The FAO Conference of the United Nations, at its Fourth Session in 1948, established the International Rice Commission (IRC), with the objective of promoting national and international action in matters relating to the production, conservation, distribution and consumption of rice. The Commission’s Constitution went in force in 1949. Its Member Countries have grown from 15 in 1949 to 60 at present.
Every four years, the IRC organizes a Session to review the emerging issues and recent achievements in scientific, technical and socio-economic matters relating to sustainable rice production and rice-based farming systems. Furthermore, it assists Member Countries in orienting strategies for their national rice development programmes while encouraging an extensive interaction among national, regional and international institutions. The last 19th Session of the IRC was convened in Cairo, Egypt in 1998.