[🇧🇩] Bangladesh Rice Research Institute

[Saif]

Source : https://brri.gov.bd/site/page/cc5dff4f-c4f4-444e-8be9-dd569a7fcafd/-

Introduction​

BRRI is a major component of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) of Bangladesh, dealing with research and development in relation to rice production, the staple food for our people. The institute was established on October 1, 1970 as the East Pakistan Rice Research Institute (EPRRI) at Joydebpur, a small township 36 km north of the capital city Dhaka. After the independence in 1971, the institute was renamed as the 'Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)' through the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Act-1973 (Act X of 1973). Presently, in accordance with the provisions of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (Amendment) Act-1996 (Act V of 1996) and BRRI Act-2017, a Board of Management holds full responsibility to determine the policies and undertakings of the institute within the framework of policy directives issued by the Government of Bangladesh. The Director General, who is, ex officio, the Chairman of the Board of Management is the executive head of the institute. The institute operates with 19 research division, 17 regional station, 06 ‍Satellite channel, 3 support service division and 8 section, with a total manpower of 786, of them, 308 are scientists/agriculture engineer/ officer. About one third of the scientists are highly trained professionals with MS and PhD degrees.

The rice-growing environments in Bangladesh are very diverse, varying from the drought-prone high lands in the north-west through the flood-affected central region to the coastal saline zone in the south. This diversity is indicated by the thirty major agroecological zones (AEZ) into which the country has been divided on the basis of land, soil, hydrology and climate. This diversity in the rice-growing environments makes the task of BRRI scientists all the more challenging.

Research for the development of new rice varieties and production other technologies for the diverse ecosystems existing in Bangladesh are conducted at the BRRI main station at Gazipur and eleven regional stations situated in Cumilla, Habiganj, Sonagazi of Feni, Bhanga of Faridpur, Barisal, Rajshahi , Kushtia, Satkhira, Sirajganj, Gopalganj, Dinajpur, Netrokona, Tangail, Sunamganj, Coxbazar and Khagrachari districts.

The institute is equipped with modern research facilities that include laboratories, greenhouses and experimental fields. BRRI has a modern germplasm bank, twenty major laboratories, ten greenhouses, ten net houses and a 76.83-ha experimental farm at its headquarter at Gazipur. Besides, nine of the eleven regional stations also have reasonably good research facilities, particularly at field Levels Research facilities at the two newly established regional stations at Sirajganj and Gopalganj districts.

BRRI breeders deviated from the original IRRI concept of dwarfism for high yield and restructured the IR8 plant type to suit local agro-ecology and socio-economic production environment. The new intermediate-height plant gives equally high yield and, at the same time, grows in uncontrolled water better than the semi-dwarf varieties. Bangladeshi farmers also prefer tall plants to produce cattle feed and roofing materials.

VISION
Development of modern, high-yielding rice varieties and superior, safe and profitable production technologies through advanced research for sustaining food security.

MISSION

• development of farmer friendly, sustainable technologies,
• sustaining biodiversity through proper management of resources for current and future generations,
• development and perfection of rice varieties and production technologies suitable to meet the future challenges of dwindling natural resources
• and climate change adversities, speedy technology dissemination and uptake.

 

[Saif]

https://brri.gov.bd/site/page/e42f5243-f9c9-456b-9642-9354680c25da/-/BRRI's-Contribution

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BRRI's Contribution​

Since its establishment in 1970, BRRI has been serving the nation through development of high-yielding rice varieties and improved production practices, BRRI has been developed and released 113 (105 inbreeds and 8 hybrids) high yielding modern rice variety. which have been instrumental almost in tripling the annual rice production within the last 50 years. For this, BRRI has earned a very high reputation in Bangladesh as well as in the world rice community.

The high-yielding modern varieties (MVs) develope by BRRI presently covers 82% of the Boro (winter rice), 36% of the Aus (summer rice), and 47% of the T-Aman (wet season rice) areas of Bangladesh. The overall adoption MVs in Bangladesh is 79.55%. These varieties account for about 85% of the total annual rice production in the country. The BRRI MVs and technology packages played the key role in boosting annual rice production in Bangladesh from 9.77 million metric tons in 1970-71 to 38135.21 thousand metric tons in 2022-23. Without BRRI MVs, rice production would have increased at the rate of 1% annually, almost half the rate at which the population grew during this period.

BRRI MVs and production technologies benefited the nation in the form of low cost of living particularly, of huge population living in rural areas and urban slums. But, there were indirect additional benefits to the society too. The government saved huge amount of foreign exchange which, if there were no BRRI MVs, could be spent for food grain imports to feed the country’s growing population. It has been estimated that the rate of return per taka investment in rice research and development is Tk 46. Additional production from BRRI MVs also kept the domestic rice price relatively stable and within the reach of the common people. In fact, since early 1980s the import of food grains declined steadily and the country approached self-sufficiency by 1990s.

BRRI technologies also contributed to income generation and employment in rural Bangladesh over the last 50 years. In areas where the MV technology has been introduced, the proportion of population living below the poverty line is 51% compared with 78% for areas without such technological progress. The net return per agricultural holding using MV technology is about 50% higher than a similar holding using traditional varieties. The expansion of modern irrigation facilities, with the expansion of MV rice acreage, has also led to increased employment opportunities in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, with a rise in the income of the rural population. MV adoption also created indirect employment opportunity such as in fertilizer trade and in the maintenance of pumps and other equipments, for example.

As recognition of its outstanding contribution in the field of rice research and development, BRRI has been honoured with the following prestigious national and international awards:

01.	Bangabandhu Award	1974
02.	President’s Gold Medal	1977
03.	Independence Day Gold Medal	1978
04.	President’s Gold Medal	1980
05.	FAO Bronze Plaque	1980
06.	President’s Gold Medal	1984
07.	Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal	1986
08.	Muniruzzaman Foundation Gold Medal	1991
09.	Independence Day Gold Medal	1992
10.	Independence Day Gold Medal	1997
11.	IRRI Plaque of Honour	2004
12.	Senadhira Award (IRRI)	2006
13.	6th Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad	2008
14.	Honoured by Bangladesh Manobadhikar Council, Gazipur	2008
15.	National Environmental Award	2009
16.	Mercantile Bank Limited Award	2013
17.	Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Award	2014
18.	KIB Agriculture Award-2015	2015
19.	Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award- 1420	2016
20.	National Information & Communication Technology (National ICT) Award-2016	2016
21.	Standard Charted Bank Agro Award 2017	2017
22.	Bangladesh Academy of Agriculture (BAAG) 2018	2018
23.	Senadhira Rice Research Award 2018	2018
24.	RTV Krishi Padak 2021	2021
25.	Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award	2021