7th October,2021 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter.docx

DOST-PCAARRD hails new
DENR order on bamboo
resources; signs MoU with China
for bamboo, rice tech cooperation
October 7, 2021
167

Dr. Razal's team presented the draft DAO titled, "Rules and Regulations on the
Establishment, Management, and Sustainable Development of Bamboo
Plantations and for other Purposes," to the DENR-FMB and other concerned
units on November 19, 2010. (Photo from DOST)
As a council with bamboo as one of its main focus commodities, the Philippine
Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and
Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD)
recently welcomed the issuance of a policy on bamboo growing.
This policy is Department Order 2021-26 (DAO 2021-26), the Rules and
Regulations Governing the Establishment, Harvesting, and Transport of

Bamboo, issued in August this year by the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR).
This policy, DOST-PCAARRD said, will encourage more Filipino farmers to grow
bamboo, help local and national development, and contribute to climate change
mitigation and adaptation.
DAO 2021-26 to help bamboo entrepreneurs, plantation owners
DAO 2021-26, the agency said, amended various policies on the establishment,
harvest, and transport of bamboo products with the aim of encouraging the
development of bamboo plantations and promotion of sustainable use of
bamboo as wood substitute.
Bamboo is durable, versatile, and multifunctional, and can be used to make
various products such as furniture, handicrafts, construction material, and
chemical products. It has a high carbon capturing capacity compared to other
plants. This makes growing and using bamboo very sustainable.
DAO 2021-26 removes the certificate of verification (CoV) as a requirement for
harvesting and transporting bamboo. A CoV is considered a factor that
discourages investment in the bamboo industry due to the tedious and lengthy
application process, short validity, and high cost because of the need to apply
for a CoV multiple times, as cited in the PCAARRD-funded study on
bamboo. The new DAO implements a one-time registration fee for a certificate
of bamboo plantation registration, which has no expiration until the bamboo
stand is declared unproductive.
The registration of tenured forest land holders and backyard farms is also
exempted, if these are for personal consumption and transported within the
municipality. Backyard farms may also be registered for commercial production
as individuals, provided that they have steady and sustainable supply, or they
may opt to form a cooperative/association, instead.

DENR will also help bamboo entrepreneurs in accessing tech transfer
arrangements provided by DOST and concerned units. DAO also provides
incentives to bamboo plantation owners for plantation development and bamboo
processing enterprises, and outlines guidance on capacity-building, research
and development, technology transfer, financial subsidy, and other support
activities.
MoU with China for bamboo, rice technology cooperation
Meanwhile, the Philippines and China have entered into an agreement that aims
to strengthen bamboo research and rice technology cooperation.
With the aim of establishing long-term and stable partnerships among research
institutes in the Philippines and in China, DOST-PCAARRD inked on Sept. 6 a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s Jiangxi Academy of Forestry
(JAF) and the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JxAAS).
The MoU is a product of the efforts of the Philippines’ DOST and China’s Ministry
of Science and Technology (MOST) that have been actively working together to
identify collaborative activities that will mutually benefit both agencies in
bamboo post-harvest processing and rice research.
DOST-PCAARRD and JAF agreed to collaborate on the following:
1. Establishing the Philippines-China joint laboratory on bamboo;
2. Research and technology promotion on advanced processing
technology of bamboo resources;
3. Demonstration and showcasing of new technologies and products; and
4. Academic exchange, technical training, and capacity building services.
JAF will be working with the Philippines’ Forest Products Research and
Development Institute of DOST (DOST-FPRDI) under this area of cooperation.

DOST-PCAARRD and JxAAS, on the other hand, planned to implement the
following projects:
1. Adaptation trial and demonstration of green high-benefit and rice-
fishery symbiotic farming models;
2. Rice breeding related to rice-fish farming;
3. Demonstration and showcase of relevant new technologies, products,
models, and intelligent agriculture related to rice-fish farming;
4. Exchange visits of scientists, researchers, and science and technology
administrative staff; policy consultations;
5. Technical trainings and hosting of thesis/dissertation studies;
6. Sharing of information resources related to the joint program; and
7. Other forms of cooperation that may be mutually agreed upon.
JxAAS will be implementing these proposed projects with DOST-PCAARRD’s
partners in the region– the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the
Central Luzon State University (CLSU).
The MOU was signed by DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Reynaldo Ebora,
JAF President Yang Jiefang, and JxAAs President Dai Xingzhao. (DOST-
PCAARRD) – jlo
http://ptvnews.ph/dost-pcaarrd-hails-new-denr-order-on-bamboo-resources-signs-mou-with-china-for-
bamboo-rice-tech-cooperation/
China Focus: China's
leading seed bank

preserves plant
biodiversity
Xinhua
9th October 2021, 00:05 GMT+11
KUNMING, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have recently collected
seeds of several plants at a height of about 6,200 meters on Mount
Qomolangma and will permanently preserve them in a place where seeds can
be kept alive for as long as thousands of years.
The seed haven, namely the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, is located in
an ordinary four-story building in a research institute in the city of Kunming,
which will host the upcoming 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties
to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).
As the genes of most plants are contained in their seeds, germplasm resources
have become the carriers of plants' genetic information. A seed bank serves
as the most important facility for preserving such resources.
The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species had preserved more than 85,000 seed
samples from over 10,000 species of wild plants by the end of 2020,
accounting for 36 percent of the number of China's seed plant species, said
Yu Fuqiang, deputy director of the bank.
A "NOAH'S ARK"
The discovery of a peculiar wild rice species by Yuan Longping, a globally
renowned agronomist, in the southern island of Hainan in 1970 became the
prelude of China's decades of hybrid rice research.
However, the fate of wild rice is worrying, said Li Dezhu, director of the
germplasm bank. Take Yunnan Province as an example. In the 1980s, there
were wild rice populations in 26 places in Yunnan, but now they have
disappeared in all but two locations.

The rapid loss of biodiversity and germplasm resources is the main reason for
the establishment of seed banks around the world. Construction of the
germplasm bank in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, started in 2004, and it
was put into operation three years later. It includes seed pool, DNA bank,
microbial bank, animal germplasm resource bank and other sectors.
"Wildlife germplasm resources have great application potential in the
biological industry, attracting global attention, especially for the collection
and preservation of wild plants," said Yu.
Currently, seeds can only be accepted by the Germplasm Bank of Wild
Species if they tick at least one of three boxes: endangered, endemic or "of
economic importance."
The long-term conservation of a seed is a complex procedure, involving more
than 70 steps at the end of which the seed will be stored at minus 20 degrees
Celsius. If properly stored, the seed could theoretically stay alive for decades
or even thousands of years.
In order to make sure the seeds remain viable, scientists "wake up" some of
the seeds from their dormancy every five to 10 years. "We take some samples
and test their ability to grow," said technician Yang Juan with the bank.
SOWING SEEDS OF HOPE
The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species has established a germplasm resources
collection network involving dozens of domestic scientific research
institutions, universities and nature reserves. They have also formulated seed
collection codes and standards.
The bank also worked closely with its international counterparts for seed
safety duplication storage, which is necessary to ensure the safety of global
germplasm resources, Li said.
"When a species is destroyed by natural disasters like fires, frost and plagues
of pests, or other catastrophes, we will activate these seeds and revive the
species," he added.

Seed collectors have left their footprints across the country ranging from
deserts and tropical rainforests to plateaus. To ensure genetic diversity, they
have to collect seeds of the same plant in different places. At least 2,500
seeds will be collected and preserved for each plant, according to Cai Jie
from the germplasm bank.
When collecting seeds, researchers record the time, place, altitude, soil type,
surrounding environment and other information, which will serve as the basis
for future ecological restoration.
"Seeds are life and hope. I hope we can better protect the future of humanity
through protecting germplasm resources," Li said.
https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/271429755/china-focus-chinas-leading-seed-bank-preserves-
plant-biodiversity

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China: Why the growth cycle of rice can be split in half
Can rice grow normally in a closed environment without sunlight and soil? The Institute of
Urban Agriculture of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and a team led by Qian
Qian, an academic from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and deputy director of the China
National Rice Research Institute, found the answer.
After planting rice and growing it in a closed environment for 63 days, the rice produced full
branches, which is more than half the time it takes to grow rice in an open-field
environment. "This is a subversive breakthrough in the history of rice cultivation," Qian Qian
said.
Food, water, and light
Dr. Zhonghua Bian, head of the Plant Photobiology Research Center of the Institute of
Urban Agriculture, shows the vertical plant factory. It looks like a magnified glass cabinet,
with opaque frosted glass on the outside, covering an area of only 15 m2.

In
the plant factory, the rice seedlings planted in the nutrient solution tanks are cultivated
without soil.
The factory might be small, but it is fully equipped. The room is filled with red and purple
lights, and there are 4-layer cultivation racks left and right, filled with clusters of verdant rice
seedlings planted in soilless cultivation tanks with nutrients. The air refreshing system and
CO2 supply system regulate the indoor temperature and gas environment, while the nutrient
circulation system supplies the water and minerals needed for the growth and development
of rice.
A plant factory is a completely enclosed space. "The environment and nutrients the rice
needs can be met by artificial regulation, including light, water, temperature, nutrients,
carbon dioxide, etc." Bian Zhonghua said, "To put it simply, let the plants eat and drink well,
and they will naturally grow faster."
In the entire environment control, lighting management is a key factor. Bian Zhonghua said,
"plants’ demand for light includes light radiation intensity, spectrum, photoperiodism, etc.,
and precise regulation of the light environment is equivalent to customizing an exclusive
‘light formula’ for rice.” Current research has found that a light intensity that is too low or too
high is unfavorable to the growth and development of plants; in the solar spectrum, only
about 5% of different wavelengths of light have an impact on photosynthesis, among which
red light and blue light are necessary to maintain normal photosynthesis of plants.

Six crops a year
The rice in the plant factory is shorter than ordinary rice. "These rice varieties are dwarf
varieties provided by Qian Qian's team. The plant's height after maturity is only about 30
cm, while the height of ordinary rice is at least about 1 meter after maturity." Bian Zhonghua
said that the shorter plant type is suitable for multi-layer three-dimensional cultivation in the
plant factory, which maximizes the use of space and saves costs.
The rice plant in the plant factory is a dwarf rice variety
Rice has a long growth cycle, with a growth period of more than 120 days and, under
normal circumstances, it can only be planted for one or two seasons a year. Using
traditional breeding methods, only one or two generations can be produced a year. In order
to speed up the breeding progress, agricultural scientists choose to breed in southern
tropical regions such as Hainan, but even then only two or three generations can be
produced a year.
But that is not so in the factory: "in a plant factory environment, rice can be harvested in
about 60 days, and thus 5-6 crops can be planted a year, and breeding can produce 5-6
generations, saving breeders a lot of time."
Plant factories are becoming more and more popular, as vertical plant factories are not
restricted by land, space, or climate conditions. "The high temperature and humidity in the

southwest region in summer can easily induce diseases and insect pests, and weak
sunlight in winter will affect the metabolism and synthesis of crop nutrients," Yang Qichang
said.
Expensive!
Growing rice in vertical plant farms is far from cheap. One of the main reasons for this is the
high initial construction cost. The factory needs many technologies to grow the rice properly,
such as an environmental control system, an artificial light system, a multi-layer three-
dimensional cultivation system, a nutrient solution circulation system, and a computer
control system, all of which are expensive.
Ripe rice in a plant factory
Secondly, energy consumption is relatively high. According to estimates, the power
consumption of artificial lighting and air conditioning accounts for more than 80% of the total
energy consumption in the factory.
Not only are these costs high, but the cost of producing rice is also higher in itself than the
cost of producing other vegetables. "Leafy vegetables are basically edible entirely, but if you
grow rice, only the rice itself can be eaten, which is not cost-effective," Yang Qichang said.

Despite all this, he is still optimistic about the future. He believes that the construction and
operating costs of vertical plant factories can be reduced in the future with technological
progress, through the development of new materials, and the use of new energy sources. "It
represents the future development direction of agriculture."
Source: sichuan.scol.com.cn
Publication date: Fri 8 Oct 2021
https://www.hortidaily.com/article/9359553/china-why-the-growth-cycle-of-rice-can-be-split-in-half/
Farmers told to go for CO-17 cotton
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
PERAMBALUR, OCTOBER 08, 2021 21:09 IST
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According to a farmer, at a time when harvesting has become costly, CO-17 instilled hope in cotton farming

It suits mechanical harvesting, says agriculture official
CO-17 cotton variety that suits mechanical harvesting is being promoted
among farmers in Perambalur-Ariyalur belt, a major cotton producing area in
the state.
Mechanisation of cotton farming and yield improvement are important to
increase the cotton area and reduce drudgery faced by cotton farmers, Joint
Director of Agriculture, Perambalur, S. Karunanidhi, said while addressing a
function organised by TNAU’s Cotton Research Station at Veppanthattai, as
part of celebration of World Cotton Day on Thursday, on the theme: Cotton
for Good.
A participant, Kandaswamy, shared on the occasion that harvesting had
become costly, and that CO 17 suited mechanical harvesting and instilled
hope in cotton farming.
Alongside orienting farmers on utility of unique cotton varieties like CO-17,
the CRS was also sensitising them to improve productivity by high density
planting, and mechanical sowing using pneumatic seed drills, Station Head
Somasundaram said. The theme implied the goodness of cotton in terms of
fibre and food for farmers, youth, labourers and the industry, Prof.
Somasundaram said.
Presiding over, Ambethgar, Director, Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute,
observed that cotton being a global commodity, it was grown in over 75
countries across five continents and traded worldwide, and that the
commodity contributed to national economic stability.
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8BayzK_lNl8J:https://www.thehindu.com/ne
ws/cities/Tiruchirapalli/farmers-told-to-go-for-co-17-
cotton/article36902793.ece+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk
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ICAR-CIARI training programme on
high yielding varieties of rice for
Andaman farmers
PTI | Portblair | Updated: 09-10-2021 11:53 IST | Created: 09-10-2021 11:50 IST
representative Image Image Credit: narwalfood.in

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To help the farmers of Andaman and Nicobar Islands get high yield
from rice cultivation, the Central Island Agricultural Research
Institute (ICAR-CIARI) organised a training cum awareness
programme, an official said.
The programme to cultivate high yielding varieties of rice was organised
at Shoal Bay-19, Ferrargunj in South Andaman district on October 7, he
said.

Speaking at the programme Principal Scientist and Head (I/C) CIARI, P
K Singh emphasised about improved rice-varieties developed by ICAR-
CIARI for Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Principal Scientist and in-charge, Social Science Section, Dr S K Zamir
Ahmad briefed the farmers about disease and pest management in rice
crop.
A large number of farmers of the area attended the training cum
awareness programme, he added.
The ICAR-CIARI provides a research base to improve the productivity
of agri-horticulture, livestock and fisheries
of Andaman and Nicobar Islands through basic, applied and adaptive
research.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-
generated from a syndicated feed.)
 READ MORE ON:
 Ferrargunj
 ICAR
 Nicobar Islands
 Andaman
 South Andaman

 Central Island Agricultural Research Institute
 Nicobar
 Zamir Ahmad
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https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:7-
oz46ZN09YJ:https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/1761976-icar-ciari-training-programme-
on-high-yielding-varieties-of-rice-for-andaman-farmers+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

Managing rice straw when winter flood water is
uncertain
 Author: Bruce A Linquist
Published on: October 8, 2021
In most years, farmers manage their winter straw by flooding a field where the rice straw has
either been chopped or chopped and incorporated. In these cases, the flood water helps to
ensure good decomposition. This year however, is different. Many growers are faced with the
fact that they will have no water to flood their fields over the winter. Good straw decomposition
is important as it will impact nitrogen management decisions the following year. It may also
affect the survival of stem rot and aggregate sheath spot sclerotia, the fungus resting structures,
in the soil. Too much straw will tie up nitrogen fertilizer early in the season and will also serve as
a host for stem rot and aggregate sheath spot. So, what are the options besides burning?
First, removing straw is an option. Driving around, I have seen a lot of straw bailing going on.
Bailing rice straw removes about half of the rice straw. This is a good start, but it would still be
nice to make sure the rest of it gets decomposed by following the suggestions in the second
option.
The second option is to do the best possible to make sure rice straw decomposes without winter
flooding. Simply chopping the rice straw and leaving it on the surface will likely not do the trick –
especially if there is not much rain over the winter. It is really important to make sure there
is good soil-water-straw contact to ensure good decomposition. For this to occur you
need to incorporate your rice straw. Studies were conducted here in California in the late 1990s
which compared burning, bailing, incorporation and rolling of rice straw. They found that
incorporating rice straw resulted in the greatest amount of straw decomposition and the least
straw remaining the following spring. This result was seen in both fields that were flooded and
those that were not. When the fields are not flooded, rainfall can provide water for good
decomposition.

Public Value: UCANR: Safeguarding abundant and healthy food for all Californians
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture
Comments: 0
UCANR: Developing a qualified workforce for California
EVENT :: Rice Pest Management Course 2021
 Author: Whitney Brim-DeForest
Published on: August 16, 2021
EVENT: UC Rice Pest Management Course 2021

DAY/DATE: Friday, Sept. 10, 2021
LOCATION:
Hamilton Road Field (on West Hamilton Rd. between Hwy. 99 and Riceton Hwy., Biggs,
CA)
EVENT TIME: 8:00 AM-3:25 PM (Check-in: 7:30-8:00 AM)
COST: Non-student: $80/100; current student: $40/50
This year will mark the 4th rice-specific course at the Hamilton Road Field and the Rice
Experiment Station in Biggs, CA. The UC Rice Pest Management Course 2021 will begin with
an interactive field tour of the research plots (Hamilton Road Field) where attendees can get up
close to the weeds and rice (BRING YOUR BOOTS!) The course will include hands-on weed
identification sessions on emerging and mature weeds and a disease and pest ID session. In the
afternoon, speakers will address several pertinent topics in CA rice, including regulatory updates,
new herbicides for resistance management, diseases and pests research updates, and how to
construct a weed management program.
The course is a collaborative effort between UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE), UC Davis, and the
California Rice Experiment Station (CRES.) “This course provides a strong foundation for weed
and pest management in California rice, as well as a chance for interaction and discussion with
researchers on the latest pests and pest control options for California rice systems” said Whitney
Brim-DeForest, UCCE Rice Farm Advisor. The event is a great opportunity for pest control
advisers, growers, industry, extension, and interested students to gain a deeper understanding
of pest management topics that affect rice.
Enrollment is limited, so register early. The cost is $80 if received by 9/7/2021 and $100 if
received after 9/7/2021 (if there is space.) The cost for current students with proof of student
status is $40/$50. Online registration closes on 9/7/2021. If there is space, you can register

onsite the day of the event. For more details or to register, visit http://wric.ucdavis.edu and click
on RICE PEST MANAGEMENT COURSE.
CA DPR and CCA continuing education units pending approval.
If you have questions, contact Whitney Brim-DeForest [wbrimdeforest@ucanr.edu or (530) 822-
7515.]
Public Value: UCANR: Developing a qualified workforce for California
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Pest Management
Tags: pests (0), rice (25), weeds (24)
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/riceblog/
Canadian Celebrity Chef Rethinks Traditional Croutons with U.S. Rice

By Sarah Moran
OTTOWA, CANADA – It’s a fact: consumers love to experiment in the kitchen. A recent survey conducted
here found 45 percent of Canadians are motivated to try new recipes. With this in mind, USA Rice
Canada saw an opportunity to increase awareness of the rice crouton concept introduced in May this
year.
Chef Adrian Forte
In September, USA Rice forged a partnership with Jamaican-Canadian Celebrity Chef Adrian Forte to
infuse the rice crouton campaign with his trend-setting style that sparked excitement amongst
consumers as demonstrated by their positive social media posts.

“Our new rice croutons elaborate on the traditional crouton but, instead of bread, are made with rice
molded into different shapes such as spooky eyeballs for Halloween or bold heart shapes that declare
the cook’s love for U.S.-origin rice,” said Asiha Grigsby, USA Rice director of international promotion for
the Western Hemisphere.
Chef Adrian is an expert on Caribbean cuisine and created three unique rice crouton recipes that were
showcased on his social media platforms. The same posts, shared on USA Rice Canada’s social channels,
garnered more than 16,200 views.
A follow-up article in Canada’s National Post talked about the versatility of rice croutons and how they
are a uniquely delicious way to rethink rice. Chef Adrian’s three recipes accompanied the story that was
published in print as well as online, resulting in 2,846,000 impressions.
“USA Rice Canada is inspiring Canadian home cooks with these bite-sized delights that demonstrate the
flavor-filled versatility of U.S. rice,” said Grigsby. “The 2021 promotion will continue throughout the
year, incorporating new crouton concepts based on seasonal occasions in a combination of sweet and
savory recipes.”
USA Rice Endorses New EPA Ag Advisor
By Jamison Cruce
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, Rod Snyder was named agriculture advisor at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). In this role, “Snyder will lead outreach and engagement efforts with the
agricultural community for EPA, working to advance the Biden-Harris environmental agenda for farmers
and rural communities,” the agency said.

Rod Snyder
Snyder most recently was president of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a
consortium of grower organizations – including USA Rice – as well as agribusinesses; food, beverage,
apparel, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities; and public sector partners
to define, measure, and advance the sustainability of food, fiber, and fuel production in the United
States. Previously, he also worked at the National Corn Growers Association and CropLife America.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Rod at Field to Market over the last several years,” said Mark Isbell,
an Arkansas rice farmer and Field to Market board member representing USA Rice. “I am certain he will
bring the same level of energy, intelligence, and care to his new role at EPA. He will be an incredible
asset to the agency.”
USA Rice joined other agriculture organizations on a support letter for Snyder earlier this year.

leading seed bank
preserves plant
biodiversity
Xinhua
A "NOAH'S ARK"

Currently, seeds can only be accepted by the Germplasm Bank of Wild
Species if they tick at least one of three boxes: endangered, endemic or "of
economic importance."
The long-term conservation of a seed is a complex procedure, involving more
than 70 steps at the end of which the seed will be stored at minus 20 degrees
Celsius. If properly stored, the seed could theoretically stay alive for decades
or even thousands of years.
In order to make sure the seeds remain viable, scientists "wake up" some of
the seeds from their dormancy every five to 10 years. "We take some samples
and test their ability to grow," said technician Yang Juan with the bank.
SOWING SEEDS OF HOPE
The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species has established a germplasm resources
collection network involving dozens of domestic scientific research
institutions, universities and nature reserves. They have also formulated seed
collection codes and standards.

species," he added.
https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/271429755/china-focus-chinas-leading-seed-bank-preserves-
plant-biodiversity
Business // Texas Inc.
Insight: Innovation economy taking shape in
Houston
Shelby Webb, Staff writer

Oct. 8, 2021Updated: Oct. 8, 2021 6:24 a.m.
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Apple selected GreenTek Solutions as one of 15 businesses for its first Impact Accelerator.
Provided by AppleShow MoreShow Less

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The past few months have seen headline after headline about energy and clean-tech innovations
being developed in and around Houston.
At Rice University, which can seem like a wellspring of projects, several innovations spawned
there have received considerable grants.
Work converting methane into carbon nanotubes earned the university a $3.3 million grant from
the U.S. Department of Energy. Although difficult to make in large quantities, the carbon
nanotubes have been shown to be stronger than Kevlar, the material used in bullet proof vests,
and more conductive than copper. They have the ability to turn heat into electricity. Researchers
say the technology has the potential to help decarbonize the notoriously emissions-laden mining
and heavy-metals industry.
More recently, Rice scientists’ work in converting electronic waste and even food waste into rare
earth elements such as cobalt and lithium, could soon earn a $5.2 million grant through the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
But the advances aren’t just coming from universities.
Houston-based Renewable Storage Co. hopes to convert cavernous salt domes into giant
mechanical batteries, taking electricity from the grid when demand isn’t high to inject massive
volumes of compressed air into the seal-tight geographic formations. When grid conditions are
tight, the salt-domes batteries will release that compressed air to power a turbine to generate
electricity. Art Gelber, one of the company’s partners, said he hopes to sell the services to
renewable-energy providers such as wind turbine operators so they can continue to put power on
the grid even when the wind isn’t blowing.

Researcher Steven Williams, a PhD candidate, showcases the flexibility of carbon fibers, which
have been sewed into an elastic fabric, inside Rice University's Carbon Hub lab on Thursday,
Aug. 12, 2021, in Houston. Researchers hope that the carbon nanotubes could eventually take the
place of materials like copper and steel, the mining of which generates a massive carbon dioxide
footprint.
Godofredo A. Vásquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Silicon Bayou?
Two Houston tech start-ups were selected by Google late in September to be part of their Black
Founders Fund. They are Doss, which will provide a virtual one-stop shop for home buying and
home services such as plumbing and insurance, and SOTAOG, which provides real-time
analytics to oil-and-gas companies and heavy industries, such as those that manufacture oil and
gas equipment. Both companies will get $100,00, but the companies’ founders, Bobby Bryant of
Doss and Robert Estill of SOTAOG, say that more important, they’ll have access to Google
engineers and the tech giant’s professional network.
A month earlier, Apple tapped another local company for its first Impact Accelerator class — a
program that provides resources and mentoring to minority-owned businesses that can benefit
Apple’s supply chain and help communities that are disproportionately affected by
environmental hazards. The company, GreenTek Solutions, refurbishes, sells and recycles old
electronics. Since its founding in 2012, it has kept more than 3,450 tons of used electronics out
of landfills.
While Houston still lags (at least in perception) behind Austin and tech-darlings San Francisco
and Boston, the latest developments show that dynamic might be changing.
shelby.webb@chron.com
Featured Business Stories
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/texas-inc/article/Insight-Innovation-economy-ta

Andhra Pradesh promises compensation for
paddy farmers for failure of ‘Amulya’
variety
STAFF REPORTER
KAKINADA:, OCTOBER 08, 2021 15:15 IST
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Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu interacts with farmers on the failure of Amulya paddy variety in Kakinada on
October 7, 2021. Photo: Special Arrangement
The farmers have complained that the Amulya variety has
reported the advanced crop duration in above 6,000 acres in the
nine mandals.
The State government has come to the rescue of paddy farmers who are
witnessing the failure of Amulya paddy variety due to its 30-day advanced
flowering stage as against the actual crop duration in East Godavari district in
the present Kharif season (2021-22).
The farmers have complained that the Amulya variety, supplied by two
companies – Mahendra Seeds and Warangal Seeds – has reported the
advanced crop duration in above 6,000 acres in the nine mandals.

The nine mandals where farmers preferred the variety are Kakinada rural,
Samarlakota, Peddapuram, Kirlampudi, Pithapuram, Gollaprolu, Uppada
Kothapalli, Prathipadu and Sankavaram.
On being alerted by the farmers, the State government has constituted an
expert team comprising the Scientists from the AP Rice Research Institute
(APRRI-Maruteru), Regional Agriculture Research (RARS-Peddapuram),
and the Agriculture Department officials to study the results of the seed
variety.
Experts
This week, the experts have submitted their report to the State government
and confirmed the advance of the crop duration for 30 days as against the
recommended crop duration (140 days). They also estimated nearly 50% fall
in the yield.
The advanced flowering and harvesting will also become major hurdles for
early harvesting and transportation of the yield from the field. It is learnt that
the farmers have voluntarily preferred the Amulya variety.
Compensation
“The State government will ensure compensation to be paid by the seed
companies respective. The government will also offer the financial aid to the
farmers”, said Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu.
On Thursday, Mr. Kannababu has directed the Agriculture department officials to
identify the affected farmers. The farmers were told to prefer the seed varieties
being supplied through the Rythu Bharosa Kendras.
ttps://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/andhra-pradesh-promises-
compensation-for-paddy-farmers-for-failure-of-amulya-
India will be among top 5 bio-manufacturing
hubs by 2025: Jitendra Singh

He was speaking here after releasing the Genetic Version of Indian rice and
chickpea (DNA panArray) developed by National Institute of Plant Genome
Research (NIPGR).
Topics
Jitendra Singh | manufacturing | India manufacturing growth
Press Trust of India | New Delhi Last Updated at October 8, 2021 19:37 IST
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Jitendra Singh
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WB
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India will be among the top five countries to be recognised as a global bio-
manufacturing hub by 2025, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday, noting that India's
bio-economy is on way to achieve USD 150-billion target from the current USD 70 billion.
He was speaking here after releasing the Genetic Version of Indian rice and chickpea (DNA
panArray) developed by National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR).
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology said India will be
within the top five countries to be recognised as a Global Bio-manufacturing Hub by 2025.
"India's Bio-Economy is on way to achieve 150-billion-dollar target from the current 70
billion-dollar to contribute effectively to the Prime Minister's vision of a 5 trillion-dollar
economy by 2024-25," he said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th Independence Day Speech from the Red
Fort, Singh said the roadmap for the next 25 years will be determined by scientific and
technological innovations and scientific prowess in all walks of life and called upon young
scientists to walk the talk.
He said, this will be possible through a very well-articulated vision, mission and goals,
driven through a set of well-defined strategies and a clearly laid out implementation Action
plan put forth by the government.

Singh said the two DNA chips for rice and chickpea, IndRA and IndiCA are the first Pan-
Genome genotyping arrays in these two crops and will tap the huge potential of Indian plant
biodiversity and genomic diversity towards food and nutritional security of the nation.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business
Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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India would be recognised as a Global
Bio-manufacturing Hub by 2025, says
Jitendra Singh
Union Minister of State of Science and Technology Jitendra has said that India would be
recognised as a Global Bio-manufacturing Hub by 2025. The minister was speaking in the
national capital after releasing the Genetic Version of Indian rice and chickpea (DNA panArray)
developed by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR).




According to the government, India’s Bio-Economy is on way to achieve 150-billion-dollar target from the
current 70 billion-dollar. Source: PTI
Written By: ANI
Updated: Sat, Oct 09, 2021
11:15 am
New Delhi, ANI
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Commerce ministry to launch campaign to promote GI products

Karnataka government to fund entrepreneurs, startups across the country
Union Minister of State of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Friday said that
India would be recognised as a Global Bio-manufacturing Hub by 2025.
As per a press release by the Ministry of Science and Technology, "India’s Bio-
Economy is on way to achieve 150-billion-dollar target from the current 70 billion-dollar
to contribute effectively to Prime Minister`s vision of a 5 trillion-dollar economy by 2024-
25.
See Zee Business Live TV Streaming Below:
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Nigerian rice farmers
struggle to increase supply
capacity amid bloody
customs-smuggler clashes
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Rice farmers at work File photo
Afeez Hanafi
9 October 2021
AFEEZ HANAFI examines reasons Nigerians prefer
foreign rice smuggled into the country to local rice
despite restriction on food imports
Wasiu Adesokan, like millions of Muslims across the
world, planned to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr in style with his
two wives and five children. As the day broke on May
13, 2021, the household in Iseyin, Oyo State, bubbled
with excitement.
Dressed in colourful outfits, 27-year-old Adesokan led
his family of eight to the prayer ground to observe Eid-

el-Fitr prayer, marking the completion of 30-day fasting.
They returned, in time, before noon to savour every bit
of fun the rest of the day promised.
Revelling in festivity, Adesokan mounted his motorcycle
at 4pm and headed for his sister’s house in the Barracks
area of the town. He had no premonition of the tragedy
lurking around a few kilometres away. He was caught in
gunshots reportedly fired by men of the Nigeria
Customs Service chasing after rice smugglers in a Sports
Utility Vehicle along the border community.
He quickly made a U-Turn and packed his motorcycle to
take cover at a nearby bank but it was rather too late.
“He was running to safety when bullets hit him in the
back and ear,” Adesokan’s uncle, Wale, recalled
painfully. “His younger wife, Suliat, was pregnant when
the incident happened. She gave birth 40 days after he
died. The eldest of his children is about eight-year-old.”
Four months later, the sorrow inflicted by Adesokan’s
sudden death is palpable. Suliat and the first wife,
Ganiyat, could not conceal the grief. Daily, they
struggled to live through the realities of widowhood at
tender ages of 25 and 26 respectively.
“We have nothing to live on since he died,” Ganiyat
said, cutting a mournful countenance as she cuddled her

two children, Ramdan and Mohammed. “We (she and
Suliat) work as labourers at a garri factory to get money
to feed ourselves and our children. I am a tailor but I
can’t open my shop yet as tradition demands.”
Adesokan’s demise shattered
Suliat some more. Heavily pregnant when the tragedy
struck, the thought of giving birth to a child without a
living father plagued her mind.
“I was in deep sorrow for the rest of my pregnancy,” she
intoned, clutching at her baby, Khalid.
“I gave birth to him through a caesarean which cost a
lot of money. Up till now, we owe the hospital and they
have been on my neck. Many of my husband’s family
members have stopped checking on us,” she said, taking
a pause to suppress imminent tears.

“Our children always ask after their father. We tell them
he has travelled. We need help; we don’t have the means
to take care of them,” she added before breaking down
in tears.
Aside from the Adesokans, families of Abdullahi Yekini,
32; Tobi Opeyemi, 31 and Timothy Gbadegesin, a 34-
year-old commercial tricycle rider, were thrown into
mourning that day. Several eyewitness accounts
confirmed they were all killed by the customs officials
although the security agency denied the killings.
Yekini, a sand miner, had told her 26-year-old wife,
Lateefat, he was going out to play with his friends and
promised to return home soon to have more fun with
her and their only child who was a month-old then. He
never did. His corpse was brought back home instead,
covered with blood.
“I fainted several times after I saw his corpse,” Lateefat
recounted, her voice drenched in grief. “Things have
been really difficult since he died. I never thought of
bringing up a child alone or becoming a widow at this
age.”
While Lateefat managed to cope with the terrible loss, it
consumed her father-in-law. Yekini’s dad went into
depression and succumbed to death in August.

“ We tried not to let him hear about
the incident but he eventually did on the radio. He fell
sick afterwards and his health worsened till he died. He
was in his late 60s,” Yekini’s uncle, Alhaji Abdulateef
Azeez, told Saturday PUNCH.
Worrisome as it is, the incidents are a few instances of
killings resulting from frequent clashes between customs
and smugglers, the majority of whom deal in rice –
arguably the most consumed staple in Nigeria.
The incessant fights, mostly at border towns in Oyo and
Ogun states, have led to casualties on both sides and
claimed several innocent lives like those of Adesokan
and Yekini.
Ban on rice imports amid battle for self-sufficiency
Disturbed by billions of dollars spent annually on
importation of rice and other food items, the Nigerian

government mid 2019 placed a forex restriction on food
imports to grow local production and address the
country’s worsening foreign deficit.
The President, Major General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), applied a stiffer measure in
August 2019 when he ordered closure of land borders
due to smuggling of rice, arms and ammunition “at
alarming proportions.”
While the closure lasted till December 2020, there was
considerable improvement in local rice production but it
could not meet local demands as smugglers defied all
odds to bridge the gap. Food prices skyrocketed to all-
time high, making lives more difficult for over 100
million Nigerians living in extreme poverty.
The chairman, Presidential Economic Advisory Council,
Doyin Salami, hinted at the failure of the border closure
to achieve its purpose during the 2021 National
Economic Outlook event organised by the Chartered
Institute of Bankers in January.

Salami said Nigeria spent N1.85trn on food imports
between January 2020 and September 2020 (during the
border closure), representing “a 62 per cent increase
when compared to the same period in 2019.”
“This suggests a weakness in our ability to feed
ourselves and raises the need to consider review of
intervention policies in agriculture,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government has repeatedly claimed that
the country would attain sufficiency in rice production
by 2018 only to shift grounds at intervals.
For instance, the Minister of Information and Culture,
Lai Mohammed, at a press briefing in Abuja in
November 2017, said Nigeria had witnessed remarkable
increase in rice production and would be self-sufficient
by 2018.
He had said, “Nigeria is very close to achieving self-
sufficiency in rice. By 2018, the administration targets
rice production of 7 million mt (metric tons). As at 2015,
rice demand in Nigeria stood at 6.3 million mt.”
In April 2018, the minister backtracked, saying self-
sufficiency in rice production would be achieved by 2020
with sustained implementation of the Anchor
Borrowers’ Programme launched in November 2015.

He said the nation’s rice consumption as of then was
approximately six million mt (same as 2015), claiming
that in 2015, Nigeria produced 2.5 million mt of milled
rice which reportedly rose to four million mt in 2017,
leaving a gap of two million mt.
“Our target is to fill that gap by 2020,” Mohammed
added.
However, contrary to all realistic indices, the President
of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu
Goronyo, boasted in June 2021 that Nigeria had attained
self-sufficiency with nine million metric tons of rice
reportedly produced annually and was almost ready for
export.
What is more, Goronyo, who spoke at the flag-off of
sales of paddy to millers in Kaduna organised by the
Central Bank of Nigeria and RIFAN, claimed that
Nigerians had been consuming only local rice since 2015.
He had said, “Before the coming of the President
Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2015, we used to
produce just about two million metric tons of paddy
annually, but today, we can boast of nine million metric
tons annually. There is a clear difference and we now
boldly say that Nigeria is self-sufficient in rice.

“Since 2015, the Central Bank of Nigeria has made a
deliberate policy not to release forex to the importers of
rice. That is to say that, all the rice that we have been
consuming in Nigeria since 2015 were produced
locally.”
But several accounts of farmers, agriculture and
economic experts show that the country had yet to attain
sufficiency in rice despite some considerable growth in
local production.
They attributed the setback to inadequate government
support for commercial, mechanised farming, climate
change and insecurity which has claimed lives of many
farmers and forced thousands to abandon their
farmlands.
What however remains puzzling is why millions of
Nigerians still crave foreign rice despite remarkable
growth in domestic output?
A random sampling of consumers and rice dealers
carried out by Saturday PUNCH indicate that a number
of people have preference for imported rice because
average local rice contains particles; marshy when
cooked and has short shelf life after cooking, even
though they acknowledge that it is more nutritious.

Our correspondent also found out that many Nigerians
prefer foreign rice to local rice because of the marginal
price difference. It was also discovered that limited
species of rice produced domestically make consumers
who prefer long-grain rice – which is scarce locally –
find comfort in foreign rice largely smuggled into the
country.
These cravings were responsible for huge seizures of
bags of rice worth billions of naira by customs in recent
times. In 2020, Seme Area Command seized 7,667 bags of
foreign parboiled rice (50kg each).
In February, the Kebbi Command of the NCS said it
seized 2,021 bags of 50kg parboiled rice, 19 bags of
100kg parboiled rice, among other items in two months,
between December 2020 and January 2021.
Also, Ogun Area Command 1 of the agency disclosed
that it seized 38 truckloads containing 19,000 bags of
foreign rice in the border areas of the state with Duty
Paid Value of N307.891m in the first quarter of 2021.
Farmers lament insecurity, poor access to loan
The Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria,
Rivers State, Ifeanyichuwku Nene, told Saturday
PUNCH that current local rice production was not
enough to feed the country and discourage smuggling.

Appealing to Nigerians to change their orientation and
patronise indigenous products, he noted that more
people would consume local rice if it is well “de-stoned”
and available in different species.
He said, “Local rice that follows modern harvesting and
processing method doesn’t have stones again but we
must increase capacity. We are not operating at full
capacity so the shortfall is what the smugglers leverage
to augment.
“Also, we have about 42 species of rice. Rice that grows
well here is FARO 44. It is upland rice and with a
minimum amount of water, it will thrive well. We have
short, medium and long-grain rice. FARO 44 is short
grain. There are 56 (medium) and 65 which is long.
Sixty-five and 56 grow well in flood-prone areas. One of
the reasons people run after foreign rice is species.
Smugglers bring in 65 (long grain).
“As farmers, we need to improve on the species of rice
that we plant but it involves a lot of cost. If I want to
plant 65 and my farm is not waterlocked or flood-prone,
I have to dig trenches of up to four or five feet to plant it
and do irrigation.”
The RIFAN chairman explained further that there would
be remarkable development in rice production if the

ABP aimed at assisting farmers was effective across the
country.
He said concentration of the loan scheme in the North
and bureaucracies involved in its processing were major
setbacks.
Read Also
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repay CBN loan
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technology
Nene stated, “The ABP is working but a lot of farmers
have not embraced it. A lot of sensitisation has not been
done. The sensitisation is high in the North. But in the
South, the awareness is not much. Many farmers are not
aware there is a loan facility like that.
“There is a process to follow to access the loan which is
given in the form of inputs (seeds, seedlings and
fertilisers), agric extension services and sometimes cash.
As a farmer, you have to register. They will capture you

and verify that you don’t owe any of the financial
programmes run by the CBN before you can qualify.
“After registration and verification, the chairman will
send your name to the CBN. The bureaucracy is what
makes it cumbersome. If you begin the process in
September, that means it is for dry season farming; it
will mature in January or February.”
The President, Nigerian Association of Women in
Agriculture, Ngizan Chahul, lamented that inputs and
funding were major challenges facing her members
growing rice and other staples. She said the ABP was not
beneficial to the members, complaining that they usually
got inputs late.
She said, “We were supposed to grow rice between June
and July, but they gave us inputs at the end of August.
When are we going to cultivate the rice? When the
farmers eventually get inputs, they eat and sell the
remaining inputs to other farmers.
“If you want to give somebody rice to farm, give them
early June so that the farmers will plant on time. Also,
this year, our members couldn’t get fertiliser because of
the high cost. If we have bumper harvests, the issue of
smuggling will reduce.

“Our problem is compounded by cows destroying farms
and it is farmers on the riverbank where rice is grown
who suffer most. Farmers are afraid to go to farms.”
How local production can check rice smuggling—
Stakeholders
A member of and consultant for Agbekoya Farmers
Association, Tayo Olatunde-Taiwo, said local rice must
be produced massively to meet the demand and match
up with foreign one by all standards to discourage
people from patronising the latter.
To achieve such feats, he said the government needed to
give maximum support to commercial farming and
encourage backward integration whereby rice mills in
the country would buy paddy from local farmers.
He said, “I don’t subscribe to smuggling but there are
certain things that need to be put in place. Our capacity
for rice production is not sustainable. There is no
blueprint of what needs to be done to enhance
production. We have pockets of developments but
farming is still largely subsistent in Nigeria.
“The minimum a rice farmer should have is about 10
hectares. Unfortunately, it is when the election is
approaching that they will begin to give farmers seeds

that cannot farm one hectare. Until our mentality shifts
to industrial production, we cannot meet the demand.
“You wanted to ban what is not sufficient but ended up
creating a hike in price and further impoverishing the
people. The government can allow people to import rice
and impose a tax as a temporary means of showing that
you discourage it but you want to make it available for
now. As that is being done, you need to explore
backward integration to strengthen local production.
Nigeria rice is not fully purified because the system of
production is local.”
The Agbekoya consultant who said that ABP was a
laudable scheme, added that it had been marred by
sharp practices denying potential beneficiaries access to
loans to engage in productive farming.
He noted that the programme had recorded several
cases of unpaid loans by unqualified beneficiaries.
He said, “I know a farmer from the North based in
Lagos. He always tells me he’s going to the North
whenever they are sharing money (loans) to farmers.
There are many frustrating things that we want to do in
this country. You will find out that people who are not
qualified get loans.

“I know someone who took a N5m loan from the CBN in
2018 under an agric programme but he never did
anything agric. Till now, he hasn’t repaid that money yet
he has received another N15m because he knows
someone. He is not using the money for production.
“We need the database of farmers. No farmer can be
circumvented if there is a database. When you collect
money and you don’t pay, we know how to track you.
With this, when farmers collect loans, they will use it for
what is meant for.”
A Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Zakari
Abdulsalam, urged processors to upscale the quality of
local rice to attract more demand and decimate
Nigerians’ penchant for foreign rice.
He said, “We need to disabuse the mind of the people
from consuming foreign rice. For over 20 years now, I
have been taking local rice because I know its health
benefits.
“One of the reasons why people prefer foreign rice to
local rice is the physical quality including stones and
other particles. If processors can work on that, there will
be increased consumption.”

“One major reason many people don’t like local rice is
because when you cook them, they become too marshy
and may spoil quickly,” an agricultural extension expert,
Prof Akpabio Iniobong, noted.
He advised farmers and processors to address the
deficiencies, starting with purification of the staple.
He added, “It has more nutrients compared to the over-
polished foreign rice. Once the local rice doesn’t have
stones and is cheaper, people will buy it. By the time the
farmers have more money, they can research on how to
make it not to be marshy after cooking.”
Iniobong accused the government of paying lip service
to rice production with the lopsided implementation
of the ABP.
He said, “The Anchor Borrowers Programme which is
supposed to help rice production is more prevalent in
the North. In the South, most farmers don’t have access
to funding. And those that have funding, in many cases,
their farms are destroyed by herders. Many state
governments in the South are not willing to guarantee
the ABP.”
The don cited poor road network to farms and
ineffective backward integration system as some of the

factors hindering meaningful development in local rice
production.
He cited the plight of rice farmers in Mbiabet, a
community in the Ini Local Government Area of Akwa
Ibom State said to be the rice basket of the state.
He said, “The roads to the area are poor. There is a rice
mill in the community but the factory doesn’t buy their
paddy from local farmers so the farmers are not
encouraged to keep on planting rice. If they are not
encouraged by backward integration, how can they be
motivated?
“The factory may have its reasons (for not buying from
the farmers) but it is its duty to let the farmers know the
rice variety they need assuming that is the problem.
They can also help the farmers through their extension
service to assist them grow such a paddy instead of
buying it elsewhere.
“There is also an abandoned rice mill managed by the
NDDC (Niger Delta Development Commission) in that
area. It is a massive project. If it is functional, the
farmers can process their rice there. If farmers are sure
of the market, they will continue to produce more. And
if there is much production, the price will reduce.

“Nigerians can process rice that is better than the
imported one. What is needed is funding. Let the ABP
concentrated in the North be spread to the South.”
Why North benefits more from ABP – CBN
Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Osita
Nwanisobi, said rice like every other commodity has a
production belt based on land type and availability of
water bodies to guarantee an environment suitable for
production activities, adding that a large chunk of
hectares suitable for rice farming fall within the northern
region.
He said, “In line with this, it is evident that rice
production is predominantly done in the North and this
is also supported by the numerous rice mills established
in northern Nigeria due to the proximity to raw
materials. Under the CBN Anchor Borrowers’
Programme, however, rice production has been financed
in all the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT but the
distribution has been a function of available land for rice
production and number of rice farmers.”
On the late distribution of inputs to farmers, Nwanisobi
said logistics remained “the greatest challenge around
input distribution as roads are the only viable means of
transportation for now.”

He said movement of inputs for production of all crops
was done simultaneously and could be daunting in some
cases.
He stated, “Inputs supplies under the ABP are
coordinated by the associations/anchors but the CBN
ensures a timely release of funds to the PFI through
proactive engagements and concurrent execution of all
prerequisite activities to save time. The lateness of some
farmers to complete their documentation, provision of
guarantors and payment of required equity contribution
could delay release of inputs to farmers even when the
inputs are available.
On the approval of loans to unqualified beneficiaries, the
spokesperson said such rarely occurred, claiming that
the bank always ensured due diligence.
He added, “The submitted lists by the associations are
validated using the farmer’s BVN as the mandatory
field. The validation is followed by obtaining farmer’s
KYC (know your customer), biometrics and information
is mapped to the GPS coordinates of the farm.
“This same information is layered on the process for
input distribution and account opening by the PFI
(Private Finance Initiative) and also used for monitoring
by all stakeholders. The process is strengthened

seasonally to checkmate loopholes and provide value
across the entire operations of the ABP.
Smuggled rice hardly exists in Nigerian markets –
FMARD
The spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Theodore
Ogaziechi, said “smuggled foreign rice” barely existed
in Nigeria, claiming that what was termed as imported
rice was well polished Nigerian rice packaged as foreign
rice.
He said Nigeria produced different rice species of
various qualities, including well-polished, half-polished,
de-stoned and partially de-stoned rice.
He also stated that the high price of local rice was not
peculiar to the staple food alone, noting that it portrayed
the reality of the ongoing dollar-naira crisis.
Ogaziechi said, “I want to honestly tell you that I can’t
remember when I last ate foreign rice. Let me assure you
that should you want very well polished local rice, you
will get it. Should you also want mildly polished, you
will get it. And should you want unpolished rice which
the white man calls ‘wild rice’, then you will also get it.
The unpolished rice is what the English man calls wild
rice and it is the healthiest of the rice.

“If you also want de-stoned rice or one that is not fully
de-stoned, you will also get. Nigeria is a country where
you can get any variety of rice you want. What you get
as smuggled foreign rice nowadays is nothing but well
polished Nigerian rice packaged as foreign rice.”
Contrary to the RIFAN President’s claim that Nigeria
had attained sufficiency with nine million metric tons of
rice, Ogaziechi said the country “at the moment
produces seven million metric tons of rice annually with
a gap of 300,000 metric tons to balance local
consumption.”
He added, “Nigeria is toiling day and night to mark up
the local consumption and work towards exporting the
product.”
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After beverage deal, Rerum hunting spot
in billion-dollar sales club
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Published:Saturday | October 9, 2021 | 12:05 AMNeville Graham - Business Reporter

Rerum Trading CEO Omar Newell
Banking on new drinks distribution contracts, Rerum Trading is looking to break
through a $1 billion in sales by next year, CEO Omar Newell has said.
The company formed two years ago now has a three-year deal with Trinidadian
manufacturer SM Jaleel to distribute three lines of drinks in the Jamaican market
under an exclusive arrangement.
Newell declined to provide details of the partnership and Rerum’s deliverables, but
said he expects the deal to lead to a spike in the company’s beverage division
revenues from 20 per cent of total sales to 50 per cent by year end. Rerum also
distributes a range of consumer items.
“Our revenues are pretty strong. We can now claim top three in the distribution of
rice,” he said. “With that soft drinks movement, it will certainly put us in the region of
the coveted billion-dollar mark by next year,” he told Financial Gleaner.
Rerum Trading, a distribution company based at the Garmex Complex in Kingston,
was incorporated in October 2019. Its name is Latin for ‘a collection of things’ or,

using trade vernacular, ‘commodities’. Key shareholders include business partners
and politicians Peter Bunting and Mark Golding, as well as Chairman Vernon
Hendricks.
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The company at first dabbled in trade financing before launching into bulk rice
importation from Guyana and Suriname.
Amid big rivals Derrimon Trading and Musson Jamaica and its member company T.
Geddes Grant out front, Newell asserts that Rerum is slotted in with the top three
rice importers; and that Park Rose and Kestrel round out the top five rice
distributors.
The SM Jaleel drinks deal covers three brands, Cole Cold soft drinks, Cool
Runnings flavoured water, and Caribbean Cool juice drinks. Other brands from the
SM Jaleel portfolio are handled by other distributors.
“We exclusively carry these products,” said Newell. “We can appoint sub-distributors
and we’re tying up those contracts as we speak,” he said.
The Cole Cold line was previously carried by Massy Distribution. That arrangement
long came to an end, resulting in the product being off the Jamaican market for the
last four years.
Newell says Rerum runs a lean operation, with 13 permanent and about 15 casual
team members. The company operates a fleet of 50 trucks with three-person crews
that handle road distribution, while merchandising has been outsourced to specialist
company Turnkey.
“We’re able to have a small, nimble staff structure because we outsource a number
of functions so that we can focus on our core parts of the distribution effort, which is
the logistics and sales,” said Newell.

With only about six weeks since the SM Jaleel distribution contract was awarded,
Newell says Rerum has already managed to cop about 25 per cent of the peak
volumes formerly moved by Massy Distribution, and that the cranberry, banana and
apple flavoured sodas have been well received. He once again declined to give
specifics, citing competition.
In addition to rice and now soft drinks, Rerum also distributes the Value Tree brand
of condiments in partnership with local manufacturer Spur Tree Spices. The line
includes ketchup, lime juice, vinegar, and hot pepper sauce in various sizes.
neville.graham@gleanerjm.com
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20211009/after-beverage-deal-rerum-
hunting-spot-billion-dollar-sales-club
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To reintroduce
genetic plant diversity scientists are looking for the ancient ancestors of domesticated
crops Photo: IRD/AFP/FileFood
Science seeks ancient plants to
save favorite foods
Today 06:06 am JST 5 Comments
By Amélie BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIS
PARIS
From a bowl of rice to a cup of coffee, experts say the foods we take for granted
could become much scarcer unless we can make them resistant to climate
change.
For more than 10,000 years humans have been using selective breeding to
adapt fruits and vegetables to specific growing conditions that today are
changing at an alarming rate.

And the same breeding that has made crops profitable has also made them
vulnerable to rising temperatures, drought, heavy rains, new blights or
plagues of insects.
"When you select 'for the best' traits (like higher yields), you lose certain types
of genes," Benjamin Kilian, project lead for the Crop Wild Relatives Project at
Crop Trust, told AFP. "We lost genetic diversity during domestication
history... therefore the potential of the elite crops to further adapt to the future
-- to climate change and other challenges -- is limited."
The answer, scientists say, may be to reintroduce that genetic diversity by
going back to domesticated crops' wild ancestors.
According to a study published in May, global warming risks shifting nearly a
third of agricultural production outside its ideal climate for cultivation.
The International Potato Center predicts a 32-percent drop in harvests of
potatoes and sweet potatoes by 2060 due to climate change, while some
estimates say coffee growers will lose half of adapted lands before 2050.
Rice, the world's most important staple food crop, contributes massively to
global warming by releasing methane as it is cultivated. It is also threatened by
rising seas that could put too much salt into the water that floods rice paddies.
Older forms of these crops might have had resistance to salt water or high
temperatures coded into their genes -- and to get them back, experts are
looking for their ancestors in the wild.
"We're going to need to use as much biodiversity as we can... because it
reduces risks, it provides options," says agriculture expert Marleni Ramirez of
Biodiversity International.
One potential resource is gene banks, like the Kew Millennium Seed Bank
which has nearly 40,000 species of wild plants.
"But not all wild relatives are in the gene banks," says Kilian.
Instead, he says it's up to expert botanists to take undertake a time-consuming
search throughout the wild, whose success can sometimes rely on luck.

Between 2013 and 2018 the Global Crop Diversity Trust gathered more than
4,600 samples from 371 wild cousins of 28 priority crops including wheat,
rice, sweet potatoes, bananas and apples.
Botanist Aaron Davis works at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens that partners
with Crop Trust.
With his colleagues, he discovered a wild species of coffee in Sierra Leone that
is more resistant to climate change than the widely harvested arabica.
And he says they found it just in time.
"If we had gone to Sierra Leone in 10 years, it would probably have been
extinct," says Davis. "Of 124 coffee species, 60 percent are threatened with
extinction, including the ones we might use for breeding new resilient coffees."
In a survey of four Central American countries, one in four plants analyzed
was threatened with extinction, including 70 wild species connected to major
cultivated crops like corn and squash.
And the race isn't over once they've been harvested.
Wild plants may not be adapted to large-scale agriculture and creating new
varieties can take years or even decades -- perhaps too long to provide an
answer to an impending food crisis.
Instead, experts say, we may have to find a way to live without certain staples.
According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, while the planet is
home to some 50,000 edible plants, just three of them -- rice, maize and
wheat -- provide 60 percent of the world's food energy intake.
Their disappearance could leave billions wondering what to eat and millions of
farmers looking for a new way to survive.
https://japantoday.com/category/features/food/science-seeks-ancient-plants-to-save-
favourite-foods

species," he added.
https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/271429755/china-focus-chinas-leading-seed-
bank-preserves-plant-biodiversity

Basmati GI rights: Reap has successfully
worked against Indian plea in EU court
Recorder Report 08 Oct 2021
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KARACHI: Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) has
successfully worked against Indian application of Basmati
Geographical Indicator (GI) rights in EU court.

Rafique Suleman Convener FPCCI Rice Export Committee and former
Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) has informed that
now with the support of Ministry of Commerce and Trade Development
Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) the GI case is going in right direction. "Reap's
energetic GI Committee has done marvelous job by putting their day night
efforts to get the job done," he added.
While, talking to newsmen, he said that despite a challenging pandemic due to
Covid-19, Reap has done brilliant achievements during last tenure. Immediate
Past Chairman Abdul Qayyum Paracha and his team greatly contributed to
achieve a few milestones improved over past years.
In addition, the decades old withholding tax issue anomaly in the Income Tax
Ordinance has successfully being removed with effect from 1st July 2021.
As the psychical exhibitions were not possible due to Covid-19, Reap organized
rice virtual expo and this initiative helped for the first time Pakistani exporters
to receive and interact directly with international merchants, end market state
Companies and buyers. "It has been the first Association in Pakistan to take
this challenge and not only have done without any support from government.
He also appreciated the efforts of virtual expo Committee team leader Faisal
Anis and Farhat Rasheed for organizing a fruitful expo.
During the last year Reap with the support of TDAP and Ministry of
Commerce successfully arranged various farmer education workshops on
Minimum Residue Limits in major cities in all provinces of Pakistan.
Russian ban on import of Pakistani rice was also lifted with the continuous
team efforts and Reap coordinated with Pakistani Embassies, various
authorities, such as State Bank of Pakistan, Sui Southern Gas Company,
Ministries of Commerce, Finance, Food Security, etc. Reap had representation
in delegation to Sri Lanka and sent high profile business delegation to
Uzbekistan, both led by Prime Minister of Pakistan. Reap has successfully
coordinated with Ministry of Commerce for clarifications of ambiguities in Sri
Lankan rice tenders.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
FPCCI TDAP RICE EXPORTERS ASSOCIATION OF PAKISTAN ABDUL QAYYUM
PARACHA

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40125309
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40125309https://www.the-
star.co.ke/business/kenya/2021-10-08-tea-auction-prices-hit-highest-mark-this-year/
Pakistan’s exports to Japan up
24.2% in first quarter

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan exported goods worth $50.6 million to Japan during the first
quarter of the current fiscal year 2021/22, witnessing a growth of 24.21 per cent over the
merchandise exports during the corresponding period of the last year, a statement said on
Thursday.
The statement from the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo said that other than textile items,
the major exports to Japan during July-September 2021/22 included agricultural and food
products.
This indicates realisation of the export diversification strategy the embassy has been
pursuing for the last two years, the statement added.

This trend is expected to gain further momentum once the Covid-19 pandemic-related
logistical limitations start getting settled.
The statement also said achieving $50.6 million exports during the first quarter against
$41.1 million last year, despite a large set of challenges being faced by the international
trade owing to the pandemic, was mainly due to better awareness of Pakistani products in
Japan.
The awareness was created through an aggressive campaign of reaching out to the
Japanese companies and supply chains; an improved compliance of standard
requirements on the supply side; and, an experience-based increasing interest, acceptance
and confidence of the Japanese buyers in Pakistani products, it added.
Pakistan’s Trade Mission in Japan has been able to stand out during the recent years with
the presence at all major trade shows in the absence of participation by exporters due to
travel restrictions; presenting options of business with Pakistan to regional business
chambers and trade associations; engaging public through social media and promotion
activities to create an ownership; and, encouraging Pakistani business community in
Japan to engage in Pakistan focused trade.
Rice, sesame seed, fish fillet, mangoes, dates and cotton yarn are the leading products
driving this growth.
Other significant exportable items, showing an increasing trend, included sports goods,
surgical instruments, animal casing, chromium ore, carpets, gloves, socks and tanned
leather.
According to the trade data updated by the Ministry of Commerce, the overall global
exports of Pakistan has been showing a consistent growing trend during the first quarter
and exports to Japan are following the same trend.
To sustain this positive trade trajectory with Japan, the Pakistan Mission has been
executing product and sector-specific promotional campaigns in collaboration with the
Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) through a series of webinars, tasting
events and virtual B2B meetings for the Pakistani exporters.
The recent activities, hosted at the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo, focused on dates, salt,
mangoes, surgical instruments, handicrafts and furniture.
During the second quarter, in addition to promoting a diverse range of exportable
products, efforts will also be made to increase the export of services from Pakistan to
Japan, mainly covering information technology and consulting services; and, export of
manpower, both unskilled and skilled workforce, for which the demand is increasing in
Japan.

https://www.bolnews.com/latest/2021/10/pakistans-exports-to-japan-up-24-2-in-first-
quarter/
Concerning dietary patterns among Latinx
linked to greater number of years living in the
US
Peer-Reviewed Publication
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY'S MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
PrintEmail App
October 8, 2021-- Dietary acculturation may play a stronger role in some heritage groups compared
with others according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of
Public Health and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And that adherence to cultural
dietary patterns may be impacted by the number of years lived in the United States. This is the first
study to take a data-driven approach using foods specific to a population to empirically derive dietary
patterns. The findings are published in The Journal of Nutrition.
The term “Hispanic/Latino” encompasses more than 20 nationalities with substantial social, cultural,
behavioral, geographic, and genetic heterogeneity. Although diet is strongly linked to health, the
prevalence of certain diseases varies across US Hispanics/Latinos. For instance, Hispanics/Latinos
of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage have the highest diabetes prevalence whereas those of South
American heritage have the lowest.
“Our study fills an important gap by comparing heritage-specific diets across 6 large Hispanic/Latino
heritage groups and by examining differences in dietary pattern scores by years living in the United
States in each heritage group,” said Sandra Albrecht, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at
Columbia Mailman School, and senior author.
Using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, the largest population-
based cohort of Hispanics/Latinos of diverse origin 18-74 years of age, the researchers derived
dietary patterns from two 24-hour dietary recalls, which resulted in 5 overarching dietary patterns –
Burgers, Fries, & Soft Drinks; White Rice, Beans, & Red Meats; Fish; Egg & Cheese; and Alcohol.

Heritage-specific dietary patterns were compared to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 to
assess healthfulness.
The researchers found that for all heritage groups, Burgers, Fries, & Soft Drinks dietary patterns
were associated with worse healthfulness, whereas all Fish Dietary patterns, except those for
Dominican heritage, were associated with greater healthfulness. Moreover, the White Rice, Beans, &
Red Meats dietary pattern was less healthy in Cuban and Central American groups but healthier in
Mexican-origin individuals. Fewer years living in the United States was associated with higher scores
for White Rice, Beans, & Red Meats dietary patterns in Cuban and Mexican heritage groups and
lower scores on Burgers, Fries, & Soft Drinks dietary patterns in Cuban, Mexican, and Puerto Rican
groups.
“In general, greater years living in the United States was associated with less healthy dietary
patterns across several heritage groups, which has concerning health implications,” noted Luis
Maldonado, PhD, a doctoral student in the department of nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill when the
study was conducted, and the paper’s first author.
Dietary acculturation is a complex and dynamic process by which immigrants adopt the cultural
practices of the host country and shed the cultural dietary choices and behaviors practiced in the
country of origin. Over time, dietary acculturation may lead to unhealthier diets, which may increase
diet-related chronic disease risk. However, it is important to recognize that dietary acculturation
processes can differ across heritage groups.
In a companion editorial, Katherine Tucker (University of Massachusetts) commends the research
team for demonstrating the importance of using a data-driven approach to examine dietary patterns.
Understanding actual dietary behaviors of population subgroups help clarify the diversity of both
dietary behavior and health risk among differing Hispanic/Latino heritage groups.
“Our findings suggest that identifying effective strategies against diet-related chronic diseases that
are tailored to different groups in this diverse U.S. population is warranted,” said Albrecht.
###
Co-authors include Linda Adair, Daniela Sotres-Alvarez, and Krista M Perreira, UNC, Chapel Hill;
Josiemer Mattei, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; Yasmin Mossavar-Rahman and Carmen
Isasi, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Martha L Daviglus, University of Illinois College of
Medicine; Linda Van Horn, Northwestern University; and Linda C Gallo, San Diego State University.
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Founded in 1922, the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health pursues an agenda
of research, education, and service to address the critical and complex public health issues affecting
New Yorkers, the nation and the world. The Columbia Mailman School is the seventh largest
recipient of NIH grants among schools of public health. Its nearly 300 multi-disciplinary faculty
members work in more than 100 countries around the world, addressing such issues as preventing
infectious and chronic diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, health
policy, climate change and health, and public health preparedness. It is a leader in public health
education with more than 1,300 graduate students from 55 nations pursuing a variety of master’s
and doctoral degree programs. The Columbia Mailman School is also home to numerous world-
renowned research centers, including ICAP and the Center for Infection and Immunity. For more
information, please visit www.mailman.columbia.edu.
JOURNAL
Journal of Nutrition
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/931048
S.Korea's Rice Production
Estimated To Rise 9.1 Pct In
2021
1 day ago Fri 08th October 2021 | 01:40 PM

SEOUL, Oct. 8 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Oct, 2021 ) :South
Korea's rice production was estimated to rise 9.1 percent this year thanks to
favorable weather conditions, statistical office data showed Friday.
A combined 3,827,000 tons of rice, a key staple food for South Koreans, was expected
to be produced in the country in 2021, according to Statistics Korea. It was up 9.1
percent from the previous year.
The statistical office said weather conditions were favorable to cultivate rice amid the
proper rainfall and the right duration of bright sunshine.
Estimate for rice production per 100 square meters stood at 522 kg in 2021, up 8.2
percent from the prior year.
The size of rice paddies across the country edged up 0.8 percent from a year earlier to
732,477 hectares this year.
Meanwhile, consumption of rice in the country has been on the decline for the past
decades owing to the change in eating habits.
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/miscellaneous/skoreas-rice-production-estimated-to-rise-9-1370917.html
leading seed bank
preserves plant
biodiversity
Xinhua

A "NOAH'S ARK"

7th October,2021 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter.docx

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