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Could ancient rice seeds help fight climate change?

We're in the Sundarbans region of eastern India to see how global warming is affecting rice farmers...and if they might have found a solution!

How farmers and scientists in eastern India are using ancient rice seeds to fight the growing impact of flooding, soil salinity and drought.

The 麻豆社鈥檚 William Kremer tells Graihagh Jackson about his visit to the Sundarbans in West Bengal, where cyclones and rising sea levels have devastated crops. William meets the rice growers drawing on the skills of their forefathers to feed their families. Graihagh also gets a global overview from Dr Rafal Gutaker, rice expert at Kew Gardens, London. This programme was first broadcast in 2025.

Reporter in India: William Kremer
Production Team: Diane Richardson, Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward
Sound Mix: Neil Churchill and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

If you have a question for the team, email: TheClimateQuestion@麻豆社.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721
Image credit: Reuters

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23 minutes

Last on

Sat 24 Jan 2026 05:32GMT
麻豆社 World Service East Asia

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