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Volume 4, Number 2 May-August 2009

IRRIGATED RICE RESEARCH CONSORTIUM Rice Research for Intensified Production and Prosperity in Lowland Ecosystems

Tightening ties with the Thais

IRRI CPS

COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. Workers help each other unload newly harvested rice in Ayutthaya Province, Thailand.

IN THIS ISSUE...
NEWS Research on the impact of SSNM bags first prize...........................2 Rats invade Bicol............................................3 Finding the right balance...............................4 Farmers reap rewards of AWD...................5 PRPC engineers test flat-bed dryer............6 IRRC holds training course on EBPM........7 Finding solutions to the (p)rice crisis........8 Partners link up in Cambodia......................9 Trimble now in Vietnam................................10 Monga video out now...................................10 IRRC sponsors workshop in An Giang......12 PROFILE Dr. Ruben Lampayan: Making every drop count.........................11 PUBLICATIONS......................................12

hailand is the top rice exporter in the world, with 10 million tons exported in 2008, valued at about US$6 billion. As global rice prices skyrocketed in 2008, a ton of Thai white rice went above the $1,000 mark. Prices have gone down since then, but the Thai government remains resolute in increasing productivity by 20% (to 33.4 million tons) over the next 5 years. Some major constraints to this plan are droughts, floods, and weedy rice (with 30,000 hectares of rice fields now infested). The Thai Rice Department (RD) aims to further strengthen its partnership with the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC), meeting initially in January 2008. On 8-9 January this year, a 2-day workshop was held in Bangkok, Thailand, to reinforce

the cooperation between the IRRC and RD through sharing of experiences on researchto-impact pathways, learning alliances, and effective communication to end-users. Prasert Gosalvitra, the Departments director general, reiterated their interest in working with the IRRC on the latest technologies on natural resource management to increase rice production, particularly in postharvest technologies, weedy rice research, and research-to-impact pathways. The latter is a new concept for RD because, while they have extension specialists, they do not have sociologists in their unit. The Department has also been interested in playing a stronger role in regional research > continued on page 2

research paper on the impact of site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) on rice production in the Red River Delta in Vietnam won first prize in the agricultural economics field during the 4th National Scientific Conference on AgricultureForestry-Fishery for Young Researchers on 26-27 March at the Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam. The paper was the product of successful collaboration among various researchers Dr. Nguyen Thi Duong Nga, lecturer at Hanoi University of Agriculture; Dr. Roland Buresh, leader of the Productivity and Sustainability Work Group (PSWG) of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC); Ms. Divina Gracia Rodriguez, former IRRC agricultural economist; and Dr. T.T. Son, senior scientist at the Soil and Fertilizer Research Institute. The paper reviewed the development of SSNM in the Red River Delta and estimated the impact of technology adoption at the farm level. Dr. Nga and Ms. Rodriguez conducted impact assessment surveys in 2007 to collect data on rice production in Ha Nam and Ha Tay provinces (see Measuring SSNM impact in the Red River Delta in RIPPLE Jan-Mar 2008). Results showed that SSNM improved farmers yield from 0.2 to 0.34 ton per hectare and reduced nitrogen fertilizer use by about 10 kilograms per hectare (except during the summer season in Ha Tay). If Tightening ties... continued from page 1 and development (R&D). Currently, they do not have well-established R&D links at the regional level, and they see the IRRC and the International Rice Research Institute as important partners in strengthening their involvement in the Greater Mekong Subregion. After the opening session, the workshop began with presentations from Dr. Grant Singleton (IRRC), Dr. David Johnson (Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments or CURE), and Mr. Noel Magor (Rice Knowledge Bank or RKB). The Thais then presented their research and extension

Research on the impact of SSNM bags first prize

Trina Leah Mendoza

Aibee Rodriguez

SSNM is applied widely throughout the Red River Delta, the region will produce 227,878 tons more of paddy and will save 26,502 tons of urea yearly. SSNM also brought about a net change in income from US$36.96 per hectare per year to $67.20 per hectare per year. The introduction of SSNM in the region improved farmers knowledge, attitudes, and skills in rice farming. The Nutrient Manager, an interactive software recently developed by activities (linked to IRRC work groups) on postproduction, plant nutrition, pest management, and a water-saving technology research and promotion program. The work groups discussed developing a framework for a pathway to impact, acting on specific constraints, looking into the status of knowledge and understanding, key research questions, and assessing capacity and knowledge. Some issues that emerged were the need for more adaptive research in farmers fields (which is a strength of the IRRC), and the need for building the capacity of younger scientists through training courses and internships. Knowledge and research need to be documented and managed well to aid extension specialists, and

Dr. Nguyen Thi Duong Nga from Hanoi University of Agriculture (left) goes over a questionnaire with the survey team.

the IRRC PSWG, is seen as a valuable decision support tool that extension staff can use to disseminate SSNM. The study expects that the proposed optimal target SSNM practices will bring an additional net income of about $224 per hectare for farmers. Recommendations for development and future directions for SSNM were proposed. With reports from Nguyen Thi Duong Nga

the RKB is an excellent platform that needs to be strengthened. The workshop concluded with a discussion on how to strengthen cooperation between the IRRC and RD by identifying collaborative activities in 2009 and beyond. These include training courses on ecologically based pest management and postharvest. The eagerness and energy of the RD and the IRRC show just how excited each organization is in working with each other. Trina Mendoza with reports from Grant Singleton and Ruben Lampayan

RIPPLE

he last part of January had local media reporting a rat outbreak in Albay, in southern Luzon, Philippines. According to the Albay agriculture office, these rat infestations covered more than 1,000 hectares of rice plantations in at least 100 villages in the municipalities of Libon, Polangui, Oas, Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Sto. Domingo, Ligao City, and Legazpi City. The Department of Agriculture (DA) also reported damage sustained by eight municipalities (more than 600 hectares) in Camarines Sur. These media reports prompted rodent expert and IRRC coordinator Grant Singleton, PhD rodent ecology student Nyo Me Htwe, and IRRC communication specialist Trina Mendoza to travel to the Bicol region on 6-8 February. Their mission was to determine and document the severity of the rodent problem and learn which species of rodent was causing losses to the rice crop. They met with some DA officials and farmers to obtain information on their cropping practices and management actions during this season, and to assess whether the current outbreak is an unusual occurrence. They also collected samples for DNA testing of species. Rodent damage to the rice crops in three villages visited in Albay and Camarines Sur was severe, said Dr. Singleton. Indications are that the losses at these specific sites will lead to major losses. At the three sites, the rodent species causing the damage was Rattus tanezumi. Severe rat damage began in the mid-tillering stage, which is about 20 days after planting. This led to an open canopy and favored the growth of weeds, now a major problem in the crops affected. Farmers are not investing time or money in controlling the weeds because there is little crop to protect. However, this will build the seed bank of weed species and lead to greater problems for the next crop. In Brgy. Manga, Oas, the rat problem was so severe that seven fields (0.250.5 hectare each) were replanted after the maximum number of tillers had emerged. Surrounding towns along the roads in Albay Province showed obvious signs of rodent damage. A subsequent visit by Nyo Me in March to Libon Municipality in Albay quantified rodent losses in two villages as greater than 35%. Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the most severe rodent problems generally occur

Rats invade the Bicol region

during the generative stage of the rice crop (booting to ripening). The high level of early damage in Bicol during the vegetative stage (transplanting to maximum tillering) highlights two important issues: (i) Weed and rodent management needs to be integrated when there is rodent damage during the tillering stage. (ii) The rodent problem has not reached its peak; rodent numbers are increasing and the crops in Oas are at a stage that is very attractive to rats. Farmers in one village said that this was the only time they could remember experiencing an infestation this intense. They asked Dr. Singleton and Nyo Me why this was happening and what could be done to solve the rat problem. Farmers speculations pointed to typhoons, recent floods, and even global warming. The IRRC rat experts suggested that one of the possible culprits could be asynchronous cropping, in which most of the farmers fields are at different cropping stages. Most of the farmers in the visited Albay villages now enjoy an abundant supply of water, and this has encouraged them to continuously plant their crops, without waiting for their neighboring farmers. This led to asynchronous planting of their crops (at least 2 weeks apart). Rice crops at different growth stages are excellent food sources for rats, and they can easily

move from one field to another. One of the farmers said that they found it hard to plant synchronously because their families rely on their crop. When your family is starving, what can you do? he said. Some farmers in Polangui have reportedly become so desperate that they used machine oil mixed with chemicals as rat poison. Some also used namo, a plant tuber. Neither of these are rodent-specific and can kill fish, reptiles, amphibians, and other animals. The IRRC team also observed one rice nursery surrounded by live wires connected to a main power source, a practice that risks the lives of humans and animals. Crop protection officers in the Bicol region gave sound recommendations for rodent management: good hygiene, habitat manipulation to reduce harborage (particularly along bunds of irrigation canals), synchrony of planting, physical control (e.g., digging and flooding of burrows and use of flame throwers), and use of poisons (in severe cases). Dr. Singleton recommends farmer participatory research into effective management of rodents and a training and communication program on communitybased ecological management of rats in the area. More research needs to be done to understand the causes of the rat population outbreak and how it can be solved.

Trina Leah Mendoza and Grant Singleton

Trina Mendoza

Dr. Grant Singleton (far right) and Nyo Me Htwe (second from right) meet with farmers and local agricultural officers in San Vicente, Albay.

May-August 2009

artners of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) in the Philippines gathered on 17 February at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to discuss the progress of the Philippines IRRC country outreach program (ICOP) and to make plans for 2009-12. Participants from government agencies and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) presented their research and extension activities in different provinces. The workshop aimed to integrate ICOP activities with the Philippine Rice Self-Sufficiency Plan (PRSSP) and explore ways to include NGO activities in agricultural production. Dr. Mary Jean Du from the Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center started off with updates on the integration of sitespecific nutrient management (SSNM) and water-saving technologies on Bohol Island in Central Philippines. Studies on alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and weed management, and AWD with SSNM were conducted in 2007 and 2008. An SSNM guideline was developed in October 2008 for the wet and dry seasons. Mr. Gilbert Romarez from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Midsayap Station discussed the promotion of AWD and alternative cost-reducing techniques in

Finding the right balance

Trina Leah Mendoza focus on promoting AWD in the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System in Isabela. The NGOs also shared their experiences in rice production. Ms. Vicky Garcia introduced her organization called RICE (Revitalize Indigenous Cordilleran Entrepreneurs, Inc.), which aims to help preserve traditional varieties grown on high-elevation terraces, particularly in the provinces of Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province. Through the Cordillera Heirloom Rice Project, RICE, Inc. developed a sustainable economic enterprise that has been helping farmers use their traditional knowledge and expertise in terrace farming and rice cultivation to develop a globally competitive specialty food product. Father Francis Lucas shared their experiences in the Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform & Rural Development (ANGOC) Network to help alleviate poverty in rural communities. He presented opportunities for NGO engagement, citing past case studies. Mr. Erwin Nerva presented the goals, activities, and future prospects of the Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, a nonprofit organization that aims to help the rural poor in western Batangas, Zambales, Iloilo, and Capiz. Updates on the PRSSP were given by Engr. Leo Javier of PhilRice. The PRSSP aims to improve farmers productivity and income and to enable the country to attain at least 98% rice self-sufficiency by 2010. Engr. Javier reported that palay production and yield have been increasing over the years and self-sufficiency is achievable. Mr. Jojo Lapitan, head of IRRIs International Programs Management Office, said that one way to include ICOP activities into the PRSSP is to make use of already established ICOP pilot sites such as Bohol, Nueva Ecija, and Midsayap. The participants discussed their plans for IRRC Phase 4. An important issue raised was finding the right balance among innovative adaptive research, capacity building of extension specialists, and research on natural resource management for increased efficiency of rice production. Participants left the meeting feeling excited and challenged. If progress in Phase 3 is any indication of things to happen in Phase 4, then ICOP activities in the Philippines are something to watch out for.

direct seeding in Central Mindanao. AWD is not widely being practiced yet in Central Mindanao, and the PhilRice Midsayap staff are encouraging its adoption. They started the campaign with a 2-day training course in December 2008 for officers of irrigators associations and staff of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). Water observation wells (165) and perched tube wells (6) were installed at the demonstration sites. Moreover, many farmers in Central Mindanao are now shifting from transplanting to direct seeding (10,00012,000 hectares). PhilRice also promotes the use of plastic drum seeders. Farmers found it easier to control weeds using a drum seeder as the crops are already planted in rows, said Mr. Romarez. They have also reduced seed rate from 150 kilograms per hectare for wet broadcast to 60 kilograms per hectare using a drum seeder. Activities in scaling out of AWD in Luzon were presented by Engr. Evangeline Sibayan of PhilRice. AWD is being scaled out in two large irrigation systems in Luzon, the largest being the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System, which covers most of the farms in the province of Nueva Ecija and some parts of Bulacan and Pampanga (see story on UPRIIS on page 5). Extension activities also

IRRC Productivity and Sustainability WG

In Iloilo, soil scientist Greta Gabinete leads in disseminating site-specific nutrient management through farmers field days and other extension activities. Dr. Gabinete is a professor at West Visayas State University and an active partner of the IRRC Productivity and Sustainability Work Group.

RIPPLE

Farmers reap rewards of AWD

IRRI CPS

up. So, Engr. Sibayans team went to the fields, encouraging 70 farmers to attend. They conducted a demonstration trial in 2007 at the upstream and midstream sites of a subcanal called Lateral F. Farmers from this area were finally convinced to try AWD when PhilRice promised that they would be compensated for any yield loss.

Trina Leah Mendoza and Ruben Lampayan

n Central Luzon, Philippines, around 76,000 farmers rely on water from the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS), which is the countrys largest irrigation system. UPRIIS gets water from the Pantabangan Reservoir in the foothills of northern Nueva Ecija and, recently, from the Casecnan River of Nueva Vizcaya, irrigating around 130,000 hectares of rice fields in Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Tarlac provinces. Although UPRIIS is the Philippines largest irrigation system, 25% of the farms still do not receive enough water, according to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). These farms are mostly at the tailend or downstream area, and they usually receive little water almost 2 months later. To ensure that farmers produce the same yield using less water, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and NIA are working with farmer groups to promote a water-saving technology called alternate wetting and drying (AWD). A team led by Evangeline Sibayan, PhilRice Agricultural Engineering Division head, and Ruben Lampayan, Water-Saving Work Group leader of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium, has established that rice needs to be continuously flooded only at the flowering stage. Using AWD, fields are flooded to a lesser extent (to a depth of 35 centimeters instead of up to 10 cm), allowed to dry to a certain degree, re-flooded, then allowed to dry again. Using 1530% less water, farmers can harvest the same amount.

If AWD is applied across Asia, the amount of water saved in one year would be equal to 200 times the water consumption of Paris for a whole year. Meeting challenges head on The team faced several challenges in promoting AWD in UPRIIS. In a deepwell pump system, farmers can quickly appreciate the economic benefits of AWD, since saved water means saved money needed to buy fuel for pumping water. In a large irrigation system such as UPRIIS, upstream farmers (those nearest the canal) need to be encouraged to use water efficiently so that other users within the system can receive their fair share of water. Farmers are usually hesitant to try AWD because they do not see any immediate incentive. Access to water brought about conflicts among farmers. When water level becomes critical, a farmer can become violent just to have water because thats where he puts all his inputs, says Engr. Sibayan. When farmers lose their harvest, where will they get income for their families? If downstream farmers didnt get water, they would walk upstream at night and reposition the flow using their knives. Changing the mindset of farmers is one of the biggest challenges, she says. Farmers have always perceived that they have higher yields because their fields are always flooded, she says. It requires a 180-degree change in belief, and farmers need assurance that their yields will not decrease. Finding farmers who were willing to try AWD in 2007 was another hurdle. PhilRice conducted seminars at the Nueva Ecija headquarters, sending two vans to farmers homes. But, only about 10 people showed

Reaping the rewards The result? Their yields were as high as they had been under continuous flooding, and downstream farmers farthest from Lateral F didnt complain about a lack of water, for the first time in years. Instead, they received water within 1520 days, compared with 3045 days when AWD was not yet adopted. One positive change is the reduced tension among farmers. Those at the tailend no longer worry because they know that they will have water when they need it. The practice has also reduced their farming costs and made it easier for them to acquire loans since lenders can see that these farmers receive water on time and are able to grow good-quality rice. The IRRC, PhilRice, and NIA partnership continues to grow stronger as new partners join in promoting AWD to farmers. Extension activities such as demonstration trials, training of trainers, on-site briefings, farmers field days, and group discussions are conducted. A flipchart describing the AWD process has become an effective training tool in the field. On the horizon Their next challenge? To have at least 60,000 hectares of the service area of the system, specifically the upstream and midstream farms, adopting AWD by 2011. This, according to Engr. Sibayan, requires more capacity building for extension workers, continuous education to convince farmers to adopt AWD, and encouraging other agencies to develop watershed areas. First Gen Corporation, a private power company in the Philippines, has seen the benefits of AWD in UPRIIS and will provide funding for the training and dissemination activities. > continued on page 6

May-August 2009

PRPC engineers test and evaluate DA flat-bed dryer

n October and November 2008, the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium (PRPC) conducted a performance testing and evaluation (PTE) of flat-bed dryers (FBD) under the Department of Agriculture (DA) dryer program. The testing and evaluation group consisted of engineers from the IRRI Postharvest team, University of the Philippines Los Baos, and National Food Authority. The objective of the activity was to look at the technical and socioeconomic aspects of the FBD operations and generate data for making policy recommendations for future DA programs. IRRIs involvement in PRPC is through the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium Postproduction Work Group managed by Martin Gummert. Representation on the PRPC steering committee and subcommittees was handled by Engr. Pat Borlagdan. The Irrigators Associations (IA) were the main beneficiary of the FBD that was introduced to reduce postharvest losses, a major part of the Philippine Rice SelfSufficiency Plan. The dryer has a capacity of 6 tons per batch. It consists of a rice hull furnace (the heat source), a 12-hp diesel engine coupled to a blower with a belt and pulley, which drives the drying air through the layer of paddy supported by a perforated floor over a plenum chamber. Two units of the FBD were tested in Maligaya, Muoz, Nueva Ecija. In the first IA, drying of paddy for seeds was customized at US$0.21/cavan (about 50 kilograms), regardless of moisture content (MC), while the total drying fee was $1.28/ cavan (4.8% of the paddy market value).

Pat Borlagdan

Farmers reap rewards... continued from page 5

The team is also recommending that the use of AWD be part of a national policy. A technical working group was formed to draft an administrative order (AO) to be signed by the secretary of the Department of Agriculture to institutionalize AWD in irrigated rice production systems in the Philippines. About a 2030% increase in irrigated area under NIA (about 200,000 hectares) with minimal

investment cost can be expected. This would also translate into an increase in annual rice production in the Philippines, thereby achieving the 98% rice sufficiency target. Also in the works is a plan to scale out AWD in the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System in Isabela Province, following the success of UPRIIS. Lets invite other areas to see UPRIIS success, says Engr. Antonio Nangel, UPRIIS operations manager. He has in fact visited Brunei several times to talk about AWD and his team has plans to start a demonstration site in

Drying was accelerated by increasing the drying air temperature beyond the recommended 43 C. One safety concern identified was the absence of a belt guard at the prime mover. For high-MC paddy, the operator used ambient air for 12 hours before firing the furnace. When MC reached 16%, the laborers mixed the paddy using shovels. They said that this hastened drying and attained uniform MC. Engine speed was adjusted for higher air flow and static pressure. The pressure cap of cooling water was removed to avoid overheating. Average drying time was 8.5 hours. Drying cost was $0.46/cavan, giving $0.82 profit/cavan. The second FBD owner, Engr. Wilson Ruiz, complained of long drying time (more than 20 hours) and he used more than 40 bags of rice hulls to dry one batch of paddy. Unlike the owner of the first FBD, who already has operational knowledge of the FBD, Engr. Ruiz was not trained in the use of the FBD. The following defects were discovered during PTE: 1) The engine was running at idle speed (his partner suggested this to make it last longer); 2) As a result, not enough air flow and static pressure were generated; and 3) The furnace operator was not able to generate enough heat to increase drying air temperature due to frequent removal of ash to aerate the furnace. When proper settings were applied, only 21 bags of rice hulls were used and drying time decreased to 8 hours. Average drying cost was $0.21/cavan. Drying fee was $3.80/ton for members and $5.70/ton

IRRI CPS

that country soon. Ultimately, the team believes that practicing AWD in UPRIIS will improve the lives of farmers within the system. Says Engr. Carlito Gapasin, Engineering and Operations Division manager of UPRIIS: Our purpose is not only to deliver water to the right town, but to improve their rice production and standard of living. As the Philippine population continues to grow, and as available fresh water for rice irrigation continues to grow also, our challenge now is to produce more rice per drop.

for nonmembers. Fuel and labor costs were shouldered by the client. The FBD is both functionally and technically sound. It is a simple drying technology to ensure grain quality and reduce postharvest losses. However, it can be entirely useless if any one of the operating parameters is not properly set. Hence, theoretical and practical training on the science and application of dryers is a prerequisite to its successful adoption. The IRRC Postproduction Work Group therefore stays engaged with national partners beyond the initial technology transfer activities to ensure that end-users receive good-quality equipment and the needed training to use it properly.

Drying of paddy enables it to be stored and used at another time.

RIPPLE

ith the aim of showing the importance of population ecology in pest management, along with putting emphasis on farmer participatory research as a foundation for technology transfer, a 2-week training course titled Ecological management of rodents, weeds, and rice diseasesbiological and social dimensions was held at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on 16-27 March. This brought together animal and plant scientists, crop protection specialists, and social anthropologists to share advances in their respective areas of discipline and their applications and implications for pest management. Sixteen participants from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Tonga, the United States, and Vietnam completed the training course. Participants were able to acquire knowledge and skills in applying the principles of ecology toward the management of rodents, weeds, and diseases in rice agroecosystems; using scientific approaches in studying pest management at the landscape level; applying field and computer technologies for better management, decision analysis of pest and disease problems, and determining processes and factors that influence farmers decisions; and principles for effective transfer of knowledge to end-users such as extension officers, farmers, and policymakers.

IRRC holds training course on ecologically based pest management

Paeng Palis

IRRI Training Center

The course was facilitated by Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) Coordinator Dr. Grant Singleton and Professor Charles Krebs (emeritus professor, University of British Columbia, Canada). The course presenters included Dr. David Johnson, Dr. Serge Savary, Dr. K.L. Heong, Dr. Finbarr Horgan, Dr. Flor Palis, Dr. Bhagirath Chauhan, Ms. Rica Flor, Ms. Arelene Malabayabas, and Ms. Trina Mendoza. Apart from lectures, the participants also made field visits to farmers communities, which enabled them to apply what they have learned from the resource persons and gain

The participants, presenters, and IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler. It was the second time the IRRC offered a course on ecologically based pest management; the first was in 2007.

Professor Charles Krebs, emeritus professor, University of British Columbia, Canada, discusses the relationship between disease and population regulation.

May-August 2009

experience for themselves. Another feature of the course was the seminar Ecologists as Problem Solvers given by Professor Krebs on 26 March. In this seminar, Krebs enumerated some breakthroughs and applications of ecology in different fields of study (i.e., epidemiology, oceanography, fisheries, biodiversity conservation) as well as some implications of taking an ecological approach in the study of rice-based ecosystems. Moreover, a special week-long fieldwork and lecture session was also arranged for participants specifically interested in the ecology and management of rodent pests on 30 March to 2 April. The third week allowed participants to have hands-on experience, which included trapping activities, among others. Rodents are a serious threat in rice agroecosystems as well as in other crop systems. Participants, who come from different fields, said that the training workshop was very useful in their respective lines of work. However, some of them thought that a little more field work on the other components of the course (i.e., weeds, insects, rice diseases) is needed. Overall though, the participants thought the training gave them new insights into the ecology of pests in rice- and nonrice ecosystems, as well as the importance of the social aspects of managing such pests.

Paeng Palis

Finding solutions to the (p)rice crisis

he global crisis of high prices rocked rice-growing Asia in 2008, and scientists have been working to calm the storm. International rice prices soared from US$400 per ton in January 2008 to more than $1,000 per ton in May 2008. Major exporters Vietnam and India cut back exports to ensure enough rice for their domestic needs. In some countries, food riots led to soldiers guarding food trucks to prevent looting. Two countries strongly affected by the high rice prices are the Philippines, now the worlds largest rice importer, and Indonesia. Both countries are striving for rice self-sufficiency amidst growing populations and loss of prime agricultural land. Put simply, the world has been consuming more rice than it is producing. Rapidly rising and fluctuating fertilizer prices in 2008 have made the effective management of fertilizers and nutrients vital for raising rice productivity in hard-hit countries of the rice crisis such as the Philippines and Indonesia. This is where the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) comes in. The IRRC is a partnership across 12 rice-growing countries in Asia and the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Funded mainly by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the IRRC helps countries develop and disseminate technologies to efficiently use land, labor, nutrients, and water in rice production and to manage insect and rodent pests, diseases, weeds, postharvest, crop health, and crop establishment. The principles for good nutrient management in rice are already well established after more than a decade of research across Asia. Research in the 1990s led by Achim Dobermann, now IRRI deputy director general for research, resulted in the site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) approach for rice. Since 2000, the IRRC through a work group led by Roland Buresh, IRRI senior scientist, has helped adapt and disseminate improved management practices based on SSNM principles to areas across Asia. With the crisis of 2008, there was a pressing challenge to rapidly get information on improved management to rice farmers. But the relatively complex and even diverse recommendations reaching local extension and farmers can slow the spread of technology. Nutrient Manager for Rice Nevertheless, a breakthrough came in 2008 with the advent of a computer-based decision tool called the Nutrient Manager for Rice, which provides farmers with fertilizer guidelines for their specific rice field, variety, and growing conditions. Farmers quickly obtain their guidelines based on their reply to 10 multiplechoice questions, with no need for soil or plant analysis. The software was released on CD in Indonesia in July 2008 and was quickly distributed to the rice-growing provinces. In the Philippines, a version was released in five local dialects in October 2008 and, by early 2009, more than 4,000 CDs are expected to be distributed across the country. [More than 1,000 CDs have been distributed in the country and Nutrient Manager for the Philippines is now available on the Web (www.irri.org/nmrice).]

Trina Leah Mendoza Reprinted from CSA News,Vol. 54, No. 1

The decision tools were programmed in MS Access, but there is rapid demand for them to be made available through the Internet and even mobile phones. New developments in information technology can present an opportunity to quickly help farmers in developing countries respond to changing input and commodity prices. Success in extending technology and ensuring effective use of tools such as the Nutrient Manager relies heavily on local extension professionals working across public and private sectors and civil society organizations. In responding to the rice crisis of 2008, the Philippines and Indonesia particularly focused on training a core group of people who would then train local extension workers. In the coming months and years, initiatives to build professionalism and increase motivation among extension workers, while providing continuing education for the core group of trainers, will be crucial. Dr. Buresh sees staff from agricultural colleges and universities in the Philippines and elsewhereoften with degrees from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australiaas a resource to be tapped in dealing with the rice crisis.

Enriching teaching We are working with colleges and universities in the Philippines to enrich teaching in soil science, agronomy, and crop science to entice the interest of new emerging opportunities in agribusiness, Buresh says. His team developed a computer-based teaching tool in 2008 for undergraduates in the Philippines to identify the most profitable integrated use of organic and manufactured sources of nutrients for rice. Opportunities exist to further enrich teaching with tools that illustrate how scientific advances can be used for optimizing input use to match farmer conditions and needs with changing input and commodity prices, Buresh explains. Using information technology, empowering extension workers, and enriching teaching in agricultural colleges and universities have emerged as opportunities to address the rice crisis. These are areas where members of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and sister societies are well equipped to contribute. CSA News is the official monthly magazine for members of the ASA, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

The Philippine version of Nutrient Manager for Rice is now available on the Web. Visit www.irri.org/nmrice.

RIPPLE

ne institution cannot single-handedly solve the complex postharvest problems that result in low profits for rice farmers. In the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC), a key work strategy is building on strong partnerships. This was one of the reasons for having a workshop that brought together representatives from various sectors of the postharvest network in Cambodia and for launching a new 5-year project, Bringing about a Sustainable Agronomic Revolution in Rice Production in Asia by Reducing Preventable Pre- and Postharvest Losses. It was held on 15-19 December 2008 in Phnom Penh and was organized by the Postproduction Work Group of the IRRC, led by Martin Gummert, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), led by Meas Pyseth. The participatory impact pathway analysis (PIPA) workshop brought together 31 scientists, government officials, nongovernment organization representatives, private-sector partners, and representatives of donor agencies. Together, the partners identified the problems, the key and supporting stakeholders, and the changes that must be made to achieve their goal. They will have to work together toward one common aim: reducing postharvest losses and improving the livelihoods of rice farmers. As IRRC Coordinator Grant Singleton said in his opening remarks, It is important to have strong partnerships that link in-country networks and foster cross-country learning with Asian neighbors to reach the goal of sufficient rice supply. In the workshop, the partners were also introduced to concepts of a learning alliance so they can form a group that can plan, review, and take necessary actions in this platform for project planning, steering, and monitoring. The new project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for implementation in Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, builds on the pilot activities of the recently concluded ADB/Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction project Improving Poor Farmers Livelihood through Improved Rice Postharvest Management. In Cambodia, it aims to scale out technologies that have been proven effective at pilot sites involving at least 100,000 farmers. With the project impact pathway outlined, partners then moved on to outlining the immediate activities to be implemented in 2009. It did not take long after the PIPA workshop that partners met again to make concrete

Partners link up as new postharvest project gains momentum in Cambodia

Rica Joy Flor

Rica Joy Flor

plans for the next steps in the project. Fortyone partners from the Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA), different agriculturerelated ministries, private institutions, universities, farmer-intermediary sectors, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) gathered on 27 February in Takeo, Cambodia, for the project planning meeting. It was decided that, in addition to the Battambang and Prey Veng pilot provinces, four new provinces will be involvedTakeo, Pursat, Kampot, and Kampong Thom. Before the meeting, some of the partners from the PDAs had conducted needs assessment in 610 different villages in their respective provinces. After reporting on the needs at each site, partners strategized on how to reach a greater number of farmers by specifying target sites in each province. The partners, in groups, then made plans to conduct capacity-building activities to enable them to fully implement the project. Training activities on postharvest and upgrading collaborating departments of MAFF

A key work strategy of the IRRC is building on strong partnerships. This is exactly what the Consortium is doing in a new postharvest project funded by the Asian Development Bank.

POSTHARVEST 2009 RICE CONFERENCE AND EXHIBIT

and the private sector on new postharvest technologies were also identified as immediate needs. The group then outlined a training hierarchy, which includes updating of key postharvest experts from the private sector, MAFF divisions, and other key collaborators at IRRI to become key trainers; then training of provincial counterparts by these key trainers; and finally, training of farmers by the extension agents from both the public and private sector. A detailed training program is being developed, which will include the previously piloted approach of training key farmers to become village-based trainers. Another result of the meeting was the implementation of the baseline survey in March. This survey gathered baseline information on economic inputs and outputs and data on knowledge and practices of farmers in the four new provinces. This is only the beginning and partners in the postharvest network are making even bigger strides to get the project to take off and soar in Cambodia.

3-day exhibition and conference on postharvest technologies and practices jointly organized by the International Rice Research Institute and Asia Congress Events Co. Ltd. will be held on 15-17 July 2009 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand. The Department of Rice and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Thailand will serve as hosts.Visit www.post-harvest.org.

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he Ideal Farming Corporation (Idealfarm) in Vietnam signed a Reseller Agreement with Trimble on 28 January, now making the supply of laser-leveling equipment available not only in Vietnam but also in neighbor countries Cambodia and Lao PDR. The agreement is the fruit of the efforts of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) through the Postproduction Work Group of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) to make wider dissemination of laser-leveling technology in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The agreement was signed by Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc, chief executive officer of Idealfarm, and Trimbles representative, Mark Heyward. Trimble is the leading provider of advanced positioning technologies such as global positioning systems and laser, optical, and inertial technologies that serve diverse industries, including engineering, construction, and agriculture. For agricultural application, the laser-leveling equipment consists of laser transmitters, laser receivers, an electrical control panel, and a twin solenoid hydraulic control valve, along with a four-wheel tractor mounted with a specially designed drag bucket. Laser leveling of rice fields in Southeast Asia started with Mark Bell and Joseph Rickman (then part of IRRIs Agricultural Engineering Division) and Joe McNamara (Spectra Precision) in the early 1990s, who spread the idea through seminars in various developing countries. Trimble bought Spectra in 2001. Trimble and IRRI have since then joined forces in promoting laser-leveling technology for rice agriculture in Southeast Asia. Laser leveling is a popular technology in the engineering and construction industry, but it has been adapted and tested to provide substantial benefits to agriculture, particularly in rice farming in terms of improving water-use efficiency, increasing grain yield, and improving grain quality. Adaptive trials in Cambodia of well-leveled land using the technology revealed an increase in crop yield by 24% or 530 kilograms of paddy per hectare. It also helped to improve water coverage and thus reduced weeds by up to 40%. Land leveling also reduced labor use for weeding. Mr. Nguyen Loi Duc, a farmer

Laser-leveling equipment now available in Vietnam

Carlito Balingbing

Nong Lam University

in An Giang Province who has already leveled 50 hectares, said that he saves 15% in input cost in laser-leveled rice fields mainly due to savings in irrigation water and herbicide application. The laser-leveling technology has been piloted in Vietnam under the leadership of Joseph Rickman and has now gained wider acceptance in the country. A team of researchers and technicians from Nong Lam University (NLU) has been extensively trained in the operation and maintenance of the equipment. Dr. Phan Hieu Hien, a lecturer from NLU in Ho Chi Minh City and former IRRI scholar, has become a national champion in

With laser-leveling technology now available in Vietnam, it can reach many farmers in the country, as well as in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar. Photo shows Trimbles Mark Heyward (far right), Idealfarms Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc (2nd from right), and NLUs Dr. Phan Hieu Hien (4th from right).

the promotional activities of laser-leveling technology in the GMS. Martin Gummert, IRRI postharvest development specialist, believes that the business experience of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc of Idealfarm and the technical expertise of the IRRI-trained team at NLU will ensure the success of the distribution office in Vietnam. Now, the technology can reach many farmers, not just in Vietnam and Cambodia but potentially those in Lao PDR and Myanmar as well. With reports from Martin Gummert, Joseph Rickman, Mark Heyward, Dr. Phan Hieu Hien, and Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc

MONGA VIDEO NOW ON DVD AND YOUTUBE

ith millions of families in Northwest Bangladesh affected by a seasonal hunger called monga, the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) produced a video that documents this periodic phenomenon (see RIPPLE Vol. 3, No. 1). The video shows what the IRRC, together with partner agencies and nongovernment organizations, is doing to address monga by introducing possible solutions to the farmers.These include a suite of technologies that may alleviate the effects of monga by giving the farmers earlier harvests, making jobs available to the landless, and increasing their access to food. The video, narrated in English, Bengali, and Hindi, is available on DVD. View the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlh7PytU5OM.

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PROFILE

Making every drop count

Joel Janiya

s a young boy living in the countryside of Leyte in Central Philippines with his rice farmer parents at the height of the Green Revolution, it is not hard to imagine that little Rubenito Lampayan wanted to become a scientist when he grew up. Many years later, Rubenitonow Dr. Lampayan, or simply Kuya Ruben to his notso-young colleaguesleads the Irrigated Rice Research Consortiums Water-Saving Work Group. He is recognized as one of the top scientists when it comes to water-saving technologies and know-how. I had always wanted to become a scientist, even when I was a kid, recalls Dr. Lampayan. I was about 7 years old, and I was already helping my parents on the farm. My parents were extremely thankful to IRRI for developing varieties like IR8 and IR36they really increased our harvest. As a result, my brothers and sisters were able to go to college. This inspired me to get a degree in agricultural engineering. With hard work and perseverance, he graduated from the Visayas State College of Agriculture (now known as Visayas State University) with honors. After graduation, he landed a job at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). He adds, IRRI is my first and only employer so far and I have been in the Institute for about 20 years now. I started out as a research aide in

Farmers in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, talk irrigation with Dr. Ruben Lampayan.

the then Water Management Department. Dr. Lampayan then became a research assistant, a senior research assistant, an associate scientist, a postdoctoral fellow, and in 2009 he was promoted to an internationally recruited scientist at IRRI. Looking back, I was extremely fortunate for the numerous opportunities that the Institute has given me in the last 20 years, says Dr. Lampayan. Despite the challenging work responsibilities, I was still able to pursue advanced studies. Dr. Lampayan earned a masters degree in irrigation engineering and management from the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, and a PhD in resource management and environmental science from the Australian National University in Canberra. Why every drop counts Dr. Ruben Lampayan is a water management scientist. His work involves the development of new techniques to decrease water use in rice production and increase its use efficiency. One such technique is what came to be known as alternate wetting and drying or AWD. Water management is very important because the planets water supply is getting scarce due to climatic changes, among other things. On top of that, the ever-increasing population, coupled with the competing demands of agriculture, industry, and domestic use, nessecitates the judicious use of water. Rice is the main food source in Asia, but it is also the biggest user of water in agriculture, explains Dr. Lampayan. As water scarcity limits production, an inadequate supply of water leads to a significant reduction in rice yieldmaking water a critical component. In short, water scarcity threatens the very food source and livelihood of millions, if not billions, of people. Every drop counts, really. Building bridges However, it is important to understand that scientists alone cannot solve the water challenge. The key to success involves farmer participation. Being raised by farmer parents, relating to people in my line of work was not difficult, says Dr. Lampayan. I was able to build good relationships with farmers. Because of this, I became more appreciative of my parents, who toiled so hard in our small

rice field. In almost 20 years working with them, I found that farmers are very innovative and very much willing to learn new things to improve their rice production, he added. In intensive rice production areas, substantial inputs are needed to achieve high production. However, most small farmers, especially in the Philippines, do not have enough capital to purchase the required inputs. Oftentimes, the cost of these inputs is very high, but during harvest the price of rice is very low. Many rivers to cross Although the AWD technology has been around since the 1980s, it has still not reached the farmers. With that said, Dr. Lampayan, along with his colleagues, aims to institutionalize water-saving technologies for countrywide dissemination, not only in the Philippines but also across Asia. Still, there are many things to be done in this area. Given the mind-boggling scale of what he is doing, Dr. Lampayan still keeps his feet on the ground, albeit still aiming high. When farmers tell me that my work has made a difference in their lives, it inspires me to continue what I do, he added. That, and the challenge to extend these technologies to more poor farmers in Asia. With the scope of his work, Dr. Lampayan makes it a point to have time for fun and leisure. He spends his spare time reading books, engaging in sports, or simply having quality time with his wife, Daisy, and two kids, Liam and Sidney.

Paeng Palis

Dr. Lampayan shows some holiday cheer with his wife, Daisy, son, Liam, and daughter, Sidney.

May-August 2009

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IRRC sponsors workshop on irrigated rice production in An Giang

Grant Singleton

PUBLICATIONS
Kreye C, Bouman BAM, Castaeda AR, Lampayan RM, Faronilo JE, Lactaoen AT, Fernandez L. 2008. Possible causes of yield failure in tropical aerobic rice. Field Crops Res. 11:197206. Chang-Ying Xue, Xiao-Guang Yang, Bouman BAM, Wei Deng, Qiu-Ping Zhang, Wei-Xiong Yan, Tian-Yi Zhang, A-ji Rouzi, Hua-Qi Wang. 2008. Optimizing yield, water requirements, and water productivity of aerobic rice for the North China Plain. Irrig. Sci. 26:459474. Chang-Ying Xue, Xiao-Guang Yang, Bouman BAM, Wei Deng, Qiu-Ping Zhang, Jie Yang, Wei-Xiong Yan, Tian-Yi Zhang, A-Ji Rouzi, Hua-Qi Wang, Pu Wang. 2008. Effects of irrigation and nitrogen on the performance of aerobic rice in Northern China. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 50(12):15891600. Kreye C, Bouman BAM, Reversat G, Fernandez L,Vera Cruz C, Elazegui F, Faronilo JE, Llorca L. 2009. Biotic and abiotic causes of yield failure in tropical aerobic rice. Field Crops Res. 112:97106. Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Leirs H. 2009. The Year of the Rat ends: time to fight hunger! Pest Manage. Sci. 65(4):351352.

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he Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) recently sponsored a stakeholders workshop titled Improving Rice Quality and Yield through Good Agricultural PracticesThe Model of An Giang. The workshop was held on 23-24 February at Long Xuyen in An Giang Province, Vietnam. The 2-day meeting was opened by Hyunh The Nang, vice president of An Giang Peoples Committee (PC) and Dr. Bui Ba Bong, vice minister of the Ministry of Agricultural Research and Development (MARD). More than 85 people attended, including participants from the An Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, representatives from 11 districts of An Giang, representatives of national agencies of MARD, and staff of the Cuu Long Rice Research Institute and various universities such as Nong Lam, Can Tho, and An Giang. IRRI staff who attended were Dr. Grant Singleton, Dr. Bas Bouman, Dr. T.P. Tuong, Dr. Ruben Lampayan, Dr. K.L. Heong, Engr. Martin Gummert, Dr. Serge Savary, Dr. Flor Palis, and Ms. Maria Angeles Quilloy. The workshop participants discussed good agricultural practices (GAPs) in irrigated rice production and developed a common vision for An Giang as a model province. GAPs in rice aim to promote the production of sufficient, safe, and nutritious

Participants of the workshop discuss the development of good agricultural practices such as Mot Phai, Nam Giam (Five Reductions, One Must Do).

rice in a sustainable manner, with practices that contribute to sustainable livelihoods. A key deliberation from the workshop was that, although we will work toward GAPs, the project will build on the successes of Ba Giam, Ba Tang or Three Reductions, Three Gains (a national policy in Vietnam), to develop a broader set of practices known as Mot Phai, Nam Giam or Five Reductions, One Must Do. The five reductions are reduced seed rates, fewer pesticide sprays, less fertilizer, less water, and less postharvest losses. The one must do is the use of certified seeds. Advice on other IRRC best practices such as direct seeding using a drum seeder, laser leveling, weed management, and rodent management will be provided in those districts where one or more of these practices are required. Five Reductions, One Must Do will be established this cropping season at demonstration sites (30 hectares each) in 11 districts of An Giang. Each district will form a committee to oversee the project. These committees will report to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which in turn will report to a national committee under MARD. The national committee reports directly to the vice minister of MARD.

This newsletter is produced by the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The IRRC promotes international links among scientists, managers, communicators, and farmers in lowland irrigated rice environments. Materials in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official views of IRRI, SDC, or collaborating institutions of the IRRC. EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION TEAM IRRC: Trina Leah Mendoza, Grant Singleton, Jennifer Hernandez, Paeng Palis CPS: Tess Rola, Bill Hardy CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: Rica Joy Flor, Carlito Balingbing, Pat Borlagdan, Ruben Lampayan, Martin Gummert, Joseph Rickman, Mark Heyward, Phan Hieu Hien, Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc

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