Cibus partners with AgVayā to develop gene-edited rice seed solutions in India.

Cibus, a leading agricultural technology company, has partnered with AgVayā to develop strategies for the Indian agriculture market. The partnership aims to introduce Cibus' gene editing technologies into India's rice seed industry, promoting resilient and productive rice varieties. Together, they will work with industry and government stakeholders to address India's biggest agricultural challenges in rice and invite R&D and commercial collaborations to accelerate impact.

In a strategic move to enhance India's agricultural sector, Cibus, Inc. has partnered with AgVayā to introduce advanced gene editing technologies into the Indian rice seed industry. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions that support sustainable and productive rice production in India, according to a MarketScreener article https://www.marketscreener.com/news/cibus-and-agvaya-collaborate-to-introduce-indian-rice-growers-to-new-solutions-to-scale-crop-produc-ce7d5adcd88dff2d.

Cibus, a leading agricultural technology company, specializes in developing and licensing gene-edited plant traits. The company announced its agreement with AgVayā, a strategic growth advisory firm, to develop market strategies and build partnerships to introduce Cibus' gene editing technologies into India's rice seed industry. Together, they will work with industry and government stakeholders to address key challenges in rice production and invite R&D and commercial collaborations to accelerate impact, the article adds.

India is the world's second-largest producer and largest exporter of rice, with approximately 50 million hectares (125 million acres) under cultivation. The collaboration between Cibus and AgVayā seeks to leverage gene editing technologies to drive affordable costs, accelerate breeding cycles, and reduce dependence on pesticides. This partnership is critical for fostering meaningful collaborations across India's decentralized agricultural ecosystem and addressing critical challenges through cutting-edge innovation, the MarketScreener piece notes.

Peter Beetham, Ph.D., co-founder and Interim CEO of Cibus, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, "With more than 25 years of technical expertise and exciting ongoing trait development in rice, we are excited to work alongside AgVayā’s experienced team to introduce high-performance seed solutions to Indian farmers. Our goal is to foster meaningful collaborations across India’s decentralized agricultural ecosystem to address critical challenges through cutting-edge innovation," according to the report.

Sekhar Natarajan, Partner of AgVayā, echoed this sentiment, noting that "Rice is central to India’s agricultural economy, and the integration of advanced seed technologies has the potential to transform productivity, sustainability, and farmer prosperity. By combining Cibus’ innovations with AgVayā’s strategic relationships and market expertise, we aim to accelerate the adoption of these technologies, driving scalable, long-term improvements that strengthen India’s rice industry and support global food security," the article adds.

This agreement follows Cibus' recent material transfer agreement with Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) to introduce Cibus' HT3 clethodim herbicide tolerance trait into elite rice germplasm for Latin America, underscoring Cibus' commitment to advancing rice innovation globally, the MarketScreener article reports.