On the 11th of February President Droupadi Murmu Addresses The 2nd Indian Rice Congress In Cuttack.
President said. “Rice is a vital component of food security in India, as well as being an influential factor for our economy. Rice features very prominently in our heritage and culture. Right from the Vedas, our ancient literature in Sanskrit and other languages have rich references to this grain and many varieties of rice”.
“The National Rice Research Institute has made a great contribution to increasing India’s food security and improving the lives of farmers,” stated Droupadi Murmu. For more than 75 years, NRRI has been working in the areas of basic, applied, and adaptive research related to paddy”.
she said, “Paddy crop requires a large amount of water but many parts of the world are facing acute water shortages due to climate change. Droughts, floods, and cyclones are now more frequent, making rice farming more vulnerable.”
She said, “I am happy to note that the traditional rice growers of the tribal communities of Odisha have helped in conserving the unique genetic resources of rice through the ages. Mrs. Kamla Pujari of Koraput is collecting and conserving hundreds of rare and endangered crop varieties including rice”.
She said, “I am happy to note that NRRI scientists are actively looking for solutions by collecting, identifying, and characterizing unique rice germplasm that can survive the challenges of cultivation”.
