Indian prime minister says modern technology could double farmers’ income by 2022

NEW DELHI,  India—Modern agricultural technology and modernization could help double the current incomes of farmers within six years, according to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He expressed this possibility during the inauguration of the Krishi Unnati Mela agriculture fair and exhibition, held 19-21 March at Pusa, New Delhi.

“The next revolution in Indian agriculture has to be built on technology and modernization,” Modi emphasized. He also gave a clarion call for a second green revolution in the eastern states through the adoption of modern technologies.

During the mega event, farmers from various Indian states visited the exhibit of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI; photo). The exhibit showcased various technologies developed and promoted by the institute for Indian farmers through the Stress-Tolerant Rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA) and the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) projects.

These included stress-tolerant rice varieties (STRVs), Crop Manager for Rice-based Systems, publications on seed production and postharvest techniques, a manual rice transplanter, the Community Mat Nursery, and the performance charts for the STRVs. IRRI representatives, Mr. Mayank Sharma, Mr. Sarovar Yadav, and Mr. Amit Mishra gave demonstrations and explanations on the various IRRI technologies.

Farmers who are already cultivating STRVs shared their experiences and suggestions, particularly those from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Farmers from these two states were very satisfied with the performance of the drought-tolerant Sahbhagi dhan as their areas experienced severe drought last year. The farmers were interest in other recently released varieties such as BINA dhan 11, DRR42, DRR44, Sambha-Sub1, among others.

Other visitors to the IRRI display were Union Ministers Shri Radha Mohan Singh and Shri Nitin Gatkari, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, agricultural scientists, and extension agency personnel.

Krishi Unnati Mela was organized jointly by the DoA, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, and the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI). 

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Indonesia to disseminate stress-tolerant varieties and modern practices in less favorable rice areas

Participants in the consolidation-workshop on upscaling technological innovation
in suboptimal rice environments of Indonesia.

BOGOR, Indonesia—"No matter how many varieties we develop, if farmers do not plant them, our efforts to raise productivity in suboptimal rice environments will have no meaning."

This was the message of Hasil Sembiring, director general of the Directorate of Food Crops, Ministry of Agriculture in Indonesia, during a consolidation-workshop on upscaling technological innovation in suboptimal rice environments of Indonesia, held 11 March.

The activity, the first ever held in Indonesia, aimed to focus efforts on reaching out to poor farmers in suboptimal environments. In the past, the government had addressed productivity mainly in irrigated rice areas that comprise nearly 60% of the country’s total rice production area.  Recently, the government has directed its resources to meet its target seed production for 2016-17 and it has included rainfed lowland (27.7%), swampy (8.8%), and upland (5.3%) areas.

Sembiring, a former director of the Indonesia Center for Rice Research (ICRR) and steering committee member of the Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE), has been calling for increased production to improve the livelihood of farmers severely affected by climatic variability.  He has strongly supported efforts to develop climate-resilient varieties and community seed banks.

The workshop, held at the IPB International Convention Center in Bogor, was organized by the directorate in cooperation with ICRR and CURE. The purpose was to speed up the delivery of suitable seeds of newly released stress-tolerant rice varieties and the associated best management practices specifically suited for unfavorable environments in upland, swampy, rainfed, and flood-prone areas.

"CURE's role is to catalyze and encourage national governments to foster the scaling up of technological innovation developed out of the current partnerships," said Dr. Digna Manzanilla, CURE coordinator.

One workshop  recommendation is to further strengthen collaboration among ICRR, the Indonesian Swampland Agriculture Research Institute (ISARI), and CURE to develop best management practices.

Ali Jamil, incumbent ICRR head, expressed his confidence in the appropriateness and readiness of technologies intended to raise productivity in Indonesia’s suboptimal environments.

These appropriate technologies include varieties; soil, water, weed, pest, and disease management; fertilizer recommendations; and postharvest practices. Also, a demo for the Seed Multiplication Program, which is targeting 2 million hectares, will be pursued via "1000 self-sufficient seed villages" (or DMB, an Indonesian acronym) to encourage and increase seed production for upland varieties in selected provinces. DMB will financially support the purchase of starter and foundation seeds from the Assessment Institute for  Agricultural  Technology while the directorate seed program will use starter and extension seeds for food crops.

The seed production unit of the Field School of Food Kedaulatan, integrated with the DMB, ICRR, and the Directorate of Seed, has started seed multiplication of stress-tolerant rice varieties to support the effort in 2016.

Zaini Zulkifli, representing the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Indonesia, has been instrumental in making the consultation possible. He highlighted some technologies such as seeds, machinery, crop establishment, and crop and natural resources management. Casiana Vera Cruz and Yoichiro Kato, working group leaders of CURE, also joined the consultation.

A coordination meeting to re-examine the strategies for seed multiplication to develop working mechanisms and a timeline for producing seeds for the coming season was set for September 2016, according to Dr. Nandang Sunandar, director for cereals at the Directorate of Food Crops.

Attending the workshop (photos) were representatives of the Directorate of Food Crops, Directorate of Seed, Directorate of Cereal Crops, Indonesia Center for Food Crops Research and Development, Indonesian Center for Agricultural Technology Assessment and Development, ICRR, IRRI, and CURE. Also represented were the Swampland Agriculture Research Institute and representatives of the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology in Riau, South Sumatra, Banten, Lampung, and West Java as well as local government units of South Sumatra, Lampung, Banten, West Java, East Java, and South Kalimantan. 

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South Korean documentary reenacts development of Tongil miracle rice

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—In 2016, South Korea celebrates 100 years of science and technology by recalling the storied history of its miracle rice called Tongil (or Tong-Il). The rice is viewed by many as one of the country's most important scientific achievements in the 20th century.

Behind the scenes at the Zeigler Experiment Station: A Korean actor (in lab gown) plays the role of
a young Dr.Mun-Hue Heu. (Photo by Jessieca Catapang, IRRI)

Dr. Heu was a remarkable plant breeder who
 demonstrated great skills, dedication,
and passion for his work. (Photo: Rice Today)  

The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), the national television and radio broadcaster of South Korea, filmed a documentary at the headquarters of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) that highlights the strong partnership between South Korea and the institute. South Korea has been collaborating with IRRI through the Rural Development Administration (RDA) since the 1960s. Their work has included crossing temperate japonica rice varieties with tropical indica varieties. This produced Tongil, a rice variety developed at IRRI, which helped transform Korea from being a rice importer to a self-sufficient producer.

“Through the documentary, we are seeking to share with Koreans around the world and the international community how our people were, with the help of IRRI, freed from hunger following the devastation of the Korean War,” said Jea Hyuk Lee, KBS producer.

A reenactment at IRRI's Zeigler Experiment Station presents the late Dr. Mun-Hue Heu, the father of the Korean Green Revolution, and Dr. Hank Beachell, then head of IRRI's Plant Breeding Division. The two scientists were instrumental  in developing Korea's miracle rice.

The film also features interviews with Dr. Bruce Tolentino, IRRI deputy director general for communication and partnerships; Dr. K.K. Jena, IRRI scientist and newly appointed Korea RDA honorary scientist and advisor; and Julian Lapitan, former head of Partnerships at IRRI and incumbent president of the Philippines RDA Alumni Association. Dr. Ruaraidh Sackville Hamilton, head of the T.T. Chang Genetics Resources Center and International Rice Genebank, provided the filmmakers with a tour of the genebank. The genebank contains more than 127,000 rice varieties from all over the world, including Tongil.

The documentary was filmed on 28-29 March. The episodes featuring IRRI will air on 21 April on KBS TV. 

Tongil, Korea’s “miracle rice” with its yield potential of 5 tons per hectare, played a major role in enabling the
country to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production in the 1970s. (Photo by Moises John Reyes)

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Scientists discuss latest research developments at annual hybrid rice meeting

Participants in the 9th annual meeting of the HRDC, 30 March-1 April 2016

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Some of the world’s top rice scientists presented the latest developments in rice research during the 9th annual meeting of the Hybrid Rice Development Consortium (HRDC) held 30 March-1 April, at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).  

Dr. Jacqueline Hughes, IRRI’s new deputy director general for research, welcomed 81 participants including consortium members from the private and public sectors. They selected more than 2,000 hybrid breeding lines for use in their own breeding programs.

Dr. Fangming Xie, HRDC coordinator and senior scientist, presented research updates on hybrid rice and reported on progress with the multilocation replicated yield trial. Charisse Grace Piadozo-Arlegui, HRDC assistant coordinator and assistant manager, also provided updates.

IRRI scientists presented the latest developments in rice research that have potential applications in hybrid rice breeding, including:

• mitigating abiotic stresses through breeding for yield stability (Dr. Arvind Kumar),
• market research for targeted breeding (Dr. Matty Demont),
• how improved crop management practices can enhance genetic gains from breeding (Dr. Sarah Beebout),
• breeding for durable resistance to important fungal diseases in rice (Dr. Bo Zhou), and
• technologies for precision breeding at IRRI (Dr. Tobias Kretzschmar).

On the participants' schedule were visits to IRRI’s hybrid rice yield trial and the CMS (cytoplasmic male sterility) demonstration plot, the consortium’s multilocation field trial, the rainout shelter for drought tolerance of rice, and the newly built Lloyd T. Evans Plant Growth Facility.

Through the partnership platform of the HRDC, IRRI works with national agricultural research and extension systems and the private hybrid rice seed sector in promoting research on hybrid rice. Formed in 2008, the consortium aims to make better hybrids more widely available to rice farmers to raise the income of farmers, make rice production more efficient and sustainable, and keep rice affordable for millions of people who depend on it as a staple food.

(This article was written by Charisse Piadozo Arlegui, IRRI.) 

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Cordillera farmers in the Philippines discuss potential markets for their heirloom rice

BANAUE, Philippines—Farmers in the Cordilleras are now setting their sights at linking with dealers interested in marketing and promoting heirloom rice varieties locally and abroad.

Municipal and provincial local government units (LGUs), farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and a team from the Heirloom Rice Project (HRP) met in Banaue, Ifugao, 16-17 March (photo). They discussed business plans, market linkages, Geographical Indication (GI) registration, and other market-related concerns as the project moves forward into the third and final year of phase 1.

Participating farmers from Ifugao, Benguet, Kalinga, and Mountain Province provided comments on and suggestions to their specific business plans that contain detailed information and market strategies. The farmers and local champions started putting together these business plans in December 2015 under the guidance of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division of the Department of Agriculture (DA)-CAR and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

This activity is part of HRP’s component on linking farmers to the value chain. Under this component, heirloom rice farmers are being trained to understand the markets, within and outside the region and to expand their market base. The farmers are also being empowered to enter into transactions and promote greater equity in their trading partnerships.

The GI registration for heirloom rice varieties was also tackled. The group discussed the critical dimension of using the traditional names of heirloom rice varieties for registration. The GI tag ensures that only registered users residing within the geographic territory are allowed to use the product name. The GI tag also puts premium importance on traits linked to specific cultural origins.

“The uniqueness of marketing and branding heirloom rice varieties draws on the diversity of traits and the richness of cultural heritage,” said Dr. Digna Manzanilla, who heads the component concerned with market linkage and value chain. “This regional diversity makes the rice varieties truly a unique brand to sell because these were handed down by the farmers' ancestors hundreds of years ago.”

Dr. Casiana Vera Cruz, project leader, agrees that the marketing of heirloom rice should significantly consider the unique characteristics of each variety.

The HRP hopes to create a sustainable and thriving heirloom rice industry for future generations through its partnership with the farmers and the continuous collaboration with the DA-CAR (led by Dr. Magdalena Manawan, chief of research, and Virginia Tapat, chief of the Regional Operations Division), the Philippine Rice Research Institute, and IRRI.

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IRRI and PhilRice researchers share updates with local partners on crop health surveys

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—More than 100 researchers from local, national, and international organizations on rice (photo) gathered for a National Workshop on Crop Health Assessment for Regional Implementers, 14-17 March. They shared updates on the collection of data on rice production situation, injuries caused by pests and diseases, and yield in the different rice areas of the Philippines. 

The participants gained insights on the results of field surveys and farmer interviews done during the second semester of 2015 under the Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) project. They were also able to report and review accomplishments, work plans, and the effects of El Niño in the regions and tested the updated recording forms by collecting crop health data in farmers’ fields. Hands-on training on computing the incidence pest injuries and diseases  in a farmer's fields was also on the agenda.

The participants shared their knowledge and expertise with other farmers during a farmers’ forum. Joining the forum were farmers and local leaders from the municipality of Braulio Dujali, Davao Del Norte, where the field exercise was conducted.

For the crop health assessment component, regional partners from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) and the local government units conducted surveys in farmers’ fields using a standardized procedure developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The procedure included assessment of injuries caused by animal pests, pathogens, and weeds; characterization of the production situation; and yield quantification.

These surveys provide information on pest risks and pest management strategies and support the project’s component on mapping and monitoring of rice areas.

Under the auspices of the DA, the Philipipine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and IRRI, PRISM, a four-year collaborative project under the Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP), aims to support decision-making toward food security throughout the Philippines. It is developing an operational monitoring system that can provide accurate, timely, and reliable information on rice. The project relies on data from its two main components: mapping and monitoring and crop health assessment.

The workshop was held under PRISM's crop health component. Participants came from the regional offices of the DA, local government units, PhilRice, and IRRI. The workshop was jointly organized by IRRI, PhilRice, and the DA’s regional field office in Region XI.

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Rice straw for mushroom production highlighted at workshop

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—“In addition to bioenergy, a profitable use for rice straw is in mushroom production,” said Craig Jamieson, a bioenergy expert, during a multi-stakeholder workshop organized by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)-SuperGen Rice Straw Energy Project, held at IRRI headquarters on 21 March.

Rice straw, a byproduct of rice cultivation, is one of the world’s most abundant resources for biomass energy. Despite this, most of the rice straw left over after cultivation is burned in the field for disposal.

This issue and the challenges and opportunities in using rice straw for mushroom production were the focus. According to Jamieson, annually around 300 million tons of rice straw (60% of the total) are burned in Asian rice fields. “So much of this byproduct is allowed to burn while there are 623 million people without electricity," he said. "With the right approach, that rice straw could be transformed from a waste to a fuel.”

Aside from bioenergy, rice straw can be a basic material for mushroom cultivation. “In the Philippines, however, using rice straw for growing mushrooms is seldom done," Jamieson pointed out. "Instead, the country burns its straw and imports most of its mushrooms.”

Growing mushrooms on rice straw can help break down the straw making it more suitable for anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion produces biogas, which can in turn be used as an alternative energy source for cooking, generating heat for drying, and producing electric power.

Attending the workshop were representatives from Philippine research institutions, universities, traders, producers, NGOs, and the private sector (photo). It was an opportunity for the participants to identify the barriers to using rice straw for mushroom production in the country and how to overcome them. The participants also explored strategic ways for stakeholders to collaborate in reaching shared goals.

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