Ripple Jan Mar 2009

8/2/2019 Ripple Jan Mar 2009

1/12re Janary-March 2009

ripple s oducd by th igatd rc rsach Consotum (irrC) wth suot fom th Swss Agncy fo DvomnCooaton (SDC). Th irrC omots ntnatona nks among scntsts, manags, communcatos, and fams n owgatd c nvonmnts.

April 2006, Vl. 1, N. 2

www.irri.org/irrc/

Irrigated Rice Research Consortium Rice Research forIntensied Production and Prosperity in Lowland Ecosystems

January-March 2009, Vol. 4, No. 1

International Rice Research Institute

SDC funds Phase 4

of the IRRC

In this issue

Ripples of change ..........3Intensifying rice and maize

production in BangladeshDriving the vehicle of

changeIRRC produces video

on mongaWaves of action..................6IRRI-ACIAR Sulawesi

project moves aheadSnapshots of 2008Water saving benefts An

Giang and beyond

Profiles .......................................9Dr. Savarys prescription for

crop healthSri Lankas champion in

overcoming weedy rice

Publications & upcomingevents ...................................11

More generations of rice consumers have more reasons to smile as the IRRCs fourth phase begins thisJanuary 2009. (Photo by T. Mendoza)

The Swiss Agency for Development

and Cooperation (SDC) approved a

credit proposal in October 2008 for

funding Phase 4 of the Irrigated Rice Re-

search Consortium (IRRC). Phase 4 be-

gins in January and will end in December

2012. The SDC will provide US$3.9 mil-

lion for the IRRC to act as an innovation

> continued on page 2


2/12

2re Janary-March 2009

platform for improved pro-

ductivity of lowland irrigated

rice. Complementary funding

of specic work groups will

be provided by the Asian

Development Bank; a con-sortium of the International

Fertilizer Industry Associa-

tion, the Internat ional Plant

Nutrition Institute, and the

International Potash Institute;

and the UK Department for

International Development.

The coordination unit of the

IRRC also has funding from

the Australian Centre for

International Agricultural Re-

search for adaptive research

on integrating IRRC tech-nologies in eastern Indonesia.

The vision of the IRRC

Phase 4 is to provide a plat-

form of technologies readily

available to a regional com-

munity of users in Asia to en-

able them to access options to

improve their livelihoods and

obtain the increases in rice

production required to main-

tain food security in Asia.

A key priority in Phase

4 will be the development

of a series of innovation

platforms that each cover

at least 10,000 hectares and

will be linked to national

priorities. These platforms

will facilitate the diffusion of

technologies at the district,

provincial, and national levels

and will be structured around

action research. The aim is

to stimulate the engagement

of policy advisers, farmersand farmer groups, non-

government organizations

(NGOs), the private sector,

and teaching institutions.

In line with the recom-

mendations of the external

review panel of Phase 3, the

IRRC Phase 4 will con-

solidate its activities at fewer

sites. The emphasis will be

in Southeast Asia. However,

activities in South Asia and

the Peoples Republic of

China that are at an exciting

stage will continue, such as

direct-seeded rice and alter-

nate wetting and drying in

Bangladesh. We will have an

increased emphasis on scaling

up (inuencing policy) and

scaling out (wider dissemina-

tion of technologies to end

users). We will also place

strong emphasis on strength-

ening the capacity of national

extension systems, NGOs, and

public-private sector partner-

ships that are pro-poor.

Five work groupsin Phase 4Five work groups

(WG) will constitute

Phase 4 of the IRRC:

(i) Productivity and

Sustainability WG: with a

focus on improved nutri-

ent and crop management

practices at the eld and farm

level for increased prot-

ability in rice farming.

(ii) Water-Saving

WG: with a focus on in-

creased productivity under

water-scarce conditions.

(iii) Labor Productivity

and Community Ecology WG:

with a focus on improving la-

bor productivity, including ef-

fective community action for

managing weeds and rodents.

(iv) Postproduction WG:

with a focus on improving

postproduction techniques

and access of farmers to

market information on rice.

(v) Crop Health WG:

with a focus on crop pro-

duction management (e.g.,

crop rotation and fallowmanagement) and host-plant

resistance for managing

insect pests and diseases.

Phase 4 of the IRRC will

hit the road running with

planning and implementa-

tion workshops in Thailand

and Myanmar in January and

in Vietnam in February. We

look forward to an excit-

ing 4 years ahead that will

build on the strong partner-

SDC funds Phase 4...from page 1

ships and advances obtained

over the past 4 years.

I take this opportunity

to thank the members of the

IRRC Steering Committee

for their excellent support

and contributions during

Phase 3. I also express my

deepest appreciation for the

efforts and commitment of

the many national mem-

bers of the IRRC who have

made the consortium such

a success over the past 4

years. It is youthe scien-

tists, extension staff, private

sector partners, and policy

specialistswho make thissuch a dynamic consortium

across 11 countries in Asia.

We look forward to your

continued and strengthened

participation dur ing 2009-12!

On behalf of the IRRC

management team here at

IRRI, I wish everyone a

successful and joyous 2009.

Grant [email protected]

DRY AND PAINLESS. Innovative farmersprevent backache by sitting in basinswhile pulling seedlings for transplant-ing in Bone, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.(Photo by D. Casimero)



W

hile getting maize

and rice to the

dining table has

never been easy, it is muchharder nowadays as farm-

ers face more challenges to

produce these basic commodi-

ties. Prices of fertilizer have

reached an all-time high, wa-

ter supply is dwindling, and

soil has become less and less

fertile from decades of use.

These are some of the

reasons for holding the

workshop titled Sustainable

intensication of rice-maize

systems in Bangladesh, jointlyorganized by the International

Rice Research Institute

(IRRI), the International

Maize and Wheat Improve-

ment Center (CIMMYT), and

the Bangladesh Rice Research

Institute (BRRI) on 9-10

November 2008 at BRRI in

Gazipur.

The joint project, led by

IRRI-CIMMYT scientist Dr.

Jagadish Timsina, will be

supported by the Australian

Centre for International Ag-

ricultural Research (ACIAR)

for 5 years. Multiple partner-

ships will be built for stra-

tegic and adaptive research

and technology transfer on

rice-maize systems in four

districts in Bangladesh.

The national partners in

the project include govern-

ment organizations (GOs)

such as BRRI, the Bangla-desh Agricultural Research

Institute (BARI), and the

Bangladesh Academy for

Rural Development and

nongovernment organiza-

tions (NGOs) such as the

Bangladesh Rural Advance-

ment Committee (BRAC)

and the Rangpur-Dinajpur

Rural Services (RDRS).

The workshop was

ofcially launched by Mr.

M. Abdul Aziz, secretary

of the Ministry of Agri-

culture. He highlighted the

relevance of the project in

Bangladesh, and thanked

ACIAR for funding support

and all international and

national partners for team-

ing up to achieve the food

security goal of the country.

Dr. Zainul Abedin, IRRI

representative for Bangla-

desh, welcomed the par-

ticipants in the workshop.

Dr. Achim Dobermann,IRRI deputy director general

for research, and Dr. John

Dixon, director of the Impact

Assessment and Targeting

Unit of CIMMYT, delivered

their messages by video.

Other key speakers dur-

ing the opening session were

Mr. M. Harun-ur-Rashid,

chairman of the Bangla-

desh Agricultural Research

Council and director general

of BARI; Dr. M. Nur-E-Elahi,

BRRI director general; Dr.

M. Hossain, BRAC execu-

tive director; Dr. Ken Sayre,

CIMMYT agronomist for

South and Central Asia;

and Dr. Paul Fox, research

program manager of the Crop

Improvement and Manage-

ment Program of ACIAR. Dr.

Hamid Miah, IRRI liaison

scientist for Bangladesh, of-

fered thanks to all concerned.

The technical sessions

covered various papers relatedto project objectives on con-

servation agriculture, site-

specic nutrient management,

development and evaluation

of excess-moisture-tolerant

maize hybrids, and methods

of socioeconomic studies.

Later, project participants

discussed the objectives and

activities of the project and

the expected outputs, rened

the milestones, and prepared

a detailed work plan for

each objective. The project,

emphasizing both research

and technology delivery and

impact, is considered unique

as it is jointly managed by

IRRI and CIMMYT with di-

verse partnerships from GOs

and NGOs in Bangladesh.

Given the problems

that modern agriculture

faces, intensifying rice and

maize production is one

way to keep up with the

ever-growing demand in theworld market. Intensifying

production means imple-

menting sustainable ways

of growing more rice and

maize using less inputs such

as fertilizer and pesticides.

With the right people

and organizations, Bangla-

deshi farmers and consum-

ers are in for better times.

Carlito [email protected]

and Lorelei de la Cruz

Intensifying rice and maize productionin Bangladesh

Ripples of Change

NO MORE HUNGER. Food security in tight times can be achieved by integrated efforts to intensifyproduction. (Photo by G. Singleton)


4/12


Driving the vehicle of changeposthavst tanng n lao pDr

T

he main crop of

the Lao Peoples

Democratic Republic(PDR) is rice, grown on

the fertile oodplain of

the Mekong River. About

80% of the countrys arable

land is devoted to rice

farming. But, despite this

dependence on rice, the level

of mechanization in rice

farming and postharvest

activities in Lao PDR is

still low, and manual power

dominates farm operations.

Furthermore, tractors,harvesters, and mechanical

dryers are not efciently used

and maintained by research

centers and farmer groups.

Training for progressThus, postharvest train-

ing was held at the Thasano

Crop Multiplication Research

Center, Savannakhet Prov-

ince, on 27-31 October 2008,

to create awareness on the

effective use of agricultural

machinery and improved

postharvest management

options. Organized by the

countrys National Rice

Research Program, the train-

ing also brought together

farmer groups, research-

ers, and private sector

staff to discuss postharvest

issues and how they can

improve rice productivity.

A team from Vietnams

Nong Lam University (NLU)

and the Center for Agricul-

tural Energy and Machinery

conducted the 5-day training

course for 19 participants

from Vientiane, Savannakhet,

and Champasak provinces.

Day 1On the rst day, Dr.

Tran Van Khanh from NLU

introduced the principleson operating and maintain-

ing the tractor and agri-

cultural machinery such

as moldboard plows, disk

plows, disk harrows, rotary

tillers, seeders, and spray-

ers. Participants were also

taught how to operate and

adjust some components of a

Chinese tractor, rotary tiller,

and 3- and 7-disk plows.

Day 2Harvesting methods and

operation and maintenance of

mini combine harvesters were

introduced on the second day.

Participants practiced driving

the harvester around the yard.

Day 3It was an all-day

hands-on training on the

third day, with participants

driving the mini combineharvester in the eld and

practicing on harvesting

and measuring losses.

Day 4The fourth day mostly

focused on drying, introduc-

ing the main components of,

and showing how to adjust

and operate a at-bed dryer.

Participants were also intro-

duced to the advantages of

the laser-controlled levelingmachine, calculating earth-

work quantity, estimating

operating time, and operat-

ing the machine itself.

Day 5Participants continued

testing the at-bed dryer and

tried using the laser-leveling

machine on the last day. The

day ended with a wrap-up

of the training course.

Participants found the

training useful since most

of them were dealing with

postharvest issues for the

rst time. They expressed

their gratitude to the National

Agriculture and Forestry

Research Institute for

providing training on rice

postharvest management

systems. The farmers

group specically wantedto buy some parts of the

dryer because they would

like to modify the dryer

and replace some parts with

materials they can nd in

their own communities.

They saw the benets tha

can be derived from using a

combine harvester, which,

at a capital cost of US$5,000

(including shipping cost

from Vietnam), can greatlyreduce the need for farm

labor. A combine harvester

can harvest 1 hectare in

1 day, while it takes 15

people to do the same job

manually. The farmers said

that competition for labor has

been stiff, with neighboring

country Thailand offering a

higher rate of $56 per day

during harvesting. This has

made Lao PDRs postharvest

operations more expensive,

with the current daily rate for

farm labor pegged at $34.

An evaluation revealed

that the participants improved

their postharvest capacities

as compared with their

background knowledge

LEFT TO RIGHT: Trainees get hands-on training on the operation and maintenance of the Chinese tractor JINMA-404; learn how to adjust a 3-diskplow; listen to a lecture on the mini combine harvester; and practice driving the harvester in the yard.

> continued on page 5



at the start of the training

course. Follow-up activities

include setting up an

initially informal national

postharvest network.

By Trina Mendoza with reportsand photos from Khamouane

Khamphoukeo, Tran Van Khanh,Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Nguyen

Duc Canh, and Martin Gummert LEFT TO RIGHT: The trainees practice driving the mini combine harvester in the eld, familiarize themselveswith the valve for adjusting the hydraulic oil pressure of the harvester; and practice operating and adjustingthe at-bed dryer.

In Bangladesh, lifefor the rural poor is

hard enough at any

time. Thirty million

people suffer from hunger

each year. But life gets

harder in the north from

September to November,

when the hunger

months ormonga occur.

Monga affects many poor

people in ve districts

in the north, most of

whom rely on farm work.

Although there is food in

the market, many cannot

afford to buy because

they do not have enough

money. Many are jobless,

waiting for the harvest

of their transplanted

rice crop in December.

The Irrigated Rice Re-

search Consortium (IRRC)

aimed to capture the hard-

ships of people during mongaand the actions being taken by

partners to help alleviate the

seasonal food crisis through

a short video documentary.

Farmers were inter-

viewed, revealing the tri-

als they face and the many

ways they try to cope with

monga by pulling rick-

shaws; selling livestock,

poultry, logs and bananas;

and sewing garments.

The video highlights the

initiatives of a local alliance

called the Northwest Area

Focal Forum, comprising

government institutions andnongovernment organiza-

tions, including, among

others, RDRS, Intercoopera-

tion, GAUS, and Solidarity.

Together with the IRRC based

at the International Rice

Research Institute and the

Bangladesh Rice Research

Institute (BRRI), they are

promoting earlier harvests

through the use of shorter

duration rice varieties com-

bined with direct seeding

and weed control options.

In direct seeding, rice

seeds are sown directly

into an unooded eld. Theseeds can be sown dry or as

wet pregerminated seeds.

Sowing dry seeds using a

hand-drawn tool called a

lithao is becoming popular

with farmers in areas where

it is being tested. Another

option presented to farm-

ers is to sow wet germinated

seeds using a drum seeder,

which needs 5060% less

rice seed than broadcasting.

IRRC produces video on monga

Farmersshared their suc-

cess stories, telling

how their families

lives are slowly

getting better

because of direct

seeding and shorter

duration varieties.

The video

footage was shot

in October 2007

during the monga

season and in

July 2008 during

the transplanting

period. Voice nar-

ration in Bengali

and Hindi will be

recorded early this

year to reach wider

Modern media such as video can potentially reach millions of people worldwide, andmake a difference in the lives of Bangladeshs rural poor. (Photo by T. Mendoza)

audiences. It is hoped that,

with this video, more people

will be aware of this seasonal

phenomenon, and more im-

portantly, they will appreciatehow technologies are help-

ing families overcome it.

Watch out for the video soon on

YouTube. For more on monga, read

RIPPLE Vol. 2, No. 4 (October-

December 2007), Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan

uary-March 2008), and Rice Today

Vol. 7, No. 2 (April-June 2008).

Story and photo by Trina [email protected]

Driving the vehicle...from page 4


6/12


IRRC-ACIAR Sulawesi project moves ahead

Barely a month after

the project launch in

October, Irrigated

Rice Research Consortium

(IRRC) researchers returned

to South and SoutheastSulawesi on 10-22 November

2008 to continue work on

raising rice productivity in

the two provinces. South

Sulawesi is the fourth largest

rice-producing province in

Indonesia, while Southeast

Sulawesi is seen as a

province with signicant

potential for expansion.

The Indonesian government

aims to improve rice

productivity in these areasto help reach the countrys

target increase of 5% per

year from 2007 to 2010.

To get an understanding

of how technologies are

communicated from

research to farmers, IRRC

communication specialist

Trina Mendoza met with the

directors, vice-directors,

and extension staff of the

Indonesian Center for

Rice Research (ICRR) in

Sukamandi, the Institute

Center for Agriculture

Technology Assessment and

Development (ICATAD)

in Bogor, and provincial

Assessment Institutes for

Agricultural Technology

(AIATs) in South and

Southeast Sulawesi. She

conducted an audit of

extension materials for

improved natural resourcemanagement (NRM) of

irrigated rice and looked at

the communication methods

and materials produced

for national initiatives.

These were made available

to extension workers at

the subdistrict level.

Many farmers visit ICRR

throughout the year to learn

about new technologies.

In 2008, more than 30,000

visitors went to ICRR, a

majority of whom attended

the National Rice Week in

October. Still, Dr. Hasil

Sembiring, ICRR director,

wants to further raise the

prole of ICRR by producing

a quarterly newsletter similar

to RIPPLE. Dr. Priatna

Sasmita, head of the Research

Dissemination Subdivision,

has been tasked to produce

the newsletter in 2009, with

inputs from Ms. Mendoza.

ICATAD is also keen

to boost its communication

capabilities. ICATAD staff

members Vyta Indrawan

and Erythrina accompanied

Ms. Mendoza to learn

about different strategiesof communication. Dr.

Erizal, ICATAD vice-

director for collaboration

and dissemination, happily

announced that they are

producing a newsletter called

SMARTS for distribution

to AIATs. They also started

creating information kits

similar to the extension kits

produced by the Philippine

Rice Research Institute. This

proves that cross-country

learning is working in

these countries. Dr. Erizal

added that they are also

interested in making videos

since most Indonesians

enjoy watching television

and see it as an important

source of information.

AIATs in South and

Southeast Sulawesi are

also actively disseminating

technologies to farmers. In

addition to leaets, videos,

and technology bulletins,

they organize meetings,

demonstrations in farmers

elds, training courses, and

workshops. Most activities are

linked with Prima Tani, an

outreach program launched in2005 that aims to accelerate

the transfer of agricultural

technologies to farmers.

In Southeast Sulawesi, the

AIAT regularly contacts the

local media, and its events

have been covered by local

newspapers, and radio and

television programs.

Meanwhile, project

scientist Donna Casimero,

who is now based in

Makassar, South Sulawesi,

traveled with IRRC

anthropologist Rica Flor to

the villages of Awolagading

and Ujung Tanah of Bone

District in South Sulawesi,

and Karandu and Bendewuta

of Wawotobi District in

Southeast Sulawesi. Dr.

Casimero followed up on

eld-benchmarking activities

in the village and guided

AIAT staff in setting up traps

for rodents and insects. She

assessed the eld conditions

in the villages and how they

can be improved. Farmer-

partners in the project

villages are excited as they

are currently trying out

IRRC technologies in theirown elds such as alternate

wetting and drying, the use

of trap barrier systems for

managing rats, and site-

specic nutrient management.

Ms. Flor trained

interviewers and guided them

in conducting a baseline

survey on the knowledge,

attitudes, and practices

Waves of Action

ENOUGH FOR ALL. The government of Indonesia is determined to raise rice production to attain self-sufciency. (Photo by T. Mendoza)

> continued on page



Water-Saving Work Group Updates

of farmers with regard to

NRM for rice production,

and input-output costs offarmers. ICATAD staff

Istriningsih, Saefudin, Siti

Sehat Tan, and Ms. Indrawan

also accompanied Ms. Flor

to learn rst-hand how to

develop and conduct eld

surveys. Aside from AIAT

extension staff, students

from universities were also

trained as interviewers, since

the IRRC sees universities

and colleges as partners in

technology dissemination.

While farmers are

experimenting in their elds,

scientists are collecting

baseline data for use in

monitoring adoption andevaluating the impact of

the project. The audit of

communication materials

will also identify possible

new materials to be produced

to help farmers. A lot of

work needs to be done,

but with the energy and

enthusiasm of local partners,

the project poses an exciting

challenge that the IRRC

team is willing to take on.

Trina Mendoza and

Rica [email protected]

A mini-workshop on water-saving technolo-

gies for rice production was held at the Bulacan

Agricultural State College last 28 November 2008.

The workshop aimed to report the current status of

farmer-participatory development of aerobic rice in

the Philippine provinces of Palawan, Bataan, Bulacan,La Union, and Aurora. Work plans for the 2009 dry

season were also drafted by participants from state

universities and colleges, local government units, and

nongovernment organizations involved in the project.

Dr. Ruben Lampayan, Emma Quicho, and Lolit Adri-

ano of IRRI visited the University of Southern Philip-

pines in Davao City on 31 October 2008 to follow up and

discuss with MiSpace company staff details of the devel -

opment of an e-learning module on Water management

in irrigated rice: coping with water scarcity. The module

is expected to be completed in January for pretesting.

The proposed Administrative Order (AO) on Guide-

lines on mainstreaming water-saving technologies (WST)

in irrigated rice production systems in the Philippines

has now been endorsed to the Secretary of the Depart-

ment of Agriculture for nal comments and approval.

A planning meeting with Philippine Rice Re-

search Institute (PhilRice) partners was held on 9

December 2008 to nalize the 2009 work plan for

water-saving activities in the Philippines. The group

also gave updates on the alternate wetting and dry-

ing dissemination activities in the different national

irrigation systems in the country, and the future link-

age with the Philippine Rice Self-Sufciency Plan.

Dr. Ruben Lampayan gave lectures on water-

saving technologies during the Provincial Training on

Trainers (Philippine Rice Self-Sufciency Plan activity

for Region IV-A) in November and December 2008.

IRRI-ACIAR Sulawesi project ...from page 6

College students and extension workers practice interviewing afarmer after a training on conducting a baseline survey.(Photo by T. Mendoza)

Attention, young sci-

entists, mid-career agricul-tural scientists, and decision-

makers from developing

countries! A training course

will be held at the Interna-

tional Rice Research Institute,

Philippines, titledEcology

and sociology of management

of pests with emphasis on

rodents and weeds. It will be

held on 16-27 March 2009.

The training fee for

Training course on pestecology and management

international delegates is

US$2,200. This includes airfare, food, and accommoda-

tions. For local delegates

and inquiries on board and

lodging, please contact Ms.

Angie Maghuyop of the

IRRI Training Center at

+63(49)-536-2701 to 2705,

local 2538, or email her at

[email protected].

There are 20 slots available. Managing pests in the rice eld does not mean having to causeharm to the environment. Learn from the experts how to controlthem the ecologically friendly way. (Photo by G. Singleton)


8/12


Snapshotsof2008

For some time now,

An Giang has been

Vietnams top province

in terms of rice production.

It helps that the provinces

leaders are progressive and

open-minded. They tookthe initiative of seeking

the assistance of the

International Rice Research

Institute (IRRI) to stay in

synch with the latest rice

production technologies.

On 17-21 November

2008, 70 people from differ-

ent districts and provinces

underwent a training of train-

ers in An Giang. One of the

lecturers was Dr. To Phuc

Tuong, an IRRI scientist. Dr.

Tuong explained the pr in-

ciples of water saving and

how to use alternate wetting

and drying (AWD) technol-

ogy. AWD allows farmers to

produce rice using less water,potentially saving money.

Several issues were

raised in relation to AWD.

One major concern was

that, in many cases, farmers

do not own a water pump.

Instead, they have to pay

a pump owner for water.

But, in those parts, instead

of farmers paying for the

gasoline needed to pump

water, farmers are charged

a at rate per hectare,

regardless of how much water

they actually use. In these

cases, only the pump owner

benets from water saving. To

encourage farmers to adopt

AWD, farmers must negotiatewith pump owners to share

the benets of water saving.

The participants also

visited some farmers who

have adopted AWD. The

farmer-adopters expressed

their satisfaction with AWD,

citing the many kinds of

savings they enjoyed because

of the technology. AWD

also decreases lodging in

direct-seeded rice, further

increasing the yield.

Several Vietnamese

water management specialists

also attended the training, so

they can serve as resource

persons when the need

arises in the future.The participants made

work plans to implement the

technologies they learned

in their own districts and

provinces. They targeted

so many hectares for these

technologies per year. This

way, the benets of An

Giangs success should spread

to other rice-producing areas.

Lorelei de la Cruz

Water saving benefits An Giang and beyond

Rat trapping, Lao PDR, JanuaryDiscussions, Lao PDR, January

Rat hunting, Vietnam, April

Weeding, Myanmar, February

Water workshop,Philippines, March

Nutrient Manager training,Indonesia, April

Village market boards,Cambodia, April

Airtight cocoon storage,Cambodia, May

Stakeholders meeting, Lao PDR, JuneResearch-to-impact workshop,

Philippines, September



Dr. Savarys prescription for crop health

Ever wondered what a

scientists life is like?

Dr. Serge Savary of

the Irrigated Rice Research

Consortium (IRRC) intimates:Its a lot of work. Its at least

60 hours of work per week,

and Im not counting, really.

There is no break at all , ever.

Yet, the 57-year-old

French plant pathologist

willingly devoted his life

to his eld. Born in Addis

Ababa, the capital city of

Ethiopia, Dr. Savary grew

up with the desire to work

for the developing world. He

explains, Everybody knowsthat the world is unequal,

that there are poor people in

the world. So, its a voca-

tional thing for me, work-

ing not only for myself.

Learning the ropesAt 22, while working at

ORSTOM and the Research

Institute for Development

(IRD) in Montpellier, France,

Dr. Savary got his agricultur-

al engineering degree in the

Ecole Nationale Suprieure

dAgronomie, also in Mont-

pellier. Contrary to

the popular notion

that agricultural

engineering is all

about machinery,

Dr. Savary explains, In

France, it goes far beyond

machinery. It covers econom-

ics, agronomy, social sci-

ences, plant health, molecularbiology, food processing,

and microbiotechnology.

Dr. Savary spent 9 years

in Cte dIvoire, doing vari-

ous research activities such

as a systematic inventory

of plant diseases, particu-

larly those of vegetables and

legumes. His work often

took him to many countries

in West Africa to work with

colleagues he learned much

from. At the end of his stay in

Cte dIvoire, he was offered

a fellowship at Wagenin-

gen Agricultural University

in the Netherlands, wherehe nished his doctorate

in phytopathology. Plant

pathology involves biology,

mathematics, microclimatol-

ogy, physics, social sci-

ences, economics, chemistry,

and plant physiology, he

said. Again, theres a lot

of integrated sciences and,

therefore, that makes it an

exciting eld of education.

The specialistDr. Savary rst crossed

paths with the International

Rice Research Institute

(IRRI) in 1991. His early

analyses of rice diseases, in-

sect pests, and weeds, as well

as crop management, led to a

joint research between IRRI

and the IRD: My research at

IRRI offered me the unique

opportunity to work with

outstanding support staff

(from whom I learned what I

know about rice) and excep-

tional scientic personalities.

Modeling careerEight years later, Dr.

Savary was doing modeling

halfway around the world, but

not the glamorous kind. Thehardworking scientist was

in Costa Rica from 1999 to

2002 studying how to manage

diseases on farms in the trop-

ics using simulation modeling

and experiments on planta-

tions. His team worked on

biocomplexity, which, simply

put, refers to the complex pro-

cesses, adaptations, and in-

terplay of the many elements

present on tropical farms.

Blazing a trail forthe French

Surprisingly, in France,

plant disease epidemiology

had neither been taught in the

universities nor were there

advanced-level books on the

eld in French. So, Dr. Savary

took up the challenge of de-

veloping courses and course

materials, as well as teaching

both large and small classes.

Although he found it difcult

to teach students who had no

background in crop protec-

tion, Dr. Savary knew

it had to be done.

And, when some of

his students became

interested in plant

protection, plant pathology,

and plant disease epidemiol-

ogy, he found this new experi-

ence extremely rewarding.

Making history withhealthy crops

Today, Dr. Savary is back

at IRRI. He heads the new

Crop Health Work Group of

the IRRC, formed as part of

the Consortiums fourth phase,

which started in January.

In the rare times that

Dr. Savary is not at work, he

reads history books. So, its no

surprise that he uses histori-

cal events as an analogy to the

issues on crop health today.

Imagine being a doc-

tor in the UK in the 1800s

during the Industrial Revolu-tion, he said. Biology was

just emerging. Many diseases

were being discovered, many

of them related to the way

of life, the quality of nutri-

tion or water, and working

conditions. A medical doctor

then faced dramatic, often

widespread, public health

situations. Today, doctors

in the UK face completely

different situations, but they

have a better understanding ofsocial systems, of the health of

elderly people, as well as the

psychological effects of health.

What crop health is fac-

ing today is relatively similar.

We need to clearly understand

this coevolution between crop

health and production situa-

tions. Change is on the way,

and, inevitably, this will have

consequences for crop health.

But, we dont know what those

consequences are likely to

be. New technologies are also

associated with new prob-

lems. Im not saying that the

problems are becoming worse.

Im saying that the problems

are becoming different.

This is why work contin-

ues for plant pathologists like

Dr. Savary. In fact, his work

at the IRRC has just begun.

But, at a time when many

scientists are busy trying tomake a big impact with their

work, Dr. Savary prefers not

to be obsessed with impact

alone: One cannot imagine

having impact if the science

behind it is not good. Contrib-

ute rst to the science, then

you can expect impact.

Lorelei de la Cruz

Profles

For IRRCs new phase, Dr. Savary isset to conduct eld experiments andimprove the Rice Knowledge Bank.(Photo, IRRI archive)

Everybody knows that the world is unequal,

that there are poor people in the world. So, its a

vocational thing for me, working not only for myself.


10/12


Sri Lankas champion in overcoming weedy rice

Aside from water short-

age and oods, weeds

have become a major

problem in the rice elds of

Sri Lanka. More than 90%of the farmers practice direct

seeding in nonpuddled elds.

With the shift from trans-

planting to direct seeding, and

without the protective layer

of water, different hard-to-

manage weed species have

infested the elds. Weedy

rice, in particular, has become

a major threat to rice elds in

different parts of the country.

When rice becomes a weedWeedy rice is believed

to be either a natural hybrid

of cultivated (Oryza sativa)

and wild (O. rupogon and

O. nivara) rice species or a

result of de-domestication

of cultivated rice. It was rst

detected in Sri Lanka in 1992,

but there was no serious threat

then, says Dr. Anuru Abey-

sekera, senior weed scientist

and head of the Plant Protec-

tion Division at the Depart-

ment of Agricultures

Rice Research and

Development Insti-

tute (RRDI). In 2007,

however, in Ampara

and Puttalam dis-

tricts, many farmers

complained that they

could not cultivate

their elds because

of weedy rice, and

yield losses were es-timated at 30100%.

Now, the longevity

of seed viability of

weedy rice seeds col-

lected from different

areas in Sri Lanka

is being studied.

Dr. Abeysekera

rst came to the

International Rice

Research Institute

(IRRI) in 1985 for

a 2-month weed training

course. A specialist in botany

and biochemistry, she began

collaborative research with

IRRI in the late 1990s withweed scientist Martin Mor-

timer. In 2004, she started

working with Dr. David

Johnson under the Irrigated

Rice Research Consortiums

(IRRC) Phase 2, then with the

Weed Ecology Work Group

(now called Labor Productiv-

ity). The strong partnership

with the IRRC has since

then continued. From 2005

to 2007, she conducted eld

surveys and experiments atthe RRDI, studying weedy

rice, and comparing crop

establishment and weed

control practices to reduce

yield losses to weeds under

different rice environments.

As the national coordina-

tor for the herbicide testing

program in Sri Lanka since

1990, Dr. Abeysekera has

been instrumental in check-

ing and approving which

herbicides sent by chemical

companies can be used in

the countrys rice elds.

Farmers friendShe nds fulllment

in working with farmers,

visiting them in the elds

and asking them about yield

constraints. When I go to

the eld, I do not go as a big

boss but as a friend, she

says. Farmers like it when

researchers visit them. They

are very recept ive. They even

call me at home to ask about

their eld problems. Shebelieves that researchers must

go to the elds with extension

workers to further help share

technologies with farmers.

Her days are lled with

visits to the eld and admin-

istrative work in the ofce,

leaving very little time for

relaxation. This is why she

values her weekends with

family, cooking for her

23-year-old son, Chamara,

who goes home from theuniversity, and her husband,

Shelton, who is also RRDIs

Plant Breeding Division head.

During the interview, she

fondly remembers enrolling

her son in kindergarten in

an international school near

IRRI at the University of

the Philippines Los Baos,

where she obtained her PhD.

Now, she continues work-

ing with Dr. Johnson and

IRRI weed scientists Joel Jan-

iya and Ofe Namuco,

whom she considers

her long-time friends.

One upcoming project

is a video on weedy

rice management in Sri

Lanka, which has been

translated into English.

When asked about

her future goals for

her career, she shakes

her head and smiles.Her main priority is to

help the farmers. If

the farmer is happy,

reduces his losses due

to weeds, and gets

a good yield, then I

have done my duty.

Trina Mendoza

Dr. Abeysekeras hands-on approachearns farmers trust as she shares

her knowledge with them. (Photo byO. Namuco)

LONG-TIME FRIENDS. Dr. Abeysekera with fellow weed scientist Ofe Namuco in their eld ofexpertise. (Photo by S. Panimbatan)



Upcoming events(JanuaryMarch 2009)

Training courseEcology and sociology of

management of pests with empha-

sis on rodents and weeds, Inter-

national Rice Research Institute,Philippines, 16-27 March 2009.

MeetingsPlanning meeting at the

Rice Department, Bangkok,

Thailand, 8-9 January 2009.

Planning meeting and eld

visit, MAS-DAR, Myanmar,

12-16 January 2009.

Planning meeting, Lao PDR,

19-20 February 2009.

Stakeholder meeting and learn-

ing alliance for increasing rice

productivity in An Giang, Viet-

nam, 23-26 February 2009.

PostproductionWork Group

Stakeholder workshop at the Rice

Department in Bangkok, Thailand, 8-9

January 2009.

Monitoring of ongoing activities

and planning of IRRC Phase 4

activities with national stakeholders in

Myanmar, 11-22 January 2009.

Postharvest stakeholder analysis

in the Philippines, February-March

2009.

Postharvest stakeholder analysis

in Vietnam, March 2009.

Participatory Impact Pathway

Analysis workshop, Philippines, April

2009; Vietnam, May 2009.

Support to a PhilRice-Nong Lam

University activity for the transfer of

improved drying technology from

Vietnam to the Philippines.

Support to import mini combine

harvester prototype into Myanmar.

PublicationsBook chaptersBuresh RJ. 2008. Sustaining protable

crop and nutrient management

in paddy cultivation. In: Paddy

soils, wetlands and healthy

people. Proceedings of the12th International Symposium

on Soil Revitalization, 31

October 2008, Changwon,

Korea. p. 72-87.

Palis FG, Flor RJ, Singleton GR.

2008. Agricultural extension:

Institutional pluralism and

innovations worldwide,

Country: Philippines.

In: Saravanan R, editor.

Agricultural extension:

worldwide innovations. New

Delhi: New India Publishing

Agency. p 333-370.

International JournalsJacob J, Singleton GR, Hinds

LA. 2008. Fertility control

of rodent pests. Wildlife

Research 2008. p 487-493.

Chauhan BS, Johnson DE. 2008.

Germination ecology

of Chinese sprangletop

(Leptochloa chinensis)

in the Philippines. Weed

Science. 56:820-825.


Seed germination and

seedling emergence of nalta

jute (Corchorus olitorius)

and redweed (Melochia

concatenata): important

broadleaf weeds of the tropics.

Weed Science. 56:814-819.

Conference Proceedings


Inuence of tillage on patterns

of weed seedling emergence in

rice. In: Van Klinken RD, et al,

editors. 16th Australian Weeds

Conference Proceedings,

Cairns, Queensland,

Australia. Queensland

Weeds Society. p 448-450.

In Indonesia, the Assessment Institutes for

Agricultural Technology continued disseminating the

site-specic rice fertilization (SSRF) system in major

rice-growing provinces during the fourth quarter of2008. SSRF is based on scientic principles developed

through past collaborative research on site-specic nu-

trient management (SSNM) for rice. It is being dissemi-

nated to research and extension staff through a training

module and an interactive computer-based decision tool

namedPemupukan Padi Sawah Spesik Lokasi (PuPS).

This tool provides farmers with specic fertilizer guide-

lines designed for their own elds based on their own

responses to a set of easy multiple-choice questions.

In the Philippines, a computer-based decision tool

calledNutrient Manager for Rice was released on CD in

ve Philippine dialects in October 2008. TheNutrient

Managerprovides farmers with fertilizer guidelines for

their specic rice eld, variety, and growing condi-

tions. An extension worker assists them in answering 10

easy-to-answer multiple-choice questions, from which

the fertilizer guidelines are derived. By March 2009,

some 4,000 CDs should have been distributed across

the country. The principles used inNutrient Manager

are consistent with research ndings on SSNM for rice.

Also in the Philippines, a computer-based teach-

ing tool for undergraduate soil science and agronomy

courses in agricultural colleges and universities was

initially presented at a training workshop in Iloilo on

22 October 2008. The tool was subsequently revised

based on feedback from workshop participants. A beta

version namedNutrient Optimizer for Rice, which

helps identify the most protable integrated use of

organic and manufactured sources of nutrient for

rice, was released for evaluation in December 2008.

Productivity and Sustainability

Work Group Updates

Team

IRRC: Trina Leah Mendza, Grant Singletn,Lrelei de la Crz, Jennifer Hernandez

CPS: Tess Rla, Bill HardyCoNTRIBuTING AuTHoRS: Martin Gmmert,

Rland Bresh, Emma Qich,Khamouane Khamphoukeo,Tran Van Khanh, Nguyen Thanh Nghi,Nguyen Duc Canh, Carlito Balingbing,Rica Flor

Editorial and production tEam


12/12

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