Transforming Food Systems in Africa and Asia

2022 was marked by a fresh beginning and new accomplishments as IRRI delivered on game changing innovations in rice-based systems, actively participate in the One CGIAR transition, and reopen our headquarters and country offices after 2 years of COVID-19 restrictions. Throughout the year, our scientists and staff remained focused on the core business of research-for-impact and through extraordinary teamwork delivered exemplary scientific and on-the-ground achievement.

As the world wrestles with the climate crisis, IRRI acted on its responsibility to provide solutions
in climate-change mitigation and adaptation. In 2022, we formulated a comprehensive institutional strategy for climate change that spans upstream and downstream activities, which we will implement through a portfolio of bilateral projects and CGIAR Initiatives. By leveraging our strengths in varietal development, crop cultivation, agronomy, spatial analyses, and policy guidance, we are investing in innovative research domains to spearhead the development of next-generation solutions such as methanogenesis (production of methane by bacteria or other living organisms), remote sensing of greenhouse gas emissions, low-carbon farming, rice-carbon credit markets, and policy support for rice-based systems transformation.

As more businesses opened their doors to additional in-person interactions in 2022, IRRI embraced the opportunity to operate in new ways in a post-pandemic world.
The transition to working onsite was a gradual process and challenges were met as staff navigated the hybrid working set- up. Nonetheless, the Institute and its staff proved to be resilient and adaptive. The great effort that went into the four Flagship Projects and One CGIAR initiatives and the outputs of those efforts can be attributed to the persistence of IRRI staff and their dedication to the mission and mandates of the Institute.

Financial Highlights

Good financial management across the research and corporate areas is highly welcomed and applauded and continues to strengthen the Institute. This is especially recognized given the last few years of a particularly challenging environment.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic— aggravated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict resulting in volatile market conditions and local currency fluctuations translating into unrealized investment losses—were the critical challenges in 2022. Through
the collective efforts across the Institute to effectively manage overhead costs, further strengthen donor engagement, and accelerate research activities made possible by the easing of restrictions in the second half of 2022, the Institute managed to end the year with a net surplus of USD 70,000 as IRRI’s grant portfolio increased to USD 56.262 million in 2022 from USD 52.462 million in 2021.

Throughout this annual report, IRRI has demonstrated its scientific leadership to the key stakeholders in the public and private sectors to critically address food and nutrition insecurity, poverty, climate change, and social equity.

In the face of possible food crises in various parts of the world and climate change globally, the Institute is urgently looking for critical funding from philanthropic foundations, private sector institutions, state government, and international and local organizations.

If your organization wishes to inquire about how we can work together, please email us at info@irri.org.