27 January 2022 ~ The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the Seeding The Future Foundation announced the winners of its first-ever Seeding the Future Global Food Systems Challenge – and two of the three Grand Prize winners are CGIAR centers, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and WorldFish.
The Global Food Systems Challenge aims to inspire and support innovative, diverse, and multidisciplinary teams to create game-changing innovations that will help transform our food systems. The Challenge offers three award levels, comprising the Seed Grants, Growth Grants, and Grand Prize categories, with prizes totaling over $1 million.
IRRI was awarded the Grand Prize for its arsenic-safe rice project. Groundwater levels of the carcinogen arsenic in many rice-growing areas in South and Southeast Asia are up to 100 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended limit. Although arsenic contamination in rice has been documented for the past two decades, farmers in arsenic-affected areas have had no access to acceptable arsenic-safe germplasm. Through this project, IRRI will test, validate, and distribute rice cultivars that (1) demonstrate reduced arsenic uptake from the soil and water, (2) keep arsenic content in grain and straw within safe limits for human and livestock health, and (3) meet the market requirements especially for grain and eating quality. These rice cultivars will be made available and accessible to all stakeholders, particularly smallholder farming families and women.
“Chronic arsenic exposure has been associated with a variety of potentially harmful health consequences in humans, including skin lesions, hypertension, cardiovascular illness, pulmonary disease, reproductive and neurological dysfunctions, hematological abnormalities, and skin cancer,” said Jauhar Ali, Research Unit Leader at IRRI. “Arsenic-safe rice types suited for arsenic-contaminated regions will be made freely accessible to farmers, and breeders will be encouraged to incorporate these…