DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition (DuPont) has signed an agreement with the Indonesian Center for Rice Research (ICRR). The agreement grants Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (Pioneer), access to several ICRR inbreds and hybrids for evaluation and testing, and the exclusive right to commercialize any new selected hybrids. ICRR will be paid a royalty to support their research and development efforts for any hybrids Pioneer commercializes. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Rice is the most important staple food for more than half of the world’s population. The growing population in Asia is driving pressure to improve rice yields to meet the increasing demand for food.
“We are pleased to collaborate with the world-class public rice breeding program at the ICRR to help meet the increasing demand for rice,” said William S. Niebur, vice president DuPont Crop Genetics Research and Development. “This partnership will help leverage our expertise as the leader in advanced plant genetics breeding and development to improve nutrition, standards of living and overall agricultural productivity.”
“It is the government’s aim to increase national rice productivity through many strategies, including partnering with private institutions in research and development of hybrid rice,” said Hasil Sembiring, director, ICRR.
“We are only just beginning to realize the enormous potential that public-private partnerships offer toward increasing global agricultural productivity,” Niebur said.
This partnership complements a collaboration DuPont announced earlier this month with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to increase the rate of yield gains and to boost the quality and diversity of hybrid rice. The results of that work will contribute to making better advanced breeding lines and hybrids available to rice breeders and farmers in Asia.