The Agriculture Ministry's research and development agency has produced 10 new rice varieties it hopes will boost production and strengthen crops in anticipation of the continuing impact of climate change on food production.
Agency head B. Haryono, told newmen here on Tuesday, that climate change currently was causing unpredictable and extreme weather conditions, wet and dry, as well as pest attacks.
"Therefore, there is a need for rice plants that are resilient to drought, excessive water and attacks from planthopper pests," Haryono said, adding that his agency had produced 10 new rice varieties to meet these needs.
Although the impacts of climate change have only recently been felt, the 10 new rice varieties are the results of research that has been in progress for six to seven years.
Three of the new strains were named Inpara (water resilient), Inpago (drought resilient) and Inpari (pest resistant).
Including of the new 10 special rice varieties, Haryono said, over the last five years the agency had produced a total of 31 new rice varieties. Since its establishment, the agency has produced more than 200 superior rice varieties.
Efforts to tackle impacts of climate change on food production have also been launched through the introduction of planting calendars, including allocating certain varieties for certain localities up to district levels nationwide and recommendations on fertilizer use.
"The existing planting calendars need to be changed because of the dynamically volatile weather patterns," Haryono said as quoted by Antara.
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