The Amazing Rice Asia: Trip to IRRI

Amazing Rice it is, right here in Asia! Well, to be specific, in the Philippines; where we could find one of the biggest research centers in the world; IRRI or the International Rice Research Institute. 

Yes, but seriously, it was kind of a race; if you get what we mean. We were sprinting all the way just to get to the entrance first.And guess what we saw? Yep, hundreds and hundreds of rice fields! Yummeh!

Let's start the Amazing Rice Asia!

A picture of some of the rice fields

The bus was too excited for this stop. As soon as the bus door opened, we jumped off, and scurried of to IRRI; ready for more!

What we expected to see, inside is just people in lab coats, rice samples put into white rooms with machines and microscopes. Well, we are wrong.

We expected to learn how they research in their rice and how they are able to share the productions with other countries, we expected  to go through a  kind of factory or research lab.But instead, we entered a theater and were given workbooks (Don't worry, they were colored). And watched a video of what IRRI is all about. IRRI aims to find sustainable ways to improve the well being of rice farmers and consumers, while at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability through collaborative research, partnerships, and the strengthening of national agricultural research and extension systems. And after that we made our way to explore IRRI! 

We were welcomed by a huge model of the Earth with a computer that actually shows the increasing of the world population.With this they are able to record the population growth and how they will be able to keep track of how much rice they are going to have to produce and research on, just to feed us and the rest of the world. Then we saw samples of --rice wine?(Pretty incredible!) Also, we saw areas wherein there are different themes and how they are related to rice! Example, there was an area with a Chinese theme and they have a TV filled with recipes with rice!! (I couldn't find the rice cakes though.) We saw the history of rice with other countries, the old tools they used, the things they could make with rice, and, finally, the restroom! 

Oh, right! We forgot to announce the winner of the amazing race! Well, here it is!

The winner of our Amazing Rice Asia, Mr. Rice, Team IRRI!  

Some of the facts about the winner:

•  Common Name: Rice
• Scientific Name: Oryza sativa
• Characteristics: grainy, soft, in numerous colors (black, brown, white, yellow, and etc.) 
• Ecological relationship:a producer 

Oh how we need our rice! Our lovely and yummy rice! Without dear rice, no one would have ever survived (not even rice cakes). 
That's why treasure every grain of rice, because each grain is priceless, and was harvested with love.


Well,  that's what we have for IRRI! Next stop... will be our final destination. But don't worry fellow earthtrotties, because we have a lot in store for you in this journey!

-The Earth Trotters

We would like to thank, the UrbanGuru for providing the amazing pictures. And here are our references!

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kylzszZYGa1qb9pwko1_400.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/2199551868_31e65e9f85.jpg

http://mysmartschools.ph/web/animicetech/images/rice.jpg

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/planet-2/image/2006/11/ge-rice-threatens-biodiversity.gif