the enduring partnership between ICRISAT and IRRI.”
“Our partnership is accelerating the exchange of knowledge across borders, helping ensure innovation reaches those who need it most and contributes to a more food-secure world,” said Dr Pathak.
Echoing the importance of international collaboration, IRRI Director General Dr Yvonne Pinto said initiatives such as ISSCA demonstrate the power of bringing together scientists and institutions to accelerate agricultural innovation.
“The pace of innovation depends not only on scientific excellence, but on how effectively knowledge is shared across institutions and borders.”
“ISSCA provides an important platform to strengthen those connections and accelerate research with real-world impact,” said Dr Pinto.
Participants also received updates on upcoming ISSCA initiatives, including international training programs, the ISSCA Awards, the ISSCA Global Candidate Pool and Dryland Congress 2026, further expanding opportunities for collaboration and capacity building across the global agricultural research community.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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