India unveils world’s first genome-edited rice; Shivraj Singh Chouhan hails “historic milestone”

May 5, 2025 1:39 PM

India unveils world’s first genome-edited rice; Shivraj Singh Chouhan hails “historic milestone”

India has become the first country in the world to develop genome-edited rice varieties, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Sunday. Developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the new rice varieties — DRR Rice 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1 — are expected to significantly increase crop yields, improve climate resilience, and reduce water usage. Calling it a “historic milestone in scientific research,” Chouhan, speaki...

Iraq resumes rice cultivation after two-year ban with new climate friendly strain

July 24, 2024 9:11 PM

Iraq resumes rice cultivation after two-year ban with new climate friendly strain

Iraq has resumed rice cultivation after a two-year ban prompted by water scarcity, and is testing out a strain of the grain that consumes less water than traditionally planted versions. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Mahdi Sahar al-Jubouri told Reuters the country has earmarked 150 sq km (58 sq miles) for rice growing this season and forecast a yield of 150,000 tonnes, as officials said water is more abundant due to heavy winter rainfall and the promise of more water flows from Turkey. This fo...