|
LOS
BAÑOS, Laguna—The International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI) recently announced that it has received a
donation of materials worth $500,000 from 5 PRIME, a
Germany-based company that produces technologies and
reagents for molecular biology applications.
The
donation includes technologies and reagents for DNA
isolation, amplification and molecular analysis. It will
strengthen IRRI’s research capabilities for enabling
more efficient and cheaper rice production.
For
example, the 5 PRIME materials will help the institute’s
work on developing drought-tolerant rice varieties. Rai-fed
lowlands in many parts of Asia are vulnerable to
drought, making rice farming a risky enterprise for
resource-poor farmers. Scientists at IRRI use molecular
biological methods—which require high-quality
reagents—to develop drought-tolerant rice varieties.
“In 2008
rice prices have risen dramatically, hurting poor
consumers who are dependent on affordable rice for their
food security,” said Achim Dobermann, IRRI’s deputy
director general for research. “This situation
underscores the need to intensify research efforts to
develop improved, more efficient rice production. We are
very grateful that 5 PRIME has supported us by providing
high-quality tools and reagents.”
IRRI
research has led to significant improvements in rice
supply. The development of high-yielding, short-stemmed
varieties in the 1960s ignited what became known as the
Green Revolution in rice, saving millions of Asians from
famine.
Between
1961 and 2000, more innovations boosted rice production
by an impressive 170 percent, from 199 million tons in
1961 to 540 million tons in 2000. The increase in
production drove a spectacular drop in the real price of
rice over the past 30 years, providing the poor with
vital additional income. The recent price rises have
threatened these improvements.
“We are
very proud to support this extremely important research
mission with our technologies,” said Dr. Bernd Haase,
CEO of 5 PRIME. “Molecular biology is one of the keys to
generating more scientific advances that may not only
reduce hunger in developing countries but also spark
their subsequent economic growth and ultimately lift
more people out of poverty.”
5 PRIME
is a provider of molecular biological reagents and
technologies based in Hamburg, Germany. It offers a
comprehensive range of products for all common molecular
biology applications.
Based in
Los Baños, Laguna, IRRI is the oldest and largest
international agricultural research institute in Asia.
It is an autonomous, nonprofit rice research and
education organization with staff based in 14 countries
in Asia and Africa. IRRI was established in 1960 by the
Ford and Rockefeller Foundations in cooperation with the
Philippine government. |
