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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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).]
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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
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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
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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
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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