NRAA-Backed Wild Rice Conservation Project Achieves Key Milestone in Assam

The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), functioning under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, has marked a major achievement in conserving India’s wild rice genetic resources. A project titled “In-situ Conservation and Management of Wild Rice (Oryza rufipogon) in Sonitpur District of Assam,” funded by the NRAA, has led to the Borjuli site in Assam’s Sonitpur district being officially notified as a Biodiversity Heritage Site.

The conservation initiative, launched in 2022, is being implemented by the ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Assam State Biodiversity Board. The project focuses on protecting and managing wild rice populations in their natural habitat while documenting and characterizing valuable germplasm for future agricultural research.

During a meeting with Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, IAS, Chief Executive Officer of the NRAA, scientists from ICAR-NBPGR presented the project’s progress in the exploration, conservation, and characterization of wild rice genetic resources. They highlighted that the Borjuli site has now received Biodiversity Heritage Site status from the National Biodiversity Authority, underscoring its ecological and genetic significance.

Congratulating the research team, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar described wild rice species as a vital reservoir of genes that can help develop climate-resilient, high-yielding, and nutritionally enhanced rice varieties. He stressed the importance of extending similar conservation efforts to other crop wild relatives across India to strengthen agricultural sustainability, improve resilience to climate change, and safeguard long-term food security.

The meeting was coordinated by Dr. Pankaj Kumar Shah, Director (Agriculture & Horticulture), NRAA, and Dr. Anil Kumar Mishra, Technical Expert (Watershed Management), NRAA.

Source: PIB