"IRRI Executives Visit the Rice Science Center, KU"

On 25 November 2025, Yvonne Pinto, Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), together with the IRRI Board of Trustees and staff from the Philippines, kindly visited the Rice Science Center, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, to study the work, exchange knowledge, and strengthen cooperation on rice research and breeding between the two leading institutions of the world.
Honored to take part in the welcome were Asst. Prof. Dr. Sukanya Rattanatubtimthong, Assistant President for Research, Academic Services and International Relations, Kamphaeng Saen Campus; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siwaret Arikit, Director of the Rice Science Center; and Prof. Dr. Apichart Vanavichit, senior researcher and the country's leading rice breeding expert.
Together with research teams including Dr. Siriphat Ruengphayak, Deputy Director of the Rice Science Center; Dr. Anuchat Sawasdee, researcher at the Rice Science Center; and Dr. Jonaliza L. Siangliw and Dr. Wasin Polchivin, researchers at the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), NSTDA. After the formal welcome, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siwaret Arikit gave a special lecture on “Advances in Rice Breeding at the Rice Science Center”, presenting progress in biotechnology, Marker-assisted Selection, Genomic Selection, and future research directions such as rice varieties for sustainability, low-carbon-emission rice, and rice varieties that respond to a changing climate.
The IRRI executives then visited the Rice Science Center's research paddy fields to study actual rice breeding experiments, and visited joint research between the Rice Science Center and BIOTEC, NSTDA, such as developing varieties resistant to disease and insects, tolerant of limiting environments, and new varieties with quality traits as demanded by consumers and industry.
The visit ended with a tour of the “Rainbow Rice” art paddy, a creative work linking rice research with public communication by growing rice of many colors to form art pictures on the paddy, which greatly impressed the visitors and reflects Thailand's outstanding ability to combine research, innovation and culture.
This visit was an important opportunity to strengthen rice science cooperation between Kasetsart University and IRRI, which will lead to further academic progress, rice variety development, and higher international food security.