a) From 1949 to mid-1960s: 

• The initiation of a japonica x indica hybridisation programme (1950): The international project was implemented with the active contribution of Indian scientists at the Cuttack Rice Research Institute. This project started the campaign to improve the rice plant that led to the successful insertion of the semi-dwarf gene sd1 into the traditional indica variety Peta, developing the first high-yielding variety IR8 at the International Rice Research Institute in 1966, which doubled the rice yield potential in tropical climate areas, from 5 tons/ha to 10 tons/ha.
• The cataloguing of genetic stocks (1951)
• The establishment of the international rice blast nursery (1961); and
• The holding of series of seminars on various themes such as (a) water and fertiliser management, (b) industrial processing and mechanisation; and (c) training courses in breeding and technology.

 b) During the 1970s and 1980s:

The Commission’s Secretariat, in collaboration and partnership with its Member Countries, National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), International Agricultural Research Centres, United Nation Development Programme and other donors, and FAO had implemented a large number of rice development projects and programmes supporting the Green Revolution in many countries.  This was achieved in various thematic areas, including land-water development and use, fertiliser supply and integrated plant nutrition, integrated pest management, processing, and marketing.

 c) During the 1990s and 2000s:

A total of 29 projects were formulated and implemented by the IRC Secretariat as requested by and in collaboration with member countries. The main objective of the project is to build capacity of national rice programmes, especially on (a) crop management to close the yield gap in rice production, (b) development and use of hybrid rice in countries outside of China for higher rice yield, and recently adoption of NERICA rice in Sub-Saharan Africa.