International Rice Research Institute

What International Rice Research Institute does

IRRI is a non-profit international agricultural research institute founded in 1960 and headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines, operating as part of the CGIAR system. Its mandate is to reduce poverty and hunger by improving rice-based agri-food systems through rice science, with primary beneficiaries being smallholder rice farmers and national agricultural research systems across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The institute develops climate-smart rice technologies — including Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), direct-seeded rice (DSR), drone-assisted precision agriculture (Drones4Rice), biofortified varieties, and CRISPR/genome-editing platforms (POC1, Fulcrum licensed from Pairwise) — alongside digital platforms such as Cam Agri Hub and the REMET emissions-quantification framework that enables carbon-market access.

The core technology stack combines 60+ years of rice germplasm and breeding data with modern computational biology (AI-designed genome editors), unmanned aerial remote sensing for precision phenotyping, and machine-learning classifiers for crop monitoring. IRRI has secured the world's first biosafety approval for an iron- and zinc-enhanced GM rice (HIZ039) and operates the ISARC regional centre in Varanasi, India, for South Asia capacity building.

IRRI's revenue model is grant-driven rather than commercial: primary funding comes from foundations (Gates Foundation), multilateral mechanisms (GEF, CGIAR), government development programs (World Bank, GIZ, India's Department of Biotechnology), and bilateral partnerships with national agricultural ministries (Cambodia, Vietnam, Indian states). Secondary revenue flows include technology licensing (Pairwise Fulcrum, MMSD-1 to Trimurti Plant Sciences) and emerging carbon-credit monetization via Amazon's purchase of 685,000+ tCO2e from The Good Rice Alliance. Go-to-market is largely event- and partnership-driven through ministries, training programs, and CGIAR-aligned research networks, with Cam Agri Hub functioning as a self-serve digital channel hosted on government infrastructure.

Name

International Rice Research Institute

Legal name

International Rice Research Institute

Website

https://irri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

IRRI is a non-profit CGIAR-affiliated rice research institute founded in 1960 in Los Baños, Philippines, developing climate-smart rice varieties, CRISPR gene-editing tools, and digital platforms like Cam Agri Hub to serve smallholder farmers and national agricultural ministries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research and Development

NAICS

Rice Farming (11116)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Rice Farming (AFAGAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm Management & Decision Support Software (FMIS, ERP, Recordkeeping) (AFAGALAA), Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) & Farm ERPs (AFAAAFAA), CEA Monitoring, Sensors & Automation Software (SCADA, IoT, Climate/Recipe Control) (AFAAAHAG)

Keywords

• Rice research
• Climate-smart agriculture
• Crop breeding
• Agricultural biotechnology
• Digital agriculture platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Baños

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Development Funding: IRRI operates primarily as a non-profit agricultural research organization funded through grants from foundations (Gates Foundation), international organizations (GEF, CGIAR), and government development programs. The institute implements donor-funded projects for climate-smart agriculture across Asia.
2. Technology Licensing: IRRI licenses its technologies and breeding platforms to partners and receives nonexclusive rights to use platforms like CRISPR, enabling collaborative development of improved rice varieties for smallholder farmers.
3. Research Partnerships with National Agricultural Systems: Collaborative research with government agricultural research systems (ICAR, state governments) and universities on direct-seeded rice and other climate-resilient technologies, supported by Department of Biotechnology funding.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IRRI is a non-profit international agricultural research organization that develops climate-smart rice varieties, digital advisory platforms, and agricultural technologies. It conducts rice breeding, genome editing, direct-seeded rice systems, and drone-assisted farming research, delivering outputs through licensing, training, digital platforms, and partnerships with government agricultural ministries and research institutions across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Product overview

IRRI offers a comprehensive portfolio of rice research products and services centered on climate-smart agriculture. The core offerings include Cam Agri Hub (a digital advisory platform), Drones4Rice (drone-assisted farming technology), and the ISARC regional center conducting research and training. Supporting infrastructure includes the REMET framework for emissions quantification and the AKM4I knowledge management system. The CRISPR gene editing platform license and Breakthrough Product Network initiative enable development of improved rice varieties with higher yields, climate resilience, and enhanced nutrition for smallholder farmers across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• DSR varieties yield approximately 15% more than conventional varieties
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2026FAO provides technical support to the PCRL project in Cambodia, which includes the Cam Agri Hub platform developed by IRRI. The initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience and support sustainable livelihoods in rice-growing communities.
• Cambodia Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026IRRI developed the Cam Agri Hub digital platform hosted on Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture website, consolidating fragmented digital agriculture resources. The platform was launched under the PCRL project, jointly implemented by Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment, with technical support from FAO and funding from GEF.
• Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026IRRI Vietnam and Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment held a meeting to align strategies for sustainable rice production in 2026, aiming to enhance technological adoption, improve water and emissions management, and promote inclusive livelihoods.
• Banaras Hindu University (BHU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2026BHU developed MMSD-1 high-yield rice variety after 18 years of research in collaboration with IRRI Manila. The variety yields 55-64 quintals per hectare in 115-120 days and has been licensed to Trimurti Plant Sciences Private Limited.
• CGIARcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026CGIAR launched the Breakthrough Product Network initiative with Gates Foundation funding to develop next-generation crop varieties for 12 priority crops. IRRI is one of five international agricultural research centers participating, bringing together breeding teams to employ demand-driven 'Crop Concept' approach.
• PairwisecoreTechnology or IntegrationPairwise licensed its CRISPR gene editing platform (Fulcrum) to IRRI, granting nonexclusive rights to develop rice varieties with higher yields, climate resilience, and improved nutrition targeting smallholder farmers across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
• Trimurti Plant Sciences Private LimitedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrimurti Plant Sciences licensed the MMSD-1 rice variety developed by BHU with IRRI collaboration, enabling commercial development and distribution of this early-maturing rice with premium grain quality.
• The Good Rice Alliance (TGRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTGRA is a sustainability group working with over 13,000 smallholder rice farmers in India to reduce methane emissions from flooded paddy fields using water-management techniques like Alternate Wetting and Drying. Amazon signed agreement to purchase over 685,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent carbon credits from TGRA.
• Rice Breeding AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRice Breeding Australia partnered with IRRI and other institutions (University of Queensland, Swinburne University) to advance cold tolerance research and gene editing opportunities through a world-class research facility near Leeton, NSW.
• Max Planck InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMax Planck Institute collaborated with IRRI scientists on research published in Nature Plants proposing protein biofortification of cereals to combat malnutrition, developing high-protein, low-glycemic-index rice varieties.
• Huazhong Agricultural UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuazhong Agricultural University collaborated with IRRI scientists on protein biofortification research showing cereal-legume approach could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 32%.
• Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilRice developed HIZ039 genetically modified rice with enhanced iron and zinc levels, with research contributions from IRRI. This is the world's first such GM rice to receive regulatory approval from the Philippine Department of Agriculture.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center): Fellow CGIAR center and co-developer of the AKM4I framework (Cook Medal 2024) and Breakthrough Product Network. Directly comparable as a CGIAR non-profit agricultural research center operating similar grant-funded R&D, technology licensing, and breeding programs for staple crops.
• Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice): CGIAR-association center focused specifically on rice R&D for Africa, the closest direct functional peer to IRRI. Operates an analogous model of donor-funded research, breeding line distribution, and partnership-based training across sub-Saharan Africa.
• International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT): CGIAR partner that participated in IRRI's speed breeding training and operates the same non-profit crop-research model across semi-arid regions. Strong comparability in CGIAR system governance, breeding IP, and smallholder farmer focus.
• International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA): CGIAR center and co-member of the Breakthrough Product Network alongside IRRI. Comparable as a non-profit international agricultural research institute developing improved crop varieties and digital extension services for tropical smallholders.
• International Potato Center (CIP): Fifth CGIAR member in the Breakthrough Product Network with an identical non-profit research mandate, breeding pipelines, and grant-funded operating model. Differentiated by crop focus (potato/sweetpotato) but structurally the most comparable peer in the CGIAR system.
• Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice): National rice R&D agency that developed HIZ039 with IRRI research contributions. Closely comparable as a government-affiliated rice research institute conducting breeding, biofortification, and digital agriculture programs in overlapping geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): Government of India's apex agricultural research body and direct IRRI partner through ICAR-IIRR. Broad incumbent covering rice plus dozens of other crops at a larger systemic scale, with overlapping programs on DSR, speed breeding, and natural farming.

Emerging players

• Pairwise: Plant-focused AgTech company that licensed its Fulcrum CRISPR platform to IRRI. Comparable as a crop-improvement technology provider, but emerging/private versus IRRI's non-profit model — represents the venture-backed edge of the same gene-editing value chain.
• Inari Agriculture: Venture-backed AI- and gene-editing-driven seed technology company targeting major row crops. Overlaps with IRRI on predictive breeding, genome editing, and digital agriculture, but operates a proprietary commercial model rather than a non-profit research mandate.
• Benson Hill: Data-driven crop improvement company combining genomics with AI-driven breeding platforms. Comparable to IRRI on the AI/breeding-platform axis (CropOS vs. CRISPR + drones), though focused on soybean and corn rather than rice and smallholder markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/riceresearch
• Facebookfacebook.com/irri.ricenews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-rice-research-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Rice Research Institute