IRRC Phase 4 recommended!

Bulacan Agricultural State College's Junel Soriano (extreme left) discusses the benefits and fast adoption of aerobic rice by Bulacan farmers with external reviewers Drs. Benchapun Ekasingh and Ian Willett (second and third from left). Dr. Florencia Palis, IRRC's socio-cultural anthropologist and postdoctoral fellow (extreme right), documents the discussion. (Photo by T. Mendoza)

The Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) is currently in a third phase of 4-year funding with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) as its major donor. The IRRC currently has partnerships in 11 countries in Asia and provides an important platform for delivery to farmers and millers of technologies arising from collaborative research with national partners.

In October 2007, an external review team visited four countries, interviewed collaborators from four countries, and delivered a review report to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) management on 22 November 2007. IRRI was fortunate to be able to assemble such a high-caliber review team given the challenging requirement of providing 14 consecutive days of their time, and then to review progress in 11 countries over a spread of disciplines! The review team presented 14 recommendations in its thorough 46-page report. The review report and the response of the IRRC management team were endorsed by IRRI in January 2008. For those interested in reading the report, an electronic version is available (contact g.singleton@cgiar.org).

The review was very positive, with the review team excited by what it saw and heard. Apart from a detailed analysis of the performance of the IRRC during 2005 to 2007, team members also provided excellent ideas on possible future directions for the IRRC. One of their summary comments is very telling: “The review team recognized that the IRRC has helped IRRI pioneer the evolution and transfer of applied research to the research-extension interface. We believe the IRRC should ‘stay the course’ and build on the extension delivery to rural communities.”

Some general comments of the external review team are as follows:
• We are convinced IRRC Phase 3 has made excellent progress in strengthening research and research-extension partnerships and has made significant contributions to capacity building.
• The quality and impact of the research have been maintained at very high standards.
• IRRI-supported technologies, policy advice, and networking are appreciated by partners.
• Farm community-level economic and social impacts were evident for all except the underpinning work of laser leveling, which is not yet adopted at the farm level.
• The limited spread of IRRC technology to regions remote from project sites implies that uptake by the community will not be spontaneous but will require concerted effort.
• Most of the technologies developed and promoted by IRRC have potential application across huge areas of favorable rice-growing regions of Asia. If national extension systems can be strengthened by interaction with IRRC, the potential impact is enormous.
• We are impressed with the high caliber of the WG leaders, the spirit of common purpose, and cooperation among them.

The IRRC consists of a tremendous mix of dedicated researchers, extension specialists, and R&D managers across our 11 partner countries. All those involved can reflect on a job well done over the past 3 years. This has set a strong and exciting platform for an even better performing consortium in 2008 and beyond!

Story by Grant Singleton (g.singleton@cgiar.org)

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