Ripple May Aug 2009

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Volume 4, Number 2 • May-Augustwww.irri.org/irrc

IRRIGATED RICE RESEARCH CONSORTIUM • Rice Research for Intensifed Production and Prosperity in Lowland Ecosyst

Tightening ties with the Thais

Thailand 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,

loods, and weedy rice (with 30,000 hectares

of rice ields 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

through sharing of experiences on resea

to-impact pathways, learning alliances,

eective communication to end-users.

Prasert Gosalvitra, the Departm

director general, reiterated their intin working with the IRRC on the l

technologies on natural resource managem

to increase rice production, particu

in postharvest technologies, weedy

research, and research-to-impact pathw

The latter is a new concept for RD beca

while they have extension specialists, the

not have sociologists in their unit.

The Department has also been intere

in playing a stronger role in regional rese

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

> continued on p

IN THIS ISSUE...

NEWS

Research on the impact

of SSNM bags rst prize...........................2

Rats invade Bicol............................................3Finding the right balance...............................4

Farmers reap rewards of AWD...................5

PRPC engineers test at-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



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 Instituteas 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

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 speciicconstraints, 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’ ields (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

the RKB is an excellent platform that nee

be strengthened.

The workshop concluded with a discus

on how to strengthen cooperation betw

the IRRC and RD by identifying collabor

activities in 2009 and beyond.These include training courses

ecologically based pest management

postharvest.

The eagerness and energy of the RD an

IRRC show just how excited each organiz

is in working with each other. •

Trina Men

with reports from Grant Singleton

Ruben Lamp

Tightening ties...

continued from page 1

A

research paper on the impact of

site-speciic nutrient management

(SSNM) on rice production in the Red

River Delta in Vietnam won irst prize in theagricultural economics ield during the 4th

National Scientiic Conference on Agriculture-

Forestry-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 improvedfarmers’ 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

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

2 RIP

Dr. Nguyen Thi Duong Nga from Hanoi University of Agriculture (left) goes over

questionnaire with the survey team.

Research on the impact of

SSNM bags rst prize

the IRRC PSWG, is seen as a valuable dec

support tool that extension sta can u

disseminate SSNM.

The study expects that the prop

optimal target SSNM practices will b

an additional net income of about $224

hectare for farmers. Recommendationdevelopment and future directions for S

were proposed. •

With reports from Nguyen Thi Duong

Trina Leah Men


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ripple-may-aug-2009 3/12May-August 2009

The last part of January had local

media reporting a rat outbreak in

Albay, in southern Luzon, Philippines.

According to the Albay agriculture ofice,

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 oficials 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. “Indicationsare that the losses at these speciic 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 aected. 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 ields (0.25–0.5 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 quantiied 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

Dr. Grant Singleton (far right) and Nyo Me Htwe (second from right) meet with farmers

local agricultural ofcers in San Vicente, Albay.

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 loods, 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’ ields are at dierent

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 dierent growth stages are excellent food sources for rats, and they can easily

move from one ield to another. One o

farmers said that they found it hard to p

synchronously because their families

on their crop. “When your family is star

what can you do?” he said.

Some farmers in Polangui have reporbecome so desperate that they used mac

oil mixed with chemicals as rat poison. S

also used namo, a plant tuber. Neithe

these are rodent-speciic and can kill

reptiles, amphibians, and other animals

IRRC team also observed one rice nur

surrounded by live wires connected

main power source, a practice that risk

lives of humans and animals.

Crop protection oficers in the B

region gave sound recommenda

for rodent management: good hyg

habitat manipulation to reduce harbo

(particularly along bunds of irriga

canals), synchrony of planting, phy

control (e.g., digging and looding of bur

and use of lame throwers), and us

poisons (in severe cases).

Dr. Singleton recommends fa

participatory research into ee

management of rodents and a training

communication program on commu

based ecological management of rats in

area. More research needs to be don

understand the causes of the rat populaoutbreak and how it can be solved. •

Trina Leah Men

and Grant Sing


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Partners 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) andto make plans for 2009-12.

Participants from government agencies

and nongovernment organizations (NGOs)

presented their research and extension

activities in dierent provinces. The

workshop aimed to integrate ICOP activities

with the Philippine Rice Self-Suficiency Plan

(PRSSP) and explore ways to include NGO

activities in agricultural production.

Dr. Mary Jean Du from the Bohol

Agricultural Promotion Center started o

with updates on the integration of site-

speciic 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

In Iloilo, soil scientist Greta Gabinete leads in disseminating site-specic nutrient management

through farmers’ eld 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.

direct seeding in Central Mindanao. AWD

is not widely being practiced yet in Central

Mindanao, and the PhilRice Midsayap sta

are encouraging its adoption. They started

the campaign with a 2-day training course

in December 2008 for oficers of irrigators’associations and sta 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 (10,000–12,000 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

focus on promoting AWD in the Magat R

Integrated Irrigation System in Isabela.

The NGOs also shared their experienc

rice production. Ms. Vicky Garcia introd

her organization called RICE (Revit

Indigenous Cordilleran Entrepreneurs, which aims to help preserve tradit

varieties grown on high-elevation terr

particularly in the provinces of Ifu

Kalinga, and Mountain Province. Thr

the Cordillera Heirloom Rice Project, R

Inc. developed a sustainable econ

enterprise that has been helping farmers

their traditional knowledge and experti

terrace farming and rice cultivation to dev

a globally competitive specialty food pro

Father Francis Lucas shared

experiences in the Asian NGO Coal

for Agrarian Reform & Rural Developm

(ANGOC) Network to help alleviate pov

in rural communities. He prese

opportunities for NGO engagement, c

past case studies.

Mr. Erwin Nerva presented the g

activities, and future prospects of the Ce

for Agrarian Reform and Rural Developm

a nonproit organization that aims to help

rural poor in western Batangas, Zamb

Iloilo, and Capiz.

Updates on the PRSSP were given by E

Leo Javier of PhilRice. The PRSSP aimimprove farmers’ productivity and income

to enable the country to attain at least 98%

self-suficiency by 2010. Engr. Javier repo

that palay production and yield have

increasing over the years and self-suficien

achievable.

Mr. Jojo Lapitan, head of IR

International Programs Management O

said that one way to include ICOP activ

into the PRSSP is to make use of alr

established ICOP pilot sites such as B

Nueva Ecija, and Midsayap. The participants discussed their plan

IRRC Phase 4. An important issue raised

inding the right balance among innov

adaptive research, capacity building

extension specialists, and research

natural resource management for incre

eficiency of rice production. Participant

the meeting feeling excited and challeng

progress in Phase 3 is any indication of th

to happen in Phase 4, then ICOP activiti

the Philippines are something to watch

for. •

Trina Leah Men

I R R CP r od u c t i v i t y a nd S u s t a i n a b i l i t y W G



Farmers reap rewards of AWD

In Central Luzon, Philippines, around

76,000 farmers rely on water from

the Upper Pampanga River Integrated

Irrigation System (UPRIIS), which is the

country’s 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, 2–5% of the farmsstill do not receive enough water, according

to the National Irrigation Administration

(NIA). These farms are mostly at the tail-

end 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 AgriculturalEngineering 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 3–5 centimeters

instead of up to 10 cm), allowed to dry to

a certain degree, re-flooded, then allowed

to dry again. Using 15–30% less water,

farmers can harvest the same amount.

Meeting challenges head on

The team faced several challenges in

promoting AWD in UPRIIS. In a deep-

well 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 AWDbecause 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 that’s 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 didn’t 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, shesays. “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

up. So, Engr. Sibayan’s team went to

fields, encouraging 70 farmers to att

They conducted a demonstration tri

2007 at the upstream and midstream

of a subcanal called Lateral F. Farm

from this area were finally convincetry AWD when PhilRice promised that

would be compensated for any yield lo

Reaping the rewards

The result? Their yields were as hig

they had been under continuous flood

and downstream farmers farthest

Lateral F didn’t complain about a lac

water, for the first time in years. Inst

they received water within 15–20 d

compared with 30–45 days when AWD

not yet adopted.

One positive change is the redu

tension among farmers. Those at the

end no longer worry because they k

that they will have water when they n

it. The practice has also reduced t

farming costs and made it easier for t

to acquire loans since lenders can see

these farmers receive water on time

are able to grow good-quality rice.

The IRRC, PhilRice, and

partnership continues to grow stro

as new partners join in promoting A

to farmers. Extension activities sucdemonstration trials, training of train

on-site briefings, farmers’ field d

and group discussions are conducte

flipchart describing the AWD process

become an effective training tool in

field.

On the horizon

Their next challenge? To have at

60,000 hectares of the service area o

system, specifically the upstream

midstream farms, adopting AWD by 2

This, according to Engr. Sibayan, requmore capacity building for exten

workers, continuous education to conv

farmers to adopt AWD, and encoura

other agencies to develop watershed a

First Gen Corporation, a private po

company in the Philippines, has seen

benefits of AWD in UPRIIS and will pro

funding for the training and dissemina

activities.

Trina Leah Men

and Ruben Lamp

> continued on p

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.

I R R I CP S

May-August 2009



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 20–30% 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 annualrice production in the Philippines, thereby

achieving the 98% rice suficiency 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. “Let’s 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

that country soon.

Ultimately, the team believes that practAWD in UPRIIS will improve the lives of farm

within the system. Says Engr. Carlito Gap

Engineering and Operations Division man

of UPRIIS: “Our purpose is not only to de

water to the right town, but to improve

rice production and standard of living

the Philippine population continues to g

and as available fresh water for rice irrig

continues to grow also, our challenge now

“produce more rice per drop.” •

Farmers reap rewards...

continued from page 5

PRPC engineers test and evaluate

DA at-bed dryer

I

n October and November 2008,

the Philippine Rice Postproduction

Consortium (PRPC) conducted a

performance testing and evaluation (PTE) of lat-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 Baños, 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.

IRRI’s 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 beneiciary of the FBD that was

introduced to reduce postharvest losses,

a major part of the Philippine Rice Self-

Suficiency 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 throughthe layer of paddy supported by a perforated

loor over a plenum chamber. Two units of

the FBD were tested in Maligaya, Muñoz,

Nueva Ecija.

In the irst 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).

Drying was accelerated by increasing

the drying air temperature beyond the

recommended 43 °C. One safety concern

identiied was the absence of a belt guardat the prime mover. For high-MC paddy, the

operator used ambient air for 1–2 hours

before iring 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 low 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 proit/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 irst 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 low and

static pressure were generated; and3) 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

for nonmembers. Fuel and labor costs w

shouldered by the client.

The FBD is both functionally

technically sound. It is a simple dr

technology to ensure grain quality

reduce postharvest losses. Howeve

can be entirely useless if any one of

operating parameters is not properlyHence, theoretical and practical trainin

the science and application of dryers

prerequisite to its successful adoption.

IRRC Postproduction Work Group there

stays engaged with national partners bey

the initial technology transfer activitie

ensure that end-users receive good-qu

equipment and the needed training to u

properly. •

Pat Borla

Drying of paddy enables it to be stored

used at another time.



IRRC holds training course on ecologically

based pest management

W

ith the aim of showing the

importance of population ecology

in pest management, along with

putting emphasis on farmer participatoryresearch as a foundation for technology

transfer, a 2-week training course titled

Ecological management of rodents, weeds,

and rice diseases—biological 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 scientiic approaches in studying

pest management at the landscape level;

applying ield and computer technologies

for better management, decision analysis of pest and disease problems, and determining

processes and factors that inluence farmers’

decisions; and principles for eective transfer

of knowledge to end-users such as extension

oficers, farmers, and policymakers.

The participants, presenters, and IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler. It was the second ti

the IRRC offered a course on ecologically based pest management; the rst was in 2007.

Professor Charles Krebs, emeritus professor, University of British Columbia, Canada, discusses

the relationship between disease and population regulation.

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. TrinaMendoza.

Apart from lectures, the participants also

made ield visits to farmers’ communities,

which enabled them to apply what they have

learned from the resource persons and gain

experience for themselves.

Another feature of the course was

seminar Ecologists as Problem Solvers give

Professor Krebs on 26 March. In this sem

Krebs enumerated some breakthroughs

applications of ecology in dierent

of study (i.e., epidemiology, oceanogra

isheries, biodiversity conservation)

well as some implications of takingecological approach in the study of rice-b

ecosystems.

Moreover, a special week-long ieldw

and lecture session was also arranged

participants speciically interested in

ecology and management of rodent pest

30 March to 2 April. The third week allo

participants to have hands-on experie

which included trapping activities, am

others. Rodents are a serious threat in

agroecosystems as well as in other

systems.

Participants, who come from dieields, said that the training workshop

very useful in their respective lines of w

However, some of them thought that a

more ield work on the other componen

the course (i.e., weeds, insects, rice disea

is needed.

Overall though, the participants tho

the training gave them new insights

the ecology of pests in rice- and non

ecosystems, as well as the importance o

social aspects of managing such pests. •

Paeng

P a en g P a l i s

May-August 2009



The decision tools were programme

MS Access, but there is rapid demand for t

to be made available through the Inte

and even mobile phones. New developm

in information technology can pre

an opportunity to quickly help farmerdeveloping countries respond to changing i

and commodity prices.

Success in extending technology

ensuring eective use of tools such as

Nutrient Manager relies heavily on

extension professionals working a

public and private sectors and civil so

organizations. In responding to the rice cri

2008, the Philippines and Indonesia particu

focused on training a core group of people

would then train local extension workers. I

coming months and years, initiatives to

professionalism and increase motivation am

extension workers, while providing contin

education for the core group of trainers, w

crucial.

Dr. Buresh sees sta from agricul

colleges and universities in the Philippines

elsewhere—often with degrees from the

Canada, Europe, and Australia—as a reso

to be tapped in dealing with the rice crisis.

Enriching teaching

“We are working with colleges and univer

in the Philippines to enrich teaching inscience, agronomy, and crop science to e

the interest of new emerging opportuniti

agribusiness,” Buresh says.

His team developed a computer-b

teaching tool in 2008 for undergraduate

the Philippines to identify the most proi

integrated use of organic and manufact

sources of nutrients for rice.

“Opportunities exist to further enrich tea

with tools that illustrate how scientiic adva

can be used for optimizing input use to m

farmer conditions and needs with changing i

and commodity prices,” Buresh explains.Using information technology, empow

extension workers, and enriching teac

in agricultural colleges and universities

emerged as opportunities to address the rice c

These are areas where members of the Ame

Society of Agronomy (ASA) and sister societie

well equipped to contribute.•

CSA News is the ofcial monthly magazin

members of the ASA, Crop Science Socie

America, and Soil Science Society of Americ

8 RIP

Finding solutions to the (p)rice crisis

The 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 Indiacut 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 aected by the high rice

prices are the Philippines, now the world’s largest

rice importer, and Indonesia. Both countries are

striving for rice self-suficiency 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 luctuating fertilizer prices in 2008 have

made the eective 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 eficiently

use land, labor, nutrients, and water in riceproduction 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

The Philippine version of Nutrient Manager for Rice is now available on the Web.

Visit www.irri.org/nmrice.

Trina Leah Men

Reprinted from CSA News, Vol. 54, N

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-speciic nutrient

management (SSNM) approach for rice. Since

2000, the IRRC through a work group led byRoland 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 speciic rice ield, variety, and growing

conditions. Farmers quickly obtain their

guidelines based on their reply to 10 multiple-

choice 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 ive

local dialects in October 2008 and, by early2009, 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).]



One institution cannot single-handedly

solve the complex postharvest problems

that result in low proits for rice farmers.

In the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium

(IRRC), a key work strategy is building on strongpartnerships.

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 oficials, nongovernment

organization representatives, private-sector

partners, and representatives of donor agencies.

Together, the partners identiied 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 hisopening 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 suficient 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 concludedADB/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 eective 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

A key work strategy of the IRRC is building on strong partnerships. This is exactly what

Consortium is doing in a new postharvest project funded by the Asian Development Bank.

Rica Joy

plans for the next steps in the project. Forty-

one partners from the Provincial Department

of Agriculture (PDA), dierent agriculture-

related 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 involved—Takeo,

Pursat, Kampot, and Kampong Thom. Before the

meeting, some of the partners from the PDAs had

conducted needs assessment in 6–10 dierent

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

and the private sector on new postha

technologies were also identiied as imme

needs. The group then outlined a tra

hierarchy, which includes updating of

postharvest experts from the private se

MAFF divisions, and other key collaborato

IRRI to become key trainers; then trainin

provincial counterparts by these key trai

and inally, training of farmers by the exten

agents from both the public and private seA detailed training program is being develo

which will include the previously pi

approach of training key farmers to be

village-based trainers. Another result of

meeting was the implementation of the bas

survey in March. This survey gathered bas

information on economic inputs and ou

and data on knowledge and practices of far

in the four new provinces.

This is only the beginning and partne

the postharvest network are making even b

strides to get the project to take o and so

Cambodia. •

A3-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.

POSTHARVEST 2009

RICE CONFERENCE AND EXHIBIT

May-August 2009



With laser-leveling technology now available in Vietnam, it can reach many farmers in

country, as well as in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar. Photo shows Trimble’s Mark Heywa

(far right), Idealfarm’s Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc (2nd from right), and NLU’s Dr. Phan H

Hien (4th from right).

T

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 eorts 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 oficer of

Idealfarm, and Trimble’s 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 riceields in Southeast Asia started with Mark

Bell and Joseph Rickman (then part of IRRI’s

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 toprovide substantial beneits to agriculture,

particularly in rice farming in terms of

improving water-use eficiency, 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 Balin

in An Giang Province who has already leveled

50 hectares, said that he saves 15% in input

cost in laser-leveled rice ields mainly due

to savings in irrigation water and herbicide

application.

The laser-leveling technology has been

piloted in Vietnam under the leadershipof 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

the promotional activities of laser-lev

technology in the GMS. Martin Gummert,

postharvest development specialist, beli

that the business experience of Ms. Ng

Thi Hong Ngoc of Idealfarm and the tech

expertise of the IRRI-trained team at

will ensure the success of the distribuofice in Vietnam.

Now, the technology can reach m

farmers, not just in Vietnam and Camb

but potentially those in Lao PDR

Myanmar as well. •

With reports from Martin Gummert, J

Rickman, Mark Heyward, Dr. Phan Hieu Hien

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong

With millions of families in Northwest Banglade

affected by a seasonal hunger called monga, t

Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRR

produced a video that documents this periodic phenomen

(see RIPPLE Vol. 3, No. 1). The video shows what t

IRRC, together with partner agencies and nongovernme

organizations, is doing to addressmonga by introducing possi

solutions to the farmers. These include a suite of technolog

that may alleviate the effects of monga by giving the farme

earlier harvests, making jobs available to the landless, a

increasing their access to food. The video, narrated in Engl

Bengali, and Hindi, is available on DVD. View the video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlh7PytU5OM.

MONGA VIDEO NOW ON DVD AND YOUTUBE



Making every drop count Paeng

Farmers in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, talk

irrigation with Dr. Ruben Lampayan.

Dr. Lampayan shows some holiday cheer w

his wife, Daisy, son, Liam, and daughter, Sidne

As 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, Rubenito—now Dr.

Lampayan, or simply Kuya Ruben to his not-so-young colleagues—leads the Irrigated

Rice Research Consortium’s 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 IR36—they

really increased our harvest. As a result,

my brothers and sisters were able to go tocollege. 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 irst 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

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 recruitedscientist 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

master’s 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 eficiency.

One such technique is what came to be known

as alternate wetting and drying or AWD.

Water management is very important

because the planet’s water supply is getting

scarce due to climatic changes, among other

things. On top of that, the ever-increasingpopulation, 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 signiicant reduction in rice

yield—making 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 dificult,” 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 ield.

“In almost 20 years working with t

I found that farmers are very innovative

very much willing to learn new thing

improve their rice production,” he addedintensive rice production areas, substa

inputs are needed to achieve high produc

However, most small farmers, especial

the Philippines, do not have enough capit

purchase the required inputs. Oftentimes

cost of these inputs is very high, but du

harvest the price of rice is very low.”

Many rivers to cross

Although the AWD technology has

around since the 1980s, it has still

reached the farmers. With that said,

Lampayan, along with his colleagues, aim

institutionalize water-saving technologie

countrywide dissemination, not only in

Philippines but also across Asia. Still, “t

are many things to be done in this area.”

Given the mind-boggling scale of wh

is doing, Dr. Lampayan still keeps his fee

the ground, albeit still aiming high. “W

farmers tell me that my work has ma

dierence in their lives, it inspires m

continue what I do,” he added. “That,

the challenge to extend these technologi

more poor farmers in Asia.” With the sof his work, Dr. Lampayan makes it a poi

have time for fun and leisure. He spend

spare time reading books, engaging in sp

or simply having quality time with his

Daisy, and two kids, Liam and Sidney. •

PROFILE

J o el J a ni y a

May-August 2009



The Irrigated Rice Research Consortium

(IRRC) recently sponsored a

stakeholders’ workshop titled

Improving Rice Quality and Yield through Good

Agricultural Practices—The 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 People’s

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 sta of the

Cuu Long Rice Research Institute and various

universities such as Nong Lam, Can Tho,and An Giang. IRRI sta 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 suficient, safe, and nutritious

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 ive reductions are reduced seed rates,

fewer pesticide sprays, less fertilizer, less

water, and less postharvest losses. The one

“must do” is the use of certiied 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 willbe 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. •

IRRC sponsors workshop on irrigated rice

production in An Giang • Kreye C, Bouman BAM, Castañeda

Lampayan RM, Faronilo JE, Lactaoen

Fernandez L. 2008. Possible causes of y

failure in tropical aerobic rice. Field Cr

Res. 11:197–206.

• Chang-Ying Xue, Xiao-Guang Yang, BoumBAM, Wei Deng, Qiu-Ping Zhang, Wei-Xi

Yan, Tian-Yi Zhang, A-ji Rouzi, Hua-Qi W

2008. Optimizing yield, water requireme

and water productivity of aerobic rice

the North China Plain. Irrig. Sci. 26:459–4

• Chang-Ying Xue, Xiao-Guang Yang, Boum

BAM, Wei Deng, Qiu-Ping Zhang, Jie Y

Wei-Xiong Yan, Tian-Yi Zhang, A-Ji Ro

Hua-Qi Wang, Pu Wang. 2008. Effects

irrigation and nitrogen on the performa

of aerobic rice in Northern China. J. Int

Plant Biol. 50(12):1589–1600.

• Kreye C, Bouman BAM, Reversat

Fernandez L, Vera Cruz C, Elazegui F, Faro

JE, Llorca L. 2009. Biotic and abiotic cau

of yield failure in tropical aerobic rice. F

Crops Res. 112:97–106.

• Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Leirs H. 20

The Year of the Rat ends: time to ght hung

Pest Manage. Sci. 65(4):351–352.

PUBLICATIONS

This newsletter is produced by

Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRR

with support from the Swiss Agency

Development and Cooperation (SD

The IRRC promotes international li

among scientists, managers, communicato

and farmers in lowland irrigated r

environments. Materials in this newslet

do not necessarily reect the ofcial vie

of IRRI, SDC, or collaborating institutionsthe IRRC.

EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION TEA

IRRC: Trina Leah Mendoza, Gr

Singleton, Jennifer Hernandez, Paeng Pa

CPS: Tess Rola, Bill Hardy

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: Rica

Flor, Carlito Balingbing, Pat Borlagdan, Rub

Lampayan, Martin Gummert, Jose

Rickman, Mark Heyward, Phan Hieu H

Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc

Participants of the workshop discuss the development of good agricultural practices such as Mot

Phai, Nam Giam (Five Reductions, One Must Do).

Gr a n t S i n g l e t on

Documents

Ripple May Aug 2009