Asia & Africa: Improving skills on technology transfer systems

Participants during one of their field trips during the 2-week technology transfer workshop.

Jerome Cayton Barradas facilitates the discussion on the use of ICTs in communicating agricultural information.

It is important to develop the capacities of Asian and African countries for effective knowledge dissemination and technology transfer, according to Peter Brothers, head of IRRI Education. To help achieve this, IRRI Education, the Rural Development Administration (RDA) of the Republic of Korea, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) facilitated a training workshop on technology transfer systems in Asia, 26 June-7 July, at the International Technology Cooperation Center, RDA Headquarters, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.

Twenty-three participants from Cambodia, Côte D’Ivoire, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam joined the 2-week course, which focused on rice production technologies for breeding, pest management, post-production, and developing successful rice-extension linkages.

The workshop also involved developing an understanding of the skills needed by modern rural extension agents including an appreciation of the benefits of information and communication technologies. At the end of the workshop, the trainees created and  presented work plans that they intend to implement in their countries.

During the closing program, Chhourn Orn, a participant from Cambodia, thanked RDA and IRRI for organizing the workshop. “After being introduced to new technologies, we can now deal with problems and issues when we go back home”, he added. In addition, Ngozika Fanny Okorie, a trainee from Nigeria, said that the workshop has been very informative and helpful and that she looks forward to carrying and sharing these with others upon her return home.

“In 2017, the workshop accepted trainees from African countries for the first time as a means of expanding the program’s reach,” said Dr. Brothers. FAO supported the attendance of the participants from Africa. Since its initial offering in 2002, the training workshop has produced almost 300 graduates from 15 countries in Asia and now Africa as well.

This year’s workshop was designed and facilitated by Maria Socorro Arboleda (IRRI Education) with Dr. Brothers, Carlito Balingbing (Crop and Environmental Sciences Division), and Jerome Cayton Barradas (Integrative Impact Division).

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PhilRice, IRRI host training to help improve productivity of African rice farmers

Engr. Eugene Castro of IRRI Education welcomes the participants from Africa and the Philippines 
to the rice seed production training at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station.

MUÑOZ, Philippines—The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Central Experiment Station in Nueva Ecija is currently hosting a training designed to provide participants with knowledge and skills in rice seed production and the promotion of quality seed among African farmers.

The specialized course on rice seed production and extension methods, a collaborative initiative of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its Philippine research partner PhilRice, runs from 6 March to 28 April. The course covers land and seedling preparation, planting, field problem diagnosis, harvesting, and postharvest practices. Extension methods and technology transfer strategies promoting the use of quality seeds will also be a key component of the program.  From 9 to 16 April, the participants will be at the IRRI headquarters in Laguna for some supplementary field, laboratory, and classroom activities.

There are 19 participants from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda attending the 8-week course. The participants were selected based on the work they do in their respective countries’ agricultural research institutions and public extension programs. Others represent non-government organizations, universities, and the private sector. In addition, 10 participants from the Philippine Department of Agriculture are also attending.

The training program is one of the activities under the Extension Capacity Development for Rice Food Security in Africa Project, which is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. This project stands alongside the rice value chain improvement initiatives of different members of the Coalition of African Rice Development and aims to contribute to the fulfillment of the respective national rice development strategies of its member countries.

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Asian agriculture experts attend 14th annual rice technology transfer workshop in Korea

JEONJU, Korea— Eighteen agriculture experts from 10 Asian countries attended the annual  workshop on the effective transfer of rice production technologies from sources to target users, 19 June to 2 July. 

The first of its kind in Asia when initially held in 2002, the 14th annual Rice Technology Transfer System (RTTS) workshop showcased South Korea’s latest rice technology systems and agricultural linkages. The workshop shared rice farming knowledge that the participating Asian countries could use. The RTTS participants were scientific officers, technical officers, researchers, public officials, extension workers, instructors, and agricultural research officers. It was conducted in collaboration between the Training Center of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Technology Cooperation Center of Korea's Rural Development Administration (RDA).

For the last 14 years, RDA and IRRI have been training farmers and extension workers for farm technologies to be transferred from the source to the end users. Since 2002. 130 practitioners from 17 Asian countries have attended the two-week course. Trainees have been exposed to contemporary rice technology issues and have developed their capacity to critically analyze the components of successful research-extension linkages. With courses conducted in Korea, trainees have had the opportunity to observe first-hand and apply what they have learned directly in their respective countries.

Resource persons for this year’s workshop were Maria Socorro S. Arboleda, senior training specialist at the IRRI Training Center, and Poornima Ravi Shankar, senior specialist at IRRI's Knowledge Management and Outreach Impact Acceleration Unit.

Countries represented were Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam

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Rice Doctor for Bangladesh now being developed

Participants from IRRI and BRRI working on the Rice Doctor for Bangladesh.

Los Baños, Laguna – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in partnership with the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), has started developing the Rice Doctor for Bangladesh in a workshop held on 16-18 December 2015 at the IRRI Training Center.

The main goal of the workshop was to prepare the initial structure and plans for a version of the Rice Doctor that would specifically cater to crop problems experienced in Bangladesh. Later on, the product would be translated to the local language, Bengali.

Trainees learn the basics of scientific writing and rice production

The IRRI Training Center, in collaboration with Project IPaD, conducted the Basic Scientific Writing Course (BSWC) on 16-20 November and the Basics of Rice Production Course (BRPC) on 25-27 November 2015 at the IRRI headquarters.

The BSWC is a five-day course intended to help scientists and researchers develop their skills in written communication, making them more effective in sharing knowledge and research results in the future. The course was attended by 17 scientists and researchers from IRRI, the Department of Agriculture, and the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The BSWC was facilitated by Ms. Teresita Rola and Ms. Majilene Marikit and coordinated by Ms. Maria Socorro Arboleda.

On the other hand, the BRPC is a three-day orientation on the whole process of rice production, from seed processing to postharvest management. The course is designed to update participants’ knowledge and skills on best practices and technologies associated in rice farming. This course gives participants a chance to get their feet wet in the mud, providing hands-on experience of actual field preparations. The course was attended by 25 young researchers from different Department of Agriculture offices throughout the Philippines. They were all supported by Project IPaD. The course was coordinated and facilitated by Engr. Eugene Castro, Jr., (see photo below) with Ms. Majilene Marikit as co-facilitator.

Project IPaD (Improving Technology Promotion and Delivery Project) is jointly led by PhilRice, the DA-Agricultural Training Institute, and IRRI. It aims to improve rice technology promotion and delivery by enhancing the capability of the next generation of extension professionals and other knowledge intermediaries. Project IPaD supported 12 participants for the BSWC and 25 participants for the BRPC.

Rice production, writing, and communication skills courses are scheduled to be offered again in 2016 at the IRRI Training Center.

For training dates and other information, please visit http://www.training.irri.org/short-courses/2016-list-of-short-courses. 

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Participants from Asian countries attend training on ecological management of rice pests

Participants were taught techniques on how and where to set up rodent traps along the grassy area of the lowland rice plots at IRRI, Los Baños. 

Los Baños, Laguna -- A two-week training course on the ecological management of rodents, insects, and weeds in agro-ecosystems is being held at IRRI headquarters on 2-13 November.

Thirty participants from the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam attended the training to gain and apply their knowledge of the ecology of rice pests for better rice farm management at a landscape level. They were trained in using decision tools to analyze pest problems and determine processes and factors that influence farmers’ decisions;  applying field protocols for monitoring insects, rodent and weeds; simple computer models; and the principles for effective transfer of knowledge to  extension officers, policymakers, and farmers.

120 extension professionals trained to use ICT tools for rice farming

Agricultural extension workers (AEWs) who help in the delivery of research results to farmers were trained to use different knowledge resources in rice farming in a seminar held at the Provincial Capitol of La Union, San Fernando City on 3 November 2015.

IRRI Training Center’s Lauro Atienza gave a presentation on the Rice Knowledge Bank (RKB) and Rice Doctor (RD). RKB is an online source of information on rice farming, from pre-planting to post-production. Rice Doctor is a diagnostic tool on crop problems, pests, and diseases. Both of these tools are available online through www.knowledgebank.irri.org and ricedoctor.irri.org. They also have offline versions that can be downloaded through the Google Play Store.

In the seminar, representatives from the Department of Agriculture and from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) also presented other tools such as the Pinoy Rice Knowledge Bank, MOET App, PhilRice Text Center, and the Rice Crop Manager.

The seminar was attended by around 80 AEWs from different cities and municipalities of the province of La Union. It was organized by graduates of the first batch of the AgriDOC (Agricultural Development Officers of the Community) training given by the IPaD Project.

In addition, a group of 40 farmer technicians and extension workers from the province of Davao were also introduced to the RKB and RD during their visit to IRRI also on 3 November. Jerome Barradas of IRRI’s Training Center led the presentation and discussion.

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Local farmer technicians oriented with different ICT tools for rice

Farmer technicians, who play a big role as extension intermediaries, were introduced to different resources and tools in a recently concluded national convention for local farmer technicians (LFTs) at the Crown Regency Hotel, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, on 27-28 October 2015.

One of the tools presented to more than 1,300 LFTs was the Rice Doctor, a diagnostic tool on crop problems, pests, and diseases. Jerome Barradas and Majilene Marikit of IRRI’s Training Center introduced the Rice Doctor and led a step-by-step discussion on how it is used, including its features. One of those presented was the “reporting feature”, which was part of the tool’s latest software update.

The IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank, PhilRice’s Pinoy Rice Knowledge Bank, MOET App, Text Center, and the Rice Crop Manager were also presented during the two-day conference.

For more information on the Rice Doctor and other ICT materials, please send an e-mail to rkb@irri.org.


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New Rice Production Manual released by IRRI

IRRI has always been committed to nurturing the environment for a new generation of rice extension professionals through technical knowledge coupled with practical competency. With this in mind, IRRI has developed the Rice Production Manual. This first edition has seven modules that contain a total of 25 lessons, which provides a framework and a guide for upgrading the knowledge and skills of field extension agents from national systems, the private sector, and civil society organizations. This publication is also intended to be a practical guide for daily use in field work and training not only of extension professionals, but also of young men and women farmers, young researchers, research technicians, rice practitioners, and students.

Joe Rickman, senior engineer and agronomist, led the development of this manual, drawing from his extensive experience in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Wherever Joe has worked, he has given a high priority to practical training with sound technical and market understanding. Joe’s contributions have formed the bulk of the publication, whereas numerous others have added to sections or contributed to its editing and print design.

More training manuals for field-oriented professionals are expected in the future, such as in-depth or advanced modules on postharvest, seed production and management, and so on. IRRI is already working on these practical guides to support competency for safe and skilled use of farm machinery. This is a practical series and is anticipated to be available for e-learning in the future.

For more information, contact Jason Beebout through IRRITraining@irri.org.

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