Guwahati: Under the technical support and guidance of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Horticulture Research Station, Kahikuchi inaugurated a Rice Varietal Cafeteria within an area of 2000 sq meters in a roadside paddy field belonging to Upendra Rabha, a pioneer in black rice cultivation in Assam, at Krishnai development block of Goalpara district on Monday 2nd August 2021.

This initiative has been undertaken by the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) to establish a hundred Rice Varietal Cafeterias to enable a client-oriented expo of diversified sali rice varieties in 24 districts of Assam.

Rice Varietal Cafeteria is an exhibition of targeted rice varieties at a particular place to enable the stakeholders to evaluate and select the most promising rice variety that is best suited in that particular region or agro-climatic zone.

Ten different varieties categorized into 3 diverse groups - STRVs, PQRs, and LPVs were selected for incorporation into the Rice Varietal Cafeteria in small plots and strips of 200 sq meter size each having access to uniform irrigation facilities.

The basic aim of the project includes creating mass awareness and accelerating the uptake and sustainable adoption of the STRVs or PQRs at selected locations, which would strengthen the learning and adoption behavior by systematic evaluation of multiple varieties in laid out rice varietal cafeteria and eventually engaging private & public seed sector players and their market channels like distributors, FPCs, associated agri-input suppliers/extension agents, millers in the evaluation of different varieties against STRVs and PQR variety.

This would further provide a replacement for improving the productivity of rice in the region.

The inaugural ceremony took place in the presence of Prasannajit Bora, District Agricultural Officer Goalpara, and Abdul Wahid Ahmed, Assistant Director, Agriculture, Goalpara as a guest of honor, APART team of HRS, Kahikuchi, and IRRI expert Mridupaban Mudoi.

The programme was attended by around 30 farmers including women.