The ICAR-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) in Cuttack had organized “Rice Walk: Walk with Rice, Know Your Rice” Programme on 13th November 2019. Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director of the Institute inaugurated the event. He highlighted the main purpose of the walk was to exhibit the NRRI technologies, farm & laboratories to spread awareness about rice among students as well a general public. He also released an extension bulletin entitled – ‘Know Your Rice’ encompassing all important field & lab research activities and achievements of the institute for distribution to all students & visitors.
The participants visited the Institute’s Research Farm of about 200 acres with full grown crops of newly developed high yielding rice varieties. They were also exposed to the development of rice varieties, rice varietal cafeteria and other agro-technologies related to rice production, plant protection, biofortification (high protein rice) and climate-smart rice with tolerance to drought & submergence, etc.
The participants also visited the Institute’s Rice Museum, Rice Gene Bank with collection of over 35,000 rice germplasm.
Around 1,500 students & teachers (from 15 schools in and around Cuttack and Bhubaneswar), farmers, scientists from ICAR Institutes & Centres and State Government Officials participated in the event.