| Media Hotline: October - December 2005 |
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| Saturday, 31 December 2005 | |
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The Media Hotline is an information summary for supporters of international rice research. In this issue:
NEWS Some good news for the world’s poor Millions of poor rice farmers and consumers in Asia have received a little good news just in time for Christmas. While the world’s trading nations remain deadlocked on how to move ahead with agricultural reforms that could benefit the poor farmers of the developing world, research just published has confirmed details of a proven strategy to reduce poverty in the planet’s two most populous countries, China and India. The research shows that, in 1999, for every US$1 invested at the Philippines-based IRRI, more than 800 and 15,000 rural poor were lifted above the poverty line in China and India, respectively. It also confirmed that such poverty reduction effects were even larger in the earlier years of the Green Revolution. Presented in a peer-reviewed paper in the November issue of the journal Agricultural Economics, “This research is important because we know now that, by providing them with new technologies via rice research, we can lift them out of poverty,” said IRRI Director General Robert S. Zeigler. The paper’s lead author, Dr. Shenggen Fan, works at IRRI’s sister institute, the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). In his paper, Dr. Fan said: “The results indicate that rice varietal improvement research has contributed tremendously to increases in rice production, accounting for 14 to 24 percent of the total production value over the last two decades in both countries. Rice research has also helped reduce large numbers of rural poor and IRRI played a crucial role in these successes.” The research, led by respected American economist Dr. Robert Evenson from Yale University, was the first major attempt to assess the economic impact of improved crop varieties, not just rice but also other important food staples such as wheat, maize, barley, cassava, and potato. Dr. Hans Gregersen, the head of a panel that reviewed the research, described the study by Dr. Evenson and his huge team of researchers as a "milestone" and a "monumental effort." Dr. Evenson and his team found that the development of improved rice varieties between 1970 and 1995 had substantial impact in four major areas. Their findings indicate that, were it not for the development of improved varieties, rice prices for consumers could have been up to 41 percent higher, rice-producing nations would be importing up to 8 percent more food, millions of hectares of forests and other fragile ecosystems would have been lost, and between 1.5 and 2 percent more children would have been malnourished in developing countries. ( Back to top ) Open-source biotechnology alliance for rice research IRRI has joined with the Australian-based organization CAMBIA (i n Spanish and Italian, CAMBIA means "change") to announce an exciting new joint venture to advance the BiOS Initiative. The BiOS Initiative is an innovative strategy to galvanize agricultural research focused on alleviating poverty and reducing hunger in the developing world. The new IRRI-CAMBIA joint venture is catalyzed by a US$2.55 million grant to CAMBIA from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The BiOS Initiative ─ or Biological Innovation for Open Society ─ is often called open-source biotechnology. This is because the BiOS model is similar to the open-source software movement, famous for such successful efforts as Linux. Supporters say open-source software has spurred faster innovation, greater community participation, and new robust business models that break monopolies and foster fair competition. In turn, BiOS targets parallel challenges that can limit the open and effective use of the modern life sciences in agriculture to those that hold the patents on promising new technologies. “New technologies are increasingly tangled in complex webs of patent and other legal rights, and are usually tailored for wealthy countries and well-heeled scientists,” said IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler. “Half the world depends on rice as a staple food─but this also means half the world’s potential innovators could be brought to bear on the challenges of rice production, given the right toolkits─and the rights to use them.” In the new joint venture, CAMBIA’s Patent Lens, a comprehensive, cost-free full-text patent database, will be extended to include patents in major rice-growing countries such as China, Korea, and India. As these nations continue to improve their ability to develop innovations, they are poised to take leading roles in solving the next generation of biological challenges, especially in agriculture. The Patent Lens will also develop analyses and foster capacity in the developing world to create patent maps of key emerging technologies that could be constrained by complex intellectual property rights worldwide, including the rice genome itself. These patent “landscapes” are expected to be used to guide the development of improved technology tool kits in a new, inclusive manner. Says Richard Jefferson, CAMBIA’s CEO, “It’s not so much about getting access to old patented technology ─ it’s about forging collaborations to develop better, more powerful tools within a ‘protected commons’ to get different problem solvers to the table.” These could, for example, be tools for precise, natural genetic enhancements, using non-GM approaches (such as homologous recombination) and new plant breeding methods such as marker-assisted selection, or even true-breeding hybrids of crop species that would allow farmers in developing countries to use hybrid seed year after year. ( Back to top ) Study finds that nutritionally enhanced rice reduces iron deficiency Breeding rice with higher levels of iron can have an important impact on reducing micronutrient malnutrition, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. The research, conducted by scientists from the Philippines and the United States, is a major step forward in the battle against iron deficiency, one of the developing world’s most debilitating and intractable public health problems affecting nearly 2 billion people. The lead authors of the article, Dr. Jere Haas from the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University, Dr. John Beard and Dr. Laura E. Murray-Kolb from the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, Prof. Angelita del Mundo and Prof. Angelina Felix from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and Dr. Glenn Gregorio from IRRI, oversaw a study in which religious sisters in 10 convents in the Philippines included the nutritionally enhanced rice in their diets. After 9 months, the women had significantly higher levels of total body iron in their blood. “This study documents a major breakthrough in the battle to prevent micronutrient malnutrition,” said Dr. Robert Zeigler, director general of IRRI. “These results are especially important for rice-eating regions of the world where more than 3 billion of the world’s poor and undernourished live.” The iron-dense variety of rice used in the research (known technically as IR68144-3B-2-2-3) was developed and grown at IRRI and then tested by an international team of researchers from Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University, UPLB, and IRRI. The research initiative was originally spearheaded and funded by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), with support from the Asian Development Bank and the Micronutrient Initiative. HarvestPlus, an international, interdisciplinary research program focused on breeding crops for better nutrition and led by IFPRI and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), will continue to work with these research findings and partners to increase the level of nutrient density in rice to be even more effective. “We view this study as a ‘proof of concept,’” said Dr. Zeigler. “We now know that, if plants are bred with higher levels of iron and other micronutrients, they will improve the nutritional status of people who consume them. This has dramatic implications.” Through a process known as “biofortification,” plant breeders are developing staple foods with higher levels of essential micronutrients. This study demonstrates that iron-biofortified rice can raise levels of stored iron in the body and can significantly contribute to reducing micronutrient malnutrition. “In the past, we relied on supplements and fortification to overcome vitamin and mineral deficiencies,” said Howarth Bouis, director of HarvestPlus. “Now we know that biofortification also works, giving us an additional tool in this crucial battle.” “The fact that biofortified foods can have an impact on nutritional status in humans is an enormously exciting breakthrough,” Dr. Zeigler noted. “It is time to shift the agricultural research agenda, and the rice research agenda in particular, away from quantity and toward better-quality food. This may be the start of a nutritional revolution—a very appropriate follow-on from the Green Revolution and one that is desperately needed by millions of the world’s poor and undernourished.” ( Back to top )
Perlegen Sciences and IRRI to collaborate on rice DNA variation study Perlegen Sciences, Inc. and IRRI announced on 16 November that they would collaborate to identify DNA variation in 15 rice strains. By identifying sequence variation between major rice varieties, the study will help uncover the genetic basis underlying important agricultural traits. “We are committed to contribute to a greater molecular understanding of rice’s genetic variation as a foundation for future rice improvement,” said IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler. "This study will allow us to associate variation in DNA with important traits such as drought resistance or vitamin and mineral content, ultimately helping us to breed rice strains that can be cultivated under more extreme environmental conditions or provide greater nutritional value.” "Rice is an important crop for world agriculture and an excellent candidate for a DNA variation study", said Dr. Kelly Frazer, vice president, Genomics at Perlegen. "Combining Perlegen’s high-throughput technology and experience in SNP detection with the International Rice Research Institute’s pioneering studies in rice biodiversity gives us an opportunity to improve the quality of one of the most critical human food sources worldwide.” The collaborators plan to identify genetic variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, from across the whole-genome of the 15 strains being studied using Perlegen’s high-throughput oligonucleotide array approach enabled by Affymetrix GeneChip® technology. While Perlegen’s primary focus is on using this technology to personalize medicines, it also applies this approach to other types of genetic studies that could benefit humanity, including important genetic studies of plants and other species critical to human health. The application of this technology for SNP detection is made possible by the available “standards” of rice genome sequence contributed by the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP) and the Beijing Genomics Institute. All results from the study will be made public. ( Back to top )
IRRI team and collaborators win 2005 CGIAR Science Award for Outstanding Scientific Article On 7 December, a team of IRRI scientists and collaborators won the 2005 CGIAR Science Award for Outstanding Scientific Article. The award was accepted by Dr. Ren Wang, deputy director general for research, on behalf of the team headed by lead author Shaobing Peng, senior scientist, crop physiology, during the Annual General Meeting of the CGIAR, which concluded in Marrakech, Morocco on 9 December. The paper, Rice yields decline with higher night temperature from global warming, was published in the 6 Jul 2004 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America. In addition to Dr. Peng, IRRI coauthors include John Sheehy, Rebecca C. Laza, Romeo M. Visperas, Grace S. Centeno, and Gurdev Khush (now at the University of California, Davis). Coauthors from other institutions include Jianliang Huang, Huazhong Agricultural University ( China); Xuhua Zhong, the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences ( China); and Ken Cassman, University of Nebraska. According to official nomination, the impact of global warming on crop yields was only evaluated previously by indirect methods using simulation models. This article—and the research it reports—provides the first direct evidence of decreased rice/crop yields from increased nighttime temperature associated with global warming and so clearly shows for the first time that climate change will have a negative impact on our ability to produce food. The international research team studied 12 years of rice yields and 25 years of temperature measurements from the IRRI farm, which is set up to grow rice in a manner similar to many Asian countries and carefully monitor the crop's progress and area climate conditions. They found that, since 1979, temperatures at IRRI were going up fastest at night. During the day, they went up an average of .35 degrees Centigrade (one degree Centigrade is equal to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), but nighttime temperatures were triple that, up 1.1 degrees. The researchers noted that these increases are similar to those "found elsewhere in the Philippines and globally." The researchers also found that rice yields dropped by 10 percent for each one degree Centigrade increase in the nighttime low. Therefore, a one-degree increase in the overall temperature for the day would actually result in, according to the study, a decline of 15 percent in rice yield. The researchers estimate that's "two times greater than previous indirect estimates of [the] effects of global warming on rice yields" done by computer models. More importantly, the research gave vital impetus and support to efforts by researchers to develop strategies that will help mitigate the impact of global warming on the world’s ability to produce the food it needs to feed a growing population ─ for example, the development of rice varieties that will continue to yield well, despite increases in temperature. Such research is especially vital because of its crucial role in helping the poor avoid any possible effects of global warming. Reduced crops yields caused by global warming are likely to hit the poor first and worst via food shortages and higher prices. IRRI also received the Center of the Year Award from the CGIAR’s Gender and Diversity Program for Policy Goal Achievements in 2005 for an outstanding series of family-friendly policies that included adoption, maternity leave, paternity leave, nursing with on-campus facilities, increased support for solo parents, and expanded compassionate leave. IRRI was also recognized for its “diversity positive” progress in areas including prevention of harassment and discrimination, diversity positive recruitment and appointment and its annual gender and diversity report to the Board of Trustees. ( Back to top ) International Rice Genetics Symposium The Philippines hosted one of the world’s biggest and most important rice research conferences on 20-23 November 2005. Attracting 707 top scientists and researchers from around the world, the four-day event ─ called the 5 th International Rice Genetics Symposium (RG5) ─ was the first major rice research conference to be held after the historic final sequencing of the rice genome earlier this year. Officially, this was the largest scientific meeting that IRRI has ever hosted in the Philippines. Two major observations so far were: 1) a significant segment of the record-breaking crowd is made up of young scientists attending this quinquennial event for the first time and 2) the incredible scope of rice research that is being conducted worldwide during the first decade of the 21st century. “We really are at the dawn of an exciting new era in rice research,” the chairman of the RG5 organizing committee, Dr. David Mackill, said. “The unprecedented levels of global interest in the conference are clear evidence of this.” After an official welcome from IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler during the opening session, Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr., who chairs the committees on science and technology and on agriculture and food, gave the keynote speech. He noted that, “Not only is the Asian rice industry facing a crisis in the supply of such essential resources as land, labor, and water, but most important of all, no researchers have found a sustainable solution to the problem of providing decent livelihood for Asia’s millions of poor rice farmers.” Some of the most exciting new research presented at the symposium included
This was the fifth International Rice Genetics Symposium in a series of symposia held by IRRI every 5 years. World-famous geneticists at RG5 delivered plenary lectures that covered a wide range of topics from classical genetics to the most advanced research on gene isolation and functional genomics. The symposium provided an important forum for reviewing the latest advances in rice research and for in-depth discussion and exchange of information on classical genetics and genomics. It has been generously supported by the Rockefeller Foundation. Many of the participants visited IRRI for field tour on 24 November. In conjunction with the symposium, two satellite meetings were held. The Second Rice Annotation Project Meeting (RAP2) was convened on 18-19 November and a project review of the USAID Linkage Program took place on 19 November. ( Back to top )
More recognition for Dr. Virmani Retired IRRI plant breeder and principal scientist Sant Virmani received more recognition for his long and distinguished career during two recent events. Dr. Virmani received the 2005 Monsanto Crop Science Distinguished Career Award from Dr. James G. Coors, President of Crop Science Society of America, during the American Society of Agronomy meetings in Salt Lake City on 8 November. He was also awarded a plaque of appreciation from IRRI for his 25-year contribution to hybrid rice research and development in the tropics from Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Head Dave Mackill during the 5th International Rice Genetics Symposium on 23 November. ( Back to top ) Former IRRI agronomist honored during recent RG5 Dr. John C. O’Toole, who first engaged in rice research as an IRRI agronomist and physiologist for 10 years (1974-84), is retiring on 31 December 2005 from the Rockefeller Foundation. He was honored for 30 years of achievement at a special session during the recent International Rice Genetics Symposium in Manila. At IRRI, Dr. O’Toole initiated research on soil and plant water relations of the rice crop with emphasis on genetic improvement of rice for drought-prone environments. His research on upland and drought-prone rainfed rice laid the foundation for serious appreciation of rice ecophysiology under water-limited conditions and produced several salient and original research outputs. ( Back to top ) SEARCA international conference focuses on Asian agricultural and rural development Twenty-seven of the world’s leading scientists and economists converged at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati City, Philippines, 10-11 November, as speakers and discussants in an international conference that revisited familiar themes and controversies focused on Agricultural and rural development in Asia: ideas, paradigms, and policies three decades after. Domingo F. Panganiban, Philippine Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, delivered the keynote message on 10 November. The Los Baños-based SEAMEO Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) hosted/sponsored the conference. The conference devoted sessions on Communities and states in agricultural development: East Asia compared with Africa; The economics of agricultural development: genesis, development, future direction; and Food security in a globalized setting. The parallel sessions focused on Globalization and the poverty-environment link in Asian agriculture; Land tenure and forest resource management in Asia; Making rural financial markets work for the poor; Establishing efficient use of water resources; Poverty, vulnerability, and household coping mechanisms; New directions in agricultural extension; and Small farmers and the rise of supermarkets. Also, the conference devoted a special session on Asian dryland agriculture: ideas, paradigms, and policies, as well as a panel discussion on Challenges and policy options for agricultural research in the next 10 years. Emil Javier, chair, Asia Rice Foundation and former IRRI BOT member, chaired this panel discussion. IRRI BOT Chair Keijiro Otsuka, professorial fellow, Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID) and director, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)/FASID Joint Graduate Program, spoke during a parallel session on Reforming land markets. IRRI International Research Fellow, Nobuhiko Fuwa, associate professor of agricultural economics, Chiba University, spoke in the session, Poverty, vulnerability, and household coping mechanisms, together with Arsenio M. Balisacan, director, SEARCA and professor, University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD). Former IRRI agricultural economist, Prabhu Pingali, director, Agricultural and Development Economics Division, UN FAO, spoke in the session, From the green to the gene revolution: how will the poor fare? Mahabub Hossain, economist and head, Social Sciences Division, IRRI, was a discussant in the session, Food security in a globalized setting. ( Back to top ) ARF hosts seminar on important aspects of rice in the Philippines The Asia Rice Foundation (ARF), a Philippines-based regional organization, organized a seminar on Rice: Landscape, Environment, and Research on 18 November at the SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Los Baños, Laguna. The seminar covered three important aspects of rice in the Philippines: the rice landscape, rice and environment, and research for self sufficiency in rice. IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler presented a paper, Matching Asia’s demand for a healthy environment with continued growing demand for food, and Dr. Frisco Malabanan, chief science research specialist, PhilRice and program director, Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Rice Program, Department of Agriculture, discussed The Philippine rice industry: striving for self-sufficiency. Mr. Teodoro B. Baguilat Jr., former governor of Ifugao Province and currently head of the Save the Ifugao Movement, elaborated on Conservation and land use: using indigenous management systems in Ifugao, Philippine Cordilleras. The ARF was established in 1999 at the initiative of the IRRI Board of Trustees to promote awareness and to advocate government and civil society support for the rice industry in Asia. It has 125 lifetime members from 21 countries; 66 reside in the Philippines. ( Back to top ) Update on IRRI’s 2005 budget situation When IRRI management updated the Board of Trustees (BOT) during its September meeting in Bali, Indonesia, on funding and expenditure for the Institute’s 2005 budget, the information showed an expectation of unrestricted revenue at US$18.280 million and a net unrestricted expenditure at $19.200 million, with a resulting deficit of $0.920 million, which would be covered by the Institute’s accumulated reserves. Since the BOT meeting, two things have happened. The US dollar has undergone a substantial rise in value and its number 1 and 2 leading donors ( Japan and the United States) have advised IRRI of very significant cuts in their grants for 2005. Japan has reduced the level of its yen grant by 16.1%, which, at today’s exchange rate, translates into about a $0.855 million reduction from the September BOT update. The overall reduction in Japan’s contribution to the CGIAR was about 23%, so IRRI faired relatively well. The United States has also reduced its 2005 grant by 7%, which amounts to $0.250million. In any event, the Institute has been assured by USAID that this reduction does not imply any negative opinion of the Institute’s research program by the aid agency. These two reductions, combined with the effect of the rise in value of the US$ on the as yet uncollected non-US$ grants, as of 7 November, translate into a total reduction of about $1.186 million or 7% in IRRI’s unrestricted revenue from the September estimates presented to the BOT. Considering the time of the year, this situation presents enormous challenges to IRRI’s budget for 2005. Management is actively putting in place strategies to deal with the current situation and its future implications. ( Back to top ) The Rice Knowledge Bank opens its door even wider With more than 8 million hits since its launch in September 2002, the IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank (RKB) has become the world’s premier repository for rice-related training and extension material. Now, a revamped Knowledge Bank is set to make information about the crop that helps feed half the world even more accessible. The new-look RKB is more intuitive, allowing people to easily locate information to solve their rice-farming needs. Associated with the impressive volume of visitors to the site is a growing realization that the RKB is now a major tool with which the Institute communicates its rice science and rice-farming messages to the rice community across Asia. The Knowledge Bank also received support from the agriculture ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the 5th ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (AMAF Plus Three) Meeting held in Tagaytay City, Philippines, on 29 September. The ministers endorsed a proposal for an ASEAN meeting on the Knowledge Bank’s future development, to be held at IRRI headquarters in Los Baños in 2006. Its development highlights the importance that IRRI places on constantly evolving its services to better meet the changing needs of the rice community across Asia. ( Back to top ) IRRI and CIP conduct PR&E training To enhance participants’ knowledge and skills in the effective application of participatory research and extension (PR&E) for accelerating the adoption of appropriate and improved rice and rice-based technologies, IRRI and the International Potato Center (CIP) conducted a training course on Application of Participatory Approaches to Agricultural Research and Extension, 21 November to 2 December at the IRRI Training Center. Thirty participants from national agricultural research, training and extension institutions, universities, and collaborating NGOs from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam attended the course. The participants were supported by different funding agencies such as the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Asian Development Bank in Indonesia, the IRRI-CURE project, and IRRI. The course consisted of six modules: introduction to participatory research and extension, needs assessment and problem identification, experimenting with technology options, dissemination and scaling up, participatory monitoring and evaluation and impact assessment, and project leadership and management. Resource persons came from IRRI, CIP-UPWARD, PhilRice, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development, University of Southern Mindanao , and Infanta Integrated Community Development Assistance Inc. ( Back to top ) The IRRI Annual Program Review (APR) kicked off on 14 November with progress reports from the four research programs: 1) Germplasm conservation, characterization, documentation, and exchange; 2) Enhancing productivity and sustainability of favorable environments; 3) Improving productivity and livelihood for fragile environments; and 4) Strengthening linkages between research and development. Presentations were given on the five strategic goals of IRRI's developing Strategic Plan as they now stand: 1) Poverty reduction: reducing hunger and improving livelihood in regions of extensive poverty where rice is the major component of the farming system; 2) Environmentally sustainable rice agroecosystems; 3) Improving nutrition and health for rice consumers and farming families; 4) Information and capacity building: equitable access and exchange of information and knowledge among the global rice community; and 5) Meeting the genetic resource needs beyond the MDGs. National Scientist and IRRI consultant Dr. Gelia Castillo provided a synthesis and analysis of the APR and strategic planning presentations on16 November. Dr. Castillo divided her synthesis into the “here and now,” the future, and the “in-between now and tomorrow,” Dr. Castillo commented that a sense of urgency seems to be missing in the strategic planning exercise of the Institute. In her presentation, she focused on the emerging priority areas for research, the recurring themes in the APR ( integration or lack of it and delivery not only of technologies but also impact), the important issue of health from rice, and IRRI's role in bringing about a "healthy global rice community." She also emphasized the importance of "dreaming" and how it helps translate into researchable and fundable projects for IRRI. "The entire strategic planning process is concerned with how to translate dreams into researchable and fundable projects so IRRI can produce products that can make a difference in the lives of significant others," she said. Also, at the conclusion of the APR, Deputy Director General for Research Ren Wang outlined the next steps and important timetable involved in the Institute's strategic planning exercise. ( Back to top ) Chinese universities confer visiting professorship on Dr. Pandey The Huazhong Agricultural University (HAU) and the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL) conferred the title of Visiting Professor in Agricultural Economics on Sushil Pandey, IRRI senior scientist, agricultural economics, and deputy head of the Social Sciences Division. He was awarded the title by Professor Shijun Ding of ZUEL at IRRI on 29 November. The title recognizes Dr. Pandey's contribution to the development of a close partnership of IRRI with the two universities on social science research. Dr. Pandey worked with Prof. Ding of ZUEL over the past 3 years in a joint project on the economics of drought management in southern China. More recently, Dr. Pandey is conducting a study on the assessment of economic and environmental impacts of upland rice technologies in Yunnan in collaboration with the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, HAU, and ZUEL. ( Back to top ) Around 25 scientists from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), IRRI, West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), and French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development/Institute of Research for Development, who attended the recent RG5 symposium, met last 25 November at IRRI to discuss possible global collaboration in the following areas: genetic resources, plant breeding, disease management, natural resource management, and capacity building. The meeting was proposed by Dr. Lee Calvert of CIAT and organized by IRRI’s plant breeder and International Network for the Genetic Evaluation of Rice coordinator Edwin Javier and Deputy Director General for Research Ren Wang. The group will develop joint concept notes and work plans to further the collaboration. ( Back to top ) IRRI country office staff visit IRRI for finance and administrative meetings Seventeen staff members from IRRI country offices (ICO) in 11 countries were at IRRI on 21-25 November and met with various staff from Finance, Administration, technical support services, and Research. Topics covered during the International Programs Management Office (IPMO)-coordinated meetings included an overview of finance functions and discussions with concerned accountants on financial transactions; IRRI’s administrative system: a revisit and administrative policies, procedures, and concerns; risk management and business continuity; logistical support; country office management and issues; standard operating procedures; mandate and functions of IPMO and ICOs; and IRRI’s research agenda. The ICO staff members were from Bangladesh , Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia , Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. ( Back to top ) IRRI hosts CGIAR regional workshops IRRI hosted workshops in November on business continuity planning (BCP) and on CGIAR Information Technology (IT) security. The participants in these events were senior executives and IT staff of the five centers in Asia (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, International Water Management Institute, World Fish, International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, and IRRI). The activity was part of the World Bank-funded CGIAR-ICT KM project. Three staff members, one each from Research, Administration, and Management from each Center, attended the first event, 8-11 November. Two from each Center attended the technical training in IT security, 14-18 November. The project was undertaken in collaboration with SGV & Co. from Manila who will engage in similar activities hosted early next year at ICRAF in Nairobi, Kenya, and at International Potato Center in Lima, Peru. SGV's role is to help centers assess their business continuity and IT security risks and respond appropriately to them. ( Back to top ) Women leaders complete leadership course Twenty-six participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Japan, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, and South Korea shared their experiences and practices as leaders in their respective institutions during the Leadership Course for Asian Women in R&D and Extension, the only course at IRRI that is exclusively for women, held on 7-18 November. The participants were researchers, extension workers, project managers, and administrators in universities and research institutions dealing with rice systems. One of the topics in the course was mainstreaming gender concerns in the workplace and rice research and technology development. ( Back to top ) RDA alumni attend Experts’ Consultation and Project Planning event Sixty-six participants from Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam attended the Asia Rural Development Administration Alumni Association (Asia-RAA) Experts’ Consultation and Project Planning on 6-11 November. Held at IRRI, this year’s theme was Enhancing collaboration on technology transfer in agricultural development. The event attracted scientists, researchers, and exchange experts who have received training program grants from the Rural Development Administration (RDA). They discussed the overall vision and strategies to further enhance agricultural development in the represented countries. Part of the program was a discussion on the establishment of demonstration farms in the Philippines as a pilot site to showcase Korean technologies. The event ensured that the six participating countries can best benefit from agriculture and support the present policies of agricultural development in Asia. The meeting was co-organized by RDA, IRRI, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development, and the Philippine Rural Development Administration Alumni Association. ( Back to top ) STAR ─ System of Temperate and Tropical Aerobic Rice IRRI successfully organized a 2-day mini-workshop and planning meeting on 3-4 November. A collaborative research activity of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) Water-saving Workgroup and the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF), the workshop reviewed the results achieved in aerobic rice research, identified the main bottlenecks and priority areas for research, revisited target domain characterization of aerobic rice systems, and planned the 2006 activities for CPWF-STAR and the IRRC. Philippine-based IRRC Water-saving Workgroup partners from PhilRice, National Irrigation Administration, Bulacan Agricultural State College, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, and IRRI scientists attended. Aerobic rice research in the Philippines started in 2000 to breed varieties and develop an appropriate crop management system that is suitable for tropical conditions. Five years of research have resulted in varieties that can potentially yield 4 tons per hectare under aerobic conditions in farmers' fields and recommendations for nutrient, weed, and water management. Partners have agreed that future research activities will focus primarily on finding solutions to the problem of possible yield decline. ( Back to top ) Last of four IRRI-led projects under WFCP officially starts The last of the four IRRI-led projects approved by the Water and Food Challenge Program (WFCP) officially started on 1 November. The project, Rice landscape management for raising water productivity, conserving resources, and improving livelihoods in upper catchments of the Mekong and Red river basins, was one of the four IRRI-led projects approved by WFCP on a competitive basis in 2003, but it received funding support only recently. The main objective of the project is to develop and validate improved options for managing rice landscapes in the uplands. The project includes participation of two advanced research organizations ( University of California Davis and Centre for International Co-operation on Agricultural Research for Development), a sister CG center (International Centre for Research in Agroforestry) and the national research and extension systems of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. The total amount approved for this 4-year project is US$900,000. ( Back to top ) Consultant from Wageningen University gets service plaque from IRRI IRRI awarded Hendrika Hillegonda “Gon” van Laar, long-time visiting consultant from Wageningen University, a plaque of appreciation for service to the Institute over the last 20 years. She will finish her last assignment at IRRI this December. Since 1986, Gon has regularly worked on various collaborative projects including Simulation and Systems Analysis for Rice Production (SARP), the Systems Research Network for Ecoregional Land Use Planning in Tropical Asia (SYSNET), and Potential of Water-saving Technologies in Rice Production. She co-organized numerous workshops, training courses, and conferences, both at IRRI headquarters and at various locations of national agricultural research and extension systems partners in Asia. ( Back to top ) First scheduled Access Grid Conference held at IRRI On 25 October, IRRI senior scientists Graham McLaren and Richard Bruskiewich and Information Technology Services Head Paul O'Nolan participated in IRRI's first scheduled Access Grid-based video conference, a meeting with Dr. Akira Mizushima of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council ( AFFRC), Japan and Mr. Denis Villorente, director of the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) of the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. Dr. Mizushima, a "godfather" of the Asia Pacific Advanced Network, APAN, and a long-time supporter of improved international connectivity for agricultural research and development in Asia was making a personal visit to ASTI. IRRI took advantage of this to make a soft launch of the facility. ASTI and IRRI are the first two Access Grid nodes in the country. Currently, the International Potato Center is installing an Access Grid facility in Lima, Peru, and three other CGIAR centers are in the process of making connections to advanced research networks capable of supporting multisite video conferencing. IRRI's Access Grid implementation was funded in part by a CGIAR ICTKM project. 2006 should see IRRI staff participate in multisite conferences with sister CGIAR centers and other advanced research institutes. One of the first applications is expected to be regular conferencing between IRRI and centers in Latin America as part of another (ICT-KM) project on Business Continuity and IT Security. The project, also led by Paul O'Nolan, is being implemented with external consultants from SGV and Co. based in the Philippines. ( Back to top ) Integrating environmental issues into sustainable rice farming and rural development The challenges in rice research ahead will have significant impact on food security and environmental sustainability. To meet these challenges, IRRI has initiated two important activities ─ strategic planning and the Environmental Agenda. On 4-6 October, the IRRI Environmental Council (IEC) hosted a workshop to integrate environmental issues into the Institute’s strategy plans. Professor Jose Furtado, a former World Bank professional in environmental assessments and currently a visiting professor at the Imperial College, London, facilitated the workshop and gave a seminar on Multiple approaches towards sustainable development. ( Back to top ) IRRI-China Work Plan Meeting highlights impact of IRRI germplasm on Chinese rice production The major impact of IRRI germplasm on rice production in China was highlighted during the second IRRI-China Work Plan Meeting and Rice Science Forum at the Zhejiang Media Center and Hotel in Hangzhou, China. The event attracted a large cross-section of IRRI and Chinese researchers. The meeting, 11-12 October, co-organized by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and supported by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, concluded with field tours to the China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI). In one of the opening presentations on the first day, Dr. Ruifa Hu, from the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy (CCAP) in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), presented new research by a team that included Dr. Haiming Li from the CCAP and Dr. Mahabub Hossain from IRRI. Dr. Hu said that the impact of IRRI germplasm on China’s rice production reached its peak in the early 1990s, with an average contribution of 12.4% to the yield gains achieved in China during the 1982-2000 period, reaching a peak contribution of 30.7% to yield gains during 1982-92. However, he explained that, since the 1990s, the impact of IRRI germplasm on China’s rice yields has been decreasing for several reasons, including the fact that IRRI varieties appear to have a longer life than other varieties so they do not have to be replaced as quickly. He also said his research did not represent a complete picture of IRRI’s impact in China because he had not included the impact of local varieties developed by Chinese scientists trained at IRRI. After the opening ceremonies, the Work Plan Meeting focused on four main research areas: Rice breeding and the current progress with super rice; Chinese outreach programs of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC); rice quality, nutrition and biotechnology; and, developing water-efficient rice technologies. These were discussed in the context of five main objectives: to provide a platform for the exchange of academic information among scientists from China and IRRI; to review IRRI-China cooperative projects since the first work plan meeting in 2000; to identify mutually interesting research priorities and funding opportunities in China; to develop an IRRI-China collaborative work plan for 2005-08; and to discuss other issues relevant to IRRI-China cooperation. ( Back to top ) IRRI and China look forward to another 25 years of cooperation After visiting the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS) and attending the IRRI-China Rice Science Forum and Work Plan Meeting on 11-12 October, IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler went to Beijing and visited the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the China Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). During the meetings, Dr. Zeigler talked with CAAS President Huqu Zhai, NSFC Vice President Zuoyan Zhu, MOA Vice President Baowen Zhang, and CAE Vice President Guofang Shen. In his meetings with officials and scientists in Beijing, Dr. Zeigler introduced IRRI’s new strategies aimed at poverty alleviation and food security, environmental protection, rice nutrition enhancement, and establishment of an information platform that includes the Rice Knowledge Bank. Dr. Zeigler also expressed his appreciation to Dr. Zhu for NSFC’s support to the IRRI-China Work Plan Meeting, and especially to Dr. Zhai for CAAS’ continuous support to the IRRI-China cooperation and IRRI-China office, which had been playing an important role as a bridge between IRRI and CAAS. During the meeting with MOA officials, Prof. Baowen Zhang highlighted the impact of IRRI’s germplasm on rice production in China. Both Prof. Zhang and Dr. Zeigler said that the IRRI-China cooperation in the past 25 years was fruitful, with both parties looking forward to another 25 years of cooperation. Prof. Zhang and Dr. Zeigler also said that they are confident that IRRI-China cooperation will benefit not only China and IRRI but also other rice-growing countries in Asia. ( Back to top ) YAAS confers visiting professorship on Dr. Pandey The Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS) conferred the title of Visiting Professor in Agricultural Economics on Sushil Pandey, IRRI senior scientist, agricultural economics, and deputy head of the Social Sciences Division. He was awarded at a ceremony organized by the Academy in Kunming, Yunnan, on 9 October. The title recognizes Dr. Pandey's contribution to the development of a close partnership between YAAS and IRRI on the assessment of economic and environmental impacts of upland rice technologies in Yunnan. The ongoing study has indicated that intensification of upland rice production through the use of improved varieties and associated crop management technologies has generated positive impact on household food security, farmers’ incomes, and the environment. Collaborative projects are being developed to transfer the lessons of the Yunnan experience to other upland areas in the region. During the conferment ceremony, YAAS President Huang Xingqi expressed his desire to develop a stronger socioeconomic research program with the help of IRRI’s Social Sciences Division. ( Back to top ) IRRI Indonesia opens new office IRRI Indonesia was provided with new office space in the left wing of the Indonesian Center for Food Crop Research and Development (ICFORD) Compound at Jl. Merdeka No.147, Bogor, thanks to the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD). Dr. Suyamto, the new ICFORD director, in officially opening the new IRRI-Indonesia office on 3 October, stressed the important role of IRRI in Indonesian agricultural research and development. He also expressed his appreciation of IRRI Indonesia’s activities in strengthening the relationship between Indonesia and IRRI. “The appreciation,” he said “is reflected by the provision of this office and about US$10,000 per year for routine office activities.” IRRI, represented by Mr. Mahyuddin Syam, expressed gratitude to IAARD through ICFORD. Dr. Suyamto officially cut the ribbon before guests inspected the new office. The ceremony was attended by around 50 guests consisting of ICFORD and IRRI staff, including Dr. Achmad M. Fagi, the Indonesian IRRI BOT member. ( Back to top ) Facilitating technology validation and transfer in the uplands of Laos IRRI recently organized a planning workshop for a project on technology validation and transfer in the uplands of Laos. About 56 representatives from the Lao Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provincial governments of Oudomsay and Sayabouly, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and IRRI met in Oudomsay Province on 27-28 October to design a 3-year project and a detailed work plan for 2006. The workshop was inaugurated by the provincial governor of Oudomsay, H.E. Bounpone Bouttanavong, who commended IRRI’s efforts to improve the livelihoods of upland farmers in Laos. During the workshop, Project Leader Sushil Pandey stated that the project will be aimed at establishing a platform for multi-institutional collaboration to link upland research and IFAD-loan-funded development programs in Laos. Gary Jahn, Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) hub manager; Youquiong Wang, country program manager of IFAD; Kouang Douangsila, head of the National Rice Research Program of Laos; and senior staff of the Lao government provided background on the important of such an initiative for upland development. ( Back to top ) IRRC holds week-long activities in Myanmar The Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) held a successful series of activities and meetings in Myanmar, 27 September-2 October. The week-long event included the first Steering Committee (SC) meeting of Phase III of the IRRC, a national planning meeting that identified the major constraints to rice production in Myanmar, and workshops on post-production technologies, labor and weed management, site-specific nutrient management (SSNM), and water management. U Ohn Myint, vice minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, formally opened the SC meeting. Phase III of the IRRC focused on integration and delivery of technologies to farmers. The week began with a 2-day (27-28 September) in-country training on Implementing component technologies of seed processing, crop establishment, weed management, and SSNM at the Central Agriculture Research and Training Center in Hlegu Township. About 42 staff members from the Myanma Agriculture Service (MAS), the Department of Agricultural Research (DAR), and a private-sector organization, the Myanma Rice Paddy Traders Association (MRPTA) were trained to implement collaborative research during the next dry season (2005-06) in key rice production areas. The national planning meeting on constraints to and challenges for rice production in Myanmar was held in the Sedona Hotel, Yangon, on 29 September. This meeting provided a forum for the discussion of the next phase of IRRC activities in Myanmar. About 35 senior planners and staff members of MAS, DAR, Irrigation Technology Center (ITC), MRPTA, and Myanma Agriculture Product Trading (MAPT) gathered for the first time to discuss constraints to rice production, identify options to solve constraints, identify research needs and priorities, and outline desirable integration of technologies and partnerships required at the regional and national scales. The IRRC, led by David Johnson, facilitated the meeting. The outcomes of this planning meeting were presented to the SC members of the IRRC on 1 October. From 30 September to 1 October, the first inaugural meeting of the SC was held to provide guidance and oversight function for the coming years of the Consortium. Vice Minister U Ohn Myint formally opened the SC meeting and praised IRRI’s collaboration with Myanmar. A crowd of about 75 distinguished guests from Yezin Agricultural University (YAU), Myanma Academy of Agricultural Sciences ( MAAS), MAS, participants, and media people at the Grand Ballroom of Sedona Hotel attended the opening ceremony. Donor representatives Carmen Thönnissen (for Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation) and Christian Witt (for International Fertilizer Industry Association, Potash and Phosphate Institute-Potash and Phosphate Institute of Canada-International Potash Institute) were excited to see new developments in the IRRC Phase III. SC members Veena Khaleque (Bangladesh), Gautam Kalloo (India), Hasil Sembiring (Indonesia), Than Aye (Myanmar), Karen Barroga (Philippines), and Nguyen Van Bo (representing Vietnamese Vice Minister for Agriculture, Bui Ba Bong), Carmen Thönnissen, and IRRI Deputy Director General for Research Ren Wang were also at the meeting. The first day included plenary presentations from Vo Tong Xuan (Building partnerships among countries in the region for effective technology out scaling and information exchange), Mahabub Hossain (Rice supply and demand in Asia: implications for technology development), and Thelma Paris (The roles of farmers in technology development and dissemination). These presentations set the scene of the meeting, introduced the IRRC, and put IRRC in the global context. The SC established its governance with the election of U Than Aye as the SC chair for the first year, approved general work plans, and addressed key issues related to the establishment of IRRC country outreach programs (ICOP) and implementation of scaling-out strategies in main partner countries. Dr. Gelia Castillo, highly respected sociologist, observed that the greatest challenge facing the SC is the organization and development of ICOP, and that cross-country communication and sharing of success stories is a must for this phase of the IRRC to succeed. ( Back to top ) SSD provides technical support to workshop in Nepal The IRRI Social Sciences Division (SSD) was invited to provide technical support to a national workshop on Social Science Concepts and Tools for Agricultural Research and Impact Assessment held 2-6 October at the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) in Lalitput, Nepal. The workshop was organized at the initiative of the newly established Socioeconomics and Research Policy Division (SARPOD) of NARC. It aimed to build capacity of Nepali researchers for socioeconomic analysis and impact assessment. Inspirational talks were given by G.P. Pandey, secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives; S.S. Shrestha, director general of the Department of Agriculture; and D.S. Pathik, executive director of the NARC. Dr. Sushil Pandey, who led the IRRI team, highlighted the role of social sciences in agricultural research and made a presentation on rice research issues as they relate to Nepal. The participants included scientists from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, members of NGOs, and NARC staff from different divisions and regional offices around Nepal. The workshop was organized by Dr. Devendra Gauchan, head of SARPOD, and Dr. Bhaba Tripathi of the Nepal-IRRI Office. The training was conducted by Dr. Deborah Templeton and Ludy Velasco of IRRI, with the assistance of Dr. Gauchan. ( Back to top ) Inception workshop of CPWF project held in Thailand An inception and planning workshop of the project Rice Landscape Management for Raising Water Productivity, Conserving Resources and Improving Livelihoods in Upper Catchments of the Mekong and Red River Basins was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 5-7 December. The project was one of the four IRRI-led projects approved by the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food ( CPWF) on a competitive basis in 2003 but it received funding support only recently. The project aimed to develop and validate improved options for managing rice landscapes in the uplands. It includes participation of two advanced research organizations ( University of California Davis and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development–CIRAD), a sister CG center ( International Centre for Research in Agroforestry–ICRAF) and three national agricultural research and extension systems ( Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam). The project officially started on 1 November and will be completed at the end of 2009. ( Back to top ) High-level policy dialogue on biotechnology IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler spoke during the high-level policy dialogue on Biotechnology for food security and poverty alleviation: opportunities and challenges in Bangkok, 7 November. He provided an assessment of the CGIAR’s approach to biotechnology and biosafety. According to Dr. Zeigler, although it is unlikely that CGIAR member countries will reach consensus on every issue related to biotechnology and biosafety, it is crucial that all countries adopt science-based policies. He added that the CGIAR centers, which have developed unanimous center-agreed policies themselves, will work with countries to help them develop their own policies that are based on science and allow them the greatest possible access to, and benefit from, biotechnology. The event was sponsored by the Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and Global Forum on Agricultural Research. ( Back to top ) Dr. Ladha wins AASIO Outstanding Agricultural Scientist Award for 2005 J.K. Ladha, senior scientist, soil science; coordinator, Rice-Wheat Consortium; and IRRI representative for India, received the Outstanding Agricultural Scientist Award for 2005 in recognition of his significant research contribution in Sustainable Management of Agriculture and Natural Resources during the 25th Anniversary of the Association of Agricultural Scientists of Indian Origin (AASIO). The award was presented by Professor Manjit S. Kang, AASIO president, on 7 November at the 97th annual meeting of American Society of Agronomy/Crop Science Society of America/Soil Science Society of America in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Dr. Ladha provides leadership in agronomy/soil science to the Rice-Wheat Consortium Project, an ecoregional initiative of the CGIAR that aims to enhance the productivity of rice and wheat in the Gangetic Plains. His work, in collaboration with many national and international partners, takes a holistic systems approach with active farmer involvement. Through this project, he has introduced innovative resource-use-efficient alternatives of tillage/crop establishment and fertilizer management strategies to farmers in South Asia. ( Back to top ) IRRI crop physiologist receives distinction as Fellow of crops society Senior crop physiologist Shaobing Peng has received the honor of Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) for 2005. The prestigious award was presented at the CSSA Annual Meetings held in conjunction with the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) on 6-10 November in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Peng’s program focuses mainly on rice physiology, with emphasis on improving resource-use efficiency of high-yielding varieties and identifying the morphological traits and the physiological and biochemical processes that limit the advance of rice yield potential in the irrigated ecosystem. He has developed an internationally recognized research program in rice physiology and nutrition as documented by his publication record, grant support, and leadership of several major research projects involving substantial international collaboration. His research has advanced the fundamental understanding of rice yield potential and N nutrition and, through collaboration with agronomists and plant breeders, has also contributed to the development of improved rice varieties and crop management tools for the irrigated rice ecosystem. ( Back to top ) Former IRRI staff named 2005 Outstanding Graduate Surapong Sarkarung, former plant breeder for the Rainfed Lowland Program, has been named Outstanding Graduate for 2005 of the University of Arkansas. One of Thailand’s most renowned rice breeders, Sarkarung joined IRRI in 1991 as part of the team of the rainfed lowland program, which at the time was headed by Dr. Bob Zeigler. His work focused on breeding improved varieties for rainfed lowland environments of India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. ( Back to top ) Vietnam develops new story and characters for environmental soap opera At the Scriptwriting Workshop held recently in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the World Bank Development Marketplace 2005 project team decided to develop a new story with new characters for the environmental radio soap opera to be launched on World Environment Day, June 5, 2006. The team, composed of members from the Voice of Ho Chi Minh City, Cantho University, Plant Protection Department, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, World Vision, World Bank, and IRRI, felt that the drama, Chuyen Que Minh, which has become very popular among farmers, has completed its course with 140 episodes. The new soap opera will focus on environmental issues with new characters in a new setting, Cantho Province. The tentative title is Que Minh Xanh Mai or “Forever Green Homeland.” The environmental issues that were developed for the drama included climate change, air and water pollution from farm chemicals and straw burning, and concepts of environmental sustainability. “The drama series will stress the importance of ensuring that the environment will be able to provide the same ecosystem services to future generations” said K.L. Heong, the project leader. The focus group discussions conducted by M.M. Escalada and Ho Van Chien showed that farmers are aware that the climate is getting hotter but may not know the causes and effects on rice production. “In the IPM radio, Chuyen Que Minh, we educated farmers on issues related to their fields. With the new environmental radio, we have the opportunity to educate farmers on global issues and cultivate new social values,” said Do Xuan Ky, deputy director of the Voice of Ho Chi Minh. The team will develop 104 episodes of the new drama series to be broadcast by the Voice of Ho Chi Minh City, Radio Cantho, and Radio Angiang. A message design workshop is planned for late February 2006 to develop media materials and programs to launch the drama series on World Environment Day 2006, both in Hanoi and Cantho. ( Back to top ) Learning from past successes and failures Martin Gummert, international research fellow in IRRI’s Agricultural Engineering Unit, helped organize and conduct a 2-week hands-on training workshop on Grain-drying systems and dryer fabrication with Dr. Phan Hieu Hien at Nong Lam University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Seven participants from Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam were taught the importance of grain drying in reducing paddy losses and maintaining seed and grain quality. They learned to identify suitable dryer types for their countries, undertake cost-benefit analysis of drying, manufacture critical components such as fans and rice hull furnaces, and conduct fan and dryer testing and evaluation. The 2-week training course was conducted 10-22 October as a post-production work group activity of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) with support from the IRRI Training Center and the IRRI Lao Project. “Countries such as Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Cambodia can learn a lot from the successes and failures in technology adoption in Vietnam. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel in each country,” said Mr. Gummert. “The curriculum developed for the training can also be adapted for similar localized national training workshops.”( Back to top ) |