'Hybrid
rice bringing revolution to growers' lifestyle'
Recorder
Report 10 Oct 2020
GOLARCHI: Collaboration of
Pakistani and Chinese scientists' for development of high-yield hybrid coarse
rice varieties has enabled the paddy growers of lower Sindh to achieve three
times more production as compared to traditional varieties thus improving their
living standards and elimination of poverty from the rural areas.
'Our per acre average yield was
30-35 maund before the introduction of the hybrid rice and now we are getting
100-110 maund and in some cases, the progressive farmers achieved 136 maund per
acre,' said different growers while talking to a delegation of the Agriculture
Journalists Association (AJA) Lahore.
The success of the hybrid varieties
can be gauged from the fact that it is now being sown over 1.7 million acres of
land in Sindh and South Punjab.
Guard Agricultural Research &
Services (Pvt) Ltd, which is the pioneer in bringing the Hybrid Rice to
Pakistan in collaboration with the Yuan Longping Hi-Tech China is now working
on to introduce such varieties which are heat resistant, salinity resistant,
water shortage tolerant and capable to do away with the negative impacts of
climate change in Sindh and whole of Pakistan. Guard's Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) Shahzad Ali Malik had already been awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the
Government of Pakistan for efforts in the rice sector.
Guard Agricultural Research &
Services (Pvt) Senior Executive Momin Malik while talking to journalists said
that they are also going to introduce three new varieties such as LP-18,
Guard-403 and Guard 53 in Sindh which are heat resistant and can perform in
high heat which had hit hard the rice crop a year back. He said that these
varieties are lodging free too.
He said that a long period is
required for research and development of new varieties and the government
should develop some mechanism for approval of new varieties at a fast phase. It
will help to expedite the research and development in the agricultural sector,
he averred.
Momin said that they are running
four research stations in Pakistan out of which two are in Sindh and two are in
Punjab. These research stations are in Golarchi, Larkana, Pakpattan and Sundar
area near Lahore and working on numerous new lines having resistance against
heat, salinity, water shortage or impacts of climate change.
Yuan Longping Hi-Tech
representative in Pakistan Liu speaking on this occasion said that Hybrid rice
is playing a very important role in ensuring food security and eradicating hunger
from the world. He said that founder of his company who is known as 'Father of
Hybrid Rice' has a dream to take the per acre yield to 200 maund per acre. He
said that their company has its research stations in Pakistan, India,
Philippines, Vietnam and Bangladesh.
He disclosed that Pakistan's
climate and the land are so suitable for Hybrid long-grain rice that their seed
is giving a top performance in this country and yield is even better than
China. He said that his company in collaboration with Guard will continue
research to introduce varieties having resistance against climate change. He
urged the progressive growers to educate their fellows on how to get better
yield and what are the good agricultural practices for this seed.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40025076/hybrid-rice-bringing-revolution-to-growers-lifestyle
Kejriwal to launch spraying of anti-stubble burning
solution on Tuesday
New
Delhi, Oct 11 (PTI) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will on Tuesday launch the
spraying of anti-stubble burning solution in Delhi''s Ghalib Pur village,
Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday.
“So
far, we have received applications to spray the anti-stubble burning solution
on nearly 1,500 acres of land where non-basmati rice is grown,” he said.
Scientists
at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, PUSA, have developed
''''bio-decomposer'''' capsules, which are used to prepare a liquid
formulation. The solution, when sprayed in the fields, can decompose crop
residue and turn it into manure.
A
centralised bio-decomposer system has been set up in Kharkhari Nahar
village in southwest Delhi.
This
year, the Delhi government is going to use the solution on the land where
non-basmati rice is grown.
“We
have estimated that only Rs 20 lakh is needed to manage stubble in 800 hectares
of agricultural land in Delhi through this solution. It includes the cost of
preparation, transportation and spraying,” he said.
If
this proves to be successful in Delhi, it can be a good solution to the issue
of stubble burning in neighbouring states too, he said.
Rai
said the contribution of farm fires in neighbouring states to Delhi''s
pollution goes up to 44 per cent during the harvesting season. PTI GVS RHL
Filipino
scientists make their mark amid pandemic
October 11, 2020
THREE Filipino scientists have shared their experiences in the
country amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic in a webinar
organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) on Saturday.
Dr. Nelzo Ereful, who studied at the National Institute for
Agricultural Botany in Cambridge, United Kingdom, offered his services as a
bioinformatician at the Philippine Genome Center through linkages with the
University of the Philippines Los Baños and the International Rice Research
Institute for their reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR,
testing to the UP Philippine General Hospital.
Ereful was also part of the group that studied the
molecular analysis of SARS-CoV2 — severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
2, the virus that causes Covid-19 — in its early stages.
Dr. Jonel Saludes, who studied at the University of
California-Davis and underwent training at the Washington State University,
with other Balik Scientists (returning Filipino scientists) from the
University of San Agustin in Iloilo City created databases to effectively manage
the pandemic not only in Iloilo but also in Quezon City and Bacolod City.
Dr. Annabelle Villalobos, who had her doctorate from
the University of Cincinnati and worked for medical giant Johnson &
Johnson, used her expertise as a biochemist to discuss the possible vaccines
for Covid-19 that were presented to the public in different webinars
and conferences.
Science and Technology Undersecretary for Research and
Development Rowena Cristina Guevara said the contributions of the Balik
Scientists have spurred significant progress in research and development in
fields such as health, agriculture and technology.
“Through the [Balik Scientists] Program, we envision that more
Filipinos would opt to stay home and pursue their career here, with the mission
of caring for and providing better solutions for our fellow Filipinos,” Guevara
said.
Guevara pointed out that 21 Balik Scientists are currently
already working in the country amid the pandemic, and she expects that more
Balik Scientists will be able to serve in the coming months.
Updates
on the implementation of Rice Tariffication Law
Published October 10, 2020, 10:00 AM
“Rice remains as the staple food of Filipinos. And there
is no food that is used as widely as rice,” says Department of Trade and
Industry Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo on the Philippines being the sixth
largest rice-consuming countries in the world.
After over a year of enactment of the Rice Tariffication
Law (RTL), updates on government efforts have been discussed in a webinar
entitled ‘Sa Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), Sambayanang Pilipino, Tuloy ang
Panalo,’ headed by the concerned agencies: Department of Agriculture (DA),
Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
RTL as a boost to farmers’ productivity
Republic Act (RA) No. 11203 or Rice Tariffication Law,
passed last February 2019, aims to modernize the agricultural sector as a way
of making the sector globally competitive. Under this law, it permits the entry
of imported rice while imposing a tariff, which varies depending on the volume
of imported goods.
Although this hugely affects our farmers due to the
higher supply and competition in the market, RTL supports rice farmers by
increasing their productivity and income through the P10 billion annual budget
from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). RCEF comes from the
tariff revenues of rice imports. The said P10 billion is allotted to farm
machinery and equipment (P5 million), high-quality rice seed development,
propagation, and promotion (P3 million), training for skills enhancement (P1
million), and expanded rice credit assistance to the farmers (P1 million).
NEDA Acting Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua says that
several factors hinder the productivity and competitiveness of farmers in rice
production. Some of these limitations include natural disasters that damage
crops, mountainous areas that are not feasible for rice planting, and limited
sources of natural irrigation in the country.
To make up for these challenges, DA Secretary William Dar
shares the efforts that the government has accomplished under the four
components of the RTL including seeds, mechanization, credit, and extension service.
Seed component
Secretary Dar says, “We hope to see that after six years
of RTL, we have raised the productivity of our farmers from the current average
harvest of four metric tons per hectare to at least six metric tons per
hectare. Secondly, we should have reduced the average cost by 30% from the
current cost ranging from 12 pesos to 14 pesos per kilogram to ensure bigger
profit margins.”
With lower production cost and higher productivity,
Secretary Dar added it will not only allow Filipino farmers to offer affordable
rice to the customers, particularly the poor, but this will also enable them to
compete globally.
From October 2019 up to now, they’ve distributed over
three million bags of certified inbred seeds to more than a million farmers covering
around one million hectares of land.
Mechanization component
In terms of rice farm equipment, 1,108 out of the 2,938
machines have also given away to 625 farmer cooperatives and
associations.
Credit component
The amount of one billion pesos has also been loaned out
to 5,671 farmers in 2019, while in 2020, they’ve released 102 million to 610
farmers and 15 cooperatives. These credits entail minimal interest rates and
collateral requirements for the farmers.
Extension service component
This last initiative involves training for farmers,
scholarship grants, and the establishment of farm schools around the country.
There have been 53 farm schools built, over 800 different sets of training
conducted, and 20, 231 individuals have received scholarship grants. There are
about three million copies of informational materials given to the farmers,
too.
“Rice is a part of the Filipino culture,” says, DA
Secretary William Dar, “To make rice production profitable and the staple
affordable to consumers, care and production, processing, post-harvest, and
logistic systems must be more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable.”
The implementation of RTL has both positive and negative
impacts, says Dar. The positive side includes the decline of retail
prices of regular milled rice from the previous P45 per kilo in 2018 to an
average of P37 from September to December 2019 that as per Dar, has benefitted
millions of Filipinos.
To watch the webinar, click here.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/10/updates-on-the-implementation-of-rice-tariffication-law/
After Covid, stir hits rice exporters hard
4,000 containers carrying basmati,
other items stranded at dry ports across state
Ludhiana, October 11 Owing to the ongoing farmers’
agitation, more than 4,000 export containers carrying Punjab-produced items,
including foodgrain such as basmati and other perishable goods, are stranded at
the dry ports across the state.
There are 8 dry ports in Ludhiana, one each in
Jalandhar & Dapar
The rice exporters are worried they may not be able to
keep the timely delivery commitment made to overseas clients. Unless the produce
is delivered in time, exporters will not be able to secure repeat orders for
rice this season, they say. Jalandhar exporter Viney Gupta, who runs a
government-recognised export house, says he ships rice to countries such as the
UK, US, Australia, Canada, etc. “The procurement season is on but containers
full of rice are stuck at dry ports. We can’t purchase more basmati from the
farmer when the previous stock hasn’t been cleared (lifted for export). Farmers
will be the ultimate sufferers if the containers remain stranded. We urge the
government to declare rice an essential commodity and save both farmers and
exporters,” says Gupta. Rice is exported from other states such as Haryana,
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as well. If Punjab is hit, buyers will go to these
states for basmati. Pakistan too is a viable option for them, he says. Rice
intermediary from Jalalabad Naresh Batra says the farmers’ agitation has come
as a double whammy for them as exports had already been suffering because of
Covid-19. “How can we get more orders when the previous consignments are not
cleared and payments are not made? The price of basmati has already gone down
since shipments are not going out on a regular basis. The problem of
non-availability of containers is also there,” said Batra. The overall
impact of stranded containers is expected to be significant across the rice
supply chain, right from farmers, millers to exporters, they say. “The movement
of containers is in the interest of farmers. We want the Punjab Government to
intervene to resolve the issue and facilitate immediate movement of
containers,” said Gupta. In total, there are 10 dry ports in the state,
including eight in Ludhiana - ICD, Concor; Gateway Rail Freight Limited;
Pristine Mega Logistics Park; Hind Terminals Private Limited; Overseas
Warehousing Private Limited; Punjab State WareHousing Corporation; Adani
Logistics; and Krishna Cargomovers. The other two are in Jalandhar and Mohali.
Date: 11-Oct-2020
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/after-covid-stir-hits-rice-exporters-hard-154328
Antique: A destination less
traveled
Published October 10, 2020, 10:00 AM
DESTINATION: ART
Arsenio
“Nick” J. Lizaso
This is my
debut as a columnist in this esteemed publication. I am grateful to our section
editor for giving me this weekly platform to give voice to my life-long passion
for culture and the arts.
In my
columns, I will be talking about our country’s towns, cities and provinces,
spotlighting the cultural aspects that make them distinctive and worth
visiting.
Let me start
with the letter A for Antique.
Last year,
through the auspices of former Senator Loren Legarda, now representing
Antique in the current congress as well as the local government executives of
province, the world-renowned Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra gave free public
concerts in Anini-y, San Jose, and Tibiao, an initiative of the Office of the
President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. People from all walks of
life packed the venues, and it was a gratifying moment for me to see them
enjoying the kind of orchestral music that could only previously be enjoyed by
the privileged class inside the CCP.
During our
stay, I learned much about Antique. For instance, when you say Rice Terraces,
people will immediately think of Banaue Rice terraces. But you’ll be
surprised that there’s another equally awesome version called Antique Rice
Terraces, hand carved and crafted by the indigenous Iraynun-Bukidnon. It was
discovered only in 2014, by a team of scientists and locals and via satellite
imagery. The heritage site is believed to be at least 200 years old.
There are
actually three terraced fields, namely, Lublub rice terraces, Baking rice
terraces, and San Agustin rice terraces. These have been researched by the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and various scholars from
the University of the Philippines. There have been campaigns to nominate the
Antique Rice Terraces, along with the Central Panay Mountain Range, into the
UNESCO World Heritage List.
Antique is a
province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital
is San Jose de Buenavista, the most populous town in Antique. Situated in the
western section of Panay Island, Antique boasts of pristine beaches. For diving
enthusiasts, the whole stretch of coastal areas in Antique is suited for scuba
diving. Despite its close location from Boracay Island, Antique is often
overlooked by mainstream tourists and travelers, a good thing because it has
been spared from crass commercialism so far.
The Philippine
Philharmonic Orchestra
I was also
delighted to discover that Antique did not get its name from the word antique,
meaning old or vintage, but rather from Hantík-hantik, the local name
for the large black ants found on the island. It used to be spelled Hantique with
a French twang and silent H by Spanish chroniclers. In
the Kinaray-a dialect, it is pronounced as “Antique” (än-ti-ké).
Oral history
has it that Antique was one of the three sakups or districts of Panay
before Spanish colonizers arrived on the islands, namely Hantik, Akean, and
Irong-Irong. Irong-Irong became Iloilo, Akean became the present-day Aklan and
Capiz, and Hantik became Antique.
I was also
delighted to discover that Antique did not get its name from the word antique,
meaning old or vintage, but rather from Hantík-hantik, the local name
for the large black ants found on the island.
Remember
“Maragtas” from our elementary history classes? The story goes that 10 “datus”
or minor tribal Malay chieftains escaped persecution from a city called Odtohan
from Borneo due to a tyrant ruler called Makatunaw. The 10 datus, led by Datu
Puti, sailed northward with their families and communities, landing on Panay
after departing Borneo sometime in the 1200s. There is no written evidence
about this, nor are there any existing claims that link the datus to
Borneo. Nevertheless, the Maragtas narrative is to be considered as part of the
local history of the people.
Historians
believe that the earliest people who settled on the island of Panay were tribal
Negritos or Atis. As mentioned, it is also the home of indigenous the
Iraynun-Bukidnon tribe who speak the dialect of the Kinaray-a language, which
is said to be one of the oldest tongues in Panay Island. There are also
language experts who say it was the first native language to be used on the
island, even before Hiligaynon.
You will
also be interested to learn that Antique is the native province of former
Senator and now Rep. Legarda, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, National
Artist Jerry Navarro Elizalde, Miss
World Megan Young, just to mention a
few known personalities who trace their roots here.
What are
some of the cultural things to see in Antique? There’s the “Old Watchtower” in
Libertad and Estaca Hill in Bugasong, one of the many watch towers which were
built under the supervision of Spanish friars during the Spanish colonial
period to alert the coastal communities against marauding Moro raiders.
In the town
of Anini-y, you will find San Juan Nepomuceno Church, the last standing
colonial church in the province of Antique. Built in the 1600s, this towering
structure was made from coral stones and is considered “revivalist,” with
baroque elements like the triangular pediments and rosetted walls. The belfry
is attached to the church and underneath it is the baptistry.
Near the
town of Anini-y, you can visit the Malandog Historical Marker and the General
Fullon Shrine in the town of Hamtic. The Malandog Marker is believed to be the
original Landing site of the first Malayan settlers in 1200. The General Fullon
Shrine is located in front of the municipal hall of Hamtic and was built to
honor the commander who liberated the town during the revolution against
Spanish colonial rule, leading a troop of less than 500. He was appointed as
the overall commanding officer for all Visayan forces and struggled for
independence well into the Filipino-American War. He later surrendered to the
Americans and was appointed governor of Antique in 1901. He held this post
until his death on Oct. 16, 1904.
In the town
of Patnongon you can take a look at the ruins of Patnongon Church built by
Augustinians out of stone and mortar. It was destroyed during World War II.
Today, only the walls and the first level of the facade stand along the town’s
main thoroughfare, giving visitors hints of neoclassical architecture from its
flat walls adorned with arched windows. The National Historical Commission
(NHC) is said to have plans to revive the ruins.
If you want
to experience festivals in Antiqueño style, take part in the Binirayan
festival, which was started in San Jose in 1974 by Gov. Evelio
Javier, the famous opposition leader who was assassinated
during Martial Law. This is a week-long festival that includes colorful
street parades, beach shows, plaza concerts, a beauty contest, and trade fair.
“Binirayan”
comes from biray, or “sailboat,” which
hearkens back to the Pre-Hispanic legend of the Bornean datus.
The author with
Antique Representative Loren Legarda
I am glad
that native daughter Rep. Legarda is now championing the progress of Antique,
envisioning her home province to become one of the premier ecotourism
destinations, showcasing its vibrant cultural history, and giving pride to its
identity. Conferred the Dangal ng Haraya by the NCCA, Rep. Legarda has also
been collaborating with the NCCA on several projects, one of which was for
Antique to host the 2019 Pista ng Komedya after she discovered that her home
province upholds the important komedya tradition. This, in fact, is made
evident by the presence of several komedya troupes in the
different municipalities of Antique, such as San Jose, Barbaza, Laua-an,
Bugasong and Sibalom.
After many
years of being a destination less traveled to, Antique is now showing
remarkable progress. To our kasimanwa, we support you
wholeheartedly. Sumulong, Antiqueños!
Arsenio
“Nick” J. Lizaso is the chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the
Arts (NCCA) and president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/10/antique-a-destination-less-traveled/
Rain again
threatens to hamper harvests
by Ryan McGeeney Special to The Commercial | October 10, 2020 at 3:11 a.m.
Soybeans are offloaded from a combine during the
harvest in Brownsburg, Ind., in this Sept. 21, 2018, file photo. (AP / Michael
Conroy )
After nearly two weeks of clear
skies and dropping temperatures, producers across Arkansas have increased their
harvest tempo as fields have dried, but now the year's umpteenth weather system
-- Hurricane Delta -- threatens to slow progress again, officials say.
As of Friday morning, modeling
from the National Weather Service placed Delta's path as likely to be moving up
the Arkansas-Mississippi border today, and into northern Mississippi and
Tennessee by Sunday, gradually downgrading from a hurricane to a tropical storm
to a tropical depression along the way.
The National Weather Service also
predicts that the remnants of Hurricane Delta will pour varying degrees of rain
on the southeastern half of the state, with Chicot, Ashley and Desha counties
receiving 5 inches of rain or more through tonight.
As has been the case for several
years in a row, the 2020 harvest has been stop-and-go, mostly because of large
weather systems pushing rain and wind from the Gulf of Mexico into the Southern
Plains and beyond.
The Laura weather system -- first
a hurricane, then a tropical storm -- pushed through Arkansas in late August, and
slowed both the sorghum and corn harvests, which had already begun, and
effectively delayed the beginning of the rice harvest. On Sept. 21-22, nearly
the entire state received between a half inch and 5 inches of rain, followed by
a week in which the southeastern corner of the state received an additional 5
to 6 inches.
In the past two weeks, however,
producers have made strong gains in harvesting rice, corn and soybeans, with
each commodity seeing 10% or more of its total acreage harvested or more over the
past week alone.
Eighty-six percent of the state's
corn acreage had been harvested as of Oct. 4, according to the U.S. Department
of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. That puts growers
still behind the five-year average of 96% by this point in the season, but
within sight of the crop's last leg.
Jason Kelley, extension wheat and
feed grains agronomist for the University of Arkansas System's Agriculture
Division, said corn producers in the state are trying to wrap harvest up this
week.
"We are more than 90% done
at this point, and we would make a good push at nearing completion without the
rain that Delta is bringing," Kelley said. "Corn that has not been
harvested yet really needs to miss this rain and wind, as many fields are lodging
and will be more difficult to harvest if we get wind from Delta.
"Delta will also bring wheat
planting to a stop," he said. "Wheat acres look to be up this year
with increased grain prices, but that hinges on the weather allowing for
planting."
About 70% of the state's rice
acreage had been harvested by Oct. 4, according to the agricultural statistics
service, with growers making the most of the first week of the month. Jarrod
Hardke, extension rice agronomist at the Agriculture Division, said last week's
above-average temperatures aided progress.
"We're making excellent
progress on rice harvest right now," Hardke said.
"While we're still behind
the five-year average, we should have over 80% of rice harvested by the time
Hurricane Delta reaches the state," he said. "If the upper two-thirds
of eastern Arkansas can avoid major rainfall amounts, we have an excellent
long-range forecast after Delta leaves to try and finish harvest on a high
note."
Soybean producers were still
seeing the effects of saturated soils, however. Jeremy Ross, extension soybean
agronomist, said the fields would need additional time to dry from September's
penetrating rains.
"On the soybean side, we
just need some dry weather to get the crop harvested," Ross said.
"Prolonged periods of wet, cloudy weather could have some quality issues.
We have seen some quality issues after Tropical Storm Laura, but most
everything looks good so far."
Of the state's major commodity
crops, cotton has struggled the most this season. As of Oct. 4, only 13% of the
state's total acreage had been harvested, well behind the five-year average of
29% of acreage typically harvested by this point in the season.
"Cotton harvest statewide
has just gotten rolling this week, and should be 20% complete as the rain bands
from Hurricane Delta arrive," Bill Robertson, extension cotton agronomist,
said. "This time last year, we were over 50% harvested.
"We need Mother Nature to be
a little more kind to us," he said.
To learn more about extension
programs in Arkansas, contact a local Cooperative Extension Service agent or
visit www.uaex.edu. Follow the agency on Twitter at @UAEX_edu.
-- Ryan McGeeney is with the UA
System Division of Agriculture.
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/oct/10/rain-again-threatens-to-hamper-harvests/?latest
Cataloguing the rice collection
for crop improvement
The rice accessions in the USDA National Small Grains Collection
have diverse panicle and grain types. Six diverse grain types with a range of
bran colors are shown here. Credit: Lorie A. Bernhardt
Rice is one of the most important global cereal crops. More than
half of the world's population depend on rice as their primary source of energy
from food.
Rice is cultivated around the world. But rice farmers face many
challenges. These range from adapting to the effects of climate change to
dealing with pressure to increase crop productivity.
That's where gene banks come in. They serve as repositories for
crop genetic materials.
"Gene banks preserve and characterize crop diversity for
use in crop improvement, both now and for generations to come," says
Georgia Eizenga, a member of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science
Society of America.
Eizenga is the lead author of a new study that aims to enhance
the management and utility of the USDA's repository of rice genetic
resources. The research was published in Crop Science, a
publication of the Crop Science Society of America.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National
Small Grains Collection contains material from close to 20,000 varieties of
rice. This diverse collection is especially important to the U.S. rice
industry.
"Rice was introduced into the United States from Asia and
Africa," says Eizenga. "Having a diverse global collection of rice
cultivars provides a source of new traits which can be used for crop
improvement."
But cataloging this collection of genetic material is no easy
feat. Challenges include developing detailed descriptions, finding and
correcting labeling errors, and removing redundant varieties.
The rice cultivar, Genekoi, is an African rice from southern
Sierra Leone. Genekoi seed has red bran and is included in the USDA National
Small Grains Collection. Credit: Trevis D. Huggins
Using physical
characteristics to catalog close to 20,000 varieties is very
difficult. Some characteristics, such as cooking quality and disease
resistance, can be especially challenging to determine. That's where genetic
techniques can be useful.
"The USDA rice gene bank is a resource that has been
developed over decades," says Eizenga. "Molecular techniques will allow
us to use this resource even more effectively."
Eizenga and colleagues developed a small panel of genetic
markers. Genetic markers are short, identifiable DNA sequences found
in specific places of a genome.
These genetic markers serve as a guide to help researchers
determine quickly whether a particular variety of rice has a specific trait
This made it easier to search the USDA rice collection and manage it more
efficiently.
Take for example, resistance to fungal diseases. Without genetic
markers, breeders would start by growing several different rice varieties. Then
they would have to expose the rice plants to the fungus. Finally, they would
observe which varieties contracted the disease and which were resistant.
This process could take months. A set of genetic markers works
much faster.
Researchers know which genes play a role in fungal disease
resistance in rice. They can extract genetic material from different rice
varieties. Then they use molecular biology techniques to test which varieties
have the disease resistance genes.
Instead of months, this process can be completed in days. That
can save valuable time and expense.
Selected rice panicles showing the diversity of panicles found
in the National Small Grains Collection. Credit: Laduska J. Sells
"Having molecular markers for traits that are difficult to
phenotype can reduce the cost of characterizing rice varieties," says
Eizenga. "Molecular markers can also make the process more reliable."
Genetic markers also help researchers identify different rice
varieties more accurately.
"Knowing the correct species, subspecies and subpopulation
is vital for breeders and geneticists," says Eizenga. That's especially
the case when making crosses to incorporate desirable traits into new rice
varieties.
Crosses made between two closely related varieties of rice are
likely to produce more viable seeds than crosses between two diverse varieties.
So, the markers for species, subspecies and subpopulation help breeders choose
which rice varieties will work well together to develop improved hybrids.
Without establishing these successful hybrid varieties, breeders
cannot incorporate desired traits into new rice varieties.
Eizenga and colleagues are now testing a newer molecular marker
technology.
This technology involves looking for tiny differences in the
genetic material of different rice varieties. It uses what are called single
nucleotide polymorphisms—or SNPs.
"Using this technique will allow rice varieties
to be cataloged even more quickly and inexpensively," says Eizenga.
https://phys.org/news/2020-10-cataloguing-rice-crop.html
Moving towards vaccine to reduce yield loss due
to diseases in rice
Kolkata: A scientist has
uncovered the mechanism by which a bacterium called Xoo (Xanthomonas oryzaepv.
oryzae) that causes a serious bacterial leaf blight disease in rice interacts
with rice plant and cause disease.
Dr Tayi Lavanya, a recipient of
DST-Inspire Faculty Fellowship, instituted by the Department of Science &
Technology under the central government, working in Centre for Plant Molecular
Biology (CPMB), Osmania University, Hyderabad along with her research group is
working to identify and develop few molecules which are derived from either the
Xoo bacterium or from the infected rice cell walls.
The team is developing new
disease control strategies which they can use as vaccines that activate the
rice immune system and provide resistance to rice plants from subsequent
infections by pathogens.
Xanthomonas oryzaepv, oryzae, or
commonly known as Xoo infection, cause huge yield losses to rice cultivation
throughout the world. Treatment of rice with cellulose, a cell wall degrading
enzyme secreted by Xoo induces rice immune responses and protects rice from
subsequent infections by Xoo.
The team led by Dr Lavanya
carried out biochemical and functional studies on plant cell wall degrading
enzymes secreted by Xoo, which has provided key insights into the mechanisms by
which the Xoo pathogen interacts with rice plant and cause disease.
Using the leads obtained from her
PhD work, Dr Lavanya, along with her research group have zeroed in on few
molecules derived from either the Xoo bacterium and from infected rice cell
walls which they hope to develop into vaccines.
Currently, Dr Lavanya’s group is
working on a cellulase protein secreted by Xoo. This cellulase protein has the
features of a typical vaccine as it is a potent elicitor of rice immune
responses. Pre-treatment of rice plants with this protein provides resistance
to rice against subsequent Xoo infection.
In order to study how exactly
this protein induces the rice immune system, her group is testing whether any
surface exposed peptide of this cellulase protein is being recognized by the
rice immune system leading to the activation of immune responses. They are also
exploring whether the rice cell wall degradation products (sugars) that are
released by the activity of this cellulase protein on rice cell walls elicit
rice immunity.
The elicitor molecules
(peptide/sugars), once identified, will be used as a vaccine to activate the
rice immune system and induce resistance in rice plants to subsequent
infections by pathogens.
So far, improving the resistance
of rice plants by introducing Resistance “R” genes has been the best way to
control this disease which involves breeding or gene manipulation techniques
that are laborious and time-consuming.
Also, the introduced of “R” genes
provide only race-specific resistance that will prevent infections by only
specific strains of Xoo. But the elicitor molecule that will be identified in
this work will have the potential to induce a broad-spectrum resistance, which
will be effective not only against Xoo but also against other pathogens.
According to Dr Lavanya, this
study will reveal novel elicitors of rice defence responses and provide new
knowledge about the basic aspects of plant-pathogen interactions that might
lead to new ways of reducing yield losses for a crop that at least half of the
world’s population depends on.
https://goachronicle.com/moving-towards-vaccine-to-reduce-yield-loss-due-to-diseases-in-rice/
From community college to COVID
research, he followed a nontraditional path to fighting the virus
PHILADELPHIA — When Yaya Dia comes home from a long
day at work, hungry for a steaming plate of his mother’s fish with rice, his
little brothers don’t let him sit down without a big hug.by Tom Avril The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) Oct. 13 2020 @
12:05am
Yaya Dia, a graduate of Community College of
Philadelphia, is a research technician at the Wistar Institute, where he helps
study a possible COVID vaccine. (Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)
PHILADELPHIA — When Yaya Dia
comes home from a long day at work, hungry for a steaming plate of his mother’s
fish with rice, his little brothers don’t let him sit down without a big hug.
“Are you a doctor yet?” the
youngest, 10-year-old Abou, will often ask.
“I’m getting there,” replies Dia,
29.
He is on a longer journey than
most. He spoke no English when he immigrated at age 9 from the West African
nation of Burkina Faso, and at first, was indifferent about school amid the
unfamiliar tumult of Philadelphia. He went to an automotive vocational school,
considered a career in the military, then was most of the way through a
two-year business degree at Community College of Philadelphia before, on a
whim, he took a course in biology. A passion for medicine was born.
He took more science classes in
between working as a delivery driver (colleagues affectionately called him
“Doctor”), but he knew the path would take years. So for now, he is
contributing to medicine in a more immediate way: joining the fight against
COVID-19.
More than 40 coronavirus vaccines
are in various stages of testing on humans, and dozens more are being studied
in lab animals. Thousands of researchers worldwide are tackling the puzzle: the
industry scientists, the tenured professors of academia, the legions of
postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. At the bottom of the ladder are the
lab technicians, charged with setting up equipment, preparing nutrient “broths”
to feed cultures of experimental cells, and other behind-the-scenes tasks with
scant recognition.
Among them is Dia. Since
February, he has been an apprentice at Philadelphia’s Wistar Institute, the
128-year-old biomedical research center known for its expertise in cancer and
the immune system, which is helping to study a vaccine developed at Inovio
Pharmaceuticals, in Plymouth Meeting.
Though he plays just a small role
in an enterprise involving dozens of people, his work is praised by
supervisors, who rely on him to test samples from lab animals to see how well
their immune systems respond. And along with others who’ve gone through
training at Wistar, he represents progress toward a broader goal: increased
involvement in the sciences by people of color.
When one of the lab’s first
vaccine studies was published in May, alongside the coauthors with advanced
degrees from big-name schools, there was Dia: holder of an associate degree
from Community College of Philadelphia (CCP).
Bill Wunner, a longtime scientist
at the institute, needed workers who would stick around.
Every year, a new crop of bright
young college graduates would cycle through Wistar, picking up some lab
experience before moving on to an advanced degree.
“They’d be gone within a year,”
he said.
Wunner had worked in Scotland,
where it was common for labs to hire research assistants who had yet to earn a
college degree. With the blessing of Wistar management, he offered to create a
similar program in Philadelphia. A consultant suggested an untapped source of
talent: community college.
By offering rigorous on-the-job
training and supplemental classes to promising candidates, Wunner argued,
Wistar could ensure a steady stream of homegrown research assistants. And it
would yield another benefit in the bargain: boosting the number of minorities
in the sciences.
“The population of students at
CCP is a great cross-representation of the diversity of our society in
Philadelphia,” he said.
People of color are
underrepresented in the sciences even more than in most professional fields,
for a variety of reasons. The hierarchical nature of academic labs ensures
people in tenured professorships — very often, older white men like Wunner —
stay in place for a long time. And the years of training and education can put
science and medical careers out of reach for those who need to make money
sooner.
Especially given others with more
resources, seeking crucial lab training for their resumes, may get it as
volunteers, said Dia’s supervisor at Wistar, post-doctoral fellow Emma
Reuschel.
“If you can’t afford to volunteer
your time, which is a privilege that a lot of people don’t have, that’s not
necessarily an avenue open to you to get that initial experience,” she said.
When Wunner started the program,
a few colleagues were skeptical, he said. But 20 years later, there is no
question it works. Of the 160 students who completed the program, half have
gotten science-related jobs within a year, said Kristy Shuda McGuire, the
Wistar associate dean who oversees it now. Two-thirds pursue additional
education in science or medicine.
Participants start with a
seven-day orientation, meeting on Fridays to accommodate the Monday-Thursday
class schedule at CCP. Then comes a pair of three-and-a-half week paid
rotations in two different labs, in some cases with Philadelphia-based biotech
firms such as Integral Molecular and Invisible Sentinel. Last comes a
three-month paid internship at Wistar or an area university.
It can be daunting at first,
working in a big lab alongside others with fancy degrees, said Abeer Hudaihed,
who completed the program in 2014. But everyone was welcoming, eager to answer
questions or lend career advice.
“Dr. Wunner, he always made me
feel like I could do it,” she said.
She went on to earn a master’s
degree at Thomas Jefferson University, where she found her laboratory skills
were more advanced than those of many classmates. Now she has now come full
circle, teaching biology at CCP.
Charles Heise described the inner
workings of human biology as a factory.
DNA is the blueprint for making
proteins, the building blocks of life, he told his biology students at CCP. The
“workers” are cellular structures called ribosomes, assembling proteins on a
factory “floor” called the endoplasmic reticulum.
It is a standard analogy in
first-year biology, but to Dia, who had signed up for the class on impulse in
2014, it was a revelation.
“The way he taught it, it really
grabbed my attention,” he said. “I found a whole new passion.”
Heise, who now teaches at
Delaware Valley University, deflects the credit to his former student, one of
several who always stayed after class, peppering him with questions.
“He was the kind of person you
could put your finger on and say, ‘He’s going to amount to something,’” Heise
recalled.
Dia earned his associate degree
in 2017 and continued to take more science classes when he could, in between a
series of jobs. He saved money by living at home with his seven younger
siblings, fending off questions from his parents about his choice of a career
path that required so many years of preparation.
He finally found time for the
Wistar program in 2019 and liked it so much he plowed through the training, the
lab rotations, and the internship one after the other, rather than spread it
over the usual two years. He followed that with a nine-month paid
apprenticeship, partly funded by the state of Pennsylvania, a new opportunity
Wistar created several years ago for graduates of the training program.
That started in February, just as
COVID-19 was gaining steam.
The vaccine developed at Inovio
is based on research by David Weiner, the head of the Wistar lab where Dia
works.
As with any vaccine, the goal is
to give the immune system a practice run, teaching it to make antibodies and
other customized defenses in the event of infection. Traditional vaccines
accomplish this by exposing the person to a weakened or inactivated form of a
virus.
The Inovio vaccine, on the other
hand, involves administering the genetic instructions for a fragment of the
virus — enabling the person to make it onsite, in those cellular “factories”
Dia had learned about in biology class.
Among other advantages, these DNA
vaccines can be produced quickly. The first version of the COVID-19 vaccine at
Inovio, where Weiner is a board member, was “printed” from chemical components
within a matter of hours. But so far, no such vaccine has been commercialized
in the United States, and unlike several other COVID-19 vaccines in
development, Inovio’s entry has not yet proceeded to Phase 3 trials. The
company’s stock dropped Monday after it announced that stage of testing was on
hold, pending a review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
With COVID-19’s global death toll
now over one million, the effort continues, with Dia among many dozens of
contributors.
It is repetitive work, requiring
intense focus. On a recent day, he measured the antibody levels in samples of
blood serum taken from vaccinated monkeys. The study in May, published in Nature
Communications, involved testing the vaccine in mice and guinea pigs.
Sometimes he will ask lab
colleagues for help. And sometimes they ask him.
“Just because they have a Ph.D.,
doesn’t necessarily mean they are smarter than you,” he said. “That just means
they went further than you in education.”
He does not know yet if medical
school lies ahead. Another option is to be a physician’s assistant, or perhaps
a researcher.
All he needed was the chance. Now
the work is up to him.
“If you just do whatever you’re
supposed to do, and help out whichever way you can,” he said, “then you’ll make
a name for yourself.”
Vivek Sarkar
Selected to Receive the 2020 ACM/IEEE CS Ken Kennedy Award
·
Oct 12, 2020 Updated 18
hrs ago
Vivek Sarkar Selected to Receive the 2020 ACM/IEEE CS Ken
Kennedy Award
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., Oct. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/
-- The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and IEEE Computer Society
(IEEE CS) have named Vivek Sarkar of Georgia Institute of Technology as the recipient of
the 2020 ACM/IEEE CS Ken Kennedy Award.
Sarkar is recognized for "foundational technical
contributions to the area of programmability and productivity in parallel
computing, as well as leadership contributions to professional service,
mentoring, and teaching."
An IEEE Fellow and ACM Fellow, Sarkar is Chair of the School of
Computer Science and the Stephen Fleming Chair in the College of Computing at
Georgia Institute of Technology. Sarkar started his career in IBM
Research in 1987 after obtaining his Ph.D. from Stanford
University, which was supervised by John
Hennessy. His research projects at IBM include the PTRAN automatic
parallelization system led by Fran Allen, the
ASTI optimizer for IBM's XL Fortran product compilers, the open-source Jikes
Research Virtual Machine for the Java language, and the X10 programming
language developed in the DARPA HPCS program. He was a member of the IBM
Academy of Technology during 1995-2007.
After moving to academia, Sarkar has mentored over 30 Ph.D.
students and postdoctoral researchers in the Habanero Extreme Scale Software
Research Laboratory, first at Rice University since
2007, and now at Georgia Tech since
2017. While at Rice, Sarkar was the E.D.
Butcher Chair in Engineering and served as Chair of the Department of Computer
Science. Researchers in his lab have developed the Habanero-C/C++ and
Habanero-Java programming systems for parallel, heterogeneous, and distributed
platforms. These systems introduced new constructs for homogeneous and
heterogeneous intra-node parallelism, as well as their integration with
scalable inter-node communication libraries.
The Kennedy Award recognizes Sarkar's leadership in several areas.
Sarkar has made foundational technical contributions to programmability and
productivity in parallel computing, and has developed innovative
programming-model, compiler, and runtime technologies for parallel computing
that have influenced other researchers, as well as industry products and
standards. Sarkar has led open source software projects that have had
significant impact on the research community; he has created new pedagogic
materials to make parallel programming more accessible to undergraduate
students and the Coursera learner community, and has mentored junior colleagues
at IBM and several PhD students after moving to academia. He has also
demonstrated leadership in community service by serving as program chair and
general chair for major conferences in his research area, serving on US
Department of Energy's Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee
(ASCAC) advisory committee since 2009, and on the Computing Research
Association (CRA) Board of Directors since 2015.
The Kennedy Award carries a US $5,000 honorarium
endowed by the IEEE CS and the ACM. The award will be presented to Sarkar at
the SC20 virtual awards plenary session on Monday afternoon, 16 November 2020.
ACM and IEEE CS co-sponsor the Kennedy Award, which was
established in 2009 to recognize substantial contributions to programmability
and productivity in computing and significant community service or mentoring
contributions. It was named for the late Ken Kennedy,
founder of Rice University's computer
science program and a world expert on high-performance computing.
About the IEEE Computer Society
The IEEE Computer Society is the world's home for computer
science, engineering, and technology. A global leader in providing access to
computer science research, analysis, and information, the IEEE Computer Society
offers a comprehensive array of unmatched products, services, and opportunities
for individuals at all stages of their professional career. Known as the
premier organization that empowers the people who drive technology, the IEEE
Computer Society offers international conferences, peer-reviewed publications,
a unique digital library, and training programs. Visit https://www.computer.org for
more information.
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352 centres to procure
paddy in Karimnagar
About 4.8 lakh tonnes of crop is expected to arrive since paddy
was sowed in 2.52 lakh acres in the district this Kharif
AddThis Sharing Buttons
By TelanganaToday | Published: 12th
Oct 2020 7:40 pm
BC welfare
minister Gangula Kamalakar addressing the paddy procurment preparatory meeting
in Karimnagar on Monday.
Karimnagar: BC Welfare and Civil Supplies
Minister Gangula Kamalakar on Monday said 352 paddy purchasing centres would be
established in the district to procure the entire crop.
About 4.8 lakh tonnes of crop is expected to be arrived since
paddy was sowed in 2.52 lakh acres in the district in the current Vanakalam
season. Assuring to procure each and every grain, he directed to set up a
procurement centre in every village and two centres in major villages for the
benefit of farmers.
Kamalakar conducted a preparatory meeting for paddy procurement
held with public representatives, officials and rice millers at Collectorate
auditorium here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, he said heavy yield is
expected since the cultivation area has been enhanced. Farmers, who are happy
with Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and Rs 5,000 financial assistance, had cultivated
additional crops, he said
“So, officials should make all necessary arrangements at the
procurement centres. Besides hamalis, adequate gunny bags and tarpaulins should
be made available at centres. There should be a paddy cleaner at every centre,”
the Minister instructed.
Besides an officer for every centre, a nodal officer would be
deployed for every five centres. Minister said that, the officials and public
representatives should work in coordination for two months and continue
procurement in a smooth manner without giving any difficulties to farmers.
Minister assured to take steps to deposit money in the bank
accounts of farmers within three to four days. Despite hurdles due to Covid-19,
a procurement centre was established in every village.
“In united Andhra Pradesh, only 20 lakh tonnes used to be
purchased across the State. However, cultivation area has been enhanced with
the completion of Kaleshwaram project. Even, parched lands have also been
cultivated by farmers,” he said.
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https://telanganatoday.com/352-centres-to-procure-paddy-in-karimnagar
Delhi’s air
quality ‘poor’;wind direction shift may improve it
The city
recorded an overall AQI of 240 at 10 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 216 on
Sunday and 221 on Saturday.
By: PTI |
New Delhi | Updated: October 12, 2020 11:58:09 am
High PM2.5 levels are seen during winter and post-monsoon.
The air quality in the national capital and adjacent areas was
recorded in the “poor” category on Monday morning, with concentration of fine
particulate matter “PM2.5 and PM10” increasing to the highest recorded levels
this season so far.
However, the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitor,
SAFAR, said the air quality index (AQI) was likely to improve slightly in the
coming days due to a change in the wind direction.
The city recorded an overall AQI of 240 at 10 am. The 24-hour
average AQI was 216 on Sunday and 221 on Saturday.
The AQI in Jahangirpuri (301) and Vivek Vihar (316) hit the
“very poor” category.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100
‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very
poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.
PM10 levels in Delhi-NCR stood at 242 microgram per cubic meter
(g/m3) at 9 am — the highest this season so far, according to CPCB data. PM10
levels below 100g/m3 are considered safe in India.
PM10 is particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers and
is inhalable into the lungs. These particles include dust, pollen and mold
spores.
The levels of PM2.5 “finer particles which can even enter
the bloodstream were 106g/m3. PM2.5 levels up to 60g/m3 are considered
safe.
Delhi’s air quality had turned poor on Wednesday, the first time
in since June 29, with the Central Pollution Control Board recording a 24-hour
average AQI of 215.
SAFAR said as many as 448 farm fires were observed in Punjab,
adjoining Pakistan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh which impacted Delhi’s air
quality on Sunday.
However, the wind direction will change from northwesterly to
southeasterly and the impact of farm fires will reduce, it said.
On Monday morning, Delhi’s minimum temperature settled at 19.4
degrees Celsius. The maximum wind speed was 4 kilometers per hour.
Low temperatures and stagnant winds help in accumulation of
pollutants near the ground, affecting air quality.
With Delhi-NCR bracing for months of poor air quality, experts
have warned that high levels of air pollution can aggravate the COVID-19 pandemic.
High level of air pollution in Delhi is a year-round problem,
which can be attributed to unfavourable meteorological conditions, farm fires
in neighbouring regions and local sources of pollution.
According to an analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment
and Water, a Delhi-based think tank, transportation contributes the most — 18
to 39 percent — to Delhi’s air pollution.
Road dust is the second largest source of air pollution in the
city (18 to 38 percent), followed by industries (2 to 29 percent), thermal
power plants (3 to 11 percent) and construction (8 percent).
This year, the Delhi government has launched a massive anti-air
pollution campaign — Yuddh Pradushan Ke Viruddh’ — which is being led by Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Environment Minister
Gopal Rai.
A “green war room” with a 10-member expert team has been set up
at the Delhi Secretariat to monitor the steps being taken to deal with high
levels of air pollution in winters.
The environment department has also taken stern action against
project proponents at large construction and demolition sites flouting dust
control norms.
The government will also start the spraying of “Pusa
bio-decomposer” solution in non-basmati rice fields in the national capital,
starting Tuesday.
The solution, experts say, can turn the stubble into manure in
15 to 20 days and therefore, can prevent stubble burning.’
Starting October 15, stricter measures to fight air pollution
will also come into force in Delhi and its neighbourhood as part of the Graded
Response Action Plan, which was first implemented in Delhi-NCR in 2017.
Egypt Recycles Tons Of Rice Straws To Avoid
Pollution
October 11, 2020October 11, 2020 Maimoona Tahir
The burning of tons of rice straws – a by-product of rice farming
– results in the phenomenon of the black cloud in Egypt. It is a collection of
toxic emissions that accumulate in the sky and darken its colour.
Egypt has collected and recycled
more than 1.4 million tons of rice straws recently, as part of a protocol
signed between the Agricultural and Environment ministries, to reduce the
consequences of the black cloud formed due to pollution which is caused from
the act of straw burning.
The burning of rice straw – a
by-product of rice farming – results in the phenomenon of the black cloud in
Egypt. It is a collection of toxic emissions that accumulate in the sky and
darken its colour.
According to a statement released
on Saturday by the agricultural ministry,
the protocol also aims at helping farmers attain economic outputs as well as
providing job vacancies.
The statement also said that the
amount of recycled rice straw that has been collected was done so from 621
collection sites across six governorates: Dakahlia, Qalyubia, Sharqia,
Gharbiya, Kafr El-Sheikh, and Beheira.
The collected amount will be
utilised to produce organic fertilizers and non-conventional feedstuffs.
The black cloud phenomenon first
appeared over the Nile Delta and Cairo in 1997, due to the burning of rice
straw at the end of the harvest season, but did not become visible to the naked
eye until two years later.
Rice is one of the most common
crops cultivated by farmers in Egypt, and it is a staple food for the vast
majority of the country’s population.
According to a report released by
the US’ Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) in September, Egypt’s rice production
stood at 4.3 million tonnes in 2020/2021, the same as in 2019/2020, and the
country’s consumption of rice increased to 4.5 million tonnes in 2020/2021, up
from 4.4 million tonnes in 2019/2020.
Originally published by Ahram
Rice traders
organizes sessions on agri- children rights
Sun, 11 Oct 2020, 5:14
PM
ISLAMABAD, Oct 11 (APP): The top
rice traders has organized the workshops for educating the 1000 rice
transplanters families and their children on Child Rights and to create awareness
for their personal health, hygiene and Prevention from COVID-19 pandemic.
The top rice trader of the
country, Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL) organized 20 awareness sessions on
“Child Rights and Personal Health and Hygiene” for rice transplanter’s families
in different region of the Punjab province, said a press release issued here on
Sunday.
In last session the series of
awareness session, the Project Officer RPL, Rizwan Ali highlighted the
different aspects children health and threats and also delivered a lecture on
child rights.
The Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL)
in collaboration with Helvetas Pakistan and Swiss Solidarity conducted 20
awareness sessions for agriculture families on “Child Rights and Personal
Health and Hygiene” especially for rice transplanter’s families in 16 remote
villages of district Sheikhupura and other districts, he said.
He threw light on the rights of
children and highlighted the strategies for elimination of child abuses and
child labor.
During the series of awareness
sessions, more than 2000 participants attended these awareness sessions, he
said.
While, SOPs were strictly
followed regarding the COVID-19 during these sessions.
He shared the key points of the document of the United Nations Child Rights
Convention (UNCRC) with the participants.
The UNCRC has 41 articles which
tell us about various rights of the child.
He said that the constitution of
Pakistan also grants fundamental rights to the citizens of Pakistan
particularly to women and children.
As per article 25-A of Constitution
of Pakistan “The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all
children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be
determined by law” he added.
He also described the last sermon
of Holy Prophet (PBUH) as per the last sermon that all the people are equal and
no one is superior.
The base of superiority is the
faith only.
He also said that RPL is providing books, stationery and uniforms to the
deserving children of the transplanting community free of cost so they should
send their children into schools.
He ended the session by saying
that RPL is also supporting in birth registration of child.
The Health Officer, Punjab Health
Department, Ms Zunaira Arooj sensitized the participants on personal health and
hygiene.
She told the participants what
measures should be taken in case of heatstroke, accidents, bites, chemical
exposures etc.
She added to always use filtered
water or boiled water to remain safe from water- borne diseases. She also
spread awareness on prevention from novel corona virus.
She described the methods of making hand sanitizers and ORS at home.
While talking to APP, Muhammad
Ali Tariq Chief Operating Officer Rice Partners Pvt Ltd has said that RPL is
working for the betterment of farmers and farm laborers from past many years
through provision of laser land leveling on 50%, co
st sharing basis, trainings on
water saving techniques.
“We are ensuring decent working
conditions for rice transplanters and their children by establishing Community
Child Care Centers, first aid kits distribution of food packs, canopy kits etc.
He also said that RPL has
organized number of medical camps in Punjab and treated more than 20,000
patients in the community.
He said that RPL is the only
organization in Pakistan which is working on many aspects of the rice value
chain like Water productivity, Crop management, Gender equality, Child rights,
Vocational trainings, Women empowerment, human rights and health issues.
He said that they try their best
to improve the livelihood of the farmers and farm labour.
So far more than 28,000 farmers have been sensitized by RPL.
https://www.app.com.pk/business/rice-traders-organizes-sessions-on-agri-children-rights/
Export of essential agri
commodities for April-Sept 2020 rises by 43.4%
1 min read . Updated:
10 Oct 2020, 05:32 PM ISTEdited By J. Jagannath
Balance of agri trade also significantly positive at ₹9,002 crore during April-Sept 2020, says govt
The export of essential agri
commodities for the cumulative period of April-September, 2020 has increased by
43.4% to ₹53,626.6 crore as compared to ₹37,397.3 crore in the same period
last year, the government said on Saturday.
"The consistent and
concerted efforts of the government to boost agricultural exports are bearing
fruit despit the ongoing Covid-19 crisis,' said Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare in an official statement.
Major commodity groups which have
recorded positive export growth during April-Sept, 2020-21 vis-à-vis
April-Sept, 2019-20 are Groundnut (35%), Refined Sugar (104%), wheat (206%),
Basmati Rice (13%) and Non-Basmati Rice (105%) etc.
Furthermore, balance of trade
during April-September 2020 has been significantly positive at ₹9,002 Crore as against trade deficit of ₹2,133 crore during the same period in 2019. On month to month
basis (MoM), India’s agricultural export of essential agricultural commodities
during September, 2020 has been of ₹9,296 crore against export
of ₹5,114 crore during September, 2019, showing an increase of
81.7%.
In order to boost agri exports,
the Government announced Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 which inter-alia
provides for cluster-based approach for export-centric farming of cash crops
like fruits, vegetables, spices, etc. whereby clusters for specific agri
products are identified across the country and focused interventions are
carried out in these clusters.
Eight Export Promotion Forums
have been set up under the aegis of APEDA to boost export of agriculture/
horticulture products. The EPFs are created on Banana, Grapes, Mango,
Pomegranate, Onion, Dairy, Rice Basmati and Rice Non-Basmati. The EPF are
making concerted efforts to identify, document particulars of, and reach out to
stakeholders across the entire production/ supply chain of export for
increasing these exports significantly to the global market, through various
interventions.
Recently, the Government has also
announced Agri Infra Fund of ₹1 lakh crore to improve agri
business environment which shall promote agri export in due course.
Besides, DAC&FW has also
prepared a comprehensive action plan/strategy towards promotion of agri trade
envisaging twofold approach viz. to boost Agri Export with emphasis on value
addition and a detailed action plan for Import Substitution.
Villar hits
‘duplication’, ‘overlapping’ of rice programs
By: Daphne Galvez - Reporter / @DYGalvezINQ
INQUIRER.net / 11:27 AM October 12, 2020
(File photo
/ WILLIE LOMIBAO)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Cynthia
Villar on Monday grilled officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) over
the “duplication” and “overlapping” of some of its programs with the Rice
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
During the Senate hearing on the DA’s 2021
budget, Villar questioned the allocation of funds under the National Rice
Program for “extension support and training services.”
She said funds for such a program were
already allocated under the RCEF.
“Why do you duplicate? Sana i-compare niyo
‘yung National Rice Program at RCEF. Kung mayroon na sa RCEF, huwag niyo na
ulitin, ibigay sa others na kulang,” the senator said.
(I hope you compare the NRP and RCEF. If
programs are already under RCEF, don’t duplicate it, give the funds to others
that are lacking funds.)
Sen. Cynthia
Villar (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)
“Hindi natin malaman kung magkano ‘yung
ginasta mo sa training na ‘yan, ano ginasta ng RCEF sa training. Nag-ooverlap
tayo. ‘Wag tayo mag-ooverlap,” Villar added.
(We cannot determine how much was spent for
training because of overlapping. We should not overlap.)
She also hit the DA’s distribution of
hybrid seeds to rice-producing towns in the country where the Philippine Rice
Research Institute has already given inbred rice seeds.
“Katulad noon, magbibigay kayo ng hybrid
seeds eh nagbigay na kami ng inbred seeds. Sana sa may 947 rice-producing
towns, sana paghatian, para hindi tayo duplication,” Villar said.
She said she has asked the DA for a list of
towns given hybrid rice seeds but the agency has not submitted such.
“Bakit ayaw nyo magbigay ng listahan kung
walang corruption?May RCEF tayo eh, bibigyan nyo ng inbred seed ‘yung 947
rice-producing towns,” she said.
“Piliin niyo na ‘yung gusto ng hybrid at
kunin niyo na ‘yun para hindi na ‘yun ang bibigyan ng inbred,” the senator
added.
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Petition seeks
protection of Pakistani products’ identity
By
-
October 12, 2020
ISLAMABAD: While the government has already taken steps to challenge
Indian application for exclusive Geographical Indication (GI) tag for basmati
rice before the European Union, a petition has also been filed in the Lahore High
Court (LHC) seeking the protection of Intellectual Property (IP) of Pakistani
products in international markets.
Dissatisfied with the
arrangements made by the Ministry of Commerce to protect the copyrights,
trademarks and GI tag of growers, traders and exporters of Pakistani products,
petitioner Muhammad Azam Khan, alleged that the concerned ministry and
institutions lack the basic requirements for ensuring the rights of the
stakeholders. The Ministry of Commerce, Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO)
Pakistan and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) have been listed as
respondents in the petition.
The petitioner has contended that
immediate action is required to designate and appoint a registrar of GIs under
the GI Act with special emphasis on resolving the currently pending basmati
rice issue before the EU as the limitation for opposition expires on December
11, 2020.
He contended that immediate steps
must be taken to regularise and organise local and international registration.
Furthermore, a task force is needed to identify pending issues and safeguard
future protection of GIs involving all stakeholders of the various indigenous
and local agricultural products and processes.
The petition said that the
Ministry of Commerce has yet to designate a department or body that will
oversee the ownership of the GIs alongside the IPO.
The petitioner said that the lack
of action from respondents would certainly result in massive loss of trade
name, business, intellectual property, heritage and indigenous processes. This
would then turn into massive layoffs, unemployment, and reduced revenue for the
government while the country is already in a recession, and such outcomes would
further destabilise several industries, he added.
He further said that carelessness
at this crucial stage could result in loss of competitive advantage of
Pakistani agricultural products in the international market and subsequently,
result in loss to farmers, producers and traders nationwide.
The petitioner contended the
shortcomings of the respondents have left the farmers and affected parties of
GIs without the necessary information, knowhow and knowledge of essential legal
requirements. Immediate steps are required by the respondents to not only
create awareness but correct their ineptness by calling for expeditious
registrations of GIs both locally and internationally.
He contended that the respondents
are shirking from their respective responsibilities under the Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, EU Quality Schemes
Regime and various regulations pertaining to GIs.
A committee should be set up to
check and supervise timely adherence to the various legal regimes to protect
the intellectual property of the country.
He insisted that immediate intervention
and supervision of this court is required; otherwise the citizens, traders and
farmers of Pakistan, and the nation itself would suffer irreparable economic
loss and reputational injury.
It is worth mentioning here that
the Ministry of Commerce had announced last week that Pakistan would oppose
India’s claim of GI tag of basmati rice in the EU. A Pakistani legal team will
file its formal opposition with the EU with proof that Indian claims did not
have solid grounds.
This was decided during a meeting
chaired by Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak
Dawood. The meeting was attended by secretary commerce, chairman IPO-Pakistan,
representatives of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and the legal
fraternity.
During the meeting, REAP representatives were of the view that
Pakistan is a major grower and producer of basmati rice and India’s claim for
exclusivity is unjustified. Dawood categorically stated that Pakistan will
vehemently oppose India’s application in the European Union and restrain India
from obtaining exclusive GI tag of basmati rice.
The writer is a member of the staff at the Islamabad
Bureau. He can be reached at abbasskd5@gmail.com
Pakistan Opposes India’s
Application for the Exclusivity of Basmati in the European Union
Pakistan and India are at odds
over Geographical Indication tagging of
aromatic long grain rice. Accordingly, Pakistan to challenge India’s
application for the exclusivity of basmati in the European Union.
Pakistan
Opposes India’s Claim Over Basmati
A Pakistani news website has
reported tackling India’s application for the GI tag of basmati
in the EU. Further, the decision is said to be taken in a meeting chaired by
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Razak Dawood. Secretary Commerce,
Chairman, Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO-Pakistan), representatives
of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap), and the legal fraternity
were also present.
The meeting concluded that India’s
claim for basmati exclusivity is unjustified as Pakistan is its major grower.
Also, Dawood stated that it would oppose New Delhi from obtaining any exclusive
rights. Moreover, Pakistan legalized GI Registration and Protection Act in
March this year. This gives it the right to challenge India’s claim for GI tag
for basmati rice.
Pakistan Opposes India’s Exclusivity of Basmati in EU
Fine Aromatic
Long rice is Authentic to India
Published in an official journal of
EU on 11th September, India’s application highlights that basmati is an Indian
origin product. Further, it added that this special long grain aromatic rice is
authentic to the geographical region of the Indian sub-continent. This region
is part of northern India, below the foothills of the Himalayas. Though
Pakistan produces and exports a wide range of basmati from the
country, basmati of particular characteristic grows only in districts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and also in some parts of UP and Jammu and Kashmir.
In all, Pakistan has vehemently
opposed India’s claim over the origin of basmati.
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