IRRI and BAFE hold the first of a series of virtual training on laser land leveling

Rice production in the Philippines is constantly faced with threats to food security due to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the major challenges to Philippine agriculture is the practice of unsustainable land management such as inadequately leveled fields. An improperly leveled field causes uneven water distribution that leads to poor crop establishment and the inefficient use of seed, water, fertilizer, and pesticides. However, this can be addressed by using laser land leveling technology.

Training boosts expertise of Indonesian agricultural researchers in using seasonal climate prediction-based app

ICRR researchers participate from ICRR’s meeting room. ICRR also hosted the videoconferencing held via Zoom. Photo: Suhartini, ICRR

West Java, Indonesia–Researchers from various agencies under the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD) participated in a face-to-face and virtual training in the development, operation, and maintenance of the Weather-rice-nutrient integrated decision support system (WeRise) from 16 to 20 November 2020. These agencies have been identified for the uptake and dissemination of WeRise in Indonesia (Bugayong, et al.). 

Peer teaching approach helps learners become WeRise experts

West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia – “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”  

Studies have shown that learning retention is better when students teach what they have learned. Peer teaching is a strategy used by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) - Japan Collaborative Research Project (IJCRP) in its capacity-building program for agricultural extension workers (AEWs) to deliver timely and accurate information to rainfed rice farmers through the use of the Weather-rice-nutrient integrated decision support system (WeRise). 

Philippine rice straw project conducts virtual events for Filipino farmers

The Sustainable Rice Straw Management for Bioenergy, Food, and Feed in the Philippines (RiceStrawPH) project held its first virtual events on sustainable rice straw management as part of its online initiatives to reach its stakeholders in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar, Accelerating initiatives for sustainable rice straw management in the Philippines, and the farmers’ field day, conducted online on September 22 and 29, enabled stakeholders to observe sustainable rice straw management practices that aim to improve livelihoods and the resilience of agri-food systems. 

IRRI mourns the passing of leading rice scientist Dr. Tamal Lata Aditya

We are saddened by the news of Tamal Lata Aditya’s sudden demise. As the Research Director of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Dr. Aditya was actively involved in the development and dissemination of several varieties and promising breeding lines that are responsive to the challenges faced by Bangladeshi farmers such as drought and low yield. Additionally, she was instrumental in developing and implementing BRRI’s research agenda including the release of the institute’s sixth conventionally-bred biofortified high-zinc rice variety.

WeRise in Indonesia: Delivering extension advisories effectively in the new normal

Medan, Indonesia - The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in partnership with the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology (AIAT) North Sumatra, conducted trainings for agricultural extension workers (AEWs) on delivering advisories to rice farmers through the Weather-rice-nutrient integrated decision support system (WeRise).

Myanmar invests in building skills in digital data collection

Digital transformation is gradually changing the operation in various sectors. To reduce the time and resources associated with collecting data and improving the data quality, digital data collection is a preferred fit for organizations that gather voluminous quantitative data.