Information sheet: Research and Development
IYR2004
International Year of Rice, 2004
Research and development are vitally important for continuing a sustainable rice industry in Australia. The Australian rice industry spends up to $18 million each year to researching innovative techniques to help conserve our natural resources, improve efficiency and increase the commercial viability of the industry.

The Rural Industries Research and Development (R.I.R.D.C.) program and the Co-operative Research Centre (C.R.C.) for Sustainable Rice Production are committed to rice research.

Key areas that they cover include:

  • Sustainability of irrigation,
  • Crop breeding, grain quality
  • Plant protection and nutrition,
  • Developing best practice technologies for harvesting and processing,
  • Product development,
  • Environmental impact.

The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) is a statutory Corporation formed in July 1990 under the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development (PIERD) Act 1989.

It was set up by the Commonwealth Government to work closely with Australian rural industries on the organisation and funding of their Research & Development needs.

A Rice Research and Development program is part of the RIRDC's brief. The rice program has the following four objectives:

  • To provide new varieties or strains of rice that help the farm be more efficient which also meet consumer needs and ensures the seeds are not genetic modified.
  • To improve
    • crop establishment,
    • soils and plants
    • nutrition
    • control of weeds and diseases.
  • To ensure rice farming is sustainable by developing the best technologies for harvesting, handling, milling and processing rice.
  • To innovate across the industry whether it is on the farm or in the industries that use by-products.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Rice Production (Rice CRC) commenced in July 1997 and is an unincorporated joint venture of seven major partners:

The Rice CRC aims to increase the contribution the rice industry makes to the national economy and to the welfare of all Australians by:

  • Generating knowledge to improve the sustainability of the natural resources and the systems used to produce rice
  • Developing germplasm which will be the basis of a sustainable increase in rice yields and quality
  • Developing a more strategic base for rice research in Australia
  • Formally linking key agencies involved in rice research, education and extension and focusing their effort on a common purpose.

Further Internet resources:

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Rice Production (Rice CRC)

Online resources
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