News @ Jains - Jain Irrigation inks MoU with International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for collaborative research and adaptive field trials on paddy using micro irrigation

Highlights :

Jain Irrigation and IRRI will jointly conduct research to investigate drip irrigation in rice paddies to determine if and how it can improve water-use efficiency and maintain yields.

This is the 1st time IRRI is experimenting with drip irrigation for paddy cultivation in India.

Jain Irrigation and IRRI hope that the project will lead to new ways to ensure water and food security.

Drip irrigation is a tool that can reduce water use and at the same time increase yield and quality of the crop produce; a win-win situation.

India alone has 43.8 million hectares (ha) of irrigated rice paddies. Research by Jain Irrigation indicates that drip technology can reduce water use and maintain yields in many crops. Now, Jain Irrigation and IRRI want to determine if drip irrigation can do the same in rice. If so, it could be a promising technology to address dwindling water availability and increasing demands on irrigation water.

New Delhi, Feb 18, 2010 : Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. (JISL), one of the world�s largest Micro-Irrigation manufacturers, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Jain Irrigation will closely work with IRRI�s scientists to determine optimal irrigation and fertigation systems for irrigated rice and wheat.

Under this MoU, JISL and IRRI will study the relevance of different irrigation and fertilizer delivery systems for paddy cultivation in India and other south Asian countries wherever IRRI is planning research or adaptive trials. The aim is to find ways to reduce water consumption in rice cultivation while increasing crop productivity. Jain Irrigation will provide sprinkler and drip systems to experimental plots either acquired by IRRI or to participating farmers� fields selected by IRRI.

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Dr. Robert Zeigler, Director General, IRRI , Dr. J.K. Ladha, Principal Scientist and IRRI Representative for India and Mr. M. Srinivas Rao, CEO, CSISA. The MoU was signed by Mr. Atul Jain, Director Marketing, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd in New Delhi.

The MoU will also ensure IRRI, a non-profit organization, can continue to widely deliver its research, including news ways to improve water-use efficiency, to its partners. The MoU will not include any agreements on exclusive access to IRRI�s research or research outcomes.

Atul Jain, Director Marketing, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. said, "It brings great honour to us to work with IRRI for providing drip irrigation to enhance the cultivation of rice, our staple food. We have consistently developed micro irrigation systems for multiple crops and have been successful in providing customized drip irrigation solutions across India and abroad. Jain Irrigation is a pioneer in introducing the concept of "small ideas, big revolution" in various fields of entrepreneurship. We believe our efforts in paddy cultivation would be a great success like we succeeded in banana, onion and host of other crops. With IRRI, we strive to bring a transformation in the way rice is being cultivated now. I thank IRRI for their support in conducting research with our dedicated team consisting of the largest pool of talented agricultural scientists, engineers and technicians in the private sector". Our collective efforts in paddy to produce "more crop per drop" will create a great revolution in Agricultutre in India and South Asia.

Dr. Robert Ziegler, Director General, IRRI, said at the occasion, �IRRI has always strived to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure that rice production is environmentally sustainable. Our extensive partnerships with the national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) of the rice producing developing countries, advanced research institutions, governments, the farming communities etc has enabled us to achieve our mission. 70% of the world�s poverty stricken people live in Asia and depend on rice as their staple food, this being the driving force for our research. In 50 years, IRRI�s high-yielding rice varieties and other technologies, plus extensive training, have contributed to the doubling of average world rice yields. JISL came forward to us with the idea of Drip technology for paddy cultivation. First I should commend JISL for coming up with the idea and IRRI is glad to associate with JISL and also acknowledges JISL�s interest in fundamental research. IRRI also identified a partner for reasearch in the specific area of water management and irrigation optimization in rice cultivation".

Dr J.K. Ladha said that, "Rice requires a large amount of water and any technology that reduces water application will be very attractive for farmers. Drip irrigation is one promising technology and, together with Jain Irrigation, we will evaluate the potential of it and other promising technologies, including IRRI�s alternate wetting and drying technique. IRRI will collect all the crop and input-use data to compare efficiencies of various technologies including current farmer practice".

Mr. M Srinivas Rao, CEO, Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), said, "Rice cultivation requires large quantity of water and for producing one kg rice, about 3000 - 5000 litres of water is consumed depending on the different rice cultivation methods. Given the persistence of massive poverty in South Asia and an acute shortage of water, it�s imperative to reduce the water consumption in cultivating rice as also to increase its productivity. We believe that drip irrigation as a scientific technology will bring a threefold transformation in cultivating rice in India. We hope that JISL and IRRI together will contribute immensely towards curbing food crisis in India".

About Jain Irrigation
Jain Irrigation is a diversified Company with more than 5,000 employees and a product portfolio encompassing Irrigation Products, Piping Products, Plastic Sheets, Dehydrated Fruit Puree and Juice concentrate. Jain Irrigation has pioneered drip irrigation for small farmers in India and has a major market share in one of the fastest growing irrigation markets in the world and is also the second largest drip irrigation Company in the world.

About IRRI
IRRI, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is a nonprofit independent organization that, through rice research aims to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure that rice production is environmentally sustainable. IRRI is a global leader in rice science with offices in 15 countries across Asia and Africa, including our headquarters in the Philippines. We work with our partners worldwide and are supported by public- and private-sector donors. In 2010 IRRI celebrates its 50th anniversary. Since its establishment IRRI has fostered many partnerships with the private sector and others that have increased IRRI�s capacity to deliver on its mission to improve the welfare of rice farmers and consumers � particularly through higher rice yields.

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