To sustain in coming decades, the self-sufficiency achieved, the production of rice needs to be increased every year by almost 2 million tons. This is a daunting task, in view of plateauing trend observed in yield potential of high yielding varieties, and decreasing and declining natural resource base. This increase in production is to be achieved without disturbing the delicate environmental balance.

Among the many genetic approaches being explored to break the yield barrier in rice, hybrid rice technology appears to be the most feasible and readily adoptable one. China has successfully demonstrated usefulness of hybrid rice to meet increased demands for rice. During the last 25 years, an additional 300 million tons of rice was produced due to adoption of hybrid rice on large scale. Besides, due to the realized higher rice productivity, 3-4 million hectares from rice could be spared annually for production of other high value crops.

Realizing the potential of hybrid rice to increase the production and productivity, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched a mission mode project on hybrid rice in December, 1989. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) collaborated with the project providing the needed germplasm and technical support. This projects was further strengthened with financial support from UNDP and technical support from FAO since September, 1991. The UNDP support was mainly through providing consultancies, fellowship training abroad and needed equipments. Mahyco Research Foundation (MRF), a private R & D Foundation is also extending limited financial supports, since 1996, to fill the critical gaps, so that the major objectives of the project can be achieved expeditiously. From the ICAR, the project is presently being supported under the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) since 1998.

Concerted efforts from all the concerned coupled with whole-hearted support from the funding agencies have enabled the country to enter an era of hybrid rice.