A new variety of rice seed was successfully developed as the result of the cooperation between the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) and Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Technology (Instituto Nicaragüense de Tecnología Agropecuaria , INTA) on the Rice Seed Research, Development and Production Extension Project in Nicaragua. The new rice variety, INTA Secano Precoz, was presented during a ceremony held on September 9, 2016. This new type of upland rice can yield on average 1 to 2 tons more per hectare than the current variety, and is expected to be helpful for improving farmers’ income.

The seeds for breeding INTA Secano Precoz was obtained from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). In the early selection stage, INTA worked with the Taiwan Technical Mission to select and breed a number of varieties with different characteristics. These were then distributed to Nicaraguan farmers for test-planting before eventually identifying INTA Secano Precoz as the most suitable for cultivation in the Rio San Juan region in Nicaragua. The advantages of this new variety include good vigor, tolerance to pests and diseases, good rice milling quality and taste. Under suitable climatic conditions, the rice yield is on average 3 to 4 tons per hectare, a marked increase from the previous 2 tons per hectare of the current variety.
The Rice Seed Research, Development and Production Extension Project in Nicaragua aims to assist Nicaraguan smallholder farmers in accessing quality upland rice seed to boost their production. Efforts will continue to be made to develop new varieties of upland rice suitable for local planting. The project also includes assisting local upland rice production communities in establishing seed banks to ensure accessibility to rice seeds, effectively assisting small-scale farmers to increase productivity and income.

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• Update: 2018/03/05
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