International Rice Research Institute on Haitian Crops

A statement from Doug Band: "President Bill Clinton was admitted to the Columbia Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital after feeling discomfort in his chest. Following a visit to his cardiologist, he underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries. President Clinton is in good spirits and will continue to focus on the work of his Foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery efforts."

Following an immediate recovery, Clinton is already up on his feet guiding the CGI and making game time decisions. In terms of economic viability and sustainability, Clinton still finds himself knee deep in the issue, coordinating the long-term effort as best as he humanly can.

The Clinton Global Initiative (2005) is an international aid based, charitable organization started by former President Clinton. The CGI is working in Southern Asia to help the neediest and most effected by Global Warming and climate change. A large number of these people consist of local rice farmers and the rice consuming communities. Working with the IRRI (the International Rice Research Institute), the CGI has come up with a solution to the effect of Global Warming on these farmers, their product, and their livelihoods.

One of the biggest non-profit research centers in Asia, the International Rice Research Institute will work with former President Clinton, Doug Band, and the rest of the Clinton Global Initiative to commit to developing rice plants throughout Asia. Not only will these plants create rice that can survive in the current globally changing environment, but will actively improve the lives of local farmers in the area.

Floods in South Asia caused by the changing climate eliminate most (if not all) of a local rice farmer’s crops, and negatively influence the well-being of their entire community. Floods lead to a loss of crops, consequently leading to food shortages in the area that have a profound effect on children and women. This shows that climate change affects the livelihood of these undeveloped communities. Creating a new type of rice plant that can last for weeks after multiple floods subsequently helps bring profit to the struggling rice farmers and improves the standard of living.

The International Rice Research Institute and the Clinton Global Initiative both understand that Global Warming is an issue that affects the entire world, but concerns the poorest of communities the most. Through their work in Southeast Asia, the two organizations have developed a way for communities to support themselves through the ever changing climate, and helped areas that are in most need. Rice farmers in South Asia once had to base their lives around the unforeseeable force that is Mother Nature, but with such advances, the issue at hand could someday become less pressing. Now, communities based on the production of rice and rice farming can feel somewhat more secure even if the darkest of clouds are on the horizon.