Rice is the world’s number one staple food. That is why the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was founded in 1960 with the aim of boosting rice yields and so securing a plentiful supply of rice for the world’s growing population. IRRI rice scientists have bred 864 new varieties over the last 50 years. The first variety bred by IRRI was IR8, which also became known as ‘miracle rice’ because of its extraordinary yield in comparison to the varieties known so far. The gene bank at IRRI boasts over 109,000 different varieties, and these are the basis for its breeding work. To date, Germany has supported IRRI’s work through funding of around EUR 56 million, part of which has gone into developing salt-tolerant and flood-proof varieties. So IRRI is not only helping conserve agricultural biodiversity but also responding to climate change.