Helping global rice science make a difference

In a recent essay, Bill Gates says, “You can achieve incredible progress if you set a clear goal and find a measure that will drive progress toward that goal.” He goes on to add “This may seem basic, but it is amazing how often it is not done and how hard it is to get right.” In order “to get it right,” key scientists from AfricaRice, CIAT, CIRAD, IRD, JIRCAS, and IRRI, who serve as the Theme Leaders and focal persons of the CGIAR Research Program on Rice – known as the Global Rice Science Partnership or GRiSP in short – met recently at IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines, to develop clear pathways from global rice research outputs to development outcomes and impact and establish metrics for monitoring and evaluation. GRiSP streamlines current rice research for development activities of the CGIAR and aligns them with more than 900 rice research and development partners worldwide to increase rice productivity and value for the poor, foster more sustainable rice-based production, help rice farmers adapt to climate change and improve the efficiency and equity of the rice sector. IRRI leads GRiSP and activities in Asia, with AfricaRice leading the work in Africa and CIAT the work in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Other internationally operating research organizations such as CIRAD, IRD, and JIRCAS play a strategic role in GRiSP. To learn more about how GRiSP can make a difference, listen to the GRiSP Theme Leaders and focal persons speaking about their important meeting. Speakers in the podcast (in order of intervention) Bas Bouman, IRRI, GRiSP Director Aliou Diagne, AfricaRice, GRiSP Theme 5 Leader Frédéric Lançon, CIRAD, GRiSP Theme 5 Leader Samarendu Mohanty, IRRI, GRiSP Theme 5 Leader Hei Leung, IRRI, GRiSP Theme 1 Leader Marie Noelle Ndjiondjop, AfricaRice, GRiSP Theme 1 Leader Eero Nissila, IRRI, GRiSP Theme 2 Leader Osamu Koyama, JIRCAS, GRiSP PPMT Member Alain Ghesquière, IRD, GRiSP PPMT Member/Theme 2 Leader Takashi Kumashiro, AfricaRice, GRiSP Theme 2 Leader David Johnson, IRRI, GRiSP Theme 3 Leader Koichi Futakuchi, AfricaRice, GRiSP Theme 3 Leader John Manful, AfricaRice, GRiSP Theme 4 Leader Noel Magor, IRRI, GRiSP Theme 6 Leader Gonzalo Zorilla, CIAT, GRiSP Theme 6 Leader For more information on GRiSP, visit http://www.cgiar.org/our-research/cgiar-research-programs/rice-grisp/ Podcast credit : Savitri Mohapatra, R.Raman, AfricaRice www.AfricaRice.org