tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42685554976227161662024-02-19T21:52:07.927+08:00Rice and Climate Change News<a href="http://rice-climatechange-research.blogspot.com/">Rice and Climate Change News</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-30015385639862570692017-01-17T14:02:00.003+08:002017-01-19T13:40:55.645+08:00Reliable and affordable methods for measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture now available<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 11.2px; text-align: center;">The <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/irri.org/ccac/tools/manual-chambers">closed chamber method</a> is a widely used technique to quantify greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural ecosystems.</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 11.2px; text-align: center;"> (Photo: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricephotos/17296780934/in/album-72157653181144966/">IRRI</a>)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">As countries shift from mitigation commitments to action in the </span><a href="http://unfccc.int/meetings/marrakech_nov_2016/meeting/9567.php" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">2016 climate change negotiations</a> and beyond<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">, many countries are unable to plan for emissions reductions in agriculture due to a lack of data.</span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Earlier this year, </span><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep26279" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; font-family: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">researchers found</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> that data used to calculate emission factors and populate models do not accurately represent conditions on small farms in tropical developing countries because they largely come from research in temperate, developed countries.</span></div>
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The complex, smallholder agricultural systems in tropical, developing countries do not fit the same emissions profiles as temperate agricultural systems, which are often mono-cultural,” <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal;">said Meryl Richards, a researcher from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the University of Vermont Gund Institute for Ecological Economics who co-edited the book.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">"</em></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">As countries begin implementing their climate change commitments, some are finding that they do not have reliable information about the mitigation potential of particular agricultural practices under local conditions. Getting that information often requires field measurement, which can be very expensive. This book is intended as a guide to conducting measurement in a way that provides the most information at the least cost.” </span></div>
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119 developing countries <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/agricultures-prominence-indcs-data-and-maps#.V2rsjVeuWao" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">committed to mitigation in agriculture</a> in the Paris Agreement but few countries shared details about how they will carry the pledges out. Agriculture (not including land use change) <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/publications/agricultures-contribution-national-emissions#.VzGrrSMrLC9" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">contributes an average</a> of 35% of emissions in developing countries and 12% in developed countries.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">“With the exception of a few crops and systems in tropical countries, there are few measured data for emissions from smallholder farms in developing countries,”</em> Richards, said. <em style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">“This book brings together the latest science in field measurements of agricultural greenhouse gas sources and sinks. Countries can use the methods and the data they produce to support improved emission factors for country inventories and to assess the mitigation impacts of practice changes and projects.”</em></div>
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<a href="http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-29794-1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WMNadbxH8wM/WIBQ-rBtwUI/AAAAAAAABmI/wPEdGHacguE8yuE2mmQRSMZw96M2GMWAQCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2Bbook.png" /></a>The book, <a href="http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-29794-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Methods for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Balances and Evaluating Mitigation Options in Smallholder Agriculture</a>, explains how to:</div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Design a measurement program;</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Quantify stocks, stock changes and fluxes of the major GHG sources and sinks including: land use and land cover change, greenhouse gas emissions from soils, methane emissions due to enteric fermentation in ruminants, biomass carbon, and soil carbon stocks; and</li>
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Use field measurements to estimate mitigation potential at larger scales, and assess trade-offs between climate change and development objectives.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Recognizing that cost of research has often been an impediment for some countries, authors provide guidance on how to choose from available methods, given users’ objectives, resources, and capacities.</span></div>
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Authors expect that national agricultural research centers, compilers of national greenhouse gas inventories, policy makers, agricultural development practitioners, universities and the private sector will find the guidelines useful to fulfill reporting requirements to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and to identify and implement low emissions development practices that will fulfill mitigation targets outlined in the Paris Agreement. <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; line-height: inherit;">“As soon as the measurement data is collected, countries will be ready to use it,” </em><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Richards added.</span><br />
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">(Repost from <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/research-highlight/reliable-and-affordable-methods-measurement-greenhouse-gas-emissions-agriculture#.WH2TvlN950x">CCAFS</a> site)</span></div>
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Resources</h4>
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We will be publishing user guides and videos to accompany some of the chapters. <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Please see the <a href="https://youtu.be/LKKgpMK3XPg" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">video below </a>summarizing the Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Managed and Natural Soils chapter or see the presentation <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/cgiarclimate/quantifying-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-managed-and-natural-soils" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Further reading</h4>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;"><a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/publications/limits-agricultural-greenhouse-gas-calculators-predict-soil-n2o-and-ch4-fluxes-tropical" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Limits of agricultural greenhouse gas calculators to predict soil N2O and CH4 fluxes in tropical agriculture</a></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/publications/agricultures-prominence-indcs" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Agriculture’s prominence in the INDCs</span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/publications/agricultures-contribution-national-emissions" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0c6772; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Agriculture’s contribution to national emissions</span></a></li>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-9955903006309989872016-06-03T09:34:00.000+08:002016-06-03T09:34:02.168+08:00Gender issues in implementing a water saving technique in Colombia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IwCtRFkGHNI/V1DeUk6oaeI/AAAAAAAABR8/jonWeT9p3OYGF20-N2gGloRTiPhXo8nggCLcB/s1600/rice%2Bfield.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IwCtRFkGHNI/V1DeUk6oaeI/AAAAAAAABR8/jonWeT9p3OYGF20-N2gGloRTiPhXo8nggCLcB/s640/rice%2Bfield.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photo: CIAT</div>
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The adoption of the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology, developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), is currently being undertaken in Colombia by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), in collaboration with the National Rice Federation in Colombia (FEDEARROZ). This research initiative is significant given the diminishing water resource and the drought episodes being experienced in some parts of the globe as a result of climate change. </div>
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In implementing AWD, a socioeconomic study with gender perspective is being conducted in five regions of Colombia -Tolima, Norte de Santander, Córdoba, Cesar and Casanare- to identify potential barriers to technology adoption among rice producers. In some Latin American countries, studies show that women are not typically recognized as rice producers, hence, their participation in the production system and access to relevant resources are limited. <a href="http://blog.ciat.cgiar.org/gender-and-awd-a-study-in-progress-with-rice-farmers-in-colombia/">Read more</a><div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-20663941318205932062016-05-18T10:04:00.001+08:002016-05-18T10:04:31.784+08:00Annual emissions reductions from agriculture must reach 1 GtCO2e per year by 2030 to stay within 2°C warming limit<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DoyCyGL_Ps/VzvNVpb8wFI/AAAAAAAABJc/JKcYZE-WRhAnR0ibOoFuzFsrKSbvmOofgCLcB/s1600/rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DoyCyGL_Ps/VzvNVpb8wFI/AAAAAAAABJc/JKcYZE-WRhAnR0ibOoFuzFsrKSbvmOofgCLcB/s1600/rice.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the wake of the Paris Agreement, there is increased recognition of the need for mitigation in agriculture. <br />But how much mitigation from agriculture is needed to limit climate change? Photo: IRRI</td></tr>
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<i>Current agricultural interventions will only deliver 21-40% of target, indicating need for transformative technical and policy options.</i></h3>
<br />The Paris Agreement, signed in 2016 by 177 countries and counting, indicates a global commitment to limiting climate change to 2°C. In parallel to the Paris Agreement, countries submitted 162 climate change adaptation and mitigation plans to the United Nations. Three-quarters of plans <a href="http://ccafs.cgiar.org/agricultures-prominence-indcs-data-and-maps#.Vzn5v8euWao">included intentions to reduce emissions in the agriculture sector</a>. <br /><br />Translating national plans to global impacts on climate change is not possible without clear and measurable targets for emissions reductions. In response to this gap, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), with 21 partners, put forward a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13340">preliminary target for agriculture</a>, published in the journal Global Change Biology in May 2016. <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/MitigationTargetAgriculture#.VzvFn_l97rc">Read full story</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-63296167423404151362016-05-18T09:24:00.002+08:002016-05-18T09:29:43.830+08:00Paris Climate Agreement Cannot Be Met Without Emissions Reduction Target for Agriculture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">A farmer in India uses a GreenSeeker to gauge the health of his crops. By doing this, he can judge the optimum amount of fertilizer for crops and reduce GHG emissions from overuse of fertilizers while maximizing productivity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo: P. Vishwanathan (CCAFS)</span></div>
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<i>Researchers propose a 1 gigatonne carbon dioxide equivalent per year reduction target for farming by 2030 and find current interventions could only achieve 21-40% of this goal.</i></h3>
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BURLINGTON, VERMONT (17th May 2016) – Scientists have calculated, for the first time, the extent to which agricultural emissions must reduce to meet the new climate agreement to limit warming to 2°C in 2100.<br />
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Scientists from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), the University of Vermont, and partner institutions estimate that the agriculture sector must reduce non-CO2 emissions by 1 gigatonne CO2e per year in 2030. Yet in-depth analysis also revealed a major gap between the existing mitigation options for the agriculture sector and the reductions needed: current interventions would only deliver between 21-40% of mitigation required. <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/news/media-centre/press-releases/paris-climate-agreement-cannot-be-met-without-emissions-reduction#.VzvCP_l97rc">Read full story</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-83027088859842256462016-04-28T15:41:00.001+08:002016-04-29T10:34:33.085+08:00International exhibit features IRRI’s mitigation technology<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9td6H-tNi4/VyHCHLcDYvI/AAAAAAAABFs/OE_XAZdj564gw_EX-uLot7crwEixmy6eACLcB/s1600/UNEP_rice_paddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9td6H-tNi4/VyHCHLcDYvI/AAAAAAAABFs/OE_XAZdj564gw_EX-uLot7crwEixmy6eACLcB/s1600/UNEP_rice_paddy.jpg" /></a></div>
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April 22, New York, USA - The <a href="http://unep.org/">United Nations Environment Program</a> (UNEP) has organized an exhibit that showcases climate change mitigation stories around the globe through compelling photo essays. The exhibit runs from 22 April to 12 May 2016 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Part of the exhibit focuses on rice and climate change, which acknowledges the work of the <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI) in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rice farming systems through the <a href="http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/water-management/saving-water-alternate-wetting-drying-awd">alternate wetting and drying</a> (AWD) technology.<br />
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The exhibit has formerly been shown in Paris during the COP21 climate change negotiations in December 2015.<br />
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With the theme “We have the power: We are the change,” the exhibit, which opened on the celebration of Earth Day on 22 April, was intended to coincide with the momentous Paris Charter Agreement, on which <a href="http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9444.php">174 States and the European Union have signed</a>. This signifies each country’s commitment to keep the global temperatures increase within this century well below 2<sup><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">0</span></span></sup>C.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXV4H3KSMCA/VyG_sF3FuYI/AAAAAAAABFg/P-DKfSoYPoUZ5HnL5PFSYvVSBFeH4nm_gCLcB/s1600/AWD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXV4H3KSMCA/VyG_sF3FuYI/AAAAAAAABFg/P-DKfSoYPoUZ5HnL5PFSYvVSBFeH4nm_gCLcB/s320/AWD.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AWD is a simple and inexpensive technology<br />
with multiple, significant benefits.<br />
Photo: Jericho Montellano/IRRI</td></tr>
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Doing this within the coming decades would mean reducing GHG emissions from various industries and sectors. As the global GHG emission from agriculture now reaches 10–12%, rice-producing countries need to effect measures to reduce emissions from rice cultivation, particularly the potent methane gas (CH<sub><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4</span></sub>).<br />
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The IRRI-developed AWD technology has been proven to effectively address multiple challenges due to climate change, such as diminishing water resources and GHG emissions in rice production.<br />
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Applying AWD, rice paddies in irrigated systems need not be continuously flooded, which is the practice in the conventional system. This intermittent series of flooding and re-flooding of rice paddies results in water savings of up to 30%, thus, providing more income to rice farmers by reducing irrigation costs. This technology also reduces methane emission from rice farming by up to 50%, which helps hold down the increasing global temperature.<br />
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Through the IRRI project on methane mitigation in rice paddies, AWD is now being tested and evaluated for its technical suitability and socioeconomic benefits in countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, and the Philippines. Activities to determine the ways and potentials for outscaling (massive technology adoption) and upscaling (mainstreaming to national development plans) are being conducted in Vietnam and Bangladesh. A project funded by the <a href="http://www.ccacoalition.org/en/initiatives/agriculture">Agriculture Initiative of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition</a> (CCAC) being hosted by UNEP, with support from the <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/">CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security</a> (CCAFS), identifies opportunities for policy support and tests new scale-out models.<br />
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As the old adage goes, “a picture paints a thousand words.” Through this exhibit, it is hoped that the photos on display would be able to meaningfully communicate that we have the power to help mitigate climate change and global warming. With good science, committed efforts, and solid action on the ground, we can achieve the change that we aspire for.</div>
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<a href="http://www.unep.org/ccac/Media/PressReleases/NewCCACAgricultureEffort/tabid/794484/Default.aspx">New Climate and Clean Air Coalition agriculture effort tackles climate change, supports rice production</a><br />
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<a href="http://rice-climatechange-research.blogspot.com/2015/07/climate-project-partners-map-inroad-to.html">Climate project partners map inroad to adoption of water-saving technology</a><br />
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<a href="http://rice-climatechange-research.blogspot.com/2015/05/bangladesh-plans-for-awd-outscaling.html">Bangladesh plans for 'alternate wetting and drying' outscaling</a><br />
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<a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/blog/new-irrigation-technique-can-ease-drought-effects-rice-farmers#.VyG-9Ux97rc">New irrigation technique can ease drought effects for rice farmers</a><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-68597046995367803412015-07-03T12:33:00.002+08:002015-07-03T14:06:05.448+08:00Climate project partners map inroad to adoption of water-saving technology <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ke7RGeGdQb8/VZYX6ss77EI/AAAAAAAAAkI/BYKyuXQUtns/s1600/P6250139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ke7RGeGdQb8/VZYX6ss77EI/AAAAAAAAAkI/BYKyuXQUtns/s640/P6250139.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stakeholders of the Paddy Rice Component discuss and visualize paths of influence and support towards AWD outscaling.</td></tr>
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HANOI, Vietnam – IRRI’s climate change and policy research is now an insight closer to adoption in Vietnam of a technology that helps cut down water use and methane emissions from rice production.<br />
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Farmers and representatives of women’s and farmers’ unions, irrigation service providers, and the Vietnamese government’s research, agriculture, and irrigation arms in Hai Duong Province gathered in Hanoi last week to discuss how the <a href="http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/water-management/saving-water-alternate-wetting-drying-awd">alternate wetting and drying</a> (AWD) technology may be more widely used by farmers in the province and, eventually, elsewhere in Vietnam, a top producer and exporter of rice globally. <br />
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Using a tool called NetMap, the 15 participants identified relevant stakeholders, visualized the various types of relationships among them, and rated the magnitude of influence each stakeholder had on the use of AWD in Vietnam, in two paths: farmer adoption, and government policy to this effect. The exercise enabled the participants to identify the most important stakeholders to engage as well as what they will need to increase their support for outscaling of AWD. <br />
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Participants were selected from among partners in Hai Duong Province, as AWD is already well in use in An Lam, a village in the province’s Nam Sach District. Actual experiences of farmers who have used AWD, as well as of agricultural research and extension officers and irrigation managers that support these farmers, fed very well into the discussion that took place.<br />
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The NetMap workshop was facilitated by Tony Lambino, head of communication at IRRI, and held on 25 June 2015 at the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD). It was organized by Tran Dai Nghia and Lien Huong Do, both of IPSARD, and Vu Duong Quynh of the Institute for Agricultural Environment.<br />
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The workshop was a joint activity of the <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/irri.org/rice-and-climate-change-research/mitigation-options-to-reduce-methane-emissions-in-paddy-rice">Paddy Rice Component</a> of the <a href="http://www.unep.org/ccac/Initiatives/AddressingSLCPsfromAgriculture/tabid/131773/language/en-US/Default.aspx">Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)</a>, represented by Bjoern Ole Sander, IRRI climate scientist; and the <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/irri.org/rice-and-climate-change-research/projects/impacts-and-policies">Policy Information and Response Platform on Climate Change and Rice in the ASEAN</a> and its member countries (PIRCCA), both led by IRRI.<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-33867348948944541092015-06-25T15:39:00.000+08:002015-06-25T15:39:05.349+08:00Philippines: Conservation agriculture in South Asia highlighted at climate-smart agriculture workshop<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #6e900d; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qDkGmfrMJ40/VYumfX-nrEI/AAAAAAAAAIw/b0h7PRVMOkM/s1600/turbo%2Bhappy%2Bseeder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #6e900d; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qDkGmfrMJ40/VYumfX-nrEI/AAAAAAAAAIw/b0h7PRVMOkM/s320/turbo%2Bhappy%2Bseeder.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 20px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 20px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px;">The turbo happy seeder is a planter capable of directly drilling in the field while retaining surface residue and without any soil disturbance, thus,<br />following the principles of conservation agriculture. Photo from Parvinder Singh, CIMMYT. </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Experts have become concerned about the long-term sustainability of conventional tillage crop production systems. In the past decades, a variety of economic, environmental, and social problems have been plaguing these practices, including labor shortages, diminishing water and energy resources, deteriorating soil health, decreasing farm profitability, and other issues related to climate change.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Conservation agriculture (CA), on the other hand, can potentially address the challenges to the future of agriculture and food security. CA is a set of soil management practices that includes minimal soil disturbance, soil residue management, and crop diversification. These practices were presented during the regional workshop on climate-smart agriculture technologies in Asia on 2-4 June in Muntinlupa City.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Increased soil tillage or ploughing results in poor soil health or soil degradation. To keep soil disturbance to a minimum, zero-tillage technologies such as the laser leveller, turbo happy seeder, and zero-till relay planters, were developed and tested in selected sites in the Indo-Gangetic Plains in northern India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Research on the energy dynamics of wheat production under different tillage techniques demonstrate that zero-tillage technologies have the highest energy-use efficiency and the lowest consumption of water and fuel. There is also evidence that zero- tillage technologies produce lower emission of greenhouse gases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">“To ensure that these zero-till technologies are farmer-friendly and will be disseminated easily, we tested these technologies through on-farm trials at the Bourlaug Institute for South Asia,” says Parvinder Singh, a research scientist from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. “They were also tested in farmer-participatory trials in selected climate-smart villages.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">The farm machinery needed for zero-tillage need not be costly, according to Dr. Singh who leads the research on climate-smart agricultural technologies such as zero-tillage with residue retention, relay planting, water- and nutrient-smart practices. Dr. Singh’s team worked with local manufacturers in developing affordable machines that will be readily available for market distribution once they have been tested. </span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-74807110347636177182015-06-25T15:15:00.000+08:002015-06-25T15:27:52.934+08:00Philippines: Climate conference centers on “smart agriculture” <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dCp4X5IMHt8/VYunra92SkI/AAAAAAAAAig/dtCrvEgkRUU/s1600/CSA_Photos_Part1_20_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="344" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dCp4X5IMHt8/VYunra92SkI/AAAAAAAAAig/dtCrvEgkRUU/s640/CSA_Photos_Part1_20_resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workshop participants learned about various CSA technologies that are being practiced in Asia.</td></tr>
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Multiple challenges beset the agriculture sector and extreme changes in the global climate aggravate the situation. Addressing these challenges in “climate-smart” ways to provide food for the ballooning population, which is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050, was the impetus behind the Workshop on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Technologies.<br />
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“There is an unhappy marriage at the moment between agriculture and climate change; increasing temperature causes drastic negative impacts on crops around the globe,” explains Dr. Andy Jarvis, flagship leader of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). “Agriculture scientists need to support the drive towards CSA to mainstream productivity, adaptation, and mitigation into the next generation of our technology.”<br />
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In a nutshell, the CSA approach supports local and global efforts for sustainably using agricultural systems to achieve food and nutritional security for all people at all time. In this effort, local and national governments and communities should be treated as co-owners and partners in building and implementing CSA knowledge and technologies.<br />
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CSA is not just about technologies and practices but about crops, livestock and fish, in the landscape, food system, and support services. It anchors on three overarching pillars of 1) improving agricultural productivity; 2) climate resilience through adaptation to climate variability; and 3) mitigation or the reduction of greenhouse gas emission from agriculture activities.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSzw7M9fxXc/VYupgefVbaI/AAAAAAAAAis/hTn-MQI2_Oo/s1600/ismail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSzw7M9fxXc/VYupgefVbaI/AAAAAAAAAis/hTn-MQI2_Oo/s640/ismail.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During the field tour, Dr. Abdel Ismail, principal scientist at IRRI, explains the flood and salt tolerant varieties developed by IRRI.</td></tr>
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With support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and CCAFS co-organized the activity held in 2-4 June 2015 in Muntinlupa City. UNEP’s climate change expert Julia Steinfeld said the activity, the third in a series of CSA workshops that UNEP has supported, intended to provide an avenue to facilitate technology transfer, promote institutional and technical knowledge exchange on CSA, and foster regional collaboration.<br />
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About 80 participants from 16 countries across Asia shared and discussed CSA technologies during the workshop. There was also a poster session featuring CSA technologies being practiced in participating countries. In addition, the participants visited IRRI’s demonstration sites and laboratories where the Institute developed its CSA technologies over the years. Identify tools, policies, and mechanisms that facilitate and accelerate the upscaling and outscaling of the technologies were discussed during the visit.<br />
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The Workshop on Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies outputs will be used to develop climate financing proposals from the participating countries.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-35951209291773443222015-05-28T16:36:00.000+08:002015-06-05T14:50:24.379+08:00Asian experience in climate-smart agriculture to be discussed in workshop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thbg_D_e0qA/VWbXQm5wTOI/AAAAAAAAAfM/yxdpxb7MHsc/s1600/Vietnam%2Bfarmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thbg_D_e0qA/VWbXQm5wTOI/AAAAAAAAAfM/yxdpxb7MHsc/s640/Vietnam%2Bfarmer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Farming communities are threatened by various climatic
stresses and will thus benefit from knowledge <br />of climate-smart agriculture
(CSA) practices from and for various landscapes and ecosystems.</span><br />
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To promote <a href="http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3325e/i3325e.pdf">climate-smart agriculture</a> (CSA) in Asia and get the global expertise in one place, a regional workshop on CSA technologies and climate change will be held on 2-4 June 2015 in Manila, Philippines.<br />
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CSA is an approach that helps guide the transformation and reorientation of agricultural systems so that these can support development and food security more effectively and sustainably under a changing climate. It is an important step in enabling smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change while maintaining or improving productivity and sustainability of their farms. <br />
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The workshop is being organized by the <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)</a> jointly with the <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/">CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)</a> and the <a href="http://www.unep.org/">United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)</a>. Government representatives from 16 countries in Asia and agriculture and climate change experts are expected to participate. <br />
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The workshop aims to (A) present features and costs and benefits of select CSA technologies; (B) identify cases of effective implementation of policies, tools, and mechanisms; (C) identify assistance and services needed to accelerate CSA upscaling and outscaling in participating countries; and (D) draft concept notes for submission to the Climate Technology Center Network (CTCN). <br />
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‟The workshop is also an opportunity to gather people who actually work on CSA, or climate change in general, to share their experiences on that aspect and also to raise the awareness of major challenges that we need to look into,” said Valerien Pede, IRRI economist and scientist.<br />
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The 3-day workshop includes an introduction to CSA, various climate-related topics, a panel discussion, and a tour of research facilities and demonstration trials at the IRRI headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna.<br />
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Participating countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka from South Asia; Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam from Southeast Asia; and Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia from Central and East Asia.<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5WDk-4vUwyZNWY2SGdXWU9XUkE/view?usp=sharing">Full program</a><br />
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<i>(Written by Rezza Mae Tolinero, IRRI and CCAFS SEA intern)</i><br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-57702834925871357122015-05-01T16:46:00.001+08:002015-06-09T10:47:42.510+08:00Bangladesh plans for 'alternate wetting and drying' outscaling<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workshop participants draw national strategy for AWD outscaling in Bangladesh</td></tr>
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A national work plan to out-scale a water-saving technology called “alternate wetting and drying” (AWD) was developed at a workshop held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 20-21 April 2015.</div>
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Led by IRRI scientists <a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/specialists/bjoern-ole-sander" target="">Björn Ole Sander</a> and Michael Sheinkman, together with Professor Saidur Rahman of the <a href="http://www.bau.edu.bd/" target="_blank">Bangladesh Agricultural University</a> (BAU), the workshop was organized by the <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI). IRRI leads the initiative, with funding from the <a href="http://unep.org/" target="_blank">United Nations Environment Programme</a>, under the auspices of the <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">CGIAR Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security</a> (CCAFS), of which IRRI is a member-Center. </div>
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Several national public sector and international organizations shared their experiences and evaluations of AWD. AWD is a technology that will help farmers adapt to water scarcity, as well as reduce the carbon footprint of the country’s rice sector.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The CCAC Paddy Rice Component coordinates project activities in Vietnam and Bangladesh. Another CGIAR center, the <a href="http://ciat.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">International Center for Tropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT)
coordinates research activities in Colombia. This component conducts AWD suitability assessments in target countries, as well as develop information kiosks with
relevant and easily-understandable information on rice production and mitigation options.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Participants in the workshop represented the following: <a href="http://moa.portal.gov.bd/" target="_blank">Ministry of Agriculture</a> (MoA), <a href="http://www.doe.gov.bd/home/" target="_blank">Department of Environment</a> (DoE), <a href="http://www.brri.gov.bd/" target="_blank">Bangladesh Rice Research Institute</a> (BRRI), <a href="http://www.barc.gov.bd/" target="_blank">Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council</a> (BARC), <a href="http://www.gdrc.org/icm/brac.html" target="_blank">Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee</a> (BRAC), <a href="http://www.badc.gov.bd/" target="_blank">Bangladesh Agricultural Development Cooperation</a> (BADC), <a href="http://www.dae.gov.bd/" target="_blank">Department for Agricultural Extension</a> (DAE), <a href="http://www.rda.gov.bd/" target="_blank">Rural Development Academy</a> (RDA), <a href="http://www.cegisbd.com/" target="_blank">Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services</a> (CEGIS), <a href="http://ifdc.org/" target="_blank">InternationalFertilizer Development Center</a> (IFDC), <a href="http://adb.org/" target="_blank">Asian Development Bank</a> (ADB), <a href="http://www.usaid.gov/" target="_blank">United States Agency for International Development</a> (USAID), and <a href="http://www.wfp.org/" target="_blank">World Food Programme</a> (WFP)<o:p></o:p></div>
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For more information visit: </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-12419469102768573252015-02-13T00:05:00.004+08:002015-06-09T10:34:32.578+08:00Climate Smart Villages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it comes to climate change, Vietnam is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. Sarah Piccini discovers how Delta farmers are working to safeguard their crops and prevent further damage to the environment. Photo by Vinh Dao.</h3>
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As one of the twelve provinces that make up Vietnam’s ‘Rice Bowl’, the past four decades have seen a productivity boom for Ben Tre’s once famished communities. Today, Vietnam is one of the top rice exporters in the world, not to mention a major producer of shrimp for American and European markets. In 2014, these industries alone earned the country USD $3.8 billion. However, for all the benefits that these products have brought to rural communities, such heavy farming has come at an environmental cost. Rice paddies and shrimp ponds have replaced mangrove trees to such an extent that environmental groups estimate over half of Vietnam’s natural mangrove forests have been destroyed. This has a dangerous effect on local communities, leaving Delta residents open to extreme weather and climate change. Along the coast, mangrove forests provide a thick natural barrier against floods, storms and seawater, as well as a habitat for wild fish and clams. Mangrove forests absorb CO2 from the atmosphere across Southeast Asia, a region that is increasingly polluted by modern technology.<br />
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In May 2014, ratings agency Standard & Poor’s designated Vietnam the world’s second most vulnerable country to climate change, behind only Cambodia. Storms, flash floods and droughts cost the Mekong Delta 9,500 lives and extensive property damage in the first decade of this century alone. The Vietnamese government estimates that average temperatures have already increased 0.5-0.7 degrees Celsius over the past 50 years.<br />
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At this rate, Vietnam may experience a temperature increase of two to three degrees Celsius over the next 85 years, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate science.</div>
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IPCC experts also predict a shift in seasonal rains and a sea level rise of 75–100 cm (1 metre) by the end of this century. For context, 40 percent of Ho Chi Minh City sits lower than 1 metre in elevation.</div>
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In the Mekong Delta, rainy season floods are common, as is the salinisation of the soil and waterways during the dry months. In 2012, seawater reached so far inland around Soc Trang that farmers couldn’t find fresh water for their fields, losing an entire dry season crop and vital income.</div>
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This is not a new problem. Over the past seven years, the Vietnamese government and international aid groups have pledged millions of dollars to reverse environmental damage and help rural communities become more resilient to climate shocks. Last November, however, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) unveiled a new program to promote food security and climate resilience called Climate Smart Villages. While targeting individual communities, the project will focus on weather, water, carbon, nutrients and pests, energy and agricultural knowledge.</div>
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Climate Smart Villages already exist in South Asia, Latin America and West and East Africa. There, the Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) project has successfully helped rural communities boost their productivity, increase incomes and build resilience to extreme weather events like floods and droughts. In 2013, CCAFS chose to expand to Southeast Asia, a global hotspot for greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation and deforestation. In addition to the three villages in Vietnam, which will be located in the northwest, north central and southern regions of the country, CCAFS plans to build two in Laos and one in Cambodia. According to Leo Sebastian, regional program leader for CCAFS-Southeast Asia, each village will address the unique challenges of its location, from increasingly severe hot and cold periods in the north to unpredictable rainfall and rising temperatures in the south.</div>
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“The sites selected represent different agro-ecosystems and landscapes with different climate change impacts,” says Sebastian. Throughout the course of the program, Sebastian aims to improve food security and boost local incomes as well as reverse environmental damage and build each community’s resilience to the effects of climate change.</div>
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“In the coming months, we will be designing the specific interventions based on [assessments of resident’s needs] and further interactions with the community,” Sebastian explains. These interventions could take many forms, such as publishing more frequent weather forecasts and farming recommendations, teaching better water management or enrolling farmers in insurance programs to protect their land.</div>
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In the early stages of the Climate Smart Villages project, there will be plenty of trial and error.</div>
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“We have climate smart rice cultivation practices, we have climate smart aquaculture practices, we have climate smart forest management practices,” explains climate change specialist Dr. Ole Sander. “We want to bring them together to see how they work together. What does work together and what does not, and in which contexts you can use which climate smart practice.”</div>
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While the program is still in its infancy, some of these initiatives are already being implemented in Vietnam. Sander, who is affiliated with the International Rice Research Institute, a CCAFS partner, focuses on Alternative Wetting and Drying (AWD) rice cultivation, a method that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 30-70 percent. By pumping water into rice fields periodically instead of continuously flooding the crop, this technique helps farmers to grow rice while reducing the release of greenhouse gases and saving water, time and energy costs.</div>
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Projects that strengthen rural communities while fighting climate change are critical to create real win-win solutions that last in the long term.</div>
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“The other aspect of this is to create a kind of lighthouse region,” say Sander. “We want to show where [these methods] have been practiced…and then the idea is that climate smart practices would spread out from those villages.”</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-15805965406678439292015-02-01T21:46:00.000+08:002015-06-09T10:57:06.900+08:00ICTs for scaling dissemination of research results to increase technology adoption and farmers’ income <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Information delivery through ICT is faster, cheaper and scalable.</td></tr>
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“Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) make a big
difference in accelerating impact of research and improving extension services,”
stated knowledge exchange and ICT expert Paolo Ficarelli at the Asia Rice
Science Week of the <a href="http://irri.org/our-work/research/#research-2">Global Rice Science Partnership</a> (GRISP) at the <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI) headquarters from 26-30 January. <br />
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In food crop systems, 50% of productivity gains may be driven by
improved varieties, while the other half depends on multiple factors, one of
which is knowledge access through extension.</div>
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“The low and slow technology adoption has been an on-going challenge,” Ficarelli
said. “Often, farmers find it difficult to avail of and access agricultural
information that they could make use of in improving farm productivity. In
India, for instance, 60% of farmers have no access to information. Only about 7%
receive information from public extension and 10% from input suppliers.”</div>
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Information delivery through extension services is wrought with
pressing challenges. For one, extension is a very expensive undertaking as it
requires employing a large number of people. Building the capacity of extension
workers also entail a hefty cost. Additionally, extension education should be
strongly based on human interaction and trust between farmers and extension
workers as Ficarelli learned in his many years of doing extension works.</div>
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“ICT platforms for extension could bridge this information divide,”
Ficarelli explained. “Front hand devices like laptops and mobile phones, linked
to web-applications provide real time analytics and data visualization of what
happens in farmers’ fields.” </div>
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These platforms also link with Geographic Information System (GIS) that
provides geo-reference of farmers’ location data and can be visualized on area
and country maps. ICTs are also cost-effective communication pipelines as
information delivery becomes faster, cheaper and scalable while providing
site-specific advisory.</div>
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Realizing the value of ICT for extension, IRRI developed a mobile-enabled
ICT platform called <a href="http://cropmanager.irri.org/" target="_blank">Rice Crop Manager</a> (RCM) in 2008. In his presentation,
Roland Buresh, principal scientist at IRRI, discussed the benefits of using RCM
in recommending precise farming practices like crop and nutrient management that
small-scale farmers could apply in their fields. “IRRI has a powerful data
management system,” Dr. Buresh said. “The RCM can work across countries with
multiple crops and place the voluminous information through cloud computing right
at the tip of decision makers of extension and research organizations.” </div>
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The <a href="http://da.gov.ph/" target="_blank">Philippines’ Department of Agriculture</a> has been supporting the dissemination of RCM in the country through
local government units. As a result, about 290,000 printed recommendations have already reached farmers in 2014. From November 2013 up to January 2015, 315,000 personalized recommendations reached farmers in the Philippines and 8,700 in Bangladesh, illustrating the potential of this ICT as a decision support tool. As part of scaling-out, RCM is now being evaluated in India and Vietnam, and it will soon be released as a Rice Agro-advisory Service in Indonesia.</div>
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“Despite the values that ICTs bring to improve productivity, ICT is not
a magic bullet,” Ficarelli contends. “They are just amplifiers of existing
functional service delivery systems to farmers.” </div>
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Partnerships, content generation, capacity building, and dissemination
alliances are equally necessary components to integrate ICTs into the extension
delivery system. But the most important
component is farmers’ engagement spaces or opportunities where farmers can
interact with other stakeholders in the value chain with the support of ICTs.
All these factors are necessary to make ICTs propel/accelerate technology
adoption and increase farmers’ income.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-67740835737580538232015-01-21T16:07:00.002+08:002015-06-09T11:00:18.151+08:00Philippines: IRRI expert presents farmer-friendly technologies to help reduce carbon footprint of rice production <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IRRI has been doing research on rice straw management to reduce greenhouse gas emission.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/specialists/bjoern-ole-sander">Bjoern Ole Sander</a>, a candidate for scientist to support IRRI's climate change research, presented several options to reduce the carbon footprint of rice in a special seminar on January 14 at the <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI) Headquarters.<br />
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In addition to the more familiar alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technique, Dr. Sanders discussed other climate-smart options such as using new varieties that have shorter duration or hybrid varieties with lower emissions per grain yield, and improved straw management.<br />
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To prevent more greenhouse gases (GHGs), Dr. Sander emphasized, the straw must either be incorporated in an optimized way or used for other purposes, such as mushroom or energy production. In relation to this, researchers and scientists from IRRI, who are currently working on areas related to rice straw, formed a straw management research group to better understand the trade-offs between different rice straw options. Led by the Postharvest Unit, some of the on-going activities of the group include energy balance analysis of rice straw, life cycle assessment of rice straw, and research on rice straw chopper. The group is also conducting research on rice straw greenhouse gas emission in collaboration with the Climate Unit.<br />
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Dr. Sander also discussed new projects where stakeholders can be better engaged to not only receive technologies, but be the center of development and dissemination to be able to reduce GHGs in the long run. <br />
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One of these is the new paddy rice component funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), which is hosted by the <a href="http://unep.org/" target="_blank">United Nations Environment Program</a>, and is a partnership involving 40 governments and 53 non-state entities. The rice component—one of three under the CCAC agriculture initiative—comprises several activities to help promote AWD in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Colombia. These activities include mapping out areas suitable for AWD and establishing multi-stakeholder partnerships for in-country planning. This inter-center collaboration together with the <a href="http://ciat.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">International Center for Tropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT) is supported by <a href="http://ccafs.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">CCAFS</a>, the research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security.<br />
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In another CCAFS project, Dr. Sander suggested the promotion of Participatory Mitigation Selection, an approach inspired by the successful participatory varietal selection in plant breeding. This farmer-oriented approach will encourage farmers to choose what specific mitigation option they prefer. Under this scheme, the adjustment of technology becomes more site-specific and locally suitable. Dr. Sander underscored in his presentation that, although political will to mitigate GHGs is there, roadmaps to accomplish such are lacking and must be given attention. Also, the benefits and incentives of mitigation options—not the mitigation effect itself—need to be highlighted for successful technology adoption. Moreover, strong partnerships are crucial inasmuch as the approach should be multidisciplinary for climate-smart options to be adopted.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-34783797283901753112014-11-27T15:42:00.000+08:002015-06-09T11:02:39.955+08:00Philippines: IRRI and CCAFS discuss better collaboration of climate change-related research activities<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CCAFS Program Director Bruce Campbell discusses program updates and plan.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://ccafs.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">CGIAR Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security</a> (CCAFS) Director Bruce Campbell and scientists with the <a href="http://irri.org/" target="_blank">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI) discussed the proper integration and alignment of climate change-related research at IRRI with the overall CCAFS framework during a meeting at IRRI Headquarters on 24 November.<br />
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CCAFS addresses the threats to agriculture and food security brought about by a changing climate by exploring new ways of helping vulnerable rural communities adapt to climate change. IRRI plays a key role in pushing for CCAFS agenda, being the lead institute and host to CCAFS Southeast Asia hub. <br />
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“CCAFS brings together CG centers and national partners to work on identified Climate-Smart Villages and introduce climate-smart technologies and climate information services, among others,” explained Dr. Campbell. He stressed that a robust and coherent climate change program also entail full integration and strong connection among multiple partners in the scaling up processes. Dr. Campbell reiterated that concerted and unified efforts can place CCAFS on the map in terms of rice methane mitigation research, climate forecasting for farmers, climate information services and other important areas related to agricultural productivity and resilience.<br />
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IRRI Director General <a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/management/robert-zeigler">Robert Zeigler</a> concurred that it is in the Institute’s interest to maintain a coherent program on rice with CCAFS. Dr. Zeigler also said that CCAFS could likewise benefit from IRRI’s huge amount of research on rice. As the lead institution in the region, IRRI is in the best position to outscale cutting-edge rice crop management and production technologies, as it has been doing for decades. IRRI is also strong in rice mitigation research which CCAFS could build on and actively promote.<br />
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“Now is the time to look hard at where IRRI can expand relationship with CCAFS, and we’re in a good stage to launch the next stages of good relationship,” Dr. Zeiglar said. <br />
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During the meeting, project leaders/representatives presented updates and details of current and future activities. To date, IRRI has 7 projects funded by CCAFS. Key activities of CCAFS SEA will take place in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR initially and will expand to include Myanmar, Indonesia and the Philippines. <br />
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CCAFS is a collaboration among all 15 CGIAR Research Centers, with the <a href="http://ciat.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">International Center for Tropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT) as the lead institution.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-8303004691946166342014-11-05T14:22:00.000+08:002015-06-09T11:06:43.889+08:00New CCAC Agriculture Effort Tackles Climate Change, Supports Rice Production <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leading agricultural research institutes join partners in Bangladesh, Colombia and Vietnam in a groundbreaking effort to reduce climate emissions while supporting rice producers’ efficient production. </td></tr>
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Bangkok, Thailand</i> - A new effort launched here on 31 October 2014 seeks significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation—the second largest source of methane generated by agriculture globally—while making production more efficient and resilient to weather-related shocks in three rice-producing countries in Asia and Latin America.<br />
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“We have a way to overcome a major dilemma facing agriculture everywhere, which is how to adjust production of critical staple crops like rice to changing climate while also reducing agriculture’s significant contribution to climate change,” said <a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/specialists/reiner-wassmann">Reiner Wassmann</a>, a senior climate researcher at the Philippines-based <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI).<br />
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IRRI is leading the effort along with <a href="http://ciat.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">International Center for Tropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT), and the <a href="http://ccafs.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security</a> (CCAFS). They will work with rice farmers, policy makers, and an array of other partners in Vietnam and Bangladesh, two of Asia’s largest rice producers, and Colombia, the country with the second largest rice area in Latin America.<br />
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The work is part of the Agriculture Initiative of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC), which is led by nine CCAC partners: Bangladesh, Canada, the European Commission, Ghana, Japan, Nigeria, the United States, the <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/" target="_blank">World Bank</a>, and the <a href="http://www.fao.org/home/en/" target="_blank">U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization</a> (FAO). “Other components of the same initiative include livestock manure management and reducing open burning of agriculture waste, practices which reduce open burning of agriculture waste, practices which reduce emissions of black carbon and methane while improving production and energy efficiency,” said Helena Molin Valdes, head of the CCAC secretariat. </div>
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The new CCAC paddy rice effort will focus on large-scale adoption of an irrigation method—known as alternate wetting and drying (AWD)—in which rice farmers periodically drain rice paddies, rather than continuously flooding their rice fields. Scientific studies have shown that standing water in rice paddies cause the formation of methane that eventually is released into the atmosphere, where it is far more efficient at trapping radiation than equivalent amounts of carbon dioxide. At the same time, farmers have to ensure that rice roots can still take up water which can be monitored through a simple perforated tube.<br />
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“Researchers at IRRI and partner institutes have been perfecting this approach for years. We think AWD could reduce methane emissions from rice by 30 to 50 percent while also reducing yield losses and lowering production costs,” Wassmann said. He noted that by reducing water use, farmers can spend less on fuel and electricity expenses for pumping, and are less exposed to unreliable irrigation or rainfall.<br />
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In the three participating countries, the agriculture sector is an important source of methane. For example, Vietnam has very intensive rice production in the delta regions, accounting for major portion of Vietnam’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions. <br />
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Rice production is prominent on both sides of the climate change equation. Experts predict that the combination of higher temperatures and the effects of rising sea waters on freshwater irrigation systems could significantly depress rice yields. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified paddy rice cultivation as the second largest agricultural source of methane emissions globally. <br />
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Thus, rice researchers are challenged to improve farming systems that allow farmers to both adapt to the effects of climate change while mitigating methane emissions as well. <br />
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“This initiative represents a big step forward in tackling the emissions in the crucial rice sector. Rice production could play a pioneering role in showing that adaptation and mitigation have many synergies that can be tapped for introducing technologies with direct benefits for small-scale farmers’, said Eva Wollenberg, lead of the low emission agriculture theme at CCAFS. <br />
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<i>In the video below, Bjoern Ole Sander, coordinator of the Paddy Rice Component, provides a brief background on this initiative.</i><br />
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<i>The <b>International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)</b> is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. IRRI aims to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers and ensure environmental sustainability of rice farming through collaborative research, partnerships, and strengthening of national agricultural research and extension systems. <a href="http://www.irri.org/">www.irri.org</a> <br /><br />The <b>CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)</b> is a strategic partnership of CGIAR and Future Earth, led by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). CCAFS brings together the world’s best researchers in agricultural science, development research, climate science and earth system science, to identify and address the most important interactions, synergies and tradeoffs between climate change, agriculture and food security. <a href="http://www.ccafs.cgiar.org/">www.ccafs.cgiar.org</a><br /><br />The <b>International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)</b> is a member of the CGIAR consortium. CIAT’s mission is to reduce hunger and poverty, and improve human nutrition in the tropics through research aimed at increasing the eco-efficiency of agriculture. <a href="http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/">www.ciat.cgiar.org</a> <br /><br />The <b>Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC)</b> is a voluntary global partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, business, scientific institutions and civil society committed to catalysing concrete, substantial action to reduce SLCPs (including methane, black carbon and many hydroflurocarbons). The Coalition works through collaborative initiatives to raise awareness, mobilize resources and lead transformative actions in key emitting sectors. www.ccacoalition.org.</i><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-90692223091566926242014-10-07T03:31:00.005+08:002015-06-09T11:23:32.838+08:00Launching of program to reduce methane emission from rice production<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i>Los Baños, Philippines</i> – A consortium of agricultural and environmental scientists will soon be launching a program that aims to reduce methane emissions from rice production in target countries.
The <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI), <a href="http://ciat.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">International Center forTropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT), and partners will launch a new rice component of the
Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), under the <a href="http://unep.org/" target="_blank">United Nations Environment Programme</a> (UNEP). The launch is scheduled for 31 October 2014 in Bangkok,
Thailand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is widely known that impacts of climate change negatively affect rice cultivation, such as reduced yield from temperature increases. On the other hand, flooded rice fields exacerbate climate change as they are the second largest agricultural source of methane emissions globally.<br />
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Together with national policymakers and nongovernment organizations, this new CCAC rice component aims to disseminate best practices to minimize methane emissions, particularly
through the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) approach.</div>
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Years of IRRI research show that AWD could reduce methane emissions by 30–50% and present other benefits such as efficient water use, improved rice yields, and reduced production cost. Compared with the common practice of continuous flooding, AWD enables farmers to periodically dry and re-flood their rice fields. The result is a significant reduction in water use as well as a reduced build up of methane gas in rice production. <o:p></o:p>
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The technology makes use of a simple perforated plastic tube that allows farmers to observe water levels below the soil surface to know whether roots still have access to water and, in effect, whether it is the right time for irrigation. Through AWD, farmers can be confident that their rice plants receive sufficient water despite drying of the soil surface. Research and experience also show that there is no significant yield penalty with proper implementation of this practice. In combination with other measures, the improved application of this technique is referred to as AWD+.<o:p></o:p>
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The program will focus on Vietnam and Bangladesh, two major rice-producing countries in Asia, and Colombia, the second biggest rice-producing country in Latin America. These countries represent vastly different types of rice production. Vietnam has very intensive rice production in the delta regions, with methane emissions estimated to be above
20% of all national greenhouse gas (GHG) sources. In Bangladesh and Colombia, this percentage is less than 10% and 1%, respectively. <o:p></o:p>
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The 18-month program will establish a central information hub as basis for developing a network of demonstration sites to illustrate the benefits of AWD+. Program proponents
envision technical and policy guidelines integrated into decision-support tools for implementing climate change mitigation initiatives in rice production. <o:p></o:p>
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IRRI and CIAT are members of <a href="http://www.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">CGIAR</a>, a consortium of 15 international agricultural research centers dedicated to a food-secure future. Within CGIAR, research work on climate change is coordinated by the <a href="http://ccafs.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Research Program</a> (CCAFS). <o:p></o:p>
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<b>To learn more about this program, contact:</b><br />
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<b><a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/specialists/reiner-wassmann">Dr. Reiner Wassmann</a></b><br />
Coordinator of Climate Change Research<br />
International Rice Research Institute<br />
Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines<br />
Email: <a href="mailto:r.wassman@irri.org">r.wassmann@irri.org</a><br />
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<b><a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/specialists/bjoern-ole-sander">Dr. Bjorn Ole Sander</a></b><br />
Climate Change Specialist<br />
International Rice Research Institute<br />
Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines<br />
Email: <a href="mailto:b.sander@irri.org">b.sander@irri.org</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-21597615025857197832014-09-15T12:34:00.002+08:002015-06-09T11:42:20.076+08:00'Extreme Events' from Climate Change Could Threaten Global Rice Production, Warns IRRI Scientist <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oryza.com - In an exclusive interview to Oryza, Dr. Reiner Wassman, coordinator of the Climate Change Research at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) clearly highlights the importance of the impact of climate change on rice production in various countries and possible means of its mitigation. He also talks about the importance of technology in adapting to climate change phenomenon. Various issues on climate change in his works...<br />
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<a name='more'></a><i>Oryza: Can you please highlight important issues in your research on climate change?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: Climate change has many facets including changes in long-term trends in temperature and rainfall regimes with increasing year-to-year variability and a greater prevalence of extreme events. The impacts of these changing conditions on agriculture are already being seen, yet there are still considerable gaps in our knowledge of how agricultural systems will be affected directly or indirectly by the changing climate, and what implications these changes will have for rural livelihoods. At this point, there is simply not enough information available about the impacts at scales that are relevant for decision making and research prioritization, thus, having an adverse effect on the global net agricultural production.<br />
Climate change presents an additional burden on the world’s agricultural and natural resource systems that must cope with the growing food demand driven by population growth and higher incomes in developing countries. The challenge is compounded by the uncertainty and pace of climate change and its effects regionally. It is increasingly clear that climate change will affect agricultural productivity. The temperature and precipitation changes that accompany climate change will require farmers to adapt, but precisely where and how much is uncertain. At the same time, as a significant contributor of greenhouse gases and a potential sink for atmospheric carbon, agriculture can help mitigate climate change.<br />
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<i>Oryza: Can you please elaborate on the impact of climate change on rice-producing countries in Asia?</i><br />
<b><br /></b><b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: A gradual increase in temperature, as reflected in fewer cold days and more frequent hot days, is already discernable in most regions and will intensify in the future. In turn, higher temperature levels will further increase intensity and frequency of heat spells. This trend which is deemed almost certain for future condition has serious implications on agricultural production and human survival. Moreover, the increase in temperature will increase sea level due to (a) thermal expansion of sea water and (b) rapid melting of the glaciers and ice caps. As a consequence, fragile coastal and highly productive deltaic rice cultivation area will be more exposed to inundation and salinity intrusion.<br />
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In the more immediate term, however, changes in extreme events may exert a stronger impact on agricultural production as compared to gradual change in temperature and precipitation. On the other hand, the predictions of extreme climate events under future climate conditions are attached to considerable uncertainty, but in any case rice-producing countries should be prepared to more climate extremes.<br />
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<i>Oryza: How does climate change exactly lead to increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Which Asian country has the highest GHG emissions so far?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: The cause-symptom relationship is (a) increase GHG emissions are causing (b) climate change – and not the other way around.<br />
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According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, 2011), Asia has the highest GHG output from agriculture at 44%. The table below shows a more detailed country ranking among Asian countries in terms of agricultural emissions from rice cultivation:<br />
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<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 101.5pt; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="top" width="162"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Coun</span>try<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-width: 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Agricultural emission, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rice cultivation </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(gigagrams CO<sup>2</sup> eq)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="top" width="162"><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">China<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">India<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indonesia<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thailand<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philippines<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vietnam<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Myanmar<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bangladesh<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cambodia<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Japan<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.5in;" valign="top" width="144"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">111110.50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">81909.30<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">58804.10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">36912.00<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30591.70<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">27849.00<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26461.50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24631.30<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9099.20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7107.70<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i> Source: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2013</i></div>
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<i>Oryza: You have been highlighting the importance of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method in reducing GHG emissions compared to various other crop management strategies. How does the AWD technique reduce GHG emissions and how economical is it compared to other techniques?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: Rice production is a source of the GHG methane which is produced by bacteria in flooded soils. Irrigating the rice paddy at distinct intervals without flooding during the vegetation period will reduce the emissions of methane.<br />
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<i>Oryza: Which rice producing countries have adopted this technique so far? How does this technique influence yields per hectare?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: AWD has been developed as a water-saving technique and has been introduced through individual projects in several countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Philippines, but has not yet reached a broader dissemination. However, some similar irrigation schemes encompassing a single drainage period are part of traditional practices in China and Japan.<br />
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<i>Oryza: Do GHG emissions depend on cropping systems? What are the possible mitigation methods?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: Rice is the only crop that is grown under flooded conditions, so there are no methane emissions from other crops such as wheat or maize. On the other hand, non-flooded crops emit more nitrous oxide, another GHG derived from nitrogen fertilizer, as rice production.<br />
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<i>Oryza: You have been developing decision support systems on mitigation/adaptation through mobile phone apps. In what stage is this research?</i><br />
<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: This refers to improved fertilizer (nitrogen) supply as a means to reduce nitrous oxide emissions. Some of these ‘apps’ are already in use in several countries but are still undergoing constant software improvements. <br />
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<i>Oryza: How do you integrate the socio-economic aspects into planning of Climate Change adaptation/ mitigation? What kind of support do you expect from various governments?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: Farmer adoption will rely on incentives. For adaptation, we try to highlight improved resilience to current climate variability as opposed to the possible advantages to a (distant) future climate. Climatic problems such as drought and floods are already common in many regions, so that adaptation options such as tolerant rice varieties offer an immediate remedy. For mitigation, the benefits may not be so clear in the first instance because lower emissions do not render advantages as such. Incentives for adoption have to be derived from co-benefits, e.g. lower water demand. Depending on the specific situation of the farmer, AWD may save pumping costs or can lessen water deficits.<br />
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<i>Oryza: How does burning of rice straw contribute to GHG emissions?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: Burning of rice straw causes environmental problems mainly in two ways: local air pollution and emission of methane. Rice straw is typically burned in piles on the field that entail incomplete combustion of carbon. One of the products of incomplete combustion is methane.<br />
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<i>Oryza: Does soil have any role to play in increasing GHG emissions? If yes, what are the mitigation methods?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman</b>: Soil is the matrix for the methane-producing bacteria – as well as for the roots of rice plants – but soil is not the source of methane. Insofar, this seems to be the wrong target for mitigation other than water management.<br />
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<i>Oryza: How are you collaborating with the governments of various rice producing countries in educating farmers about the impacts of climate change? How do farmers respond to such counseling?</i><br />
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<b>Dr. Reiner Wassman: </b>We see our role to provide technical expertise on adaptation and mitigation to policy makers. This policy advice is done at different scales, namely from local to provincial and national scales. In some case studies, we develop ‘road maps’ on adaptation and mitigation consisting of (1) geographic hot-spots of vulnerabilities such as aggravating flooding and salinity problems where introduction of improved rice cultivars is imperative and (2) suitability maps displaying priority areas for dissemination of mitigation. <br />
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<b><i>Source: <a href="http://www.oryza.com/news/rice-news/%E2%80%98extreme-events%E2%80%99-climate-change-could-threaten-rice-production-warns-irri-scientist">Oryza</a></i></b></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-38193235238593463482014-09-09T13:29:00.001+08:002015-06-09T11:52:49.150+08:00IRRI expands tech that cuts farmer’s water expense, greenhouse gas emissionby Melody M. Aguiba<br />
August 19, 2014<br />
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The <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI) is expanding use of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology among Angat farmers to help cut irrigation expense and reduce emission of methane to the environment.<br />
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The practice of withholding irrigation for rice farms at certain stages has been proven to significantly cut farmers’ water use by up to 30 percent.<br />
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Farmers around the Angat area in Bulacan should take advantage of AWD as they experience water dearth.<br />
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“They get less and less water, so farmers have the interest to save water,” said IRRI Climate Change Head Reiner Wasman in a climate change workshop.<br />
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Angat water’s priority is for household use, for drinking.<br />
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As climate change worsens, manifested in increased occurrence and intensity of drought, irrigation for rice farming will have to compete with other uses of Angat water. That also includes power generation.<br />
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As another benefit, AWD enhances ecological balance.<br />
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“Flooded rice emits greenhouse gas methane. It develops when we have organic material in the soil, but no oxygen. AWD allows air to get into the soil. You don’t get methane formation,” said Wasman.<br />
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Some farmers in continuously irrigated areas like those in Nueva Ecija may not find removal of water cost-efficient.<br />
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“It doesn’t work in places where people are directly connected to canals like in Nueva Ecija,” said Wasman.<br />
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Farmers pay a fixed price of around P2,500 per hectare for irrigation fee in National Irrigation Administration (NIA) areas, whether they use water measly or not.<br />
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But some farmers in Tarlac who are trying to save on pumping water may also find AWD beneficial.<br />
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In AWD, rice farms are only irrigated every two weeks. Fields are not constantly flooded. A pipe is inserted into the ground from which to determine whether soil moisture is depleted and would need irrigation.<br />
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AWD will also be suitable in Bohol where there is a modern irrigation facility.<br />
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“In Bohol, they can just push button to turn irrigation on, so they can enforce AWD.”<br />
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IRRI may also work in rain-fed or upland areas where water is pumped, carrying diesel costs. Supply of water may also be less for those at the tailend of the dam, making them apt for AWD.<br />
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As AWD is cost-saving and reduces greenhouse gas emission, the national government may find it advantageous to modernize irrigation facilities.<br />
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“Irrigation facilities in the Philippines are not in good shape. AWD may give stimulus to improve irrigation.”<br />
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Organizations may also eye accessing a funding facility called Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA). It involves a financing mechanism agreed by the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali in December 2007.<br />
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“If you have money from NAMA you could improve irrigation facilities like they did in Bohol and enforce AWD. You have a way for mitigating emission and start co-benefits in rural areas.”<br />
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There are now countries that take advantage of NAMA as a funding source including China, Brazil, India.<br />
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Varieties with less resistance to lodging would also do well in AWD areas. When rice plants that are mature for harvest or nearing maturity fall to the ground during typhoons, and the soil is wet, these may render themselves unsuitable for milling.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.mb.com.ph/irri-expands-tech-that-cuts-farmers-water-expense-greenhouse-gas-emission/" target="_blank">Manila Bulletin</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-45346979847306803912014-09-05T12:25:00.002+08:002015-06-09T11:55:22.014+08:00Partners convene to steer climate change activities to next level<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkf6sQco8WM/VAk66_ZhguI/AAAAAAAAAG4/QofzZtNO07g/s1600/MIRSA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkf6sQco8WM/VAk66_ZhguI/AAAAAAAAAG4/QofzZtNO07g/s1600/MIRSA.jpg" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI) and its partner institutes in the Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Irrigated Rice Paddies in Southeast Asia (MIRSA-2 Project) and the Paddy Rice Research Group (PRRG) of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) held their annual meetings at IRRI headquarters on August 18-19 and 21, respectively, to discuss their climate change agendas for reducing the emissions of greenhouse gasses that cause climate change.</div>
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<b>The MIRSA-2 Project</b></div>
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Launched in 2013, MIRSA-2 is a 5-year research project that aims to develop an improved water management in rice-cropping systems in Southeast Asia using the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology. Researches in several Asian countries have shown that AWD can reduce the emission of methane, a greenhouse gas, from irrigated rice paddies by 30% compared with the conventional farming practice. The National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Japan oversees the overall execution of the MIRSA-2 project, while IRRI provides technical support and synthesis of data.</div>
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Concurrent with the AsiaFlux Workshop 2014, the project highlighted the results and lessons learned from the first season AWD experimental field trials in four MIRSA sites. Additionally, a proposal for a structured MIRSA database system and formulation of guidelines for measurement, reporting and verification of GHG emission reductions with the adoption of AWD in irrigated paddies were discussed. Ultimately, the MIRSA-2 Project aims to create an implementation guideline on techniques to reduce GHG emissions from irrigated paddy rice fields and set up an information infrastructure to share the findings of participating members.</div>
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Kazuyuki Inubushi, the designated adviser of the MIRSA project by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, represented the project donor. Dr. Inubushi met with delegates from the project’s partner research and academic institutions including Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam; Indonesian Agricultural Environment Research Institute (IAERI), Indonesia; Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment/King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand; Prachin Buri Rice Research Center, Thailand, and the Philippine Rice Research Institute.</div>
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<b>The Global Research Alliance</b></div>
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In the same week GRA held a meeting to discuss the five action plans set by PRRG.</div>
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The action plan includes hastening efforts to: 1) standardize measurement techniques; 2) create a database of publications and experts; 3) increase country participation; 4) set-up a pilot multi-country experiment; and 5) build a network for mitigation and adaptation synergies.</div>
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Research activity reports were presented by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Chiba University, IAERI, and IRRI. IRRI is a collaborative partner in the Alliance’s PPRG which focuses on reducing the GHG emissions of paddy rice cultivation systems while improving efficiency production. Ms. Deborah Knox, GRA secretariat, also presented an overview of the Alliance, while Dr. Kazuyuki Yagi, co-chair of the PRRG, presented an overview of the PRRG.</div>
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The 2014 Asia sub-group meeting of the PRRG was attended by representatives from Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Vietnam as well as representatives from member countries in Latin America.</div>
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Launched in 2009, the GRA brings more than 30 member countries from all regions of the world together to find ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas emissions.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-73634992121260847242014-09-04T15:48:00.001+08:002015-06-09T11:57:50.597+08:00Rice fields emit greenhouse gases say agriculturalists Staff Correspondent<br />
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While rice production may get affected due to the impacts of climate change, rice farming itself is a contributor to climate change as a substantial source of greenhouse gases (GHGs), agricultural scientists said yesterday.<br />
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They recommended that farmers use new irrigation technologies--Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Fertiliser Deep Placement (FDP) in rice farming to mitigate GHG emissions.<br />
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These observations came at a two-day workshop on "GHG emissions from rice fields: Mitigation options from FDP and AWD", organised by International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in the capital. Dr Reiner Wassmann, senior scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), presented a keynote paper on “Assessing the suitability of mitigation options in rice production derived from bio-physical considerations and stakeholder perceptions”.<br />
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He discussed the benefits of the adoption of AWD, a technology for water-saving with the aim to reduce GHG emissions in rice fields. Around 21 percent of the total GHG emissions in Bangladesh occur in rice fields, he said.<br />
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“Various altered crop management strategies have been suggested, ranging from the selection of potentiality low-emitting rice cultivars to proper post-harvest management, but AWD is still the most promising option,” he said.<br />
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IFDC is researching methods to mitigate GHG emissions that result from lowland rice farming in Bangladesh.<br />
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Rice farms account for 85 percent of Bangladesh's agricultural land and emit carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide greenhouse gases. Moreover, inefficient fertiliser use in rice cultivation increases nitrous oxide and nitric oxide emissions.<br />
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Yam Kanta Gaihre, deputy chief of the Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement at IFDC, presented a paper on “Assessing the impacts of urea deep placement (UDP) on GHG emissions and mitigation potential under continuous rice cropping system”.<br />
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UDP is a rising popular technology that can drastically cut nitrogen losses up to 35 percent and increases rice yield up to 20 percent, he said.<br />
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Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury inaugurated the workshop as chief guest.<br />
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(Repost from <a href="http://www.thedailystar.net/city/rice-fields-emit-greenhouse-gases-38894">The Daily Star, Bangladesh</a>)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-83612447251366608692014-09-04T15:13:00.001+08:002015-06-09T11:59:23.411+08:00 Bangladesh Rice Farmers Can Earn Carbon Credits, Say ResearchersOryza.com - Agricultural researchers from the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have recommended Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Fertilizer Deep Placement (FDP)/Urea Deep Placement (UDP) techniques to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rice fields in Bangladesh, according to local sources.<br />
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<a href="http://www.oryza.com/news/rice-news/awd-and-fdp-techniques-can-reduce-ghg-emissions-bangladesh-rice-fields-say" target="_blank">Read more</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4268555497622716166.post-50972336506621424572014-09-04T15:05:00.001+08:002015-06-09T11:58:24.463+08:00Use less urea for green Bangladesh, says MatiaStaff Correspondent<br />
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Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury urged the farmers of the country to adopt Urea Deep Placement (UDP) Technology in the rice field for making the country greener and safer from the global warming.<br />
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She also said if UDP technology is adopted widely then it can reduce the urea usage in the field drastically as well as increase the rice yielding up to 15 per cent.<br />
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Agriculture Minister said it as the chief guest at a national workshop organised by International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) under the Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement (AAPI) project on "Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions through Urea Deep Placement (UDP) Technology from Rice Field" at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) on Tuesday.<br />
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She added we are the worst victim of climate change and the emissions of GHG make us more vulnerable to nature. She suggested for continuing and expanding GHG emissions mitigation research in diversified crops and cropping patterns. Secretary of Agriculture Ministry Dr S M Nazmul Islam and USAID Mission Director Ms Janina Jaruzelski were present as the special guests while Executive Chairman of BARC Dr Md Kamal Uddin chaired the inaugural session of the workshop.<br />
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Senior Scientist and Coordinator of Rice and Climate Change Consortium of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Dr Reiner Wassmann presented the keynote paper entitled "Assessing the Suitability of Mitigation Options in Rice Production Derived from Bio-physical Considerations and Stakeholders' Perceptions" and AAPI Deputy Chief of Party Dr Yam Kanta Gaihre presented the workshop paper entitled "Assessing the Impacts of Urea Deep Placement on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Mitigation Potential under Continuous Rice Cropping Systems" while Resident Representative of IFDC Bangladesh and Project Coordinator and Chief of Party of the AAPI project Ms Ishrat Jahan provided an overview of the AAPI-GHG project in the workshop. <br />
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Dr Reiner in his presentation stated the benefits of adopting water saving irrigation technology - Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) in rice production. <br />
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Dr Yam highlighted the mitigation options of GHG emissions from rice field using UDP technology. He mentioned that nitrous oxide has 298 times higher potential for global warming than carbon dioxide. He claimed that UDP and AWD are climate smart technologies and adoption of those technologies could significantly mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from rice agriculture.<br />
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Ms Ishrat highlighted that UDP technology reduced nitrogen losses as ammonia volatilization and emissions of greenhouse gas nitrous oxide compared with broadcast application of urea.<br />
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About 300 participants from home and abroad attended the workshop and the project was funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID). <br />
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(Repost from <a href="http://observerbd.com/details.php?id=39434">The Daily Observer</a>, Bangladesh)
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">The <a href="http://irri.org/">International Rice Research Institute</a> (IRRI) and Asiaflux co-organized a short training course and workshop where scientists, academicians and entrepreneurs shared scientific knowledge to ensure sustainability of life on earth through flux monitoring. Guided by the theme<i> Bridging Atmospheric Flux Monitoring to National and International Climate Change Initiatives</i>, Asiaflux Workshop 2014 was held on 18-23 August at IRRI headquarters.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Dr. Akira Miyata, chair of Asiaflux and director of the Agro-Meteorology Division of the National Institute for Agro-Environmental Studies, explained that IRRI was the apt choice for the activity with its extensive and long history of methane flux study. Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. IRRI is also recognized as one of the focal points for research of crop science in the world, thus, providing the best platform to promote flux studies in tropical ecosystems in monsoon Asia.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">In his opening speech, <a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/management/robert-zeigler">Robert Zeigler</a>, director general of IRRI, stated that the Institute has long been working on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields. “We look at changes in rice-based systems in Asia,” Dr. Zeigler said. “We need all the tools at our disposal to try to understand how our interventions affect other aspects of system performance and their impact on the environment.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Meanwhile, <a href="http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/specialists/reiner-wassmann">Reiner Wassmann</a>, head of IRRI’s climate change research, emphasized that, apart from the provision of tools and information to assess GHG and mitigation programs, how to engage the stakeholders to ensure practicality of results is another important concern.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Prior to the conference, a two-day training course was conducted by staff from Campbell Scientific. It focused on the basics and principles of the Eddy Covariance System (ECS), a system to measure carbon dioxide, methane, and heat fluxes between soil and plants and atmosphere. The participants also had a hands-on experience in setting up various ECS and basic programming of the software that runs the ECS.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Asiaflux 2014 was supported by the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, <a href="http://www.campbellsci.com/" target="_blank">Campbell Scientific</a>, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Science and the National Institute. Dr. Wassman and Ma. Carmelita Alberto, associate scientist at the Crop and Environmental Sciences Division, were in charge of the preparations and activity implementation of the workshop.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">Asiaflux is a regional research network bringing together scientists from university and institution in Asia to study the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy between land-based ecosystems and the atmosphere. The organization conducts flux monitoring and data management in Asia, international workshops/conferences, and trainings, and information sharing.</span></span></div>
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/a/irri.org/folderview?id=0B5I0cLc3zOdlYm9TSFo4ZVpmSmM&usp=sharing#"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proceedings</span></a></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricephotos/sets/72157646305588210/">Photos</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/a/irri.org/file/d/0B5WDk-4vUwyZeWhtdWtqWjhIM2c/edit?usp=sharing">Video</a></span></b></div>
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