www.irri.

org/irrc

April 2006, Vol. 1, No. 2 Volume 7, Number 3, 22nd issue September-December 2012

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Irrigated Rice Research Consortium

Rice Research for Intensified Production and Prosperity in Lowland Ecosystems

The IRRC-SDC Partnership: 19972012

he Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) recognizes the need for commitments to long partnerships for successful multilateral projects in development research and extension. The 16-year partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on crop and natural resource management in the irrigated lowland rice environments highlights the benefits that arise from such a commitment. The Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) was created in 1997 when national agricultural research and extension systems in Asia joined forces with researchers at IRRI. The IRRC developed practical and affordable technologies and practices for smallholders to sustainably enhance their rice production. While the scope of work widened with time (e.g., the introduction of the postharvest

work group in 2004, and the crop health work group in 2009), the underlying idea to enhance the productivity of rice production systems by a more efficient use of resources (water, labor, etc.), leading to a reduced ecological footprint, remained the same. IRRC technologies such as site-specific nutrient management, alternate wetting and drying, direct seeding, improved postharvest practices, and ecologically based pest management of insects, weeds, and rodents have been developed, refined, and promoted. An external review of the IRRC in 2011 concluded that more than 500,000 farmers have adopted one or more of these technologies. Some institutes and donors focus only on the economic benefits of research and development projects. The SDC takes a much broader view and together with IRRI commissioned a review

Grant Singleton

of the outcomes and impacts of the IRRC over the past 16 years that encompasses the economic, social (including gender), and cultural aspects of smallholder rural communities. Another important dimension that will be considered is the capacity strengthening of national partners, including the incorporation of scientific outputs into the curricula of tertiary teaching institutions. An international team of three consultants is undertaking this review. An interim report will be presented at the final wrapup meeting of Phase IV of the IRRC in November 2012. The final report will be delivered by the end of March 2013. Meanwhile, this special issue of RIPPLE provides
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RIPPLE

September-December 2012

Direct seeding saves labor and water costs

Trina Leah Mendoza

n the High Barind Tract of northwest Bangladesh, where there is low, irregular rainfall and limited irrigation, farmers experience compounded hardships. They often transplant wet-season rice late due to delayed monsoons. And, when drought sets in during the booting stage of the rice crop in October, farmers harvest low yields. As a possible solution to their problems, direct seeding of rice in dry or wet soil was introduced to Bangladeshi farmers as an alternative to transplanting of rice. Lower costs and less labor Farmers experiences with direct-seeded rice (DSR) were surveyed through formal economic and informal farmer evaluations of on-farm trials in Rajshaji, Naogaon, and Chapai Nawabganj districts in 2003 and 2005. Although yields were almost alike, net returns from DSR were higher because of lower costs, mainly for seedbed preparation and crop establishment. DSR reduced the labor requirement by 30 days per hectare for farmers who transplanted rice and applied herbicide, and by 50 days per hectare for farmers who transplanted rice without using herbicide. Herbicide application allows better weed management, and requires less time and labor for manual weeding. Farmers said that DSR was most beneficial because it allowed earlier planting of winter crops (e.g., chickpea), and saved labor costs. Earlier rice gets a higher price in the market and allows me to plant winter crops earlier, says Mujibur Rahman from Manikora Village. Direct seeding is useful in areas where there is drought or there is no certainty of rain, adds Md. Salauddin from Choygati Village. No more hunger games Also in northwest Bangladesh,

A farmer from northwest Bangladesh tries out direct seeding of rice in dry or wet soil to solve cropping woes due to low, irregular rainfall and limited irrigation.

rural people experience a hungry period called monga, when agricultural laborers and marginal farmers wait jobless from October to November to harvest the main monsoon rice crop. Shorter-duration varieties, DSR and appropriate weed management, and crop diversification were introduced to farmers through partnerships with government and nongovernment organizations. Preliminary results showed that shorter-duration varieties combined with DSR gave higher yields than the traditional practice of transplanting longduration varieties. However, these results differed by location. In upper fields with lighttextured soils, the best option was to directly seed in dry soil using a lithao, a hardwood implement used to open furrows. On the other hand, pregerminated wet DSR sown using a drum seeder was more appropriate for the medium-high land. Farmers preferred dry DSR because it reduced costs and allowed them to plant rice after only a little rainfall.

The options of direct seeding and shorter-duration varieties for early harvest were included in a national program of the Bangladeshi government for monga mitigation in northwest Bangladesh with an action plan from 2008 to 2010. Proven profitable Indias food security relies mainly on the productivity of the rice-wheat cropping system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Farmers here face similar problems as Bangladeshi farmers. They need more water and labor to establish seedling nurseries, puddle fields, and transplant rice. DSR was introduced to farmers to reduce reliance on irrigation water, save water, and increase productivity of the wheat crop. In 2002 and 2003, the costs and benefits of dry DSR were explored through on-farm trials at Pantnagar, Uttaranchal. DSR proved profitable for farmers and gave net returns of about US$281 per hectare for dryseeded rice and $244 per hectare for
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The IRRI-SDC Partnership...

continued from page 1

Grant Singleton

a snapshot of some of the main outcomes and impacts of our partnership over the past 4 years. RIPPLE as a magazine-cumnewsletter began in December 2005. The main aim was to keep partners, donors, other regional scientific and extension staff, and students up-todate with activities and outcomes of our research. This is issue number 22 and our current print run is 1,000. The feedback we receive on RIPPLE has been extremely positive. Over the past two years, there have been 350 downloads and around 3,000 reads of RIPPLE on our new IRRC

Web presence, www.irri.org/irrc (not counting those who accessed RIPPLE through Scribd.com). Special commendation must be given to Trina Mendoza and Rona Rojas, who have provided a consistently high-quality publication. The SDC will not continue funding the IRRC as a platform for partnership and R&D beyond 2012. IRRI, however, will continue its investment in the IRRC under Program 3, Ecological and sustainable management of ricebased production systems, of the Global Rice Science Partnership

(GRiSP). The SDC will fund a new project on closing rice yield gaps in Asia (CORIGAP), which will be managed under the IRRC umbrella. Since 1997, there have been many drivers of change influencing the rice production systems in Asia. The IRRC, SDC, and IRRI have evolved to be positioned to help our partner countries to take advantage of these changes. The new direction of R&D for the IRRC beyond 2012 is another exciting chapter in this change process. We look forward to strengthening existing partnerships and developing new linkages during 2013!

Direct seeding saves...

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An Indonesian farmer from Bendewuta Village, Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi, uses a modified drum seeder for direct seeding. The modified version uses four drums instead of the original six drums designed by IRRI.

wet-seeded rice compared with $218 per hectare for transplanted rice. However, the main challenge for DSR is effective weed management. A 2008 study evaluated various direct seeding and weed management options for rice and wheat during a 4-year series of

field experiments. Yields of wetseeded rice in clean, weeded plots were slightly higher (9%) than those of transplanted rice, but the potential yield losses due to weeds in either wet or dry DSR were greater than in transplanted rice.

A study exploring the implications of adopting alternative seeding methods at three geographically separate sites in India confirmed that DSR could be an alternative to transplanted rice to address growing costs and help the rice-wheat system become sustainable. Without weed competition, average grain yields were highest under wet seeding (6.56 tons per hectare), similar to yields from transplanted rice in puddled soil (6.17 tons per hectare) and dryseeded rice after dry soil tillage (6.15 tons per hectare). Moreover, farmers who relied on monsoons could prepare fields for dry DSR about 30 days before they could prepare fields for transplanting or seeding with pregerminated seed. Direct seeding proved to be an effective option for farmers in Bangladesh and India. Combined with proper weed management, shorter-duration varieties, and crop diversification, direct seeding can help save labor and water costs and ultimately provide more food and extra income for hundreds of thousands of farmers across Asia.
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Photo by Rona Nia Mae Rojas

RIPPLE

September-December 2012

Amazing Rice

Trina Leah Mendoza

with one county averaging as high as 4.9 tons per hectare. Compared to other summer crops, aerobic rice can be more profitable in an environment where droughts and floods alternately occur. Farmers perceived aerobic rice as a waterand labor-saving technology that can be easily managed, although weeds and unstable yields were the main constraints. Aerobic rice also saves on fertilizer and energy for pumping irrigation water to the field. All these savings contribute to a Increasing adoption rate in China 20% reduction in production The China Agricultural University (CAU) began developing cost compared with lowland rice. The lower need for labor is aerobic rice in China in the 1980s. also beneficial in areas that are Farmers, particularly in northern experiencing labor shortage. China, have been adopting the An impact assessment of the technology, but little is known Developing a System of Temperate about their understanding of he rapid decline of water across the globe has prompted scientists to develop rice-growing technologies that can withstand this challenge. One option is aerobic rice, a way of growing rice that produces acceptable yields using roughly half the amount of water needed for planting lowland irrigated rice. This system uses rice varieties that are drought- and lodgingresistant, input-responsive, and weed-competitive.

Farmers inspect an aerobic rice field in Tarlac Province, Philippines.

aerobic rice, and the impact it has made on their livelihoods. A study conducted in three counties in North Anhui revealed that the proportion of farmers growing aerobic rice was 25%, with a high of 73% in one county. The proportion of aerobic rice was 7%, with a high of 20% in one county. Farmers harvested an average of 2.9 tons per hectare,
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Promising results in the Philippines A study evaluated the effects of the amount and timing of nitrogen fertilizer application and row spacing on aerobic rice yield under rainfed conditions in Central Luzon, Philippines. With the application of 60 to 150 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare, yields achieved were 3.14.9 tons per hectare depending on site and season. Applying nitrogen beyond 90 kilograms per hectare increased the risk of lodging, especially during the wet season. To allow easier weeding between rows, a row spacing of 35 centimeters is suggested. The suggested row space also enables mechanized field operations where tire tracks of machines can no longer damage the crops. Three promising aerobic rice varieties were tested in farmers fields in Tarlac and Nueva Ecija provinces in the Philippines. Variety Apo produced the highest yield (45.5 tons per hectare) among the three varieties. However, farmers in Bulacan and La Union provinces preferred and are adopting a breeding line that yielded 5.26 tons per hectare in Bulacan. In some aerobic rice field trials in the Philippines, nematodes that can cause a yield decline were identified as potential threats. IRRC Water-Saving Work Group leader Ruben Lampayan and his team caution farmers in these and Tropical Aerobic Rice (STAR) areas on possible sustainability in Asia project estimated that, by issues in planting aerobic rice. 2015, the aerobic rice-growing area A survey among 80 farmers in China will increase to over 1 million hectares, a big leap from the in Bulacan, both adopters and present estimate of 350,000 hectares. nonadopters, echoes the Chinese The International Rice Research farmers view that, although Institute started working with CAU aerobic rice yield may be lower and national partners in 2001 to study the appropriate management recommendations for aerobic rice in continued on page 5 China, India, and the Philippines.

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Cross-country exchange on Rice GAP

Ladda Viriyangkura (middle, in black), from the Rice Department of Thailand, explains aspects of seed quality to Vietnamese colleagues.

Rona Nia Mae Rojas

n exchange between scientists from Thailand and Vietnam on the progress of their respective countries on Good Agriculture Practices for Rice (Rice GAP) took place on 21-27 October, facilitated by the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC). Four Thai scientists, led by Ladda Viriyangkura from the Thai Rice Department, visited

the Mekong Delta in Vietnam on 21-24 October and reported on the progress of the 1 Must Do, 5 Reductions program in An Giang. The group also visited a farmer group in Can Tho Province that is certified under Viet GAP for rice production and met with the deputy director of the Southern Horticulture Research Institute (SOFRI) in Long Dinh to discuss the development and management of Viet GAP, Global GAP, and Rice GAP. The Vietnam team, on the other hand, traveled to Thailand (24-27 October) and was briefed on Thai Rice GAP during a visit to the Rice Department in Bangkok and

Amazing Rice

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Aerobic rice plants are subjected to different soil and water conditions in an experimental field in Tarlac, Philippines.

than that of lowland rice, it has comparable profitability. A group of Filipino farmers call the technology amazing rice. Their similar experiences with the Chinese farmers of saving water, labor, and fertilizer confirm that

aerobic rice is a good option for farmers in rainfed and waterscarce areas. (Note: Watch the video titled Amazing Rice: Aerobic Rice Technology on YouTube [http://youtu.be/4btCXwq7ZRQ], a new video featuring some Filipino farmers management practices and testimonials on adopting aerobic rice. )

met farmers in Saraburi Province who were certified producers under Thai Rice GAP. The team of four Vietnamese scientists was led by Pham Van Du, deputy director of the Department of Crop Production. The team also visited a niche company that buys, mills, and trades certified rice produced by the aforementioned farmers. In Petchaburi Province, the Vietnamese scientists met with a farmer group that formed a community rice center, and, later, visited the Ratchaburi Rice Seed Center to discuss issues associated with the production and distribution of breeder seed. IRRC coordinator Grant Singleton, who accompanied both delegations, noted an issue common in both countries: the private sector is not well-aligned yet with the exciting developments under Rice GAP. Farmers and farmer clusters certified as meeting GAP standards generally do not receive a premium for the highquality rice that they produce. A positive development, however, is that best practices for rice production, such as the 1 Must Do, 5 Reductions program, provide the platform for farmers to become certified. Farmers who have taken the time and effort to adopt best practices and meet the exacting criteria to be certified have reported a yield increase of, on average, 0.4-0.5 ton per hectare and reduced input and labor costs. All of these farmers reported that it is these improvements in productivity and profit that keep them interested in continued involvement in Rice GAP programs. The scientists who joined in the cross-country exchange were Pham Van Du, Nguyen Thi Kieu, Le Thanh Tung, Le Quoc Cuong, Ladda Viriyangkura, Nopparat Inson, Wannakorn Intatasatit, and Bordinth Jankam.

IRRI photo

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September-December 2012

Flatbed dryers spread across Southeast Asia

Trina Leah Mendoza

Indonesia In the tidal lands of South Sumatra, low-quality discolored rice is common due to delays in handling and drying. Shortages in labor and postharvest facilities caused these delays. To address this problem, a kerosene-fueled flatbed dryer or box dryer was introduced in South Sumatra by AGRINDO, a machinery manufacturer in Java, in 1995. Unfortunately, users abandoned the dryer due to rising fuel costs. In 2003, a rice-huskfired dryer with 3.3-ton capacity was developed and introduced in South A community-based reversible flatbed dryer was installed in Bukidnon, Philippines, through the IRRI-ADB Project, PhilRice, and NGOs Kaanib Foundation, Inc., and Catholic Relief Services. Sumatra. IRRI provided assistance by transferring a bigger and more efficient IRRI began working with NLU, illions of Asian farmers fan to a local manufacturer in struggle with poor-quality national partners, and private Palembang. By 2010, around 200 stakeholders in 2006 to introduce grain as a result of their traditional practice of sundrying. To the flatbed dryer in Southeast Asia. dryers had been installed in South Sumatra, mainly by rice milling solve this problem, the mechanical units. Four local workshops are now flatbed dryer was developed for the Myanmar producing dryers there, with one Dr. Myo Aung Kyaw from the humid tropical environments in the shop in Palembang already making Pioneer Postharvest Development Philippines in the 1970s. However, good-quality dryers and the others it did not take off in most countries Group (PPHDG) and Mr. Tin Oo, needing more technical assistance. a manufacturer, participated in because of the high operating the IRRI-organized dryer training cost needed for the kerosene-fired The Philippines conducted at NLU in 2006. After burner. Its 1-ton drying capacity Most Filipino farmers rely on the training, they installed the per batch was unsuitabletoo the sun to dry their grain, but first pilot unit in Myanmar. big for small farmers and too now face problems of low quality This started the production and small for the commercial sector. because of unpredictable weather. installation of dryers at rice mills It was only in Vietnam where During the last few years, the and with farmers groups. By the technology was successfully Philippine Rice Research Institute 2012, over 72 dryers had been adapted, thanks to a modified (PhilRice) worked with NLU to installed by the PPHDG, 80 by version by Nong Lam University bring in the second-generation Mr. Tin Oo, and 150 by workshops (NLU). By 2005, around 4,000 flatbed dryer with reversible airflow that have copied the design. dryers with 48-ton capacity were from Vietnam to the Philippines. The PPHDG confirms that installed in the Mekong Delta, all IRRI supported a participatory using rice husk as fuel. Neighboring 13,700 farmers are benefiting verification of the initial units of Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Myanmar from the dryers that the group these dryers through the IRRC has installed, and an estimated had no dryers at the time. and an Asian Development Bank Indonesian dryers mostly installed 35,000 farmers are benefiting (ADB)-funded Postharvest Project. from over 300 dryers in the by the government were not being The Philippine Department of country. (See RIPPLE Sept-Dec used. And, only a few dryers 2011 issue for more details.) based on the Vietnamese design continued on page 7 were used in the Philippines.

Photo by Trina Mendoza

September-December 2012

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Flatbed dryers spread...

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Farmers are trained on the use of the flatbed dryers in Battambang, Cambodia.

Agriculture funded 10 units installed at PhilRice stations. These dryers are now being transferred to end users through PhilRice and the Postharvest Learning Alliance (LA). Both serve as platforms where the dryers can be evaluated in a business model context with end users and supporting institutions such as nongovernment organizations, local government units, and IRRI. Cambodia The need for mechanical dryers in Cambodia sprang from the proliferation of combine harvesters in the country. Now, with around 2,000 combines being used, there are large amounts of wetter grains than what would normally be harvested manually. Sundrying was no longer suitable. Thus, the ADB-IRRI Project transferred the flatbed dryer from Vietnam to a local manufacturer in Cambodia. From one demonstration unit installed with a farmers group, there are now hundreds of flatbed dryers in Cambodia. The private sector has realized the benefits of mechanical drying and several have invested

in the technology. The local manufacturer has now designed a recirculating batch dryer, the next level of the technology.

Some lessons learned Previous attempts to introduce mechanical dryers for rice have failed because of unsuitable technologies, high fuel costs, and markets that accepted sundried paddy without a price penalty. Increased harvest volumes, wetter produce coming from combine harvesting, and markets becoming more qualityconscious Myanma farmers reap the benefits of having access to flatbed dryers. drove the

need for mechanical dryers in Southeast Asia over the last decade. The availability of a dryer design adapted to users needs and using rice husk as fuel in Vietnam and the facilitation of technology transfer and support to local manufacturers allowed adoption in neighboring countries within a few years. Each country had local champions who drove the technologies even beyond project horizons. Multistakeholder platforms such as the LA helped in linking actors across sectors, capturing the learning, and making it available. The IRRC provided the platform for cross-country technology transfer and learning. The presence of business models for the use of machinery can help the adoption and be instrumental in establishing linkages to financing institutions. And, in cases where the dryers were provided for free or heavily subsidized, sustainability was usually not achieved.

Photo by Martin Gummert

RIPPLE

September-December 2012

Proper nutrient management leads to higher yield and income

ertilizers, though important inputs to achieve high yield and profit in rice farming, are often managed inefficiently by rice farmers. Much like humans, rice crops need the right kind of nutrients at the right amount and at the right time. The timing of application during a rice crops growth stage is crucial in ensuring good yield. The inefficient use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, for example, especially for high yield and cropping intensity, can lead to crop lodging and increased pest and disease infestation, which ultimately reduces the crop yield and income of farmers. To tackle these pressing issues, the IRRC Productivity and Sustainability Work Group (PSWG) developed and promoted practices and tools for more efficient fertilizer management in rice and other crops. LCC reduces fertilizer application Bangladesh, a country with decreasing arable land, must
From left to right: The Nutrient Manager for Rice mobile application, the leaf color chart, and the Nutrient Manager computer-based software. These are the tools used to properly manage nutrient application for specific field types.

Rona Nia Mae Rojas

produce 28 million tons of milled rice by 2020 to feed a fast-growing population. An increased rice yield and higher cropping intensity are needed to meet the rising demand for food while coping with diminishing agricultural land. This also means that crops have a greater need for nutrients. A tool, the leaf color chart (LCC), was developed to help ensure that rice crops get the appropriate amount of N fertilizer at the proper time. The LCC is a simple and inexpensive tool that can be used to monitor leaf greenness (and nitrogen content) and guide farmers on how much nitrogen fertilizer is needed to achieve high yield. Since 2006, IRRI, with the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Department of Agricultural Extension, and other local partners, has disseminated 612,000 of the 4-panel LCCs and trained 224,916 farmers on its use. In 2011, interviews with farmers revealed that those who used the LCC reduced their amount of

urea application by as much as 50% compared to their amount of application before they used the LCC. Farmers revealed that there were changes in their fertilizer management practices and that the LCC helped them cope with the rising prices of urea fertilizer. Knowledge made simple and accessible Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) principles are best management practices for applying nutrients (N, phosphorus [P], and potassium [K]) in rice and other crops as and when needed. This field-specific approach allows farmers to adjust fertilizer use depending on the nutrient needs of a crop and the nutrient supply from natural sources such as crop residues, soil, manure, and irrigation water. One of the challenges in tailoring nutrient management for specific field conditions and for its widespread uptake is its knowledge intensityfactors including crop yield, crop residue management, historical fertilizer use, use of organic materials, and nutrient inputs in irrigation water have to be considered.
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Proper nutrient management...

continued from page 8

The SSNM principles were developed into a tool called Nutrient Manager for Rice. It is a computer-based decision software that can quickly give farmers and extension workers a comprehensive fertilizer guideline tailored to specific conditions in rice fields. The Nutrient Manager consists of about 15 questions easily answered by an extension worker or farmer with no need for soil or plant analyses. Rowena Castillo, a PSWG soil scientist and developer of the software, says, Based on the responses from the questions, the user will receive a guideline on the amount of fertilizer per crop growth stage for a specific field. In the Philippines and Indonesia, the Nutrient Manager for Rice decision software can be used with computers and is also available as mobile phone applications. Bangladesh and West Africa are set to follow soon. Cross-country gains The environmental impact and economic benefits of SSNM were

Photo by Madonna Casimero

Men and women farmers reap a bountiful harvest in Konawe, South Sulawesi. This area adopted site-specific nutrient management principles with other IRRC natural resource management technologies.

evaluated for two cropping seasons in southern India, the Philippines, and southern Vietnam. On-farm research comparing SSNM to the farmers fertilizer practice showed that SSNM increased rice yield in the three locations even with reduced N fertilizer application.

The women in Bone, South Sulawesi, proudly carry the seasons harvest in their village, where SSNM principles were also tried with other IRRC natural resource management technologies.

The increase in yields with less N fertilizer was due to improved fertilizer use efficiency. Improving fertilizer use also reduces the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. SSNM practice in India showed potential to obtain greater yields with increased N fertilizer while maintaining low N2O emissions. The study revealed that SSNM did not increase emissions of N2O per unit of grain yield. For locations where higher yield is possible through less N fertilizer, SSNM could reduce N2O emissions per unit of grain yield. Farmers who practiced SSNM reported an increase in income, whether from less fertilizer input, less pesticide use, or increased yield. The added income from SSNM was US$34/ha in Vietnam, $106 in the Philippines, and $168 in India. SSNM proves that proper management of nutrients could bring about environmental and economic benefits for Asian farmers.
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Photo by Madonna Casimero

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September-December 2012

Understanding ecology is key

odent pests have long been considered a nuisance to humans. These pests wreak havoc in rice fields and compete in acquiring and storing food. They are a major constraint in rice production, during both preharvest and postharvest stages of cultivation. Globally, over the past 50 years, the economic and social impacts of rodent pest populations are still significant despite advances in ecological theory and methods. In countries such as Indonesia, rodent pests are economically the most important preharvest pest, causing annual losses to rice production of more than 10%. There are chronic rodent problems in other developing countries in Asia and Africa, as well. Pre- and postharvest yield losses combined in Asia due to rats are estimated at 1015%. A 6% loss in rice production in Asia translates to approximately 36 million tons of rice, which could feed 220 million people. The common farmer practices of rodent control through chemical and physical methods are reactive (applied after rodent numbers are high). Generally, these actions are not economical, and the heavy use of rodenticides can lead to health and environmental risks. To effectively manage rodents in ricebased farming systems requires an understanding of the ecology of the pest species. This alternate approach

Grant Singleton Rona Nia Mae Rojas

The black rat (Rattus rattus, left) and the rice field rat (Rattus argentiventer, right) are the main pests of rice in Southeast Asia.

is called ecologically based rodent management (EBRM), which entails conducting community actions at key times of the year in specific habitats where rodents are most vulnerable. IRRI, through the IRRC, has worked with its partner Asian countries in implementing EBRM at selected project sites in Southeast Asia.

managed, thereby not harming the potentially beneficial native species.

A combined effort EBRM aims to maintain populations at tolerable levels to reduce crop losses. EBRM combines both cultural and physical rodent management practices such as synchronous planting, conducting Knowing the enemy community campaigns at key periods It is first necessary to understand in key habitats, reducing the width that not all rodents are pests. Rodents of irrigation banks in fields (less than may have caused tremendous 30 cm) to prevent nesting by rats, and economic hardship to people on a improving general hygiene around global scale, but, usually, less than villages. If losses are expected to be 10% of the species cause substantial higher than 10% during a specific impacts. In the Philippines, six of cropping season, then community more than 65 species of rodents are trap-barrier system (CTBS) is an considered agricultural or urban important management tool. pests. Indeed, most are species only A CTBS comprises a plastic found in the Philippines. None of fence surrounding a small rice crop the native species are pests of rice, planted 23 weeks earlier than the and some eat introduced pests such surrounding crops, with traps set as golden apple snails and the giant into the plastic enclosure. Rats have a worms in the rice terraces. They highly developed sense of smell and therefore need to be distinguished are attracted to the earlier maturing from the pest crop from distances of over 200 species when meters. Once near the fence, they developing follow the line of the plastic until they management reach a hole leading into a multipletechniques. This capture trap into which they enter could be done in their endeavor to reach the rice. by specifically In Indonesia and Vietnam, rice tailoring your farmers who used EBRM and CTBS control method report a positive impact and financial to the species benefits. The benefits are derived that need to be from a yield increase from reduced losses caused by rats, reduced use Community rodent of toxic rodenticides, decreased control campaigns using use of plastic fences to protect the local methods should be whole area, and decreased labor done within 30 days of planting the crop. continued on page 11

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Managing our liquid resources

Rona Nia Mae Rojas

ater, a resource so important in rice production, is fast becoming increasingly scarce in many Asian countries. The various competing demands for watersuch as for household and industrial usesand rapid population growth have led to insufficient irrigation water in our rice fields. Inadequate supply during crop establishment and the vegetative and reproductive stages of the crop would mean a significant reduction in rice yield.

With about 75% of global rice produced in irrigated conditions, managing our water resources in order to meet the global demand for food is a top priority. Water-saving technologies were developed to require less water and increase rice productivity. Through field trials and adaptive research, these technologies were found to effectively save water without a significant yield penalty. They were developed by the IRRC through IRRI and its national agricultural research and extension partners in the Philippines. The alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology or controlled irrigation is one such technology. Safe AWD This specific form of AWD, called Safe AWD, could reduce water use by as much as 30%, while maintaining yield at the level of that of flooded rice. This practice allows rice farmers to let their fields go without water intermittently during the rice growing stage. This is different from the traditional irrigation practice of continuous flooding, which never lets the rice field go dry.
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The period when the field is not flooded before being irrigated can vary from 1 day to more than 10 days. This follows the premise that the roots of the rice plant are still adequately supplied with water for some period due to the initial flooding even if water is not visible on the topsoil. This technique employs a simple tool, called water tubes, that could come in either wood or plastic. These water tubes are punctured or perforated with holes around them and are then embedded into the soil to help monitor the water level and determine when farmers have to irrigate. Less water, more savings In the Philippines, where approximately 61% of the 3.4 million ha of rice production is under irrigation, the safe AWD irrigation technique was introduced to farmers in pump irrigation systems in Central Luzon. In a study on the impact of AWD as a water-saving technique, this technology was found to reduce the hours of irrigation use by about 38%, without a significant
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Water-saving technologies, such as AWD, help counteract the rising cost of irrigation and water scarcity.

Understanding ecology...
for conducting rodent control. Although EBRM has been reported to be economically profitable, this method requires community participation for it to be successful. Other physical and traditional methods of controlling the rat population are usually costly and laborious when done alone. Favorable changes The provinces of Ha Nam and An Giang in Vietnam reported reduced rodenticide use of 52% and 37%, respectively. The damaged area caused by rats decreased, thereby increasing yield. A study conducted in 2009 showed a lower yield loss of 37% compared with 515% in

2005. Farmers attributed this to the better rodent management practices they learned from intensive training courses and management guidelines. Reduced yield loss and additional savings from the avoided cost of rodenticides increased the income of farmers. Farmers from Ha Nam Province increased their income from US$409 in 2005 to $490 in 2009. The decrease in rat population also potentially reduces the contamination of grain and water with rat urine, which causes leptospirosis and other diseases that affect humans. The project that ended in 2009 reported a significant diffusion of EBRM into neighboring villages,

districts, and provinces in Vietnam. The findings led to an important policy initiative. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam issued an order to plan rat control for each period during the crop season, through cooperation of local government agencies and local communities.. EBRM is simple enough to apply once the ecology of the pest species is understood in the areas cropping system and management actions are developed for specific socio-cultural contexts. It also proves that, when farmers act together as a community, success is not far behind. (Visit our rodent management site at https://sites.google. com/site/rodentmanagement/home)
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Rona Nia Mae Rojas

Managing our liquid resources

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irrigation cost by 1820% and increase yield by 3%. Watersaving technologies have also reached the national policy level in the Philippines. Administrative Order No. 25, titled Guidelines for the adoption of water-saving technologies (WST) in irrigated rice production The water level in the rice field is measured systems in the Philippines, with the use of water tubes embedded into was signed on November 2009. the soil. The amount of water tells farmers AO 25 mandates the application when is the right time to irrigate. of water-saving technologies, particularly AWD, in irrigated rice loss in yield and profit. Reduced systems throughout the country. irrigation time meant that farmers In the 2009 performance were able to save in irrigation water evaluation of IRRI by the CGIAR, and in fuel energy required to AWD received a perfect score of 10. pump water throughout the field. The CGIAR says of the technology: Safe AWD is also widely This is a clear and mature case promoted in Vietnam and with good underlying research and Indonesia. It has also been tested collaborative validation, and results in irrigation-based systems in moving in different countries with Senegal, Africa. Results led to 40% subsequent research being done for savings in irrigation water, while more local recommendations. yield was still 95% of that of the The United Nations Framework continuous flooding method. Convention on Climate Change just recently approved a methodology on From research to dissemination the Clean Development Mechanism Since the AWD technology was (CDM) in rice production, introduced in Bangladesh in 2004, particularly in the category of various government, nongovernment, Methane emission reduction and private organization in the by adjusted water management country have participated in practice in rice cultivation. The validating and promoting safe AWD. CDM methodology includes The partnership among the AWD and gives reference to the various organizations resulted IRRI Knowledge Bank. Although in an enterprise that facilitates the previous version of the capacity building and establishes methodology required obligatory linkages. They produced AWD field measurements of CH4 fluxes, the new version allows using default water tubes (called Hatim pipes) factors for reduced emissions (1.8 and ensured their availability to kg/ha/d in the case of AWD). farmers. Information packages on Subsequently, this means that irrigation, seeds, and other crops Certified Emission Reductions can were distributed and around 70 now be claimed for water-saving demonstration plots were set up. techniques in rice production without The demonstration plots showed that safe AWD could reduce any measurement of emission

Volume 7, Number 3 September-December 2012

This newsletter is produced by the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The IRRC promotes international links among scientists, managers, communicators, and farmers in lowland irrigated rice environments. Materials in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official views of IRRI, SDC, or collaborating institutions of the IRRC.

IRRI photos

Editorial and production tEam

Grant Singleton Trina Leah Mendoza Rona Nia Mae Rojas copY EditorS Tess Rola Bill Hardy laYout Rona Nia Mae Rojas Jennifer Hernandez Please direct further correspondence, comments, and contributions to trina leah mendoza Senior Communication Specialist International Rice Research Institute DAPO Box 7777 Metro Manila, Philippines Email: t.mendoza@irri.org Web: www.irri.org/irrc
savings. Information on the CDM methodology can be found at http:// cdm.unfccc.int/methodologies. Through policy support and the continuous validation of AWD in different parts of the world, our rice farmers are able to not only increase their savings but also contribute to environmental sustainability.
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September-December 2012

RIPPLE