NIA, farmer group, partner with IRRI for irrigation research

Signatories to the agreement were Engr. William Ragodon, regional manager, NIA Region IV-A;
Jacqueline Hughes, deputy director general for research, IRRI;
and Mr. Andres Batitis, president, PIDAMMARIS .

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – A portion of the experimental farmland of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) will soon become the site of research to find the most efficient way to distribute irrigation water.

Under an agreement signed recently among the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) of the Philippines, the farmer association Pinag-Isang Damdamin ng mga Magsasaka ng Mabacan River Irrigation System, Inc. (PIDAMMARIS), and IRRI, the project will be looking at rice productivity and water use, sustainability of rice production systems, water quality, and the overall operations and management of a local irrigation system, with the goal of developing a model approach for other irrigation systems under NIA.

Philippine farmers learn about quality rice seed production and value of community-based seed systems at a partnership training

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Seed security means food security and the production and immediate dissemination of seeds to farmers is crucial to rice productivity.  To this end, a consortium that promotes agricultural development in Asia and a network of farmers' organizations in the Philippines formally established a partnership to address one of the challenges of rice production.

The Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE) and the Medium-Term Cooperation Programme with Farmers’ Organizations in Asia and the Pacific Phase 2 (AFOSP-MTCP2) organized the technical services and training for farmers on producing quality seeds of the most preferred, appropriate, and climate-change ready rice varieties. Around 20 farmers, farmer-leaders, and project partners from 10 provinces in the Philippines are attending the training on 4-7 April at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters.

The event aims to introduce seed health management techniques, crop management practices, and various technologies in a seed-to-seed production system. The concept of community-based seed systems was also covered.

“Ensuring food security entails making available seeds at the right time, right quality, and quantity of most suitable varieties,” said Dr. David Johnson, head of Crop and Environmental Sciences Division at IRRI.  “Community-based seed systems can be used for introducing new technological options to more farmers. It also provides the project team to identify strategies and activities that will support MTCP2 farmers as partners in policy formulation and provide services under rural development programs.”

Johnson also encouraged the participants to take an active role, share the knowledge they gain from the training, and build learning alliances.

CURE and MTCP2 are two grants implemented in the Philippines by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). CURE is a regional platform for partnerships among 26 research institutions from 10 countries in South and Southeast Asia. In collaboration with IRRI scientists and its research partners, CURE aims to benefit the 100 million farm households in Asia that are dependent on rice. MTCP2 is a network of farmers' organizations that aims to strengthen the roles and functions of farmers' organizations in policy processes and services to members, including the effective pro-poor services in actively participating in agriculture and rural development.

Dr. Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general for partnerships and communication, emphasized the importance of the partnership between MTCP2 and CURE in enhancing the delivery of new climate-smart technologies to target communities.

“This partnership as an important step in contributing to the objectives of IFAD's Country Strategic Opportunities Program and the new Philippine Development Plan toward poverty reduction,” said Mr. Jerry Pacturan, IFAD country program officer. "IRRI is an important partner of IFAD in contributing to food security and poverty reduction in the region."

“Connecting with networks of farmers' organizations is as important as developing new varieties since products of research should be need-based and acceptable to the target users in rural communities, “ explained Dr. Digna Manzanilla, the coordinator of CURE. “Through this significant partnership, more farmers can benefit from the new knowledge, management practices, and varieties that are generated by the projects that cater to the development needs of poor farmers and fragile rice ecosystems.”

Mr. Ferdie  Buenviaje, national coordinator and executive director of MTCP2, welcomed the partnership that links government and non-government organizations with farmers' network to strengthen their capacities in scaling up services and increasing their participation in agricultural development programs, as they continue to engage in policy fora for rural transformation.

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International food and agri conference focuses on innovative ways to ensure enough and safe food for all

Dr. Bruce Tolentino talks about IRRI's work and challenges faced in rice science at one of the plenary sessions of the International Conference on Food and Agriculture.

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—“We have reached the physical frontier for food production, so we must now stretch our imagination and use our knowledge in search of new frontiers that would help us find better, innovative ways to ensure that there is enough and safe food for all,” said Dr. Fortunato Dela Peña, secretary of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology, during the first International Conference on Food and Agriculture (ICFA).

ICFA, held at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture on 2-3 March, was convened to provide a platform for dialogue on issues, exploring options, and nurturing partnerships, especially on research collaboration. The conference was divided into these sub-themes: food security, poverty and development, climate change consequences on agricultural and food production systems, globalization and regional integration, human capital development, and innovation and technology. About 140 participants from different countries attended the conference, which centered on the theme Sharing Knowledge, Creating Solutions: Capacitating Stakeholders of Agriculture for Future Earth.

Dela Peña stressed the importance of research results being used to improve conditions for food and agriculture in developing countries with increasing population and the declining capacity of natural resources to sustain our basic industries.

Dr. Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general for communication and partnerships at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), explained the importance of research in making rice production sufficient, especially for the marginalized people. Tolentino cited IRRI’s research on improved rice varieties that can withstand drought, submergence, and salinity, among others.

“The poorest of the poor are benefiting the most from the newer discoveries,” he said. “Rice is the oldest food crop, which is eaten by 70% of the world’s poor. If you improve the crop, both in yield as well as in health, you’re helping a lot of poor people. If you look at the histories of countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and China, you’ll see that as the rice sectors bloomed, so did their economies.”

In addition to food security, Dr. Howarth Bouis, founding director of HarvestPlus and visiting fellow at IRRI, advocated reducing mineral and vitamin deficiencies through biofortification research and dissemination. Presently, more than 100 varieties of eight biofortified crops have passed agronomic tests of varietal release committees in 30 developing countries.

 “We have proven that biofortification works,” Bouis said. “Now the big job is dissemination and mainstreaming.”

Dr. Mohd Nordin Bin Hasan, professor emeritus of the Institute for Environment and Development at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and chair of the Regional Advisory Committee for Future Earth Asia, was the other keynote speaker at ICFA. Bin Hasan described Future Earth as the new international platform for research on global sustainability. It aims to promote and enhance the conduct of integrated research on challenges in global change and transformations to sustainability.

Future Earth was designed to respond to the need for a more nimble innovation system for global sustainability in the face of increasing rates of change and depletion of global resources, according to Dr. Bin Hasan.

More than 80 research results were presented during the 2-day conference. Among them was that of IRRI senior scientists David Johnson and Reiner Wassmann who discussed raising productivity and reducing risks in fragile rice environments in the face of climate change. They presented the concept of climate-smart agriculture that merges adaptation and mitigation into a comprehensive approach to help rice farmers cope with the changing climate. This includes adopting more resilient rice varieties and using alternate wetting and drying technology, a simple but effective means for conserving water and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30-70%.

ICFA was organized by the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics of the College of Economics and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños.

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Farmer welfare and consumer health are keys to rice sector development in the Asia-Pacific Region

Dr. Bruce Tolentino, IRRI deputy director general on communication and partnerships, 

leads the discussion during the rice working group panel of the 2017 Responsible Business Forum.

JAKARTA, Indonesia—More than 600 decision makers from public, private, and developmental sectors participated in the 4th Responsible Business Forum (RBF) on Food and Agriculture to establish innovative and collaborative approaches to food and nutrition security in the Asia-Pacific Region. Held on 13-15 March, this year’s theme is Securing Asia’s Food and Nutrition Future: Enhancing Access to Finance, Technology, Knowledge, and Markets.

“These twin objectives need to be met simultaneously in order to help both farmers as well as consumers,” said Dr. Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and chair of the panel on rice at the RBF. “For its part, IRRI is working on the science solutions to not only tackle improved rice yields but to also enhance rice nutrition and quality.”

Representatives of business, governments, international developmental agencies, and farmers attended the event and will produce actionable recommendations for increasing productivity through agricultural sustainability, product innovation for food safety and nutrition, and collaboration along the entire food chain.

The guests of honor and speakers at the 4th RBF included Indonesian Minister for National Development and Planning Bambang Brodjonegoro, Indonesian Land and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil, Permanent Secretary of Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation Tin Htut, and Philippine Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano.

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Los Baños municipal government receives two vehicles from IRRI

Perez (left) receives the deed of donation and the keys to the two vehicles from IRRI communication and partnerships chief Bruce Tolentino (right) as Vice Mayor Copie Alipon (center) looks on.

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Los Baños, the host community of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), received two vehicles donated by the institute.

“One of the vehicles will be used by the local police force,” said Los Baños Municipal Mayor Caesar Perez, who accepted the units on 17 January. “Currently, our police officers use only four vehicles. This can help with their daily operations.”  The other unit will replace the official service vehicle of the Mayor's office.

Since 2002, IRRI has donated about 20 vehicles to the Los Baños municipal government as a way of giving back to its host community, according to Lito Platon of the IRRI Partnerships Office.

In addition to the vehicle donations, IRRI conducts several community projects in Los Baños and Bay that have benefited scores of poor families and dependents. These include  computer donations to public schools, training on emergency response to natural disasters, information seminars and awareness campaigns to improve the quality of life of community residents, and various livelihood projects.

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Philippines and IRRI to strengthen joint program to push rice productivity

Laciste (left) makes sure that the Philippine rice program gets a head start in 2017 as rice is a priority for the Duterte administration. Also in photo: IRRI communication chief Tolentino (center) and Quilang of PhilRice (right).

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The newly appointed deputy director of the Philippines' National Rice Program emphasized the importance of collaboration in developing a national strategy for rice farming and uplifting the lives of Filipino farmers.

As a pro-active start to 2017, Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste of the Department of Agriculture (DA) visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on 5 January. Laciste is also the deputy director of the DA’s National Rice Program that integrates government initiatives and interventions for the agriculture sector.

At IRRI, Laciste was briefed on the various collaborative research projects implemented jointly by IRRI and the Philippines Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in support of the National Rice Program.

The projects include:

1. Rice Crop Manager, a web-based decision support tool for precision farming;
2. Philippine Rice Information System, a satellite-based rice forecasting and monitoring system 
3. Green Super Rice, climate-smart varieties developed under the Next Generation project, and hybrid rice; 
4. Heirloom Rice Project; 
5. WateRice project, an irrigation management tool; 
6. Mechanized seeding and improved postharvest storage systems such as the solar bubble dryer; 
7. Project IPaD and IRRI Education that build a new base of community extension officers

"We have plenty of work to do pertaining to rice," Laciste said. "We would be very dependent on IRRI and PhilRice in terms of formulating our program."

To be more competitive farmers must produce at least 7 tons of rice per hectare at PHP 7.00 per kilogram, according to a fact sheet published from a benchmarking study of an ongoing DA and IRRI partnership project.

“This is already possible,” said Dr. Jimmy Quilang, deputy executive director of PhilRice. He explained that in their Palayabangan (“rice and pride”) challenge, one farmer produced 10 tons of rice in a hectare at only PHP 5.00 per kilogram.

"With the technologies that we have developed with IRRI, we already have ways to really make Filipino farmers more competitive,” Quilang said.

A retired police officer, Laciste studied at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 1975.

"I took up agribusiness, so agriculture is very close to my heart,” he said. “I look forward to a continued and fruitful collaboration with IRRI and PhilRice to help our rice farmers meet their production targets and also address their production gaps.”

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IT-literacy skills for local out-of-school youth boosted by IRRI's computer donation

Mayor Perez of Los Banos (center) explains how the computers donated by IRRI will help PESO strengthen
its computer literacy and computer systems servicing courses for out-of-school youths in the municipalities of
Los Banos and Bay. Also in photo: IRRI communication chief Bruce Tolentino (left)
and Glescy Trinidad of PESO (right).

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The local community Public Employment Service Office (PESO) has received 10 computers from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to support its employment training programs in computer literacy and computer systems servicing.  The program serves out-of-school youth from Los Baños and Bay towns, IRRI's host communities.

Caesar Perez, mayor of Los Baños, is quite proud of PESO's work.  PESO provides employability skills and livelihood training to individuals from the disadvantaged sectors of the community. This helps them to increase their employment opportunities and contribute to the town’s economic growth.

"Our graduates learn plenty of skills," shares Ms. Glescy Trinidad of PESO. “They are all government-certified so they're very in demand. In fact, we have two graduates who are employed as electricians at IRRI. We also have a lot of graduates who are working overseas.”

In 2015, about 300 people graduated from the program.  The graduates come from Nagcarlan, Lumban, Sta. Rosa, Pila, Victoria, Calamba as well as from IRRI’s host communities of Los Baños and Bay.

PESO conducts the training with support from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). A National Certificate is given to those who have finished a course or pass the TESDA assessment after completing their skills training. The program is supported by the One Meralco Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Meralco company.

“IRRI started working with the One Meralco Foundation, the municipalities of Bay and Los Baños, PESO, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority as part of its CSR initiative in 2009,”  said Dr. Bruce Tolentino, head of communication and partnerships at IRRI.

"Before, we conducted community livelihood projects with the barangays ourselves, but it was unsustainable," recalled Mr. Lito Platon of IRRI's partnerships office. "Now, it's more sustainable because different partners are uniquely contributing to the project. For example, IRRI coordinates the activities, One Meralco Foundation provides the funds, while  PESO and TESDA train, certify the graduates, and make sure they find jobs. So this is really a partnership with a purpose."

Aside from computer literacy and computer systems servicing, PESO provides courses in massage and reflexology, massage therapy, beauty care, electrical wiring, bread and pastry, garments or dressmaking, and motorcycle repair. Next year, PESO aims to add an automotive course.    

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IRRI Director General enjoins ASEAN states to invest in science for global food security

IRRI file photo

SINGAPORE, 6 October—“It is imperative for the ASEAN nations to invest in scientific research to ensure the improved productivity, quality, health, and resilience of Asia’s rice sector, and strengthen global food security.” This was the call issued by Matthew Morell, director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). 

Morell (photo above) addressed the preparatory meetings of the Senior Officials of the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF), as well as the AMAF+3, in meetings in Singapore, 3-7 October. Senior officials from the ASEAN 10 countries - Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as the “Plus 3” countries - China, Japan, and South Korea, participated in the meeting.

Morell presented IRRI’s proposal to establish the ASEAN Genetics and Rice Breeding Platform, a regional program and mechanism that will allow the ASEAN+3 countries to conduct collaborative research. Through this platform, the countries could work together to develop and share improved rice germplasm that could help their respective rice sectors cope with rising demand for rice as well as demand for safe, high-quality production.

“Climate change is expected to significantly lower grain yields and raise the price of rice across the developing world,” Morell added. “That and the combined impact of rapid population growth, diminishing  natural resources, and increasing demand for land for non-farming uses make new technology innovation for agricultural production all the more urgent.” 

Advances in basic science require significant and stable investments by governments in research for public goods.  Traditionally, investments in rice research have been made by Western countries, even though the rice-growing countries of Asia, especially China and India, have largely benefited from the research. 

During his time there, Morell and Bruce Tolentino, IRRI deputy director general, also had a series of bilateral meetings with the ASEAN Secretariat and the delegations from Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and South Korea.

The feedback from the meetings was highly positive, reconfirming the threat climate change poses to future food and nutritional security. It acknowledges the role of science in finding solutions as well as the importance of rice germplasm exchange and breeding programs to the region. In consultation with the ASEAN+3 countries, IRRI will be working on the development of a road map for the ASEAN Rice Germplasm and Genetics Platform.

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IBM and U.S. Peace Corps work with IRRI to strengthen its technical capacities

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—IBM and U.S. Peace Corps volunteers recently worked hand-in-hand with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to further strengthen the institute’s effectiveness in securing global food security. Their recommendations for achieving the improvements were presented at the closing rites of IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program at IRRI headquarters on 21 July.

The 15 CSC volunteers from the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, Slovakia, Italy, Spain, Mexico, the Netherlands, and India arrived in June to collaborate with their counterparts at IRRI in developing blueprints for four different sectors.  A parallel program was also conducted at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).

The teams at IRRI presented strategic plans for transitioning the institute’s library resources into a virtual, fully digitized, and network-based facility; providing data storage and computing infrastructure to meet the institute's processing needs; developing a “one-stop shop” where IRRI staff members could update country dossiers using existing resources with minimal manual input; and transforming IRRI's Training Center into a world-class Rice Science Academy (IRRI RSA).

“As global scientists, we here at IRRI often think that we are the only ones who can solve the problems,” said Bruce Tolentino, IRRI deputy director general for communication and partnerships. “But that’s not the case. IRRI requires a lot of collaboration and a lot of potent, fresh minds to solve the problems. Working with them has been a valuable experience.”

Corinta Guerta, IRRI director for external relations, agreed. “IRRI and IBM have been interacting with each other since the late 1970’s,” she said. “But this is the first time we’ve worked with them under their CSC program. We’re very fortunate that we were selected.”

“At the beginning, we thought that this would be quite risky,” Dr. Tolentino said. “Why bring in a set of people who don’t know anything about rice research to solve our problems? But it turned out to be good.”

“The CSC teams approached some of our challenges using tools they had and provided potential solutions,” he added. ”If you try to value the amount of time the team spent at IRRI and translated it monetarily—it’s a huge amount and we need to see it for that value. We hope that it pays off for all of us here.”

CSC is IBM’s pro bono consulting program, which was created in 2008 to help solve some of the most challenging problems in communities around the world while providing top-performing IBM employees with unique leadership development. IBM’s CSC at IRRI and SEARCA was conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Peace Corps and PYXERA Global.

“I do want it to demonstrate how serious IBM’s commitment is to social responsibility,” said Richard Chang, one of the CSC members. “We were chosen from thousands of volunteers but we also chose this because we wanted to give back.”

(This news item was written by Dan Christian M. Marinay, IRRI intern.)

Photos

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IRRI commemorates 118th Philippine Independence Day

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—In commemoration of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) held a flag-raising ceremony and hosted a breakfast reception for its staff on 10 June. This year’s theme was Kalayaan 2016: Pagkakaisa, Pag-aambagan, Pagsulong (Unite, Participate, Progress). The Philippines declared independence from Spain on 12 June 1898.

The flag-raising ceremony (photo) was led by the Security and Safety Services group and research staff members Rolly Torres, Olivyn Angeles, Menard dela Rosa, and Sheila Ann Edith France.

Noting that elections in the Philippines were held recently, Dr. Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general for communication and partnerships, said, “It is time to focus on our work and contribute to the continued improvement of the welfare of all peoples.  If we do our jobs well, then families can get the nutrition that they need to have a happy and healthy life.” He added that there is a direct connection between our good performance and the health of the Filipino family, the welfare of all farmers, and the strength of the nation. Let us keep that in mind to inspire us as we go forward."

Highlights of the celebration were a Filipiniana musical number performed by the Paciano Elementary School Dance troupe (photo at right) and a colorful parade of national costumes in which representatives from IRRI's organizational units vied for prizes for their attires. The top prize was awarded to Joanne Jerenice Anonuevo and Conrado Duenas (photo at left) of the Grain Quality and Nutrition Center and Crop and Environmental Sciences Division respectively. Roscel Dimapilis and Peter Belen of the Finance Unit bagged second prize. Joyce Maningas, Christian Guerta, Reycean Ballesteros, and Melirene Nora from the Supply Chain Services won the third prize.

Dr. Jacqueline Hughes, deputy director general for research, Dr. Bas Bouman, director of Global Rice Science Partnership, and Ms. Corinta Guerta, director for external relations also graced the event. The celebration ended with a Filipino breakfast at Kari’s Garden.

The Independence Day celebration was organized by the IRRI Filipino Scientists Association,
Association of IRRI Research Support Services, Society of IRRI Non-Research Professionals, and the Association of IRRI Secretaries and Administrative Staff.

(This article was written by Lem Rosellon, IRRI). 

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Thai Rice Department and IRRI intensify joint R&D program

Anan Suwannarat, director general of the Thai Rice Department, and his group are on a visit at IRRI
headquarters to check out the work being done and discuss with scientists the implementation of new
research programs for Thailand. Showing the group around the experimental plots is Yoichiro Kato,
IRRI scientist. (Photo by IRRI Images/Gani Serrano)

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Royal Government of Thailand is set to strengthen research and development ties with the International Rice Research Institute. The director general and senior officers of the Thai Rice Department (TRD) are at IRRI headquarters today (4 April) to further flesh out the collaboration with scientists.

NFA and IRRI sign agreement to fast-track importation of rice varieties for research purposes

Quezon City, Philippines –  The National Food Authority (NFA) will soon grant a single certification, instead of multiple transport permits, for all rice varieties that will be brought into the country by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for purposes of experimentation and research.

The two agencies signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on 14 December 2015 at the NFA Central Office in Quezon City.

ADB and IRRI to strengthen partnership on shared food security goals

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are set on bringing their 40-year partnership to a new level.

“It is a good idea to formalize our partnership,” said ADB President Takehiko Nakao, who was at IRRI yesterday (17 December 2015) with members of the bank’s leadership to visit experimental sites and discuss with IRRI management and scientists collaboration on agricultural development and food security across Asia.

ADB and IRRI have worked together since 1975, with ADB financing 33 projects involving USD 26 million in grants for research, capacity building, and infrastructure development.

IRRI donates vehicle to PHSA

The International Rice Research Institute turned over an AUV to the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) on 1 December 2015. Representing the two organizations during the vehicle turnover were Bruce Tolentino, IRRI Deputy Director General and Vim Nadera, director of PHSA.

With PSHA’s various projects, programs, and activities, including performances and outreach to different parts of the country, this car donation will contribute to the school’s transportation needs.

The Philippine High School for the Arts is a government-run secondary school for artistically gifted and talented individuals. It was founded on 11 June 1977 and established by Presidential Decree (PD) 1287 on 20 January 1978. It is located at the National Arts Center (NAC), Los Baños, Laguna, and is presently under the Department of Education (DepEd).

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Regional cooperation and ‘correct’ pricing key to sustainable rice production

HANOI, Vietnam - Mainstreaming good practices, finding the ‘right price’ of rice, and working together as a region are crucial to making rice production sustainable.

These are key points resulting from the discussion of global experts and stakeholders convened as the rice working group during the recently concluded 2nd Responsible Business Forum for Food and Agriculture held in the Vietnamese capital.

Proactive regional cooperation in agriculture, especially for rice—the region’s most important crop staple—becomes even more crucial with the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community.

IRRI Filipino scientists' group meets with new communications and partnerships head

The leaders of the IRRI Filipino Scientists Association, Inc. (IFSA) met with V. Bruce J. Tolentino, IRRI's new deputy director general for communications and partnerships, on 17 July 2012 to formally introduce the organization and its goals.

The members of IFSA's board of directors who met with Dr. Tolentino were led by Dennis Tuyogon, IFSA president. They were delighted to hear positive feedback from Dr. Tolentino, but were also keen on learning more ways in which they could continue to help Filipino scientists through the DDG-CP, such as improving the working environment and career path of IFSA members.

The meeting is one of several regular meetings in which IFSA, representing IRRI's nationally recruited research employees, dialogues with the DDGs about the group's role in fulfilling IRRI’s goals and issues affecting Filipino scientists at IRRI.