Experts chart future pathways for the rice straw market in Vietnam

Rice experts gathered to chart future pathways for the rice straw market. The IRRI -BMZ rice straw project is investigating
 ways to find new market outlets and developing value chains for rice straw.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Upgrading rice value chains to make them more sustainable involves identifying new markets for the byproducts that are generated along the way. Technological upgrading in rice farming, for example, can bring in new challenges. While mechanized rice harvesting eliminates the back-breaking work of traditional harvesting, accomplishing it in a shorter time leaves even more straw to dispose of. Instead of burning the straw, developing a value chain for the straw itself can be achieved by finding new market outlets for the byproduct.

In Indonesia: Laser leveling of farmland steps up agricultural production

Participants in the laser leveling demonstration learn the basic principles of the technology and how to operate the equipment. IRRI’s CORIGAP project supports capacity building of NARES partners and other rice-farming sectors, such as youth, to accelerate adoption of best management practices that will support Indonesia’s national goal to achieve rice self–sufficiency.

The swampy land areas of South Sumatera, Palembang are poised to become the next rice granary in Indonesia. Recently, to step up the region’s agricultural productivity, local extension professionals, farmers, and students were trained on the use of laser-assisted land leveling and tractor driving in Palembang.

Experts find solutions for rice straw

IRRI's BMZ-funded project on sustainable rice straw management conducted its 

First Annual Review and Planning Meeting in Tien Giang province, Vietnam.

TIEN GIANG, Vietnam - Intensifying rice production has been increasingly dependent on machines to speed up the work, such as for harvesting. But what to do about the rice straw that remains in the field?

In the old days, rice straw was commonly burned to prepare the field for the next cropping, but the practice has been found to harm the air and environment and is thus no longer encouraged. There are also those who think that rice straw can actually have economic value.

Philippine agriculture professionals learn to use laser-guided land leveling for improving rice production

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Agricultural technicians and engineers from selected regional field units of the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) participated in a course on laser-guided land leveling (photo). It is a climate-smart farming technology that can reduce water use and boost rice productivity.

The training consisted of lectures, intensive hands-on activities, and field exercises on conducting topographic field surveys and operating a laser-guided land leveling system. A separate module on tractor driving and operation was also provided to ensure that participants will be able to drive and operate a four-wheel tractor, one of the most important components in the laser-leveling system.

In unleveled rice fields, farmers spend three times more water than needed. There is also a 5-10% yield reduction due to uneven maturing of plants and an increased weed population. A flat surface ensures water reaches every part of the field and reduces waste from water-logging and run-off. Laser leveling is much more effective and faster at ensuring a flat, even surface than traditional land leveling.

“In Davao, farmers level their fields manually using a board," said Shynettee Clide Peralta, an agriculturist from Region 11 and focal person of the farm mechanization initiatives of the office. "I thought the practice was good enough. However, in 2013, the DA purchased several laser-leveling units, which I was not very confident to use. This training has helped me become confident in using the technology. We can now transfer the proper use of this technology in the five provinces of our region.”

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has been using laser-guided land leveling since the 1990s, according to Martin Gummert, senior scientist at IRRI’s Postharvest Development Unit. “I am quite happy that the Philippines is now interested in laser leveling technology,” Gummert said. “In India, many poor farmers are benefiting from the technology. Laser leveling is a cost-saving technology, which offers a lot of benefits compared with traditional land leveling.”

According to a recent study on the impact of laser-guided land leveling in rice-wheat systems in Haryana and Punjab states of northern India, an additional annual production of 699 million kg of rice and 987 million kg of wheat, valued at an extra USD385 million per year, can be achieved if half of the area planted to the rice-wheat rotation were laser-leveled. The study concluded that farmers can earn around an additional USD145 per hectare annually from water and energy savings. The study was conducted by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, the Borlaug Institute for South Asia, and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security.

However, Gummert emphasized that acquiring the laser-leveling technology is just the first step. “If you have any influence in purchasing, buy the right equipment from a good supplier with adequate after-sale service,” he advised. “We have seen many cases where laser-leveling equipment was not used because no after sales services or training were provided.”

The laser-leveling training course was conducted on 31 May to 3 June by the IRRI Postharvest and Mechanization Unit in cooperation with the Rice Science Academy and with support from the project, Closing rice yield gaps in Asia with reduced environmental footprint. The course, offered twice annually, was facilitated by Carlito Balingbing, senior associate scientist; Eugene Castro, senior manager; and Joseph Sandro, assistant scientist.

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Innovative technologies turn rice straw from waste into productive uses

CAN THO CITY, Vietnam—Farmers were able to see firsthand the latest technologies that turn rice straw from waste into a useful and renewable resource during a field demonstration at Cuu Long Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) on 1 March.

Although the use of combine harvesters has been a game changer in rice productivity, it leaves behind enormous amounts of rice straw especially in fields using intensive cropping systems. Each year, about 26 million tons of rice straw are left in the vast areas of Can Tho after combine harvesting. Most farmers burn the straw because it is the easiest and quickest method of disposal so that the field can quickly be prepared for planting the next crop.

To give farmers better disposal options, the Postharvest group at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), through the Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia (CORIGAP) project, initiated a farm demonstration featuring technologies for gathering rice straw for productive uses. The event was conducted in collaboration with Nong Lam University and the Vietnam National Extension Center.

 “We are pleased to see the progress of mechanized rice production in Vietnam,” said Professor Nguyen Hong Son, director of CLRRI. “This initiative that IRRI started also resonates with our vision to make rice farming environmentally sustainable while helping more farmers.”

Through the demonstration, participants learned more about straw balers, which are machines that collect rice straw scattered across the field. They were able to observe the performance of three locally-manufactured balers and one imported brand. They saw how much straw each baler can collect and how many laborers each baler requires.

A multisectoral forum about rice straw management initiatives in the Mekong Delta was held the next day (2 March). It was locally organized by Vietnam’s National Extension Center led by its director, Phan Huy Thong.

The aim was to discuss how research breakthroughs and extension efforts on rice straw technologies can be improved. The forum attracted extension staff from more than 30 provincial branches of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and extension centers in Vietnam. Representatives from IRRI, private institutions, academe, and research institutes in Cambodia, Germany, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia also attended the forum.

Another group attending the forum represented the private sector including local manufacturers, feedstock company owners, and farmers. Members of this sector saw potential areas for improvement being mushroom production technologies, feedstock, organic fertilizer, and equipment subsidies.

According to Thong, the forum is in line with the country’s policy direction on the elimination of rice straw burning in the field.

CORIGAP initiated the rice straw collection business model in 2013, which has led to more rice straw-related activities and the establishment of a rice straw management Learning Alliance in Vietnam.

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External reviewer lauds CORIGAP's transdisciplinary approach

Los Baños, Laguna – An external review of CORIGAP—a project working on closing rice yield gaps through environmentally sustainable means—evaluated the key outcomes and the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of its research and collaboration in six Southeast Asian countries during the first 3 years of implementation.

According to Ian Willet, one of the evaluators and an expert in soil, water, and agricultural development, “The transdisciplinary approach of the project was very well executed. It is important to keep an eye on targets, and we will later discuss how to fine tune and suggest ways of doing things.”

The first phase assessment of CORIGAP (Closing rice yield gaps in Asia with reduced environmental footprint) was commissioned by IRRI’s office of the Deputy Director General for Research. Specifically, the review focused on progress made in developing best management practices that increase yield and productivity using less input, while reducing the environmental footprint of rice production.

The project is implemented in six major rice-growing countries—China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, and is aimed at ensuring food security and gender equity, and alleviating poverty through optimized productivity and environmental sustainability of irrigated rice production systems.

The external reviewers, composed of Willet, and Karen Barroga, a development communication expert, met with key CORIGAP researchers and scientists to (1) assess the key outputs and future direction of the CORIGAP project; (2) identify areas to strengthen, modify, and refocus activities and outputs; (3) assess relevance and quality of research and extension approaches of the project; and, (4) review the effectiveness of collaboration for sustaining research and extension partnerships in the countries. 

Grant Singleton, CORIGAP coordinator, provided an overview of the multi-disciplinary project that focuses on sustainable intensification of rice production in major rice bowls in the six Asian countries. He highlighted effective partnerships with national agencies and an active advisory committee, which ensures that the CORIGAP research is well aligned with national rice program initiatives.  He also reported on strong progress in building the capacity of the next generation of rice scientists.

“I am delighted to see the progress of how CORIGAP took off from the initiatives of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium,” Barroga said. “The new research fields made the work more interesting and integrative. The challenge is to communicate the research outcomes well, considering the complexity of the project,” she added.

Aside from providing country progress reports, CORIGAP scientists discussed progress of research on ecological indicators (Sarah Beebout), field calculators (Ando Radanielson), biodiversity (Buyung Hadi), postharvest (Martin Gummert), women in rice farming (Pieter Rutsaert), yield gaps (Alex Stuart), entry points for sustainability and value chains (Matty Demont), and learning alliances and communication (Reianne Quilloy).

After the progress reports and field visits, reviewers will assess the current setup of CORIGAP and, if a second phase is warranted, will give recommendations on the direction of the next phase. The project’s second phase is expected to commence in 2017 and run for 4 years. 

CORIGAP began in January 2013 and the first phase of this USD5.2 million-project funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation concludes in December 2016.

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30 participants from 7 countries complete training on ecological management of rice pests

Participants learned how to identify the types of weeds and how to effectively manage them. 

Participants have expressed their enthusiasm for applying their newly gained knowledge on the ecological management of some of the most destructive pests that Asian rice farmers face.

Thirty participants from the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam underwent intensive two-week training on the management of rodents, insects, and weeds in rice- based farming system at IRRI Headquarters on 2-13 November. The activities included lectures on the principles of integrated and sustainable management of insects, weeds, and rodents. Guided by IRRI’s pool of experts, participants identified common rice insect pests and their natural enemies, and conducted weed identification and screenhouse trials. They also had a participatory half-day session on population modeling.

“This training is very useful for my job as a researcher,” Ruwanthi Mandanayake shared. “In Sri Lanka, the Rice Research Development Institute is actively promoting sustainably produced agricultural crops, like rice. I have learned about practical management of rodent population, which I found very interesting.”

Budi Raharjo, postharvest and mechanization researcher at the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology (AIAT) in South Sumatra, Indonesia, said he gained a deeper appreciation and understanding about better pest management approaches that could help Indonesia produce environmentally sustainable rice. “The training furnished me with new knowledge on managing pests in tidal swamps in Indonesia, like South Sumatra,” Rhajaro said.  “The principles also complement the Integrated Crop Management promoted in Indonesia. This will ensure that we, in the AIAT, can provide up-to-date recommendations of best management practices in rice production to the farmers.”  

For Arriz Cabigting, a rice technician from the Philippines, the course gave him a new perspective on pest control.  “The ecological approach helped broaden my knowledge in increasing biodiversity in rice fields, while managing the pests in farmers’ field in an environmentally sustainable way.”

Aung Myo Thant, IRRI assistant scientist in Myanmar, shared his thoughts on how the course will help ramp up sustainable farming in Myanmar. “This course taught us that you don’t need to spray a lot of chemicals to control insects, weeds or rodents. Using the right technique at the right growth stage of rice is more effective than spraying a huge amount of chemicals to control pest population.”

“Understanding the nature of the pests and the ecosystem surrounding it is important before you apply your measure of control,” said Grant Singleton, training organizer and project leader of Closing Rice Yield Gaps with Reduced Environmental Footprint (CORIGAP). “The participants will go back to their countries armed with sound pest management techniques and tools to facilitate collective action from the farming community.  Through this course, we hope that they would help their respective countries promote rice production that is both economically and ecologically sustainable.”

The CORIGAP project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the IRRI Training Center organized the training. IRRI’s partner agencies including the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development and the Philippine Department of Agriculture through its Food Staples Sufficiency Program, also provided financial support for the short-term course.

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CORIGAP conducts workshop on measuring ecological indicators for sustainable rice production

The Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia with Reduced Environmental Footprint (CORIGAP) project conducted a two-day workshop on measuring ecological indicators and using the field calculator on 8-9 October 2015. IRRI scientists, led by Sarah Beebout, and key partners from China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam gathered together to discuss how to calculate 12 core environmental indicators from farmer field data collected from CORIGAP project sites.

 “One of the very important parts of CORIGAP is looking at the environment and examining whether we can measure ecological impact to see where we could make cropping systems more sustainable from an ecological perspective,“ Grant Singleton, CORIGAP project leader, said.

He lauded the continuing efforts of the project team in providing substantial input into creating indicators that will complement the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP). “If we get better measures, we can deliver key messages to policy makers so they can be the key people to take this initiative further,” he added.

“The vision is to build sound recommendations for sustainable practices in different countries for each planting season,” Sarah Beebout, lead scientist for the work on ecological indicators, explained. “For example, if a farmer uses low-carbon technology, does the nitrogen-use efficiency improve?”

Aside from ecological indicators, the participants were also taught how to use the field calculator, a tool to assess sustainability using the ecological indicators themselves. The participants brainstormed on how to use the field calculator further and who else might be its potential users.



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