Ripple Jan-June 2015

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Irrigated Rice Research Consortium Rice Research for Intensified Production and Prosperity in Lowland Ecosystems

Volume 10, Number 1, 27th issue January-June 2015www.irri.org/irrc

It is great to see more and more the integration of yield and sustainability, and finding ways of optimizing the whole production system in order to reduce the ecological footprint of rice as much as possible, said Carmen Thnnissen senior advisor for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Thnnissen shared this observation in Guangzhou during the review and planning meeting of the Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprint (CORIGAP) project held last 12-15 May. The event was attended by rice scientists, extension specialists, and other key partners from five countries who gathered to discuss the

CORIGAP updates center on sustainabilityBy Jean Claire Dy and Lanie Reyes

progress and plans of CORIGAP, which is funded by the SDC.

In his opening remarks, CORIGAP coordinator Grant Singleton reiterated the targets for the projects phase 1, which is to generate improved food security and livelihoods for 500,000 farmers with reduced environmental footprint for rice. In the past, Dr. Singleton has mentioned that CORIGAPS objectives are aligned closely with the mission of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). We aim to reduce poverty, improve health, and reduce environmental footprint for rice production through strong partnerships with national agricultural research and extension systems.

Whats insideCORIGAP in Guangdong: the

potential of natural resource management....3

Newsbits....4

Close partnership in Indonesia with their national strategy for food crop development....5

CORIGAP farmer field day receives wide media coverage in Indonesia....6

Myanmar: Stepping up toward increased rice productivity....7

Sri Lanka - a country of historic irrigation and abundant wildlife...8

Sustainable rice production through CORIGAP in Thailand....9

A Rei of Sunshine....11

Sustainable rice production show promise in the Mekong Delta....12

Sustainable rice production through CORIGAP in Thailand....14

CORIGAP highlighted on World Environment Day and Philippine Environment Month....16

Continued on page 2

Dr. Singleton also emphasized the outcomes for 2014. One is that component crop production technologies will be integrated into sustainable cropping and this can be done through alignment with national policies. He cites the case of Indonesia-GP PTT where there is an acceleration of best management practices

GDRRIs Xuhua Zhong shows guests around rice plots in Gaoyao county, Guangdong, where the three controls technology was used.

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for rice. Dr. Hasil Sembiring of the Directorate of Food Crops (DFC) is keen to incorporate CORIGAP technologies after Balai Pengkajian Teknologi Pertanian or Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technologys AIAT approval. There is potential to reach 10 million farmers because of this new development.

Most of the presentations during the four-day meeting took into account the concept of sustainability at the heart of CORIGAP.

Peter Bieler, Head of the Corporate Domain Global Cooperation of the Global Programme Food Security of SDC, said, I was quite pleased to see the concept of sustainability embedded in the presentations I have seen. He urged the participants to be agents of change. Food security is in the agenda. Gender is in the agenda. Sustainability is in the agenda, he said.

We have a crucial year in climate change negotiations. This conference of party has already pinpointed agriculture as one of the bad boys of climate change and rice production is on the dark side. And I would like to encourage you to use CORIGAP and say how you contribute to this climate-smart agriculture. Convey the message and share how this can be implemented, Dr. Bieler further said.

One of the highlights of the meeting is the visit to a farmers field day in Gaoyao county where participants witnessed a demonstration on the use of Three Controls Technology (3CT) in Guangzhou.

By using Three Controls Technology, rice farmers can decrease their nitrogen fertilizer and pesticide use by up to 20% and increase yield by 10%, said Xuhua Zhong of the Guangdong Rice Research

Institute (GDRRI) of the Guangdong Academy of Agriculutral Sciences.

The 10% increase in yield from the use of 3CT is equivalent to an added 0.6 ton per hectare, on average. 3CT could help China increase rice production in the face of multiple challenges. Since the 1990s, China has experienced low and unstable yields, excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, environmental pollution, and low profits, according to Zongyong Jiang, president of the GDRRI. These problems have become increasingly serious, Jiang added.

In 2012, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) recommended 3CT for use in rice farming, in line with MOAs move to reduce chemical fertilizer and pesticide use.

3CT is now widely adopted by rice farmers, according to Jiang. Because of what has been achieved through 3CT, the research team headed by Dr. Zhong was awarded the first-class Science and Technology Prize by the Guangdong

provincial government, Jiang reported.

In recent years, GDRRI has been working with IRRI to develop a low-carbon and high-yielding technology, which aims to further reduce fertilizer use. The new technology, a set of crop management practices, is expected to lessen water use and greenhouse gas emissions.

The CORIGAP project has been an excellent platform for the collaboration between GDRRI and IRRI, Jiang said further.

Pieter Rutsaert presented a summary of the results of focus group discussions with women in rice farming in five countries. He shared that with labor-saving technologies, drudgery of rice farming is reduced

and women have more leisure time, more time for children and the

household, and additional income.

Additionally, with the mechanization efforts in South Sumatra, Dr. Rutsaert mentioned that most of the women interviewed found that their livelihood had improved over the last 10 years, thanks to mechanization and changes in farming practices. He added that one farmers wife in South Sumatra said that one of the main advantages of the combine harvester is that we dont have to wake up at 2:30 in the morning to cook for all the laborers.

During the annual meeting, presentations from key IRRI scientists and national partners from China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam focused on key results and activities for 2014 and plans for 2015. Included in the presentations are challenges and opportunities faced in carrying out project objectives.

The key presentations also covered progress on the development of the field calculator, market chain issues, women in agriculture, communication developments, and learning alliances.

Grant Singleton, CORIGAP coordinator, presents highlights of the progress in 2014.

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grain yield and reduce nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer inputs through improved crop and nutrient management at the farmers fields. Main constraints identified by the farmers were: (1) rat and bird damages; (2) plant lodging during the early season; (3) lack of storage facilities; (4) low income from rice production due to high input and labor costs; and (5) lack of available labor.

Reducing water consumption and cutting greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields with no yield losses are important for sustainable rice production in South China. There are two on-station field experiments in the GDRRI experimental farms--one involved examining the

Guangdong, one of the southern provinces of China, has a population of about 100 million. The 2 million-hectare total rice area is producing only 40% of the provinces rice needs. More than 90% of food produced in Guangdong is from rice, but the average rice yield is among the lowest in the country, which is about 15% lower than the national average.

Majority of the farmers in the province are into small-scale rice farming, typically 300400 sq. m. per household of four people. The aging population of farmers has been a major issue in the farming areas, as younger people prefer to work in the factories and industries in the surrounding counties. Recently, mechanization is expanding to address labor scarcity, especially during harvest season. Combined harvesters for custom hiring are common sights in the area during the harvesting season.

The need for natural resource management

Natural resource management for rice, including rice management technologies, have the potential to increase yields and farmers net income. Estimated rice yield gap in the irrigated systems in the province is high at 3 t/ha.

Four CORIGAP sites were selected in Guangdong, namely Yangxi, Gaoyao, Renhua, and Meizhou counties. The main partner for implementation is the Guangdong Rice Research Institute (GDRRI) of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GAAS). Other partners include the Guangdong General Station for Crop Technology Extension, Agricultural Bureau of Gaoyao City, Agricultural Bureau of Quijiang District, Extension Center for Elite Varieties of Yangjiang City, and Extension Centers for Agricultural Technologies (Leizhou,

CORIGAP in Guangdong: the potential of natural resource management By Ruben Lampayan

Renhua, and Zencheng counties). To achieve the overall objective of CORIGAP, a number of activities have been conducted since 2013. These include a review of the baseline survey conducted in 2012, focus group discussions (FGD) with key farmers in four villages, on-station field experiments to develop and validate production technologies, and farmer-participatory demonstration trials of these technologies.

Highlights of results

Results of the baseline survey conducted on more than 200 farmers and the FGD in four CORIGAP villages in Guangdong suggested a great potential to increase

A farmer explains to his felow farmers how his innovative drum seeder is used in his field.

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Workshop participants are guided on how to set up rodent traps in the field.

interaction of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and rice varieties on yield performance and greenhouse gas emissions, and the other examining coupling effects between N fertilizer and water. Under the AWD and varietal experiment, higher grain yields were achieved in safe AWD (AWD15) for both inbred and hybrid varieties tested in the experiment. AWD also reduced the number of irrigations by more than 50% compared with farmers practice (FP). The total amount of methane emissions in AWD15 decreased by 68.6% compared with continuous flooding, and by 46% compared with FP. These findings suggest that AWD15 could be used in maintaining a stable yield while reducing water consumption and cutting down the emission of greenhouse gas in the lowland region of South China. Under the AWD and nitrogen experiment, the grain yield increased with the N rate in AWD15; whereas the amount of irrigation water decreased by 24% compared with farmers practice while maintaining same yield levels.

Farmer participatory demonstration trials were also conducted in three counties (Gaoyao, Renhua and Yangjiang) within the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province to validate and popularize the Three Controls Technology (3CT) with farmers and partners. The 3CT operates on three basic principles: (1) control of N fertilizer, especially at basal and tillering to improve nitrogen-use efficiency and reduce cost and pollution; (2) control of unproductive tillers to reduce lodging and high yields; and (3) control of diseases and pests by reducing pesticide use, leading to better food safety. In the demonstration trials, the integration of the 3CT and AWD were compared with solely practicing 3CT and with farmers practice. Results indicated that 3CT and AWD yields were better than 3CT alone and FP. The economic returns of practicing both 3CT and AWD were enhanced on average by 13% than that of FP.

The way forward

In the next two years (2015-2016), farmer-participatory trials on 3CT and AWD

will be conducted in more sites in the Pearl River Delta. An ex-ante assessment of profitable rice system approaches (3CT and AWD) with reduced ecological footprint using a field calculator will be carried out using initial results from the trials and from the baseline survey conducted. The impacts from adopting new practices across Guangdong will then be assessed. These approaches will be packaged to make them more understandable to farmer groups. Learning alliances will be established and dialogues with policy advisers will be continuously facilitated. Capacity building is always a central activity of the project. Academic scholars, local technicians, and private agronomists will be trained on field calculators and best practices, and general stakeholders training will be conducted, including exchange visits across countries. To capture changes in farmers behaviors, another FGD and household survey will be done in 2016. A provincial-level standard for low-carbon and high-yielding technology will also be developed as one of the final outputs of the project.

CORIGAP in Guangdong: the potential of natural resource management

The CORIGAP Project bids Dr. Takahiro Sato farewell and good luck. Taka was a postdoctoral fellow at the Crop and Environmental Sciences Division at IRRI headquarters from April 2012 to 2015. As a fellow, he worked on developing a field calculator for CORIGAP.

The field calculator is a computer-based decision-support tool for comparing farmers current practices with a new technology and determining the trade-off among their various aspects. It will help researchers visualize the economic and environmental impacts of a new technology for rice production if the farmer decides to adopt it.

Taka brings his extensive experience back to Japan.

News Tidbits

Takahiro Sato (second from right, blue-striped shirt) discusses the concept of a field calculator during a Participatory Impact Pathway Analysis workshop in Can Tho, Vietnam.


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Close partnership in Indonesia with their national strategy for food crop development By Grant Singleton and Reianne Quilloy

Photo by Anna Salvatierra

The CORIGAP team in Indonesia is working closely with our counterparts in different agencies under the Indonesian Agency for Agriculture Research and Development (IAARD) to further their national strategy (GP-PTT) for food crop development. Rice is the main focus. The emphases of GP-PTT are technology adoption and innovation and increasing sustainable production. The national rice production target for 2015 is 73.4 million t from 71.4 million t in 2013. And the target for rice production by 2017 is 83 million t. The pillars of GP-PTT include increased productivity, institutional strengthening, and securing sustainable production. CORIGAP activities in Indonesia are well aligned with GP-PTT.

In January 2014, a CORIGAP team met with the Director General of IAARD to finalize site selection in the Indonesian archipelago. The decision was to work in Yogyakarta and South Sumatra. In 2015, there would be spillover to East Java. Our main partners are the Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technologies (AIATs) in these provinces plus the Indonesian Center for Rice Research (ICRR). The planned activities and outputs of our research are monitored closely by the Indonesian Center for Food Crops Research and Development, and the Directorate of Food Crops. Since March 2015, the latter is led by Dr. Hasil Sembiring, a long-time supporter of the IRRC and CORIGAP. He is eager to facilitate the adoption of key outputs from our project. Under his management is an impressive team of extension specialists in 35 rice-growing provinces that can reach more than 10 million farmer households. Therefore CORIGAP is well positioned through GP-PTT to have quick uptake of outputs by millions of rice farmers in Indonesia.

The progress of CORIGAP activities in Indonesia over the past year have been impressive. Our first activites in Yogyakarta only began in March 2014, but we already have completed needs assessment, household surveys, field trials for two seasons on best practices for lowland irrigated rice production (using an adaptive research approach), and developed plans for postharvest technologies. Overarching this work have been focus group discussions with womens groups on issues of concern in gender equity by using the Womens Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) framework. The rapid progress has been possible because of a dedicated high-quality team assembled by Dr.

Sudarmaji, Director of the AIAT, that is under the stewardship of Ms. Arleyna Budi. This team has worked closely with IRRI scientists led by Alex Stuart, Pieter Rutsaert, and Martin Gummert.

Activities in the extensive tidal swamp rice lands of South Sumatra build on outputs from the IRRC, particularly post harvest activities, and implementation of best practices for rodent and weed management. CORIGAP scientists, complemented by a Give2Asia project focused on capacity building of graduate students, continues to conduct activities that will help intensify rice production in the lowland areas of South Sumatra. One of the priority areas of this partnership

Direct seeding using the drum seeder is one of the well-adopted technologies in Indonesia. It was introduced to help manage weeds and reduce labor cost.

Photo by Alex Stuart


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The CORIGAP and Give2Asia projects in South Sumatra collaborate with three major rice institutions in Indonesia: The University of Sriwijaya (UNSRI), ICRR, and the AIAT in Palembang.

The CORIGAP project is well positioned to improve the countrys rice sector by involving the next generation of Indonesian scientists, and by focusing on key research areas to improve the productivity and sustainability of pre-and post-production of irrigated rice. Together the outcome from our strong local, provincial, and national partnerships will enable strong progress toward improving Indonesias rice self-sufficiency.

is to identify training and education collaborations that will bring new skills to the Indonesian rice sector on the latest rice production technologies and practices. One innovative approach relates to improved postharvest management of rice through the use of the Solar Bubble Dryer (SBD), a technology that enables farmers to dry grains during unpredictable weather conditions.

In February 2015, Ms. Shinta Ardhiyanti, ICRR Postharvest Division, organized an SBD operation training for 34 ICRR staff members (22 males, 12 females). Christopher Cabardo, IRRI postharvest specialist, gave lectures on the principles of drying and storage and conducted

hands-on exercises with the ICRR staff on the SBD operation. Afterwards, the participants gained hands-on experience in the assembly, setup, and operation of the SBD.

The participants also conducted a drying experiment wherein they measured the moisture content of the paddy being dried at different areas inside the dryer. Paddy should be dried to safe moisture content within 24 hours after harvesting to avoid damage and deterioration. They measured the relative humidity and temperature inside and outside the dryer, and were also taught how to dismantle, clean, and pack the SBD unit after using it.

Close partnership in Indonesia with their national strategy for food crop development

A farmer field day that started with a harvest ceremony was held at the CORIGAP site in Jogotirto, Yogyakarta, Indonesia on March 4. The field day was attended by about 150 farmers from two CORIGAP sites in Yogyakarta (Jogotirto and Madurejo) and several regional and national government officials as well as staff from Balai Pengkajian Teknologi Pertanian (BPTP). The event received extensive media attention resulting in coverage on television, in regional and national newspapers, and news websites in the country.

Speeches were given by the head of Sleman district (Bupati) Dr. H. Sri Purnomo and the Ir. Azis Hidayat, Inspector General of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture. Both expressed their appreciation and hope for continued collaboration with IRRI in testing technologies to increase rice production and achieve rice self-sufficiency, a priority of the current Indonesian government.

Drs. H. Sri Purnomo praised CORIGAPs efforts to introduce and disseminate alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and drum seeder to solve the problems of shortage of transplanter groups based on the integrated crop management (ICM) concept to the farmers. He also said he is expecting an increase in paddy production and farmers income as an output of CORIGAPs research.

After the event, a drum seeder that was fabricated by BPTP Yogyakarta was donated to the local farmer group of Jogotirto.

Drs. H. Sri Purnomo, M.Si, the Bupati of Sleman speaking in front of farmers, extension workers, and scientists, expressed his appreciation of CORIGAPs efforts to introduce introduce technologies to farmers in the area.

CORIGAP farmer field day receives wide media coverage in Indonesia


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group discussions were conducted in Myanmar to help understand the current situation of rural women and identify key areas that need to be strengthened. Based on this, the CORIGAP team aims to address issues of concern in gender equity by using the Womens Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) framework. Through a series of focus group discussions, it was found that Myanma women have very little access to information and there are few initiatives among them to organize themselves into active groups.

These findings formed part of the CORIGAP project team agenda for 2015 to conduct extension activities that target both men and women. The team will also monitor the progress by obtaining gender disaggregated data.

Through IRRI and key NGO partners, the CORIGAP project team will continue to demonstrate good management practices with strong emphasis on gender equity, use of suitable technologies, and the development of innovative outreach mechanisms. As these collaborative initiatives take shape, the team aspires to bring Myanmar a step closer in increasing rice productivity with reduced environmental impact.

Myanmar: Stepping up toward increased rice productivityBy Reianne Quilloy hermetic storage, the Solar Bubble Dryer,

and operating flatbed dryers.

Learning Alliances

Bringing suitable technologies for improved rice production with a strong network support mechanism is the goal of the Learning Alliance (LA). LA members identified learning topics on varieties, rice quality, and markets in Maubin and Bogale townships and are continuously participating in activities and discussions. Farmers who joined the activities of the alliance have seen that using new suitable varieties, threshing immediately, and using a flatbed dryer can help achieve good-quality rice. To disseminate the use and benefits of flatbed dryers to other potential users, the LA group in Bogale conducted a participatory workshop to design user-friendly communication materials. Farmers, with the help of technical experts and graphic artists, developed locally suitable and relevant posters, flyers, and leaflets for different target groups.

The LA also tried to link farmers to wholesale and export markets in Yangon. From this activity, farmers were able to establish contact with traders and learn how markets pay premium price for good-quality rice. The learning activities also encouraged the farmers to try new varieties, use the flatbed dryer to dry their grains, and sell in bulk. It also led to more activities that aim to strengthen the linkages initiated by the alliance and allow more farmers to learn about good management practices which will improve their rice quality and enable them to sell at a higher price.

Gender studies

CORIGAP also aims to help achieve gender equity among rural men and women, in which women empowerment plays an important role. In 2014, focus

Farmers give their feedback after seeing how a lightweight thresher works.

Rice is a very important crop in Myanmar. Boosting the countrys rice productivity is part of the agenda of the CORIGAP project, which are aligned with other significant projects in Myanmar (Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund, coordinated by the United Nations Office for Project Services, and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research). These projects include research on natural resource management, best practices for reducing postharvest losses, mapping of different rice domains for crop stress management, and participatory varietal selection. Activities of the CORIGAP project in Myanmar builds on the research outcome out of these projects.

Capacity building

The group conducted training and demonstration activities on best management practices and rice postproduction technologies to help farmers raise the quality of their rice and minimize postharvest losses. These activities were conducted in townships located in the Ayeyarwaddy and Central Dry Zone. About 188 male and female researchers, extension professionals, and project partners were trained on using

LA members developed communication materials that would help disseminate the use of a flatbed dryer in Bogale Township

Photo by Reianne Quilloy

Photo by Reianne Quilloy


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Sri Lanka - a country of historic irrigation and abundant wildlife By Grant Singleton

the recommended fertilizer applications returned a mean yield of 5.8 t/ha versus 5 t/ha in the farmers fields. All the farmers were impressed with the results of the application of best practices for herbicide use at seeding. All farmers adopted this practice in the maha 2014/15 season.

Alternate wetting and drying sites were established in Kalingaela in 15 fields and daily water level measurements were collected. However, the irrigation authority has a set schedule that enforces partial AWD. Logistically, it will be difficult to apply complete AWD because the irrigation authority needs to be convinced of the value of the technology before they change their current practice. Further demonstrations of AWD are planned primarily to showcase the benefits of AWD to the irrigation authority. Similar field demonstrations were completed in Kilinochchi district.

is fed by the Iranamudu irrigation scheme. The entire command area of this irrigation scheme is cultivated in maha. The extent of cultivated land in yala depends on water availability in the reservoir and is generally about 2,000 ha. The mean rice yield in the area is around 3.9 t/ha.

Case study for 2015: Polonnaruwa District

In the Polonnaruwa District, Dr. RSK Keertisena is overseeing field demonstrations that have been established in Kalingaela and Jayanthipura villages. In 2014, his team completed an impressive range of activities in the maha and yala seasons. These included baseline household surveys of 30 households, testing of row seeding by the multi-crop seeder under dry conditions and by drum seeders under wet conditions, testing of fertilizer requirements for site-specific nutrient management, and activities that demonstrated best practices for herbicide use and water management.

The multi-crop seeder was not successful. Handling the machine in small and irregular plots created major problems. The farmers were more interested in the drum seeder; 5 fields were established using drum seeders in the 2014 yala season and 7 in the 2014/15 maha season. In both seasons, omission plots for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were planted and monitored for a target yield of 6 t/ha. The demonstration site with

Rice is grown under both irrigated and rainfed conditions in the Dry, Intermediate, and Wet Zones of Sri Lanka during two cropping seasons; maha (October to March) and yala (April to August). Maha is long and receives ample amount of rains in all climatic zones. Yala is short and considered as the dry season for the Dry and Intermediate zones where our two study sites, Polonnaruwa and Kilinochchi districts, are located. Most of the irrigation schemes are large tanks, which are, in effect, large reservoirs. Associated with these tanks is an amazing feat of engineering conducted hundreds of years ago. In the olden days, engineers developed an irrigation system that is gravity fed with a gradient that simply cannot be improved upon even given our modern surveying approaches.

Polonnaruwa district has high potential to be a major rice-growing area. Rice is grown twice a year in both the maha (10,000 ha) and yala (3,000 ha) seasons. Irrigation for rice lands in the Polonnaruwa District is provided by four major irrigation schemes. The productivity of these rice lands has been declining significantly over the years. The mean rice yield in the area is around 5.5 t/ha.

Kilinochchi District is also a high-potential major rice-growing area where rice is cultivated under both irrigated and rainfed conditions. Kilinochchi was affected by the civil strife experienced in the 2000s and the smallholder farmers in the district are keen to learn about new technologies given they had limited development of their cropping systems during the social conflict. Some 9,118 ha or 40% of the irrigated area in the district

An impressive array of birds are found near vegetation in the crop margins. Here is An Indian Pond Heron often seen somewhere near the rice fields in Sri Lanka.

Photo by Grant Singleton


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To implement the activities in Thailand, the CORIGAP team collaborated with the four major rice bureaus in the country (Bureau of Rice Product Development, Bureau of Rice Seed, Bureau of Rice Research, and Bureau of Rice Product Promotion), as well as the provincial-level bureaus, community, and farmers groups Nakhon Sawan Rice Seed Center; Chainat

A lime green snake found in the rice fields, a sign of biodiversity in the area.

Thailand has about 9.2 million ha of rice land and is the largest exporter of rice in the world. However, the Thai rice industry is looming with threats, such as increasing competition in the international market, growing competition with other economic activities, and degradation of ecological conditions.

In recent years, Thailand has been undergoing rapid structural transformation. Factors such as labor scarcity caused by farmers migrating to urban areas, and increasing rural wages, drive a process of mechanization. Increasing the income from the agricultural sector has always been the focus of different national economies, and closing the rice yield gaps with increasing resource-use efficiency are two of the main solutions. Likewise, environmentally sustainable rice production became a government imperative in Thailand in early 2012, hence, the government requested to be part of the Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprints (CORIGAP) project.

Led by the Rice Department of Thailands Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, CORIGAP activities have been established in the Central Plains of Thailand to improve farmers rice production, reduce production cost and therefore increase profit with minimized environmental impact.

Dr. Zhong (center) holds an imprompto meeting with farmers in Yangdong Country, Guangdong China.

Abundant wildlife in the rice ecosystems

An important focus of CORIGAP is to promote the ecological benefits associated with promoting biodiversity around the margins of the crop. In most other countries in Asia this requires a concerted campaign to encourage farming communities to promote growth of vegetation along the crop margins and to reduce their use of chemical pesticides. Visitors to the CORIGAP study sites in Sri Lanka will quickly see that the rice fields have abundant growth along their edges. And if one looks closely you will see small fish and tadpoles in the flooded rice fields,

many butterflies and dragon flies, and an impressive array of water birds. In a recent visit, two IRRI scientists were particularly impressed by a magnificent lime green snake, and the abundance of large herons and storks that you can approach to within a few meters before they reluctantly take flight. When the scientists spoke with the farmers they said that they rarely use insecticides because insect pests are not a big issue for them. We need to learn more about the human dimensions involved in maintaining these diverse lowland rice environments and document the economic and health benefits that accrue to these rural communities.

Sustainable rice production through CORIGAP in ThailandBy Ruben Lampayan

Photo by Grant Singleton

The drum seeder is a labor-saving technology for direct seeding of rice. It is currently being widely used in Southeast Asia.

Photo by Ruben Lampayan


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Rice Research Center, Land Development Department, and the Community Rice Center farmers groups in Nakhon Sawan: Project activities conducted were (1) focus group discussions, (2) a baseline survey, (3) environmental indicator workshop/discussions, (4) establishment of field trials of integrated technologies, (5) monitoring environmental health indicators, and (6) facilitation of the development and adoption of Thai Rice Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) among farmers groups. A Participatory Impact Pathway Analysis workshop was organized to discuss and understand how various actors can work together to gather and use data on ecological indicators towards sustainability. A communication audit was also conducted to identify suitable and relevant information materials that can be produced for various audiences.

Focus group discussions (FGD) and baseline surveys were also conducted in CORIGAP project sites to assess the existing problems and needs of the potential target groups of the project. An FGD was conducted in Nong Jik Ree and Ban Sapan Song, on 13-14 May 2013. Farmers

were interested in increasing their efficiency of production (reduce their expenses on input costs) and access to better storage facilities to improve grain quality. They also said the yield gap ranges from 15 to 25%. Baseline surveys were conducted using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) software, or Surveybe.

Based on the initial results of the FGD and baseline survey,

a set of best management practices based on Cost Reduction Operating Principles or CROP were introduced and established using farmer participatory demonstration trials to reduce yield gaps and to increase farmers production efficiency. CROP practices is an initiative of the Thailand Rice Department to reduce production cost and increase yields, and includes: 1) applying fertilizer rates based on soil analysis, 2) using certified seeds, 3) reducing seed rates, and 4) reducing chemical applications. Farmer participatory demonstration sites were selected in the 2004 dry season (3 sites) and the 2004 wet season (8 sites), respectively. Four treatments were implemented in each farmer demonstration site: (i) CROP + Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD); (ii) CROP; (iii) CROP + drum seeder; and (iv) farmers practice (FP).

The 2014 dry season results showed reduced seed rate and fertilizer-use rate in fields using the CROP treatment compared with the farmers practice. Using the combination of CROP and drum seeder reduced the seed and

fertilizer cost. Less pesticide was also applied in fields treated with CROP. Moreover, the 2014 wet season result also indicated reduced fertilizer rates in CROP treatments and reduced seed rates with drum seeding, with no yield penalty.

Collecting farmers initial feedback

A Farmers Field Day was held on 6 October 2014 in Nong Jikree to showcase the different technologies used in the demonstration trials, including CROP, AWD, and the drum seeder. Other associated technologies were also presented during the farmers field day, such as community rodent management, hermetic storage bags, and even the potential use of biofertilizers as a nitrogen fertilizer source. Farmers were actively engaged during the presentations and a great deal of interest was shown toward a mechanical drum seeder, locally fabricated by one of the farmers participating in the CORIGAP field trials. Further need for training in rodent management and community rat campaigns were expressed and many farmers volunteered to test out the super bags.

In February 2015, the analyzed results of the 2014 dry and wet season trials were presented to the farmers in the CORIGAP sites. Overall, farmers were happy with the progress and results of the field trials. However, weed problems were reported by a few farmers because of poor land leveling.

Expected final output

Cognizant of the overall target of the project, the Thailand-CORIGAP project aims to generate improved food security and livelihoods for farmers in Central Thailand, with reduced environmental footprint of rice.

Sustainable rice production through CORIGAP in Thailand

Mr. Yod, a farmer-cooperator in Ban Nong Jikree, passionately talks about the benefits of the technologies being introduced. He demonstrate s that fertilizer rates were reduced by over 40% in cost reduction treatment fields compared to his farmer practice fields and that the drum seeder treatment reduced seed rates from around 125 kg/ha to 50 kg/ha, with no overall difference in yield between treatment plots and neighboring farmer practice fields.

Photo by Ruben Lampayan


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A Rei of SunshineBy Rona Nia Mae Rojas-Azucena

Visiting Batanes, an island group in the northernmost part of Luzon, Philippines, has been a long-time dream of Reianne. In this photo, she relaxes against the beautiful backdrop of the mountains.

Reianne believes that her academic background in (BS) agriculture and in (MSc) development communication combined perfectly for her current breadth of work.

Shared problems, shared solutions

We started the LA to help reduce postharvest losses by bringing together a diverse group of actors in the rice value chain. The LA is a venue for various actors or stakeholders to learn and share their knowledge about a particular topic, explains Reianne. We needed a way for them to gather and discuss strategic solutions to postharvest issues.

The Alliance mostly includes people from government research institutes, universities, private companies, and farmers. Through Reiannes help in facilitating the discussions, the members were able to identify a shared problem (i.e., low rice quality), and identify

suitable project strategies and document the learning process. Right now, the LA members are exploring ways to expand to other topics, such as environmental sustainability and rice straw management.

She considers her work in helping launch the Learning Alliance in Myanmar and Vietnam as one of her important achievements with CORIGAP. She has done her share in raising the profile of the project through the development and maintenance of the website and the production and distribution of brochures,

Hardworking. Reliable. Amiable. These are just three of the words to describe Reianne Quilloy, IRRI knowledge management and communication specialist.

Within the IRRI campus in Los Baos, Philippines, one would likely see Reianne (or Rei, as her friends fondly call her) walk past, her strides purposeful, off to a meeting or some errand for an upcoming activity. Her thoughtful expression would easily give way to a bright smile, and one cannot help but admire her energy and passion for work, all bundled up within her petite frame.

Reianne manages her time as part of the IRRI Postharvest Unit and the CORIGAP Project. Her task with CORIGAP focuses on implementing the Learning Alliance or LA, which is a platform for multiple stakeholders to share and exchange information and experiences in adopting certain postharvest technologies and/or Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).

posters, and other communication materials.

In the thick of things

Reianne hopes to further strengthen the Learning Alliance and share the lessons and innovations from it by capturing the outcomes. Im right where the action is. Its like having the best seats in a game, she says. For her, the concept of LA is a beautiful marriage of innovation and communication.

Its like a chameleonit can be a tool used in project monitoring and evaluation, needs assessment, stakeholder analysis, and process documentation. It uses various communication mechanisms to support the innovations done by the stakeholders on a technology or (GAP) practice, expounds Reianne.

The interdisciplinary and cross-cultural nature of her work excites her. Her experience in Myanmar, in particular, made her appreciate the value of her work even more, such as the moment they were able to empower the farmers from the villages to speak their mind.

Another aspect of her work that shes very passionate about is participatory communication. She is proud of the time she was part of a video production team using a modified Digital Green approach in documenting the adoption of the IRRI Super Bag in the Philippines. The modified approach entails that the farmer himself develop the story board, demonstrate how to use the IRRI Super Bag, and provide information about the benefits.

Good company

Reianne has always had a lust for traveling and experiencing new adventures. Just recently, Reianne traveled to Batanes, a picturesque group of islands in the northernmost

Photo by Rey Quilloy


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tip of the Philippine archipelago. Visiting Batanes was in her bucket list, and being able to travel with her father was a dream come true for her.

A relaxing day is when she gets to have a good conversation with friends over coffee or a meal. A good conversation for her is anything that is related to ideas, from development issues to pop culture.

She also likes to maintain a balanced lifestyle. I run. Its a thinking activity since I like reflecting a lot and running is a noncompetitive sport; youre just competing with your personal record. But I also like playing badminton, boxing, and swimming. During weekends, I mostly stay home. I sometimes bake. I also help my sister coordinate weddings.

With all of Reiannes various interests, it is reassuring to know that there is

someone like her, willing to go the extra mile and determined to see things through.

(Read more on the Learning Alliance in RIPPLE issues Vol. 9, No. 1 and Vol. 9, No. 2)

Reianne helps facilitate discussions during a Learning Alliance meeting in Myanmar.

Despite being one of the biggest exporters of rice, the Vietnamese government recently announced the imperative for rice farmers to further improve their crop management practices to optimize rice productivity and income, improve the quality of their rice, and minimize the environmental footprint of rice production. To help the rice farmers achieve these goals, CORIGAP began farmer participatory field trials in Can Tho Province, Mekong Delta, in 2014, in collaboration with the Can Tho Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). The aim of the research is to demonstrate 1 Must Do 5 Reductions (1M5R) and measure its

Sustainable rice production practices show promise in the Mekong DeltaBy Anthony Malabanan, Alex Stuart, and Pieter Rutsaert

effectiveness as a platform for two new approaches for rice production: Good Agricultural Practices, and Small Farmer Large Field. The IM5R approach was developed during collaborative research under the IRRC umbrella.

1M5R, or Mot Phai, Nam Giam, is now a national policy for best management practices in lowland rice cultivation that recommends using good-quality seeds (the 1 Must Do), and reducing seed rate, pesticides, fertilizer inputs, water use, and postharvest losses. Field demonstration sites of 1M5R, with an emphasis on reducing pesticide inputs, were established in Than Loi and Thanh

An communities of Vinh Thanh district in November, the start of the Dong Xuan (winter-spring) season. Alternate wetting and drying and drum seeding, currently promoted by Can Tho DARD, were also demonstrated. Data from these trials will then be used for the development of the field calculator, a decision-support tool being developed under CORIGAP. By assessing sustainability performance, this tool will be used to examine the relationships between approaches to close yield gaps and sustainability. Initial results from Can Tho household survey data are positive. Analysis by Dr Takahiro Sato revealed that the rice

CORIGAP updates center on sustainability Photo by Rey Q

uilloy



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Vietnamese rice farmers inspecting a CORIGAP demonstration field during a field day in Can Tho province.

farmers with higher yields used more environmentally sustainable management practices than lower yielding farmers. In February 2015, two farmer field days were held at CORIGAP demonstration sites in Than Loi and Thanh An. It was the culminating event of the cropping season where farmers, DARD, and IRRI staff presented and discussed the results of the experimental field trials. The farmer field days were organized by Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu (Deputy Director), Ms Hieu (Deputy Director of Plant Protection Division), and staff from Can Tho DARD. The events were attended by 108 participants, including 50 farmers, Dr. Nguyen Thi My Phung (Deputy Director of An Giang DARD), and IRRI staff members Alex Stuart, Carlito Balingbing, and Anthony Malabanan.

The field days involved a visit to a CORIGAP demonstration field, presentations by Can Tho DARD about the recommended practices and preliminary results, and presentations by farmers on their farming experience (both treatment and control farmers) as recorded in their diaries, including a breakdown of input costs. This was followed by an open-forum discussion.Farmers were shown that profits can be increased by optimizing farm inputs, thereby reducing costs. Demonstration farmers reported a cost savings of 35% in Than Loi and 60% in Thanh An, which were mainly attributed to a reduction in pesticide use. Yields are yet to be determined as fields have not yet been harvested.

The field demonstrations and presentations sparked an interest in the farmer participants to consider the profitability and long-term sustainability of farming. Many acknowledged the benefits of adopting the recommended practices, particularly the economic and environmental benefits; but some were concerned about possible reductions in yield. Although there is a slight hesitation, many are willing to adopt the recommendations to improve their livelihood.

After the field day, Carlito Balingbing, Alex Stuart, and Ms My Phung trained 16 Can Tho DARD staff on harvest loss assessments and the use of the IRRI Rice Quality Assessment Kit. This training will serve as a guide for extension workers in assisting farmers to make better decisions in postharvest management and minimize losses during harvest and postharvest.With the initial results from the demonstration field trials, CORIGAP partners are confident that yields will show that profits are higher in the demonstration fields because of a reduction in inputs. Demonstration farmers look forward to increased adoption of the technology as interest in the project grows. With the next cropping season, everyone is hoping for positive results to further highlight the benefits of the recommended practices that focus on the long-term sustainability of rice farming and the environment.

Adoption of contract farming in Vietnam

Vietnamese rice exporters are increasingly adopting business models based on contract farming as an institutional

innovation in order to govern rice production and value chains more effectively. Contract farming can be depicted as a form of vertical coordination in which downstream companies coordinate with upstream farms by providing input packages (seed, fertilizers, pesticides, credit, and extension) and directly buying the paddy from farmers without intermediaries. A survey was conducted in collaboration with Helene Ba, PhD student from the University of Paris-Crteil France, to make an inventory of the business models that are currently being deployed to source rice and to assess the determinants of adoption of contract farming by Vietnamese rice exporters. Based on a published list of rice exporters in the Mekong River Delta, 20 rice export companies that are using contract farming were randomly selected for face-to-face interviews. Additionally, contract farming was covered in focus group discussions (FGDs) with farmers in Can Tho and An Giang.

Rice exporters in Vietnam deploy different models of contract farming depending on their technical and financial capacity, presence in high and premium

Photo by Caling Balingbing


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Pan Junfeng: finding solutions in the fieldBy Jean Claire Dy

authors in 2011 with follow-throughs in 2013 and in 2015.

These studies formed the backbone of his career but his fieldwork in the countryside of Guangdong strengthened it.

After finishing his doctoral degree, he started working as an assistant researcher in 2010 at the Rice Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GDRRI). Knowing that there is still a wider field in rice research that would benefit millions of rice farmers in China, Pan Junfeng pursued studying technologies that increased yield with lesser environment impact.

It was in 2010 that Pan Junfeng charted his steady course in rice research. For his doctoral study on plant physiology at the Huazhong Agricultural University, he chose to focus on researching the accumulation and translocation with yield formation of non-structural carbohydrates in rice stems, and its their genetic mechanisms under different nitrogen conditions. He would later publish his research with five co-

Sustainable rice production practices show promise in the Mekong

Jun Feng is passionate about working with farmers in Guangzhou in increasing their rice productivity.

quality markets, previous relationship with farmers, and experience in contract farming, as well as the needs and preferences of the farmers community. The models can be represented on a continuum from zero investment (marketing contract) to high investment (resource-providing contract).

Evaluation of farming practices and adoption of 1M5R

Eight FGDs were carried out in Can Tho and An Giang to evaluate farmer practices and the adoption of 1M5R. Each FGD had 6 to 12 farmers who were (1) participating in contract farming (under Global GAP, VietGAP and SFLF) and (2) who sell to individual traders. Besides these FGDs, a stakeholder workshop was organized and interviews were carried out with three different companies who are involved in contract farming.The different FGDs showed that farmers who were properly trained adopted 1M5R. Adoption of the different practices were as follows:

Best adoption use certified seed, reduce seed rate

Average adoption reduce pesticide and fertilizer use

Least adopted reduce water usage

Not applicable postharvest (trend of selling wet paddy)

Farmers have been part of the 1M5R program for several years and they do not need higher yields because they see the benefits of savings from reductions of inputs. However, higher returns were necessary in the first years to convince them to change their practices. The farmers related that it was not easy to change at first and heavy training was necessary for consecutive years. Therefore both intensive training and some monetary benefits are required to change practices. We also talked to farmers who

were becoming familiar with the practices promoted by 1M5R. If they see that something new works for a neighbor, they are willing to try it. But if they cannot see the proof, it will be harder to convince them to change practices.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, an IRRI-VietGAP farmer reports the results of the dry season cropping from his field.



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It was in 2012, when he studied alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology for three months in the International Rice Research Institute, which opened doors for him as a scientist. In the same year, he became the principal investigator of two projects funded by the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou and the general director of GDRRI. The projects research thrust focused on the physiology of and high yield and nutrient-use efficiency in rice, and water-saving and related technology extension activities.

But fieldwork had its share of challenges. When Pan Junfeng started working in the extension of technology in Guangdong Province, he found the language barrier crippling his data gathering. He couldnt speak and understand Cantonese. Without a solid grasp of the language, he couldnt catch on with the local farmers concerns and knew little of the issues in the countryside.

Determined to turn these circumstances around, Pan Junfeng studied Cantonese in his free time. He also closely coordinated with his colleagues, Dr. Xuhua Zhong and Ms. Zhanghui Huang. He considers closer communication with the extension staff and experienced farmers in the countryside as very important in enriching his extension experience. Now, he is able to converse well with the farmers in Guangdong, and has a better grip of the realities they are facing. Knowing how to communicate using the language farmers use plays an important role especially in extension work, he says. Successful communication is key.

In May 2014, he worked with Drs. Ruben Lampayan and Romeo Cabangon in processing research data gathered from AWD and low-carbon collaborative field experiments in China.

After working as an assistant researcher for 4 years, from 2010 to 2014, at the Rice Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Pan Junfeng was promoted to associate scientist in the Rice Physiology and Ecology Department in 2015.

Now, working with the Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprint (CORIGAP) project, he is responsible for establishing the farm/field trials in Guangzhou Experiment Station where he conducts on-station research and data analysis on AWD and low-carbon technology (greenhouse gas emissions), about which he has written papers for publishing in peer-reviewed journals.

He also works with Dr. Grant Singleton, CORIGAP project coordinator and IRRI scientist, in disseminating knowledge on the Three controls technology (3CT) and AWD technology in Guangdong Province.

While conducting his field investigation and research, he uncovered a pressing issue in the Guangdong countryside paddy fields: serious rodent damage. He aims to work toward introducing and developing rodent prevention and control techniques in the paddy fields.

He foresees another 5 years of intensive work to make substantial achievements in the completion of the development of a new low-carbon technology in 2015, as well as in finishing papers and implementation of new technology in Guangdong Province.

Seeing how their technology is already widely used and is getting good reviews by farmers, Pan Junfeng is optimistic about the impact of the CORIGAP technologies in Guangdong and in the Chinese rice industry.

I hope that more and more farmers can use high-yielding varieties, less fertilizer, cultivate less greenhouse gas emissions, and use management techniques in the near future. These techniques can achieve the development of low-carbon rice production in China, he enthuses.

Jun Feng enjoys playing table tennis during his free time. It is his favorite form of exercise.


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Volume 10, Number 1January-June 2015

This newsletter is produced by the CORIGAP Project under the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and IRRI. The IRRC promotes international links among scientists, managers, communicators, and farmers in lowland irrigated rice environments.

Materials in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official views of IRRI, SDC, or collaborating institutions of the IRRC.

EDITORSGrant Singleton, Jean Claire Dy,Rona Nia Mae Rojas-Azucena

COPY EDITORS Priscilla Grace Caas

LAYOUTJean Claire Dy

CIRCULATIONJennifer Hernandez

Please direct further correspondence, comments, and contributions to

Jean Claire DyCommunication Specialist

International Rice Research InstituteDAPO Box 7777

Metro Manila, PhilippinesEmail: [email protected]

Web: www.irri.org/irrc

CORIGAP highlighted on World Environment Day and Philippine Environment Month

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) highlighted the importance of safe, sustainable, and environment-friendly rice production as it joined the celebration of the World Environment Day (5 June) and Philippine Environment Month (June).

A mini campaign was launched featuring various IRRI farming technologies and practices that reduce the environmental footprint of rice farming and contribute to sustainability, which continued throughout June, the Philippine Environment Month. Graphic media such as memes and banners were proliferated on the IRRI social media sites for the entire month.

Environmental sustainability has always been the goal of the institute, said Dr. Grant Singleton, IRRI principal scientist and coordinator of Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprint (CORIGAP). It has been articulated decades ago in the Institutes mission statement: to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure environmental sustainability of rice farming.

One of the myths is that environmental protection is a negative for economic development and food security, says Dr. Singleton. CORIGAP is an example of what IRRI is doing. We are looking at how we can promote environmental protection without compromising the increase in production, particularly in lowland intensive cropping systems.

For example, through the three controls technology developed under CORIGAP, rice farmers in China have reduced nitrogen fertilizer and pesticide use by 20% but increased their yields by 10%.

Another example is the 1 must do, 5 reductions, a package of technology, where one must do is for farmers to use certified seeds, while the five reductions means farmers must reduce the amount of seed, nitrogen application, pesticide use, water use, and postharvest losses.

The 1 must do, 5 reductions technology aims to improve rice yield and quality, reduce the production cost, and increase the profit of farmers while reducing environmental pollution, says Dr. Singleton. As a result of this technology, 240,000 farmers from the Mekong Delta increased their yields by 10%.

CORIGAP is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Now, a team led by IRRI scientist Sarah Beebout is working on developing indicators to quantify environmental sustainability in lowland rice wetlands to track how we are progressing, says Dr. Singleton. As of now, IRRI, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, has developed eight indicators to assess the environmental health of rice fields.

Quoting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Dr. Singleton says, Lifting people from poverty and protecting the planets resources are two sides of the same coin. Both must be at the heart of any framework.


Documents

Ripple Jan-June 2015