More than 150 farmers in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district received rice seeds developed by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) and Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), as part of an initiative to promote high-yielding and climate-resilient crop varieties. The seeds were distributed at CCMB’s Annex III campus at Bommaipalli, where the institute has been cultivating super rice varieties on its 50-acre facility. The varieties are being studied for their ability to withstand infections and parasites, high soil salinity and low phosphorus conditions.

More than 100 CCMB scientists, administrators and officials, along with district administration and agriculture department officials, participated in the programme and briefed farmers on the new varities, according to a statement. CCMB director Dr Vinay K. Nandicoori said the Bommaipalli facility would support the expansion of the institute’s scientific and research activities and create opportunities in and around Bhongir.

Additional collector A. Bhaskar Rao said sustainable agriculture and crop varieties that can withstand changing climatic conditions must be promoted. He also highlighted the importance of high-yielding and diabetes-friendly rice varieties developed through scientific research.

Chief scientist Dr Hitendra K. Patel explained the characteristics and potential benefits of the rice varieties, jointly developed by CCMB and IIRR, particularly for populations at risk of diabetes, and stressed the need to translate scientific research into technologies and products that could benefit farmers. District agriculture officer Ramana Reddy responded to farmers’ queries on the new varieties and assured them of district administration support in facilitating procurement of their produce.

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