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Media hotlineAn information summary for supporters of
international rice research In this issue:
Asian stability threatened by stagnating
rice sector The United Nations cannot hope to achieve its Millennium Development Goals -- especially in such crucial areas as eradicating poverty and hunger -- unless more is done to improve the livelihoods of poor rice farmers. Ronald P. Cantrell, director general of IRRI, said that achieving at least two of the eight goals heavily depends on continued and strengthened research efforts to help farmers grow rice more efficiently, profitably, and sustainably. These two goals are eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, and ensuring environmental sustainability. Recent research has shown that, in 1999, for every US$1 million invested at IRRI, more than 800 rural poor in China, and 15,000 rural poor in India, were lifted above the poverty line. These poverty-reduction effects were even greater in earlier years. Dr. Cantrell, a respected plant breeder, was speaking on the eve of a major conference on rice organized in Rome, Italy, by the FAO of the United Nations. Titled “Rice in global markets and sustainable production systems,” the conference on 12-13 February marked the official launch of FAO activities for International Year of Rice 2004. IRRI has announced the resignation of its director general, Ronald P. Cantrell, effective 31 December 2004. In a statement to the Institute’s staff, the new chair of IRRI’s Board of Trustees, Keijiro Otsuka, said Dr. Cantrell was stepping down for health and family reasons. Dr. Cantrell took up the position of director general in September 1998 and -- over the next five and a half years -- led the Institute through many major challenges and decisions. “Ron Cantrell provided the steadying hand, strong leadership and intelligent management IRRI needed,” said Dr. Otsuka, a respected Japanese agricultural economist. “For those who remember, the Institute went through an uncertain period in the mid- to late 1990s, with one director general departing unexpectedly to be replaced by a temporary appointment. But, within a year or more of his arrival, Dr. Cantrell had got the Institute back on track.” IRRI BOT has three new members The IRRI Board of Trustees (BOT) has three new members for the 2004-06 period following the annual Board meeting on April 2: Ruth Khasaya Oniang'o (Kenya), Ronald L. Phillips (United States), and Baowen Zhang (China). Prof. Oniang'o is a full professor of food science and nutrition at Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She received her BS (with distinction) and MS degrees from Washington State University in the United States and her PhD from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and has since spent 20 years in academia. Dr. Phillips earned his BS and MS degrees from Purdue University and a PhD from the University of Minnesota. He did postdoctoral training at Cornell University. Throughout his career, Dr. Phillips has coupled the techniques of plant genetics with research advances in tissue culture and molecular biology to enhance understanding of the basic biology of cereal crops and to improve these species by innovative methods. Prof. Zhang is currently vice minister of the Ministry of Agriculture; president of the Central Agricultural Broadcast and Television School; director of the Chinese Association of Agricultural Science Societies; vice chairman of the Central Committee of China Democratic League; and committee member of the National People's Political Consultation Conference. Paul (Pao-Chi) Ma, member of first IRRI BOT, passes away Paul (Pao-Chi) Ma, 97, a member of the first IRRI Board of Trustees (1960-62), passed away on 29 January in Kunming, China. Paul Ma was the only remaining living member of the original BOT. He last visited IRRI during the Institute's 40th anniversary celebration in 2000. In 1960, he was dean of the College of Agriculture of the Taiwan National University in Taipei when IRRI's first director general, Robert F. Chandler, Jr., invited him to join the founding BOT of the new Institute. Dr. Chandler called him at the time "one of the ablest men in higher education in agriculture in Asia." Since 1999, he had voluntarily taught a course about the Functions and Achievements of the CGIAR to graduate students in the College of Agriculture at Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. EPMR panel chair reports positive findings to IRRI staff On 24 March, the chair of IRRI’s visiting External Program and Management Review (EPMR) panel, Dr. Dick Flavell, spoke to IRRI staff about the outcome of the panel's deliberations. In addressing IRRI staff, Dr. Flavell said the panel was delighted to be able to deliver a very positive report on IRRI's performance and the Institute's future. He urged all staff to "celebrate" the Institute's achievements and to be proud to work at such an important and successful organization. He said that, while some research areas might need some fine-tuning, overall, the panel had given IRRI a very strong and favorable endorsement. Japanese and French officials visit IRRI Masajuro Shiokawa, a former Minister of Finance in Japan, visited IRRI on 28 February to learn more about the Institute's research, particularly Japanese-funded projects. Mr. Shiokawa was especially interested in aerobic rice, new biotechnology techniques, and genetic resources. He was accompanied by Keijiro Otsuka, chair of the IRRI BOT. Mr. Shiokawa also visited the Gene Array and Molecular Marker Applications (GAMMA) laboratory to learn more about new molecular techniques. On 27 February, Her Excellency Madame Reneé Veyret, French Ambassador to the Philippines, paid a courtesy visit to the Institute to reiterate France's commitment to strengthen relations with IRRI through cooperation with the International Center for Agronomic Research and Development (CIRAD) and to discuss joint partnerships during the IYR. Accompanying the ambassador were Mr. Emmanuel Gorin, scientific attaché, and Mr. Frank Hebert, counselor for cooperation and cultural affairs. Various staff members gave the party an overview of IRRI's research agenda and the IYR. They also visited the Gene Bank. WHO joins the Rice Knowledge Bank Have you ever wondered how you can help farmers grow their rice better and live healthier lives? Rice-based communities often deal with a range of social and community issues that extend well beyond rice. You can now offer these people some assistance -- or at least point them in the right direction. In a new development, the World Health Organization approved that IRRI include fact sheets in the Rice Knowledge Bank on major nutritional problems and diseases that are common to rice-growing communities. The fact sheets on the site now include arsenic in the drinking water, cholera, dengue, hepatitis B, iron deficiency, malaria, malnutrition, tuberculosis, typhoid, and vitamin-A deficiency. IRRI kicks off IYR with two open days In celebration of the IYR, IRRI held two field days at its headquarters
in Los Baños earlier this year. The Araw ng Magsasaka (Farmers’
Day) and International Day (for diplomats) on 3 and 4 March, respectively.
About 300 farmers and guests from the media and 40 IRRI announces International Year of Rice activities IRRI has announced details of the main events and awards it is organizing or assisting with for the United Nations’ International Year of Rice (more details can be viewed at the IRRI Web site at www.irri.org): World Rice Research Conference, 4-7 November 2004, Tokyo and Tsukuba,
Japan The most important scientific event in the IYR, the conference will provide the latest research information on a wide range of rice-related issues such as international food security, poverty alleviation, and the environment. The main themes will be innovative technologies for boosting rice production, perspectives on the place of rice in healthy lifestyles, adaptable rice-based systems that improve farmers’ livelihood, and the role of rice in environmentally sustainable food security. Mekong Rice Conference, 15-17 October 2004, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Organized by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Mekong River Commission, the Mekong Rice Conference will have the theme “Rice, the Environment, and Livelihoods for the Poor.” The main themes will focus on how the basin’s rich diversity of resources, cultures, and environments can be applied to make rice farming in the region more productive, profitable, and sustainable; employ and develop the “learning across boundaries” strategy by providing a forum for focused and productive discussions on how to accelerate farmers’ adoption of improved technologies that will enhance their livelihoods at the household and community level; and establish a platform for partnerships among stakeholders and policymakers in the agricultural, health, and rural development sectors of the basin to respond to shared challenges. International Rice Science Conference, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 13-15 September 2004 With the theme of “Rice Science for Human Welfare in the 21st Century,” the Korean Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Rural Development Administration, and IRRI are organizing the conference to provide a forum for presenting and discussing the latest rice research on a wide range of related issues such as food security, biotechnology, environmental conservation, the impact of the rice industry on national economies, and the multiple functions of rice cultivation as both an economic and recreational activity. To mark IYR -- and to recognize how rice researchers from national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) advance rice-related knowledge and technology -- International Rice Research Notes (IRRN) has announced its Best Article Award. The IRRN editorial board and invited reviewers will evaluate submissions on the basis of scientific content, originality, relevance, and organization. There will be up to six winning papers, one each from the six sections of IRRN: plant breeding, molecular biology, and biotechnology; genetic resources; pest science and management; soil, nutrient, and water management; crop management and physiology; and socioeconomics. Evaluators will consider all submissions for publication received by IRRN between 1 August 2003 and 31 July 2004 that report on research conducted in a developing country and list a NARES rice scientist as the first author (additional authors may come from any organization). The format and rules for publishing in IRRN are available on the Web at www.irri.org/publications/irrn/IRRNInstructions.asp, and back issues can be viewed at www.irri.org/publications/irrn. The first author of each winning paper will receive a US$500 cash prize. Winning papers will be published in the December 2004 issue of IRRN. The International Award for Best Scientific Article IRRI -- acting in support of FAO -- is proud to announce the International Award for Best Scientific Article. More than 800 rice scientists and researchers from around the world are being invited to nominate scientific articles focused on research related to rice crop management (rice agronomy) and rice crop improvement (rice breeding). Articles must have been published in a scientific journal since September 1998 in any of the five official languages of the FAO (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, and Spanish). The final decision on the winners will be based on the number of votes each article receives. Nominators need not wait for an invitation. Nominating letters should be sent to The International Award for Best Scientific Article, The International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines. The lead authors of the winning entries will be invited to Rome on World Food Day, 16 October, to receive their awards. Nominations are open to any rice scientist employed by a NARES partner of IRRI or citizen of a rice-growing country in Asia. Any NARES institute or university, or any other scientific organization, may nominate qualified scientists who have made outstanding contributions to rice research, such as developing successful varieties, publishing scientific papers, or making any other tangible contribution to rice development. Nominations for the 2004 award should reach IRRI by 30 June 2004. These nominations can be sent by regular mail or email to Dr. David J. Mackill, Chair, Senadhira Rice Research Award Committee, Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biochemistry Division, International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines, email d.mackill@cgiar.org. In promoting the 2004 IYR, the FAO convened a two-day rice conference at its headquarters in Rome on 12-13 February. The FAO event brought together leading experts from around the world to present their perspectives on the latest trends and industry developments, including Director General Ronald Cantrell, Social Sciences Division Head Mahabub Hossain, Economist David Dawe, and Former Principal Plant Breeder Gurdev Khush of IRRI. The conference aimed to mobilize the international community to face the most pressing issues confronting the global rice sector, from local farming practices to international trade. Dr. Cantrell made a presentation on New challenges and technological opportunities for rice-based production systems for food security and poverty alleviation in Asia and the Pacific. IYR 2004 launched by ASEAN in Jakarta The IYR 2004 was launched by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 13 January. About 100 participants attended from the ASEAN region (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) +3 (Japan, China, and Korea), FAO, IRRI, and local schools. The launch was marked by speeches from Mr. Ong Keng Yong, ASEAN secretary general; Dr. He Changchui, FAO assistant director general and regional representative for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok; and Dr. Joko Budianto, director general of the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD), representing Dr. Bungaran Saragih, minister of agriculture. Presentations on the significance of rice in the ASEAN region were made by Dr. Sjarifudin Baharsjah, chairman of the Indonesia Rice Foundation (Focusing on Youth), Dr. Padolina, IRRI deputy director general for partnerships (IRRI Leading the Rice Revolution), and Mr. Tsukasa Kimoto, FAO representative in Indonesia (The Significance of Rice). Several organizations, including IRRI, Asia Rice Foundation, Indonesia Rice Foundation, FAO, Agritani, World Food Program, and Ministry of Agriculture, participated in the rice exhibition held as part of the event. IRRI attends FAO IYR workshop in Tokyo IRRI Deputy Director General for Research Ren Wang was one of three special speakers at a recent IYR workshop in Tokyo titled Sustainable use of agricultural resources and environmental management with a focus on the role of rice farming. The workshop, organized by the Japan FAO Association to commemorate IYR, was held 21-23 January. The other speakers were Keiji Kainuma, member of the CGIAR Science Council and former director general of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, and Dat Van Tran, senior rice agronomist for FAO. “We hope the Japanese government provides some support to raise
global awareness of the issue of rice production and for research and
development in developing countries," Dr. Tran said in an interview
with Kyodo News. "Now, we have about 840 million people in hunger.
About 500 million of the people in hunger live in areas dependent on rice." IRRI Deputy Director General for Partnerships William Padolina has been busy giving messages on the important issues of poverty alleviation, biosecurity, and food security. On 31 January, he addressed the day-long Presidential Celebration on Poverty Alleviation sponsored by Rotary International at the Shangri-La Hotel in Manila. In his presentation on Poverty and the knowledge age: the role of agricultural extension, he stressed to the Rotarians that "There is no simple law of nature that makes technology the cause of economic growth or vice versa." On 28 January at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Dr. Padolina spoke on Biosecurity and food security. He said, "Food security means the accessibility to food that is both affordable and of acceptable quality. Beyond self-sufficiency, trade has an impact on the quantity and quality of food as it involves transboundary movement of fresh and processed food materials." Biosecurity as defined by the FAO means the management of all biological and environmental risks associated with food and agriculture, including forestry and fisheries. Dr. Padolina cited the importance of biosecurity brought about by globalization, products that may contain pathogenic organisms (bacteria that can cause diseases in humans, in other animals, and in plants), contaminated water supply, and threats to biodiversity, among others. Bovine spongiform encephalitis (a fatal cattle disease that affects the central nervous system, causing staggering and agitation), avian flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome, expired products, and bioterrorist acts are some recent biosecurity threats, Dr. Padolina indicated. IRRI welcomes new staff members On 20 February, the IRRI community formally welcomed new staff members, some of whom have been here for a couple of months already. Those welcomed were Gerard Barry, Golden Rice coordinator, Office of the Deputy Director General for Partnerships; Yolanda Chen, entomologist, Entomology and Plant Pathology Division (EPPD); Liing Feng, postdoctoral fellow, Crop, Soil, and Water Sciences (CSWS); Bin Liu, postdoctoral fellow, EPPD; Jianxiang Liu, postdoctoral fellow, Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biochemistry (PBGB); Isaiah Mukema, international research fellow, Genetic Resources Center; and Ramasamy Rajendran, postdoctoral fellow, CSWS. Gurdev Khush travels to Iran to receive Khwarizmi International Award On 8 February, Gurdev Khush, former IRRI principal plant breeder, received the Khwarizmi International Award for Agriculture, which he shared with Sanjaya Rajaram, former International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) wheat breeder. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami presented the award. This annual award, organized by the Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology and now in its 17th year, honors the memory of the renowned 9th century Iranian mathematician and astronomer and acknowledges achievements in five areas of science and technology. IRRI stalwarts Tom Mew and Sant Virmani have been appointed principal scientists in recognition of their contributions to the Institute. Dr. Mew, previously head of the Entomology and Plant Pathology Division (EPPD), began at IRRI in 1975. In his 29 years at the Institute, he has made major contributions in a wide range of areas, such as seed health and pest control through biodiversity, and he was instrumental in setting up the Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments. Dr. Virmani, deputy head of IRRI's Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biochemistry Division, worked at IRRI from 1970 to 1972, then returned in 1979. In his 28 years at the Institute, he has developed and disseminated hybrid rice technology, primarily for the tropics. Dr. Mew will retire in August this year but intends to stay scientifically active and will maintain working links with IRRI. Dr. Virmani, who will retire in 2005, recently donated P110,000 (US$2,000) to the Crop Science Society of the Philippines (CSSP) to sustain an annual award to Filipino scientists or experts who have contributed significantly to developing and disseminating hybrid crop technology. Ren Wang, IRRI deputy director general for research, has become acting head of EPPD. IRRI scientists receive CSSP awards Glenn B. Gregorio, IRRI international research fellow, in Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biochemistry, has received the 2004 Achievement Award for Crop Science Research. The Crop Science Society of the Philippines (CSSP) presented the award during its annual scientific conference in Davao City on 11 March. Dr. Gregorio was cited for his outstanding contributions to research and development for breeding rice varieties with tolerance of salinity and other abiotic stresses and enhancing the nutritional value of rice for human health. Meanwhile, a team of scientists led by Assistant Scientist Florencia G. Palis and members of the project "Technology Transfer for Water Savings" (TTWS) won the award for the best paper on education and extension during the CSSP conference. The paper titled “A Farmer-Participatory Approach in the Adaptation and Adoption of Controlled Irrigation for Water Saving: A Case Study Among Rice Farmers in Canarem, Victoria, Tarlac" presented by Dr. Palis is co-authored with Researcher Pio Adan A. Cenas, Water Scientist Bas Bouman, Assistant Scientist Rubenito M. Lampayan, Senior Agriculturist Armelito T. Lactaoen, Manager Teodoro M. Norte, Project Manager Vicente R. Vicmudo of the National Irrigation Administration, Social Sciences Division Head Mahabub Hossain, and National Scientist/IRRI Consultant Gelia T. Castillo. The study is a component of the large project on TTWS in the Philippines under the leadership of Dr. Bouman, and a part of the water work group of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC). TTWS is a very successful example of integrated research and delivery of water-saving technologies among scientists and stakeholders. National grains conference features IRRI scientists About 400 research scientists, grain millers, traders, farmers and farmer cooperatives, and government and nongovernment organizations attended the 4th National Grains Postproduction Conference in Cebu City on 18-19 March. Organized by the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium (PRPC), of which IRRI is a founding member, the conference featured several IRRI scientists as speakers. Plenary and technical speakers included Plant Biotechnologist Swapan Datta, Golden rice research; Economist David Dawe, Why rice marketing in the Philippines is more expensive than in Thailand; Martin Gummert, IRRI international research fellow, in the Agricultural Engineering Unit (AEU), Rice postharvest priorities at IRRI; Assistant Scientist Cristina Sison, Rice biofortification; and AEU Researcher Eugene P. Aquino, Development of a low-cost moisture meter. Drs. Dawe and Gummert also served as panelists during the open forum on issues and concerns of the grain postproduction industry in the Philippines. Low cost, simple design, and efficient drying were the needs raised by farmers. The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is the current chair of the PRPC. IRRI is the chair of the PRPC Technical Conference Committee through AEU Head Joseph F. Rickman and Assistant Scientist Pat C. Borlagdan. IRRI-IFAD flood-prone rice project review On 5 February, the final review meeting for the IRRI-IFAD project "Validation
and Delivery of New Technologies for Increasing the Productivity of Flood-Prone
Rice Lands of South and Southeast Asia" kicked off in Can Tho, Vietnam.
The project was conceived by IRRI to improve the livelihood of the poor
farmers in the flood-prone ecosystem. Funded by the International Fund
for Agricultural Development (IFAD), it has been in operation since 1999
through partnership between IRRI and NARES scientists in Bangladesh, India,
Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. IRIS/ICIS mirror site online in Japan IRRI’s International Rice Information System (IRIS), a version of the International Crop Information System (ICIS) that the Institute is developing in cooperation with partner organizations from several countries (Web site: <<http://iris.irri.cgiar.org>>), now has a mirror site online in Japan. Thanks to a mirroring agreement between IRRI and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Information Network (MAFFIN) of Japan, IRIS/ICIS is now hosted online at MAFFIN's headquarters in Tsukuba. Data will be replicated between MAFFIN and IRRI using the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN) and it is planned that the MAFFIN network operating center will be the hub for future data replication to networking centers in other Asian countries connected to APAN. Mirrored data will also be available via the Internet. South Korea partner develops labor-saving technology Researchers at the Korea National Agricultural College in Seoul have developed a new labor-saving direct-seeding technology for adoption by IRRI stakeholders. The machinery uses lightweight steel wheels that allow a conventional tractor to operate easily in paddies and a tractor-towed direct seeder that sows pregerminated seed in rows and covers it with sand or silicate fertilizer. As economic development draws labor away from agriculture, more farmers will adopt labor-saving practices such as direct seeding -- which, however, still suffers from poor seedling establishment, weed problems, lodging, and inferior grain quality. “This will improve crop establishment for direct seeding and help prevent lodging,” said Shaobing Peng, IRRI crop physiologist. “It will also reduce bird damage because seed is protected under fertilizer or sand.” Phase III of the International Rice Research Consortium Phase II of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (2001-04) also received a favorable external panel review in October 2003. As a follow-up to that review, preparations for an additional Phase III (2005-08) of the Consortium are now under way. To establish guidelines for the development of Phase III, a planning workshop was held on 10-11 February at IRRI. Representatives from donors -- Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA), the Potash & Phosphate Institute (PPI), the Potash & Phosphate Institute of Canada (PPIC), and the International Potash Institute (IPI) -- NARES (China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam), and IRRI attended. The workshop participants defined the approach, objectives, and expected
results for Phase III. They also looked at the main components, institutional
setup, and other relevant issues that were raised by the IRRC review report
and the donor position paper. CPWF Theme 1, Project 7 workshop The inception and planning workshop of Project 7 of Theme 1 in the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) was held at IRRI on 24-25 March. Participants at the two-day workshop, Development of Technologies to Harness the Productivity Potential of Salt-Affected Areas of the Indo-Gangetic, Mekong, and Nile River Basins, refined the project's logical framework, defined the roles of the research teams, and developed a work plan and milestone plan for the first two years. CPWF Project No. 10 inception workshop To kick off the CPWF Project No. 10, "Managing water and land resources for sustainable livelihoods at the interface between fresh and saline water environments in Vietnam and Bangladesh," a four-day workshop and field trip were held on 4-7 March in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The project is one of the first 16 projects funded by the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food. It aims to develop integrated management of land, saline-water and freshwater resources, and technologies that can help to increase land and water productivity without adversely affecting delicate ecological balances in the coastal areas of Vietnam and Bangladesh. The project is led by Dr. To Phuc Tuong, Head of IRRI’s Crop, Soil, and Water Sciences Division, with collaborating institutes such as the WorldFish Center and International Water Management Institute, and NARES from Vietnam and Bangladesh. Thirty participants from Bangladesh, Vietnam, CG centers, and IRRI discussed in detail the methodologies and activities of the project; defined the roles and responsibilities of each institute and team member in project implementation, management, and reporting; agreed on the Gantt chart and the milestone plan; and developed a detailed work plan for the first year of the project. IRRI-CIMMYT project aims to improve livelihoods in the eastern Gangetic Plains A two-day IRRI-CIMMYT planning workshop for the project Accelerating Technology Adoption to Improve Rural Livelihoods on the Rainfed Eastern Gangetic Plains finished on 1 February in New Delhi, India. The workshop's 58 participants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, CIMMYT, IRRI, and ICRAF identified promising productivity-enhancing and resource conservation technologies for each of the project's 11 sites that can contribute to improving rural livelihoods. They also formed, for each site, a research team of technology innovators and promoters with agreed-upon roles. Also, a work plan for farmer participatory research was developed to validate and up-scale those technologies. PETRRA holds material development workshop at BRRI The Poverty Elimination Through Rice Research Assistance (PETRRA) Project, in collaboration with several concerned experts in the field of agriculture extension and communication, organized a three-day Material Development Workshop 28 February-1 March at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur. The workshop was held for BRRI's technology development subprojects being implemented by various national-international and government organization-nongovernment organization partners. Newly appointed BRRI Director General Dr. Mahiul Haque chaired the inaugural session in the presence of Director for Research Dr. A.R. Gomosta and PETRRA Project Manager Dr. Noel P. Magor. Dr. Gomosta chaired the presentation session of the concluding day as the director general of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Mr. Tariq Hassan, could not attend. The workshop participants developed printed communication materials
targeting farmers and field workers while learning the proper way of including
the materials in a package for each subproject and in the Bangladesh Rice
Knowledge Bank (BRKB), a Web-based CD-ROM. This was the final step of
the entire process in which PETRRA is trying Microarray and Bioinformatics Workshop at IRRI Forty-seven participants from Africa, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Philippines, Syria, Thailand, and Vietnam attended the Microarray and Bioinformatics Workshop III: Applying Genomic Technologies to Identify Induced and Natural Variation in Stress-Response Genes at IRRI on 23-26 February. The workshop was a joint effort of the Asian Rice Biotechnology Network (ARBN) and the International Rice Functional Genomics Consortium (IRFGC). It brought new genomic technologies to IRRI's NARES partners. The four-day workshop covered topics on natural and induced genetic variation, genotyping techniques (targeting induced local lesions in genomes, TILLING), whole-genome arrays, and bioinformatics of stress-response genes. It also provided opportunities for different national programs to collaborate among themselves and with IRRI. IRRI-PhilRice workshop participants discuss nutrient management The Working Groups on Impact and Reaching Toward Optimal Productivity (RTOP) of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC), in partnership with PhilRice, conducted a one-day workshop at PhilRice on 27 January. Sixteen staff members from PhilRice and IRRI discussed integrated nutrient management recommendations that should be more widely promoted and how to scale-up initiatives to get these recommendations to more farmers. Three sessions covered identifying the current Philippine practices for nutrient management, enumerating preferred practices for farmers, and brainstorming on strategies to achieve the preferred scenario. In the Philippines, PhilRice is promoting two nutrient management approaches to help farmers improve their productivity. These are the “site-specific nutrient management” (SSNM) approach and the “minus-one-element technique” (MOET). SSNM advocates the real-time management of N using a leaf color chart and recommends P and K rates based on yield target and the indigenous supply of nutrients. The indigenous supply of P or K is determined through omission-plot trials, where all-important nutrients except the nutrient in question are applied. MOET is a test to identify the limiting or deficient nutrients in the soil through a simple pot experiment. Both approaches are based on the principle that the plant's growth and yield are limited by the deficient nutrients. During a special workshop held 27-29 January at the National Agricultural Science Complex in New Delhi, India, the Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE) inaugurated its new project -- Integrating and mobilizing rice knowledge to improve and stabilize crop productivity to achieve household food security in diverse and less favorable rainfed areas of Asia. The workshop signaled the beginning of the project, which has been selected
by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for funding support under its 8th
Regional Technical Assistance facility. The grant will support CURE activities
for three years, starting this year at the Consortium's nine key sites
across six countries. IPMO facilitates CARDI staff retreat/workshop IRRI’s International Programs Management Office (IPMO), led by Senior Manager Jojo Lapitan, facilitated the Cambodia Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) retreat/workshop in Seam Reap, 25-29 January. With the theme "Business Culture in a Research and Development Institute," the event gathered more than 80 CARDI managers and staff members, led by its director, Dr. Men Sarom, and four representatives from the CARDI-Assistance Project led by Dr. Eric Crasswell. The workshop covered four main issues: how to conduct R & D projects in an uncertain environment, how to get additional projects/attract donors, how to establish or create a positive environment to support research and development at CARDI, and what are the best strategies to help CARDI succeed in its business ventures? Thirty-two participants graduate from DINMOD course On 12 March, 32 participants from eight countries graduated from the Developing Integrated Nutrient Management Options for Delivery (DINMOD) course, receiving their certificates from Deputy Director General for Research, and guest speaker, Dr. Ren Wang, Course Coordinator Dr. Roland Buresh, and IPMO and Training Center Head Dr. Mark Bell. In the final week of the course, the participants worked as teams from research and extension organizations to develop action plans for implementation upon returning to their respective countries. On the final day, participants shared their expectations of future partnerships, including multiple organizations in their countries and IRRI, in the development and delivery of integrated nutrient management for rice. During his closing remarks, Dr. Buresh congratulated all the participants and thanked all those who contributed to the course. Dr. Wang then reminded them of their challenge to improving rice production as well as creating impact in their own countries. Dr. Moni Escalada, IRRI international research fellow in IPMO, delivered the closing message, in which she related the outcomes of the course to the expectations expressed by participants at the start of the course. Dragonair will uplift IRRI magazine Hong Kong’s Dragonair will mark IYR 2004 by offering Rice Today, IRRI’s quarterly magazine, to passengers in first and business class on all routes. Dragonair operates 20 passenger aircraft between Hong Kong and 28 other Asian destinations, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Taipei, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Dhaka, and, starting on 2 April, Tokyo. “Dragonair’s decision to carry Rice Today allows IRRI to
address a whole new group of influential Asians in the leisurely setting
of a Dragonair forward cabin,” said Peter Fredenburg, the magazine’s
editor.
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• January-March 2008 • October-December 2007 • July-September 2007 • April-June 2007 • January-March 2007 • October-December 2006 • July-September 2006 • April-June 2006 • March 2006 • December 2005 • September 2005 • June 2005 • December 2004 • June 2004 • April 2004 • December 2003 • October 2003 • June 2003 • March 2003 • December 2000 • September 2000 • June 2000 • April 2000 • December 1999 |
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