Myanmar recognizes IRRI’s contribution to the country’s rice sector development

The Republic of Union of Myanmar cited IRRI for its significant contribution and continuous support to sustainable food security and nutrition through Rice Sector Development in Myanmar.

The award was conferred by the Honorable President of the Republic of Union of Myanmar, H.E. U Thein Sein at the Convocation Hall, Yezin Agricultural University (YAU), Nay Pyi Taw on 16 October.

IRRI representative in Myanmar To Phuc Tuong received the award on behalf of IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler. In his message, Dr. Zeigler expressed his thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation for recognizing IRRI's contributions.

The ceremony was held on World Food Day, a global movement committed o eradicating hunger in our lifetime. The World Food day event also showcased IRRI activities in Myanmar and Asia, including IRRI rice lines and newly released varieties in Myanmar.

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PRISM conducts training on assessing impact of pest and disease damage on rice production

A study conducted by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)  found that, on average, farmers lose 37% of their rice yield to pests and diseases, and that these losses can range between 24% and 41% depending on the production situation. Although researchers have a good idea of what pests and diseases affect rice, they do not always have a clear picture of where individual or groups of pests and diseases occur and how much effect they have on rice yield.

The Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) is a rice monitoring system to enhance rice production in the Philippines under the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Food Staples Sufficiency Program. The 4-year project provides accurate and timely information on Philippine rice production. This information comes in the form of maps, statistics, and reports, and covers rice production area, crop health, crop losses due to natural calamities, and assessment of and extent of pest damage. These are derived from data collected through remote-sensing technology, crop modeling, and field and farmer surveys and are available through a web-based interface.

The Crop Health Component of PRISM conducts activities to provide information on pest risks and pest management strategies. Under this component, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and IRRI have been organizing national and regional training workshops to build the capacity of partners in the identification of pest injuries and use of the survey procedure.

Recently, PRISM held the National Training and Assessment on Crop Health for its regional partners from the DA and local government units. Approximately 100 participants from 16 regions in the Philippines attended the workshop. They were trained in conducting surveys to assess injuries caused by pests and diseases, characterize production situation, and quantify yield in representative farmers’ fields using a standardized procedure developed by IRRI. In addition, the training activity covered conducting effective training programs on crop health, management of the most common pests and diseases in the Philippines, basic principles in data presentation, and identification of pest injuries.  The training workshop also assessed the progress of activities in the regions and discussed plans for 2016.

The workshop was jointly organized by the Philippine Rice Research Institute, IRRI, and the DA Regional Field Office in Region VI.  It was held at Diversion 21 Hotel in Iloilo City on 19-22 October.

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Training course conducted for IRRI Experiment Station staff

Doing WOGAM (water, oil, grease, air, and miscellaneous)  check on the CLAAS Crop Tiger combine.

The IRRI Training Center and Postharvest Unit conducted a three-day training course on Farm Machinery Safety and Operation for the mechanics, operators, and field supervisors of IRRI’s Experiment Station (ES) on 14-16 October 2015. The training served to update the skills and knowledge of ES staff in the safe operation and maintenance of the machines being used in IRRI’s experimental fields and facilities.  Joseph Rickman, mechanization and production systems specialist; Martin Gummert, head of the Postharvest Unit; and Carlito Balingbing, senior associate scientist, facilitated the training.

“This program will instill good practice in maintenance and confidence in the operation of farm machinery at ES,” Rickman said.

Front Row (sitting, L-R): Ric Hernandez, Mark Lester Alajar, and Caling Balingbing; Second Row (standing, L-R): Bruce Liwanagan, John Mark Mamiit, Joe Rickman, Martin Gummert, Jun Correa, and Sherwin Malabrigo Back row: James Quilty On-board the Crop Tiger (L-R): John Henry Ibarde, John Carlo Rivera, and John Patrick Magsino

Nine ES staff, including the farm manager, field operations manager, supervisors, and technicians (operators and mechanics), attended the training course. On the first day, the trainees were asked to survey the different hazards and dangers across the ES that might impede safe and smooth machinery operations. Rickman emphasized the importance of having a safe environment and properly maintained equipment to reduce risk and improve efficiency. He also highlighted the importance of maintaining an accurate and comprehensive inventory of the status of all the equipment and machines, and keeping record of hazards, accidents, near misses, and machinery defects. Having regularly maintained equipment and well-oriented operators helps ensure that the mechanized field activities of the ES are efficient, effective, and safe.

James Quilty, head of ES, is very supportive of this initiative and intends to include this training and certification program as an annual activity, with the aim of continuing to improve safety and efficiency standards. To successfully run this program, agricultural engineers from the Postharvest Unit will serve as evaluators in the accreditation of the technical and operation skills of ES equipment operators and mechanics. Martin Gummert also expressed his interest in this type of arrangement with the ES in order to keep staff members updated and well-versed on the mechanization program of IRRI.

“This is the first step in developing training courses and in-house certification for operators of agricultural machinery at IRRI. We are planning to expand this basic course on safety, operation, and maintenance of tractors and combine harvesters, and develop additional training modules on tractor implements and field operation. These courses can then also be adapted for our country programs to supplement training already provided by our NARES partners,” Gummert concluded.

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Another World Food Prize winner has an IRRI connection

World Food Day is a day of action against hunger. Every year, on October 16, people around the world come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger in our lifetime. In the lead-up to this international event, the annual winner of the World Food Prize is feted in Des Moines, Iowa.

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder of Brac, the largest non-governmental organisation on the planet, has been awarded the 2015 World Food prize for his “unparalleled work on reducing poverty in Bangladesh and 10 other countries.

Sir Fazle served on the IRRI Board of Trustees from 2001 through 2006.  “I think IRRI has a lot to do in the future," he said in his Pioneer interview in 2006 during the 2nd International Rice Congress in New Delhi. "It met challenges in the first 50 years, but it will have even greater challenges in the next 50, including climate change and water shortages, which are going to affect agriculture, rice cultivation, and food production in our society.”

Sir Fazle received the Prize at a ceremony held earlier this week at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. The event was the centerpiece of a three-day international symposium entitled the Borlaug Dialogue, which drew more than 1,200 people from 65 countries to discuss cutting-edge issues in global food security.

IRRI and the World Food Prize have a historic bond. Read about nine other WFP laureates with IRRI connections in Gene Hettel's October IRRI History blog.


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Partnerships, key to farmer technology adoption and improved productivity

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – The rising demand for rice in the Southeast Asian region puts mounting pressure on the rice value chain stakeholders, especially on smallholder farmers, to increase yield and improve farm productivity.

With this in mind, the ASEAN Rice Future Forum, organized by Bayer CropScience, in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Vietnam Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD), brought together more than 100 policymakers and rice experts from across the ASEAN countries to discuss how public-private and value chain partnerships are essential in encouraging the adoption of farming technologies, and thus, improving food security.

IRRI projects that the current rice production, which is more than 700 million tons annually, will not be sufficient to meet future demands. Over the next 10 years, rice production will need to increase by 80 million tons.

At the forum, Bas Bouman, director of the IRRI-led Global Rice Science Partnership, said that the challenges experienced by the rice-farming sector should be viewed as opportunities to channel impact in the right direction. “If we do it right, it will lead toward land consolidation, mechanization, and labor productivity increase. Farmers can have a decent income from farming while, at the same time, we can keep the price of rice affordable for the poorest consumers,” he explained.

The forum, held on 14-16 October 2015, aims to continue the constructive dialogue that stemmed from the 2013 Rice Future Forum in India and the 2014 International Rice Congress in Thailand.

MARD Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh said that collaborative efforts and partnerships formed by the Vietnamese government have helped advance the rice sector in the country. Sascha Israel, Head of Bayer CropScience in the Asia Pacific Region, emphasized the importance of collaboration between public and private sectors across the value chain to enhance rice technology adoption.

Speaking on the economic transition and demographic changes in the ASEAN region, Sam Mohanty, IRRI Social Sciences Division head, said that IRRI has a significant role to play in shaping the future of the rice value chain. “IRRI’s breeding program will be more demand-driven; we understand what is needed in the value chain, so we can produce the variety or management practice that suits the market,” he added.

“Engaging with the public and private sectors can bring energy, know-how, and financing. It could help us better leverage the technologies that IRRI has in the marketplace for the benefit of smallholder farmers and the entire rice ecosystem,” said Remy Bitoun, IRRI's head of Public-Private Engagement.

The institute featured its work on rice innovations during the marketplace session while engaging with various government officials, media, and private companies from across the Southeast Asian region. Aside from the forum, Bayer CropScience also organized a trip to its various field demonstration sites outside Ho Chi Minh City.

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IRRI Trustees to discuss key challenges

The members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) will gather at IRRI headquarters on 21-23 October for their regular meeting. On their agenda are several major topics, including the transition in directors-general. Robert Zeigler will complete his second and final term as DG in mid-December 2015. Matthew Morell, currently IRRI’s deputy director general for research, has been selected by the Board as the incoming DG, effective mid-December 2015. 

“The BOT will also discuss the challenge posed by the current flux in the CGIAR Consortium,” said Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general for communication and partnerships. “A result of the uncertainty in the CGIAR is the significant drop in donor contributions channeled through the CG system. Thus IRRI has to revitalize its linkages with the supporters of international agricultural research. The Trustees will assess and consider some options, taking care to ensure minimal negative impacts on personnel and ongoing scientific research,” Tolentino added. The board is composed of 15 members who are world leaders in their respective scientific disciplines. The current Chair is

Emerlinda R. Roman, former President of the University of the Philippines. The board meets twice a year to review IRRI's research priorities, its allocation of resources, and to set the institute's scientific direction and decide on supporting policies and strategies.

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IRRI to reduce risks and increase safety in its farm operations

The Experiment Station (ES) at the IRRI Headquarters is undertaking stricter measures for safer farm and machinery operations after completing its risk analysis with the Risk Management Quality Assurance (RMQA) unit.  The five teams under ES--BioEnvironment, field operations, mechshop and warehouse, crop pesticides applicators, and rice mill and crop production--participated in identifying occupational risks, the severity of each, and corresponding steps for mitigation.

Risk awareness and capacity building

Four machinery operators and two members of the ES management team are now certified through a Philippine Department of Agriculture and TESDA program. In addition, all ES staff have completed first aid training with IRRI’s Safety and Security Services.

New safety equipment

ES has acquired new safety equipment, including a radio transmitter, which provides coverage across the farm, and a protective safety barrier for the combine harvester.

In-house training

The machinery operation certification program, developed collaboratively between the Training Center (TC), ES, and Postharvest started on 14 October. All equipment operators and mechanics are expected to complete this ongoing program before the end of the year. This certification program will be held annually and evaluated and updated on a regular basis.

The integrated pest management and agro-chemical safety training and certification program is designed for the crop production team responsible for pest and disease management. The program was developed in collaboration with TC and will start in November. The team is also undergoing training on pest and disease identification and management with the CESD entomology and plant pathology groups.

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