Japan and IRRI's AGRI aims to reduce GHG emissions via CapDev and infrastructure improvements

May 28, 2025

Vietnam Forum Highlights Potential of Rice Straw from Mekong Delta

May 27, 2025

IRRI hosts Seed Accelerator Meet to accelerate deployment and positioning of new rice varieties through robust public–private partnership in India

May 27, 2025

Mekong River Delta's Low-Emission Rice Program Shows Promising Early Results, Expansion Planned

May 27, 2025

IRRI and BADC organize crop cafeteria field day to evaluate suitability of rice varieties

May 27, 2025

IRRI Leadership Team

Jerry D. Glover

Chief of Staff

Junel B. Soriano

Deputy Director General – Philippines Representative

Virender Kumar

Research Director – Sustainable Impact through Rice-based Systems, Principal Scientist- Weed Science/Systems Agronomy

Michael Quinn

Research Director - Rice Breeding Innovations

Sofia Tesfazion

Regional Director for Africa

Jongsoo Shin

Regional Director for Asia

Benedict Pamatmat

Head of Portfolio Development and Management

Carla Lazarte

Head of Human Resources and Organizational Development

Joy Marie Gimena

Head of Information Technology

Kristina Cassandra Santos

Head of Communication and Engagements

Indranil Dey

Head of Productivity, Systems, and Innovation

Eugeniano Perez, III

Senior Counsel - Legal Services

Governance

Integrity of IRRI

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the world’s premier  research organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through  rice science; improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and  consumers; and protecting the rice-growing environment for future  generations. IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government. The institute, headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines, has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in  Asia and Africa, and more than 1,000 staff.

SDG-13

13

Climate Action

SDG-5

5

Gender Equality

SDG-17

17

Partnerships for the Goals

SDG-12

12

Responsible Consumption and Production

SDG-15

15

Life On Land

Working with in-country partners, IRRI develops advanced rice varieties  that yield more grain and better withstand pests and disease as well as  flooding, drought, and other harmful effects of climate change. More  than half of the rice area in Asia is planted to IRRI-bred varieties or  their progenies. The institute develops new and improved methods and  technologies that enable farmers to manage their farms profitably and  sustainably, and recommends rice varieties and agricultural practices  suitable to particular farm conditions as well as consumer preferences.  IRRI assists national agricultural research and extension systems  (NARES) in formulating and implementing country rice sector strategies.

Alumni of IRRI's educational initiatives include some of the world's leading rice scientists as well as high-level NARES and agriculture ministry officials. From 1962 to 2019, more than 300,000 students, researchers, farmers, and extension professionals, among others, received some form of training from IRRI and its partners. Within this total number, more than 2,000 scholars conducted research at the institute while pursuing their MS and PhD degrees. As free educational resources, books co-published by IRRI available online have received a total of about 6.2 million views with more than 50 million page views since 2007.

We work worldwide with all research institutions that share our goal. In particular, we work with the national agricultural research and extension systems of the countries where our target beneficiaries live. Rice research has no political boundaries. We search for new solutions to both old and emerging problems through personal and institutional efforts and through partnerships with farming communities and other institutions, both public and private.