Wednesday, October 14, 2020

13th October,2020 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

 

 

'Hybrid rice bringing revolution to growers' lifestyle'

 

 

Recorder Report 10 Oct 2020

 

 

Description: https://i.brecorder.com/primary/2020/10/5f80e07e0c56b.jpg

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

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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

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/kejriwal-to-launch-spraying-of-antistubble-burning-solution-on-tuesday/1953404

 

 

Filipino scientists make their mark amid pandemic

 

ByRed Mendoza

Description: Red MendozaOctober 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.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/10/11/news/top-stories/filipino-scientists-make-their-mark-amid-pandemic/778928/

 

 

Updates on the implementation of Rice Tariffication Law

 

Published October 10, 2020, 10:00 AM

by Vina Medenilla

“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

Description: After Covid, stir hits rice exporters hard

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

by Nick J. Lizaso

DESTINATION: ART

Description: https://mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Photo-for-Column-Box-1-1.jpgArsenio “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.

Description: https://mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Antique-PPO-2018March1-Raul-38-1024x768.jpgThe 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

Description: https://mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MG_4786-1024x683.jpgThe 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.

Description: story.lead_photo.captionSoybeans 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

Description: Cataloguing the rice collection for crop improvementThe 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.

Description: Cataloguing the rice collection for crop improvementThe 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.

Description: Cataloguing the rice collection for crop improvementSelected 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

GC NewsDesk   

 

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.”

https://www.newstribune.com/news/health/story/2020/oct/13/from-community-college-to-covid-research-he-followed-a-nontraditional-path-to-fighting-the-virus/845021/


 

Vivek Sarkar Selected to Receive the 2020 ACM/IEEE CS Ken Kennedy Award

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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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https://www.thepress.net/news/state/vivek-sarkar-selected-to-receive-the-2020-acm-ieee-cs-ken-kennedy-award/article_d469c3ee-d37b-5a02-9ea3-2825e324e24a.html

 

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

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By TelanganaToday  |  Published: 12th Oct 2020  7:40 pm

Description: https://cdn.telanganatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Kamalakar-meeting.jpgBC 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

Description: delhi pollution, delhi pollutants in air, delhi aqi, delhi air quality, ultrafine particles in delhi air, particles in delhi air, iit delhi on air pollution, delhi city news

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.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhis-air-quality-poorwind-direction-shift-may-improve-it-6721681/

 

 

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

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:CSkNhBueGaIJ:https://www.technologytimes.pk/2020/10/11/egypt-recycles-tons-of-rice-straws-to-avoid-pollution/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

 

 

Rice traders organizes sessions on agri- children rights

 

Description: Rice traders organizes sessions on agri- children rights

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.

Balance of agri trade also significantly positive at 9,002 crore during April-Sept 2020, says govt

Description: Representational image

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.

 

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/export-of-essential-agri-commodities-for-april-sept-2020-rises-by-43-4-11602329594843.html

 

 

Villar hits ‘duplication’, ‘overlapping’ of rice programs

By: Daphne Galvez - Reporter / @DYGalvezINQ

INQUIRER.net / 11:27 AM October 12, 2020

Description: agriculture agri

(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.)

Description: SUPPORT LOCAL RICE FARMERS: Sen. Cynthia Villar enjoins the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to use its P1.8 billion annual rice budget to purchase rice from local farmers until such time when they become as competitive as their counterparts from Thailand and Vietnam. “I think it is just fair to ask the DILG, since it’s the money of the government, to buy rice from our local farmers through the National Food Authority (NFA) to help them. Can I get this commitment from Interior and Local Government Sec. Año?” Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, asked during the virtual hearing on the proposed 2021 budget of the DILG and its attached agencies Thursday, October 1, 2020. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

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.



Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1346585/villar-hits-duplication-overlapping-of-rice-programs#ixzz6akfcj2fh
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https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1346585/villar-hits-duplication-overlapping-of-rice-programs

 

 

Petition seeks protection of Pakistani products’ identity

 

By

 Ghulam Abbas

 -

 

Description: https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/27-2.jpg

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.

Description: Ghulam AbbasDuring 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.

 

 

Ghulam Abbas

The writer is a member of the staff at the Islamabad Bureau. He can be reached at abbasskd5@gmail.com

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/10/12/petition-seeks-protection-of-pakistani-products-identity/

 

 

Pakistan Opposes India’s Application for the Exclusivity of Basmati in the European Union

October 13, 2020

Gurneel Kaur

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.

https://www.grainmart.in/news/pakistan-opposes-indias-application-for-the-exclusivity-of-basmati-in-the-european-union/

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