Rice-Based Systems Research (RSR) ProgramNewsletter 1 October 2012

Contents

Welcome from ACIAR.........................................................................................................2Headline stories.................................................................................................................3

Vientiane workshop report..............................................................................................3RSR program website......................................................................................................4Apply for a grant.............................................................................................................4Progress Report 2012.....................................................................................................5

LAO PDR.............................................................................................................................6ACIAR’s Lao PDR in-country consultation........................................................................6Project 1 – Southern Lao PDR..........................................................................................6

CAMBODIA.........................................................................................................................8Project 2 – Improved rice germplasm..............................................................................8Project 3 - Improved establishment and productivity......................................................9Project 4 - Improved irrigation water management.......................................................12

BANGLADESH...................................................................................................................14Project 5 - Short duration pulses into rice-based cropping systems in western Bangladesh...................................................................................................................14

POLICY.............................................................................................................................15Project 6b - Lao PDR and Cambodia..............................................................................15Project 6c - Bangladesh................................................................................................17

RELATED PROJECTS..........................................................................................................19Adaptation to Climate Change in Asia: Climate change can bring smiles to farmers....19

Events..............................................................................................................................20Team member changes................................................................................................20Events calendar............................................................................................................20

Welcome from ACIAR

Dear colleaguesAbout 40 people attended the RSR program’s mid-term workshop in Vientiane in June. Delegates were from across RSR projects, together with a few invited guests. The workshop highlighted the value that we all place on interactions with our fellow researchers. The potential synergies between regions, projects and related programs emerge when we have an opportunity to hear in a timely manner what each other is doing, experiencing and discovering. These synergies can then add great value to our own and each other’s work. This quarterly RSR eNews is one of the communications tools proposed at the workshop. It will be invaluable for delivering need-to-know information from the program management along with evolving findings and experiences from the regions and the projects. Dr Lisa Robins and Dr Bruce Munday are contracted to produce the RSR eNews, together with facilitating other actions from the workshop. Clearly they will depend on input from the research teams, but their responsibility is to minimise your workload and maximise your benefits. All researchers benefit from this opportunity to promote their work to colleagues and to be ‘kept in the loop’. The trick is to present enough information but not too much, and to ensure that it is relevant, clear, concise and accessible. Your feedback will always be welcome.Dr Caroline Lemerle RSR Program Manager (and Research Program Manager, Agricultural Systems Management) on behalf of the RSR Steering Committee

Headline stories We’ve got four headline stories in this edition of RSR eNews. Firstly, the Vientiane workshop report is available for download. Secondly, the ACIAR website has had a major make-over, and a wealth of RSR program information is now accessible. Next, an idea from the workshop to set up grants for technical workshops and cross-country travel is now a reality, and the first and only application round is now open. Finally, a reminder that the RSR program’s ‘Progress Report 2012’ will be published soon.

Vientiane workshop report More than four months have passed since the RSR program workshop in Vientiane (13-15 June). A graphic shows the potential cross-linkages between projects that were identified during those deliberations. The challenge we have now is how to bring many of these ideas to life. Reviewing the workshop report is a good way of start, as a reminder of the ideas and challenges that emerged. Caption: Overview of project-to-project linkages identified at the workshop Project

^1 2 3 4 5 6(a)-

(b)6(c) ACCA* Other

1A X1B X X IWMI*2 X X3 X X X4 IWMI5 X X

6(ab) X X6(c) X X X

ACCA X X X X^ 1A (agronomy/ livestock/ water sub-projects); 1B (socio-economics & livelihoods/ knowledge management sub-projects)* ACCA – Adaptation to Climate Change in Asia project; IWMI – Integrated Water Management Institute

The workshop report has an executive summary outlining the key outcomes, including a series of synopsis tables. The tables are a handy short-cut for getting across the main points with respect to program-level communications, project-to-project linkages, project synergies, future research priorities, and workshop evaluation outcomes. We’re listening carefully to your feedback, and will use the following ideas from the workshop about ‘suggested workshop improvements’ to inform the end-of-program conference in Cambodia (number of respondents shown in brackets):

Technology and facility issues (10) Addition of a field trip (7) Improvements to presentations (content and/or delivery) (7) More time for delivering presentations (5) More time for discussion and interaction (4) Further input from delegates external to the RSR program (4) Consideration of language and cultural issues (4) Better ACIAR framing (3) Synergies Dialogue report back fell short of potential (3)

Presentation and availability of workshop documents and materials (3) Changes to workshop duration and scheduling (3) Adjustments to workshop design (3) Clarity about next steps for the RSR program (2) Different location for next workshop (2) Miscellaneous (2)

Delegates’ comments on the ‘best aspect of the workshop’ will similarly inform our Cambodia-conference in making sure that we don’t lose the best parts when endeavouring to address those aspects in need of improvement:

Networking and interacting with other researchers (13) Workshop organisation and facilitation (13) Establishing synergies between projects, including feedback and improvement (12) Overall program content and structure, including scope for discussions (11) Learning about RSR program and specific projects (8) Knowledge sharing and exchange (7) Hearing about different country perspectives and achievements (5) Time management (5) Active participation and collegiality of workshop delegates (3) Panel discussion (3) Futures Dialogue (3) Specific project insights (2) Communications Working Group/Dialogue (1)

RSR program website Feedback at the Vientiane workshop suggested that ACIAR’s website should be updated to provide better and more accessible information about the RSR program. We now have an RSR homepage and a substantial body of information for users to interrogate. You might like to bookmark this page.Workshop presentations and photos of participants’ in-action (captured by Georgie Hickey, our unofficial photographer) may be reviewed or downloaded. Presentations are accessible via ‘slideshare’ and photos via ‘Flickr’. If you have any photos you’d like to add, please send them to Georgie.The RSR homepage defines the program’s five strategies (intensify crops, boost yields, improve livestock, strengthen policy, and build capacity). Each strategy is linked to details of progress for 2011 and will be updated as soon as the ‘Progress Report 2012’ is completed.All RSR program publications may be downloaded from the site in PDF or Word formats, notably the Workshop Final Report, Program Overview, Progress Report 2011 and fact sheet (in English, Lao and Khmer). Each project also has its own page, which draws information from the original project proposal, including Project Leader contact details, commissioned and collaborating organisations, budget, timelines and more.

Apply for a grant The RSR program now has $70,000 to support workshops and study trips in 2012-13. The main purpose of workshops is to support synergies across RSR projects, while the main purpose of study trips is to support capacity building in both country settings. There will be only one call for applications. The grant facility responds to a number of ideas that emerged from the Vientiane workshop. Notably, delegates suggested putting in place a competitive process for two-way study trips, institutionalising co-learning, and convening cross-project workshops about technical issues, writing, and the like. Applications are now open to eligible applicants. Projects may submit a maximum of one workshop application and one study trip application. An exception is made for Project 1, which, owing to its large size, may submit two for each category. A one-page application

form must be submitted in the name of the existing commissioned organisation and signed by the respective Project Leader. Funds available to support workshops total $30,000, with a maximum amount of $10,000 for any individual workshop. The main purpose of the workshop must be to support synergies across RSR projects. There are no prescriptions concerning the topic, nature, style or location of the workshop.A total of $40,000 is allocated for study trips. Eight grants ($5,000 each) are available. Proposals for study trips should clearly indicate the benefits to building capacity in both country settings. Study trips may be ‘within a project’; however, preference may be given to applications that demonstrate cross-project relationship building.Funds will be allocated to those applications that are assessed as likely to provide the most beneficial outcome for the RSR program overall. The relative allocations or the total grants budget may be changed subject to the RSR Steering Committee’s assessment of applications against the program’s strategic objectives.Applications must be for workshops and study trips that take place before 30 April 2013. All grant activities approved by ACIAR must be delivered in 2012-13, including completion of reporting requirements. Applications should be emailed to Dr Lisa Robins by 5.00 pm on Friday, 16 November. The RSR Steering Committee will assess the applications received in the following fortnight. Applicants will be advised of the outcome of the assessment process by Fri 7 December.

Progress Report 2012 Your annual project progress reports provide the base material for preparing one the program’s feature publications – the RSR progress report series. The first edition, Progress Report 2011, was distributed at the Vientiane workshop and is on the RSR homepage. Progress Report 2012 is expected to report more findings, products and impacts, as projects reach a mid-point in their research delivery. Late submission of some annual reports has delayed writing of the publication, which is anticipated to be ready for promotion and distribution by early November. Progress Report 2012 will be one of the feature stories of the second edition of RSR eNews in January 2013.

LAO PDR

ACIAR’s Lao PDR in-country consultation ACIAR convened an in-country consultation for Lao PDR in Vientiane on 18 June 2012, following the RSR program workshop. A summary report on the outcomes of the RSR workshop deliberations was provided to the in-country consultation convenors prior to their meeting. “The outcomes summary played a central role in informing our discussions”, reported Dr John Dixon, meeting co-convenor and ACIAR RPM for Cropping Systems and Economics, at a recent meeting of the RSR Steering Committee. He noted that the consultation meeting was more focused and productive as a result of feedback provided through the RSR program. Refer to the RSR workshop report (pages 39-42) for a complete summary of research priorities.For Lao PDR, the priority themes suggested (but not endorsed) at the RSR workshop were:

Realising high productivity of smallholder farming systems Developing post-rice crops Improving soil fertility Improving access to existing information and identifying/ addressing data gaps Monitoring and evaluating private sector involvement/ contributions.

For the Mekong region, the priority themes suggested (but not endorsed) were: Increasing post-harvest rice yield (significant opportunities) Addressing constraints to diversification of farming systems Managing intensification and increasing farm size Improving regional and local seasonal climate and weather forecasting Using best bet technologies to increase profitability and production Integrating within and across projects Developing a knowledge sharing matrix Reviewing current investments in multiple vs single use reservoir systems Establishing a gene bank resource facility for the Mekong region.

Project 1 – Southern Lao PDR Prof. Len Wade (Project Leader) recently returned from Lao PDR where he attended a Crop Protection Workshop in Vientiane. He also visited field sites in Savannakhet that have experienced gall midge and root aphid problems. The visit also served as a scoping exercise to inform operating allocations for the Crops sub-project in the 2013-14 budget.

Forage/Livestock This sub-project is liaising with a commercial seed producer called Happy Farmers (HF), which contracts farmers in northern Lao PDR to produce forage seed. Paying quite competitive prices, HF looks for farmers with some established forages who are willing to try seed production. The farmers receive training from HF, while the Forage/Livestock team provide follow-up support. All going well, farmers will earn good money and still have enough forage for their animals during the dry season. Those who do not manage to produce seed will have invested some of their time, but can typically still use the established plots for animal feeding. To-date, only two farmers in Champassak have signed on, and none in Savannakhet. It appears that farmers are uncomfortable investing in a system that they don’t fully understand and where they are unable to see the potential benefits firsthand. However, HF is willing to start small. The two willing farmers will act as an entry point for further recruitment of farmers. The Forage/Livestock team will travel to Champassak with HF to put arrangements in place with the interested farmers.Contact: Dr Tassilo Tiemann, Centro Internacional de Agriculture Tropical (CIAT) The Forage/Livestock team have made contact with a paper pulp company (Birla Lao) that is endeavouring to mitigate the impact of its eucalyptus plantations on smallholder farming systems. In this emerging action-research, Birla Lao establishes forage plots for improving

cattle production systems, together with a mixed cropping system between the plantation trees. However, exudations from Eucalyptus roots limit the growth of many other plants, and it is unclear whether they will adversely affect the available forage species.The project team has also established forage plots in Soukhuma and Phalanxai districts, and explained the concept of forage-based fattening to farmers. However the transition from traditional to new systems is often slow when farmers are uncertain of the benefits and the risks. A long-term on-farm demonstration is needed to showcase the system’s potential and to assist farmers with system establishment. The Forage/Livestock team has approached Savannakhet University, Na-Keh Agricultural College (Savannakhet), and Champassak Agricultural College to explore opportunities for involving students in this project.Contact: Dr Tasilo Tiemann, Centro Internacional de Agriculture Tropical (CIAT)

Water/Hydrology The Water/Hydrology team has established aerobic rice in Champassak, completed data collection for the dry season AWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying) activities in two provinces, and also completed a number of pond study measurements. Feedback from 45 farmers will assist the Knowledge Sharing team when AWD activities are moved to their sub-project next year. A/Prof Phil Eberbach (Charles Sturt University; CSU), and Dr Thavone Inthavong and Mr Somsammai Vongthilath (National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute; NAFRI) have travelled with Paul Pavelic (International Water Management Institute; IWMI) to Pakse to locate sites and determine depths for groundwater wells. Contact: Dr Thavone Inthavong, (NAFRI) and A/Prof. Phil Eberbach, (CSU)

Socio-economics One of the objectives of the project “Developing improved farming and marketing systems in rainfed regions of southern Lao PDR” is the assessment of farming systems within two provinces – Savannakhet and Champasak. To achieve this, the socio-economics component of the project has conducted a number of research activities including: consultation with district officials, village focus group discussions, key informant interviews, household surveys, market surveys, case study analysis, and economic analysis of on-farm experiments. The Socio-Economics Newsletter was developed to share preliminary research results and observations from the field with other project components. It is a means of generating discussion about crop and livestock activities and priorities within a broader livelihoods and value chain framework. This newsletter, produced by Dr Jonathon Newby (University of Queensland; UQ), attracted a lot of positive attention at the Vientiane workshop. Contact: Prof. Silinthone Sacklokham, National University of Laos (NUOL) and A/Prof Rob Cramb, (UQ)

Knowledge sharing Several focal villages (FV) representing the most common agro-ecological zones have been selected as preferred locations for on-farm research trials. The trials will demonstrate new ‘best bet’ technologies, and enable training of project staff and cross-site visits. Sub-projects are encouraged to focus their specific research activities in the same villages, thereby facilitating integration across sub-projects. Structured monitoring and evaluation will be used to assess impacts on the farming system. The trial sites will be used as a learning tool for farmers and district agricultural field officers (DAFO) and for facilitating adoption of relevant technologies within a systems context. Farmers will see first-hand the linkages between different aspects of their farm enterprises and the benefits contributed to the whole farming system. The FVs will support a cohesive approach to research delivery, help in distilling the research impacts, and facilitate knowledge sharing both within the project team and between the project and external stakeholders.

Contact: Brian Dunn and John Smith, NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI)

CAMBODIA

Project 2 – Improved rice germplasmVariety testing in Cambodia is yielding panels of germplasm that suit the different environments in Cambodia. The quality of the promising lines is being tested to ensure that further selection of those lines for quality follows the traits nominated as important in the survey. All promising lines have been tested by the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) and Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) in a number of different locations to determine the effect on agronomic traits such as yield and duration, however no location effect has been found. In Australia, trials have been completed in many locations in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. The trials have collected data on emergence, yield, blast tolerance, nutrition and flowering date. A variety from Vietnam seemed to outperform the others. A full report is available from Russell Ford.This year has seen the implementation of a quality evaluation program at CARDI. Equipment to polish small breeders’ samples of rice was commissioned, and equipment to measure the physical quality, fragrance and amylose content was also installed.Ouk Sothea was trained in the running, troubleshooting and data analysis for each instrument. Sothea travelled to the Philippines and learnt quality evaluation in the International Rice Research Institute's (IRRI) Grain Quality laboratory. Once the equipment arrived in Cambodia, four members of IRRI's Grain Quality staff spent a week at CARDI installing, testing and training. CARDI is now able to carry out quality evaluation of breeding lines, and also test for fragrance using a genetic marker.In a new component of the project, that has developed with the move to University of Queensland (UQ) by Melissa Fitzgerald, a selection of good quality and poor quality types will undergo metabolomic profiling at UQ. This will provide a new set of data to explain the good flavour, taste and aroma of the good quality varieties. Later, the population will be tested, which could lead to the identification of new Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) for quality. Moreover, sensory evaluation is available at UQ, with a trained panel, and sensory data can be collected to associate with other phenotype and genotype data, enabling investigation of quality to reach new depths.Data obtained by the project members is all stored on an internet network site. The site is Groupsite, and all project participants are members of the site. Only project members are able to upload, view and download project data. Project operations are now managed by the new head of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology (PBGB) at IRRI, Dr Eero Nissila.Contact: Dr M. Fitzgerald, Food Science and Quality, UQ

Project 3 - Improved establishment and productivity

CLEAR (Cambodian Land and Environment Atlas and Resource) The CLEAR database is a multilayered database with a broad range of land, environmental and social data from numerous agencies within Cambodia, and which can be compiled and interrogated on a geographical basis.

Chea Chetra (Aruna Technology) has continued to provide training in the use of CLEAR to both new (43 from 3 organisations) and established users (aiding in specific tasks). Aruna Technology released an updated version (V2) of CLEAR in August 2012 with over 30 new information layers.Contact: Chea Chetra, Aruna Technology, Phnom Penh

Chea Chetra training students from Meanchey University, Cambodia, to use CLEAR.

Survey of farmer resources and practices A baseline survey has benchmarked farmer agronomic and management practices, resource use, mechanisation usage, and productivity levels in various rice ecosystems in Takeo, Kampong Thom and Kampot provinces.The survey was conducted by Dr El Sotheary and Thaung Piseth (Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute; CARDI), Chea Sovandina and other General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) staff, Chuong Sophal and students (from Royal University of Agriculture; RUA), along with Rajinder Pal Singh (NSW Department of Primary Industries; DPI). The survey seeks to identify trends, opportunities and preferred strategies for innovation in crop establishment practices and agronomic efficiencies. It also seeks to establish farmers’ information access pathways, perceptions about novel technologies and constraints to practice change and adoption. This will help develop strategies to raise productivity of rice in different lowland rice ecosystems.A PowerPoint report on socio-economic assessment of the baseline survey of the rain-fed lowland ecosystems in Takeo Province has been finalised, and reports on Kampong Thom and Kampot are being developed.Contact: Rajinder Pal Singh, NSW DPI, Wagga Wagga

Machinery training The project has imported 2-wheeled tractors, a Rogro seeder, a Thai seeder, a drum seeder and hydrotillers for research on direct drilling approaches to rice establishment. Scott Justice (Nepal Agriculture and Environmental Forum) led training for twenty five collaborators from CARDI, GDA, RUA, the NGO iDE Cambodia and a machinery retailer in the use and operation of the mechanised seed drill technology for dry direct seeding of rice.Contact: Jack Desbiolles, University of South Australia (UniSA)

Thai seed drill being field tested at CARDI station

Weed ID and management training The use of herbicide weed control needs to be understood by research and technical staff so that it can be used in direct seeding situations. Accordingly, training in weed identification, use of herbicides and use of backpack knapsack sprayers equipped with fan jets and minibooms was undertaken with CARDI, GDA Department of Rice Crop and RUA staff and students as well as Provincial Department of Agriculture staff Dr David Johnson and Joel Janiya (International Rice Research Institute; IRRI).Contact: David Johnson, IRRI

Machinery evaluation Dr Jack Desbiolles (an agricultural engineer at UniSA) undertook an extended visit to work with agricultural machinery collaborators Pao Sinath (CARDI), Chea Sovandina (GDA) and Choung Sophal (RUA) along with technical staff from these organisations. Together they addressed issues with using the tractors, seed drills and hydrotiller in the Cambodian context. These included practical field use and machinery adjustments, modifying machinery to increase ease of use and transport, as well as addressing machine construction quality and storage maintenance.A focus of the project is to improve rice crop establishment, particularly by direct seeding, and under dryland and wet conditions.Contact: Jack Desbiolles, Uni SA

Chea Sovandina (GDA) and field staff adjusting Rogro seeder; plastic Rogro components failed easily

Hydrotiller (IRRI design) imported from The Philippines

Farming system experiments A series of farming system experiments across all 3 target provinces are comparing different intensities of cropping (1, 2 or 3 crops per year), and different establishment and weed control techniques.

Salinity experiments in AustraliaUnder drought conditions rice growing in Australia uses increasing amounts of groundwater of low to moderate salinity, affecting rice establishment and productivity.Sam North and Don Griffin (NSW DPI, Deniliquin) will assess the salinity tolerance of 10 Australian varieties (Amaroo, Doongarah, Illabong, Quest, Reiziq, Sherpa, Langi, Opus, YRW 4 and YRF 209) in farmers’ fields this coming rice season (2012-13). At three trial sites they

will apply saline groundwater to all or part of a bay from end tillering through to physiological maturity. All crops will be aerial sown and established on fresh water. Bay water salinity, soil water salinity and crop growth and development will be monitored over the season and compared with fresh water controls. Accumulation rates of chloride within plants will also be determined and efforts made to correlate this with transpiration rates (from porometer measurements) and soil water salinity, to assess chloride accumulation as a suitable indicator of salinity tolerance under a range of environmental conditions.

Contact: Sam North, NSW DPI, DeniliquinSam North harvesting rice salinity experiment at Deniliquin 2010-11

Establishment experiments Establishment of direct seeded rice is an ongoing issue for Australian rice farmers. Tina Dunn and Geoff Beecher (NSW DPI, Yanco) are undertaking glasshouse and field experiments trialling the use of gibberellic acid to improve rice seedling emergence. Field results to date have not indicated any benefit from this treatment, contrary to findings and practices in the southern USA.Contact: Geoff Beecher, NSW DPI Yanco

Effect of gibberellic acid on rice shoot elongation in the growth chamber

Project 4 - Improved irrigation water management

Initial dry season rice water balance experimentation During the dry season a small scale field trial was established to compare a number of experimental measures of rice water use using both lysimeters and energy balance instrumentation. This information

will provide knowledge of the temporal water needs of dry season rice crops in Cambodia. The site has previously been laser levelled and two lysimeters were installed on the trial paddy at the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) experiential field station. The Institute of Technology Cambodia (ITC) had the stainless steel lysimeters constructed to a very high standard in Cambodia. The lysimeter water levels are logged continuously with small GPSE water level loggers. The results will be used to fine tune techniques and also train students and project partners in the use of equipment for monitoring crop water use. Contact: Dr John Hornbuckle, CSIRO Land and

Water

Instrumentation for measuring actual evapotranspiration (background) and individual components of rice crop water balance at the CARDI field station.

Small scale laser levellingThe first of the small scale laser levellers has been constructed in Cambodia and the Trimble laser transmitter and receiver base station imported through Ideal Farming Corporation in Vietnam. MOWRAM TSC (Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Technical Service Centre) is using this unit along with the existing CARDI laser levelling equipment to level demonstration trial sites. PTO pumps are being modified to make the units more adaptable to various 4 wheeled tractors without the

need for specialised hydraulic remotes. Contact: Dr J ohn Hornbuckle , CSIRO Land and Water

Project partners with locally constructed levelling bucket to be fitted with Trimble laser equipment

Preliminary groundwater investigationsA field trip to Angkor Borei, Takeo in March, 2012 identified groundwater sampling sites and tested the field kits for rapid groundwater chemical analysis. Groundwater sites were selected using the socio-economic survey data and sampled along with adjacent paddy surface soils. At each site groundwater was tested for pH, EC, temperature, Fe and alkalinity. The rapid field testing kits for Fe and alkalinity worked very well, although fairly

time consuming, and could be used for further tests including manganese. Water samples were also collected for further laboratory investigations. Further work developing rapid test kits and approaches is planned for the upcoming dry season. The data will be used to identify impacts from groundwater irrigation sources on rice production.Contact: Wendy Quayle, CSIRO Land and WaterTesting alkalinity and iron in groundwater samples using

rapid field based testing protocols, Takeo

BANGLADESH

Project 5 - Short duration pulses into rice-based cropping systems in western BangladeshThe project aims to reinvigorate Bangladesh national pulse production by fitting short duration pulses (lentil, mungbean and field pea) into new cropping niches within the rice-based system in western Bangladesh to improve food and nutritional security. Mungbean production during the kharif 1 season in 2011 had shown that project-recommended management practice and sowing method yielded up to 2.6-fold higher yield compared to traditional broadcast sowing. As a result farmers under project guidance profited more than farmers using traditional practices.In the rabi season (November 2011–February 2012) 63 field sites (25 pea and 38 lentil) were sown with 7 lentil and 10 pea on-farm demonstrations/on-station experiment across western districts of Bangladesh. The challenge was to fit these crops between the harvest of transplanted aman (T. aman) rice and the transplanting of boro rice in early February.Pea: Existing pea cultivars were evaluated for relay cropping into standing T. aman for harvest as green pods to allow subsequent boro rice cultivation. In collaboration with Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), the potential to ‘widen the window’ from rice - for example by cultivating short duration T. aman - was examined with 6 pea varieties for their possible incorporation into the T. aman-boro cropping system. Early rice variety (BRRI 33) was found economically viable as it allows short-duration pea (cv. BARI motorshuti 3) to be harvested as a green vegetable followed by boro rice cultivation. From among a total of 438 accessions of pea germplasm from national and Australian-introduced collections, 30 short-season and disease resistant accessions were selected for further testing.Lentil:To fit lentil into the T. aman-boro rice system we evaluated super-early lines and existing lentil cultivars with relay cropping into standing T. aman rice before harvest. As none of the lentils matured before the end of February (despite early flowering), this precluded boro rice cultivation in early February. However, relay-sown lentil yielded ~2-fold more in some areas compared to traditionally practised sole cultivation (i.e. cultivated after T. aman harvest). In collaboration with BRRI an experiment to ‘widen the window’ from the rice side was conducted to incorporate lentil into T. aman-boro cropping pattern. Long, short and extra-short duration rice varieties were cultivated followed by lentil. Lentil yield varied from 1.3 to 1.9 t ha-1. Since the boro harvest we will commenced an economic analysis. With the best management practice (i.e. improved cultivar, disease control) 19 on-farm demonstrations were carried out. However, for disease control (Stemphylium blight) results were mixed – only in some fields did the recommended application of fungicide work well. This pointed us towards developing a model to predict and improve disease management. Analysing Year 1 rabi experimentation of pea and lentil, we conclude that sole-cropping of an early pea cultivar allows a green pod harvest to be followed by boro rice in the cropping pattern. Lentil production can benefit from relay sowing into late T. aman crops, and we are now targeting lentil into the T. aman - aus rice rotation rather than T. aman - boro rice system.Contact: Prof. Willie Erskine, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, University of Western Australia

POLICY

Project 6b - LaoPDR and CambodiaDr Rob Cramb recently attended the annual project workshop convened in Danang (Vietnam). These are excerpts from his trip report.The focus for the first 12-18 months of this project was on the development of policies for lowland rice-based farming systems, specifically on rice farming and alternative uses of rice-lands. This theme incorporated the following components:

Regional overview and comparison of rice policies (production, marketing, trade) Specification of rice farming systems (mainly lowland – rainfed and irrigated) Production and input constraints (land, seed, fertiliser, water, extension, credit, risk) Output constraints (post-harvest, marketing, trade barriers) Diversification (alternatives to producing rice on the same land) Contract farming, farmer organisations (rice and non-rice annual crops) Rice value chains (esp. cross-border studies)

The specific reviews and case studies and the designated research leader for each study are listed in the table, along with two additional topics from University of Queensland (UQ).

Code Topic LeaderCDRI-1 Supply of fertiliser for rice farmers in Takeo Theng VuthyCDRI-2 Credit for rice farmers in Takeo Kem SothornCDRI-3 Rice value chain in Takeo and including cross-

border trade with southern VietnamNou Keosothea

CDRI-4 Rice contract farming in Takeo Nou KeosotheaNUOL-1 Irrigated and rainfed rice-based farming

systems in Savannakhet: production techniques, costs and returns, diversification

Lytoua Chealue/ Silinthone Sacklokham

NUOL-2 Supply of inputs and services to rice farmers in Savannakhet: smaller case studies of seeds, fertilizer, water, credit

Chitpasong Khousonsavath/Silinthone Sacklokham

NUOL-3 Rice value chain in Savannakhet and cross-border trade

Phengkhouane Manivong/Silinthone Sacklokham

CMU-1 Intensification of crop production on rice lands: fertilizer use, mechanization

Benchaphun Ekasingh

CMU-2 Agricultural commercialisation: entry to input and output markets; role of credit

Pornsiri Suebpongsang

CMU-3 Crop diversification and risk management in rice-based systems

Prathanthip Kramol

CMU-4 Contract farming and growth of agribusiness in Thailand

Benchaphun Ekasingh

CASRAD-1

Food security and crop intensification Dao The Anh

CASRAD-2

Agricultural value chain and productive alliances, contract farming

Hoang Thanh Tung

CASRAD- Farmer organizations and local services, Nguyen Xuan Hoan

3 including creditCASRAD-4

Vietnam-Cambodia cross-border trade within the Mekong rice value chain: Takeo-An giang

Dao The Anh

CASRAD-5

Rice value chain across Laos border in central Vietnam: Quang Tri-Savanakhet

Pham Cong Nghiep/Dao The Anh

CASRAD-6

Mitigating pollution from intensive rice production in northern Vietnam

Nguyen Ngoc Mai

UQ-1 Regional overview, policy developments, policy analysis

Rob Cramb

UQ-2 Lowland rice-based farming systems in Takeo: alternative options for dry-season cropping

Chea Sareth

UQ-3 Lowland rice farming in Champasak: status and trends

Vongpaphane Manivong

The Danang workshop reported on and discussed these studies and considered how to apply them to (re)developing agricultural policies. Following the workshop, the project leaders (Benchaphun Ekasingh (CMU), Dao The Anh (CASRAD), Silinthone Sacklokham (NUOL), Theng Vuthy (CDRI), and Rob Cramb (UQ)) met to address outstanding issues including:

Plan for completion of Phase 1 of the research, agreeing to produce an edited monograph as the output of this phase, incorporating most of the papers that were presented in the workshop (once they are written up), along with some background and synthesis chapters. The aim is to publish the monograph in the first half of 2013.

A Project Variation will be sought from ACIAR to employ a research officer to complete the work previously undertaken by Agricultural Development International, which has had to withdraw from the project. Selection criteria will be developed along with a decision as to whether it would be better to contract an experienced researcher for a short period or employ a younger researcher for a longer period.

A Project Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok in the first week of December will review progress with Phase 1 and plan Phase 2 of the project.

Benchaphun asked for feedback on the remaining studies by the CMU team in Phase 1. A field study in NE Thailand would examine machinery use, fertiliser use, credit, and the fertiliser and rice value chains. It was also planned to undertake a review of farmer organisations in Thailand. It was agreed that both these studies would be very relevant to the study of policy options in Laos and Cambodia.

To conclude, the workshop was very well run, thanks to the efforts of The Anh and the CASRAD team, and the quality of the studies and presentations from all the participants was very high, making for a stimulating discussion and genuine progress in understanding the policy issues we are trying to address. There is prospect of an excellent monograph, with detailed case studies, both within and between countries in the region, and an innovative diagnostic analysis of the policy priorities. CONTACT: Dr Rob Cramb, Agricultural and Resource Economics, UQ

Project 6c - BangladeshThe project’s findings to date are summarised here according to five themes:

1. Identification of key areas in rice research There have been significant achievements in varietal development and grain

quality for widespread adoption in a range of agro-ecological zones, particularly for rabi (dry season) rather than kharif (wet season).

Challenges remain for development of varieties that are drought and salinity tolerant, short maturing with lower water requirements, and future climate proofed with higher temperature tolerance (e.g. rice, wheat).

2. Identification of key areas in pulses research Significant achievement - 30 varieties of pulses with high yields potentials

and adaptability to a range of environmental conditions. Challenges remain for short maturing varieties between successive rice

crops. Adaptability to stresses caused by variable weather conditions such as

severity of winter, and high incidence of fog. Financially less attractive to farmers relative to other crops such as maize or

boro rice.3. Food security issues around import dependence and value chain

development Significant achievement in terms of reduced import dependence of staple

foodgrains – rice and wheat. Grain self-sufficiency in a narrow sense, based on approximately 500g of rice

and wheat per capita per day from domestic sources (no mean achievement!).

Increased import dependence for non-cereals such as pulses and edible oils. Transformation of a mainly semi-subsistence to a growing commercial

agriculture and a booming value chain industry. Price stabilisation and issues relevant to fair returns to growers remain a long

way off. There appears to a pent up demand for value chain industry among the

urban middle class – less organised but growing. This is a demonstrated change led by the private sector

4. Bangladesh agriculture has become more environmentally demanding with groundwater usage at unsustainable levels

Rice productivity relative to water use (WP) is low by international standards, particularly for kharif rice. which is mainly rainfed but supplemented by groundwater irrigation in the northern and western parts of Bangladesh.

Excessive dependence on rabi season rice (groundwater using) rather than kharif season rice (rainfed with occasional supplementary irrigation). The key issue here is as much about boro vs aman rice, as about boro vs other less water consuming crops during rabi, e.g., wheat, pulses, oilseeds, maize.

Significant inter-district variation in WP levels. Key factors explaining this include agricultural intensification and technological diffusion.

Policy transition from a regime of significant input subsidies to a market based system.

Lower WP in salinity and drought prone areas. Significant time trend in WP.

Causality between technological diffusion and water productivity of all rice crops for most districts (unidirectional) – technological development leading to greater water productivity.

12 of the 21 districts show causality between groundwater irrigation and mean groundwater depth; for 2 of the12 districts groundwater irrigation impacts on the mean groundwater depth (unidirectional causality); for the other 10 districts a two-way causation exists.

5. Farm-level adaptation to climate change in drought prone areas 800+ farmers from two regions – greater Dhaka (Kapasia) and greater

Rajshahi (Tanore, Porsha, and Charghat) are already analysed. However, 1000-1200 more observations [from greater Rajshahi (Lalpur and Nachole), greater Pabna (Iswardi), greater Kushtia (Damurhuda), and greater Bogra (Sariakandi)] are yet to be analysed.

Farmers’ perception about climate change – majority of the farmers in the drought-prone areas perceived an increase in annual temperature and a decline in annual rainfall over last two decades.

Key determinants of adaptation decision – severity of drought, access to climate information, farm-size, access to electricity for irrigation.

Key determinants of adaptation strategies include supplementary irrigation for aus and aman rice, short duration and drought tolerant rice varieties, and water-saving non-rice and horticultural crops, and more irrigation for boro rice.

Key barriers to adaptation – lack of knowledge regarding appropriate adaptation, lack of access to credit, lack of information and knowledge about drought-tolerant varieties and technologies.

Contact: Dr M Alauddin, School of Economics, University of Queensland

RELATED PROJECTS

Adaptation to Climate Change in Asia: Climate change can bring smiles to farmers In common with many developing countries, Cambodia has a broad portfolio of Climate Change activities, funded by a wide range of international donors. So far, these have concentrated on ‘higher level’ interventions such as risk analysis, capacity development, communications. Such analysis has found Cambodia’s vulnerability is not physical, like certain South Pacific islands, but more about the capacity of the population and infrastructure to handle the changes needed to meet the challenge of future Climate Change scenarios.ACIAR’s project on ‘Developing multi-scale strategies for farming communities to adapt to climate change in Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh and India’ is the only project in Cambodia linking specific agricultural predictions and interventions, with a community’s capacity to change. CSIRO is working with the local partners Cambodian Agricultural R&D Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the NGO iDE.For the past two seasons, the project team has worked with 3 groups of farmers. The groups were chosen according to their differing ‘capacity to change’, as analysed through socio-economic evaluation. Then it was time to choose, in collaboration with the farming communities, new agricultural options that could address future climate change stresses, while either maintaining or improving the incomes of the farmers. The general idea was to try systems that allowed adaptive decision making as the season progressed. This meant shorter duration rice crops and more focus on cash crops at either end of the wet season. Suggesting to the farmers that moving from the traditional single wet season rice crop, to 2 short crop variety plantings, was met with a healthy dose of scepticism. However, the farmers were open enough to devote a part of their land and even share some of the demonstration costs. Unfortunately for many Cambodian farmers, the 2011 wet season ended with the worst flooding in the past 10 years, devastating many crops. However, the farmers involved in our project had already harvested their first crops before the flood arrived. Sure, their second crop was wiped out, but they already had the security of the first crop sitting in their grain stores.The 2012 season is appearing to be milder than 2011, with a longer than usual ‘drought’ in the middle of the wet season. This year the project team introduced further refinements in nutrient and pest management. Crop 1 is already harvested, and showed improved yields. The farmers are now hoping their Crop 2 will give them a double-win.An important component of the new systems is simple mechanisation which has allowed farmers to act more quickly when a decision is made. For example, a simple drum-seeder costs only $50 and reduces planting labour by 70% when compared with traditional transplanting. This type of saving is particularly attractive to farmers who are time-constrained at the time of crop establishment.Now it’s time for the CSIRO crop and climate modellers to predict longer term sustainability of the new systems, and suggest further changes that our farmers may try.Contact: Philip Charlesworth, iDE, Cambodia

Events

Team member changes Project 1 – The newly-appointed Postdoctoral Fellow in Hydrology/Water (Dr Camila Vote), and Jessica Armstrong (Australian Volunteer for International Aid; AVID) will commence work in November 2012; coinciding with Prof Len Wade’s next visit to Lao PDR.Project 4 – Dr Evan Christen (formerly, Leader for Project 4) has commenced work at ACIAR as Regional Program Manager, Land and Water. Dr John Hornbuckle has replaced Dr Evan Christen as Project Leader.

Events calendar Prof Len Wade (Leader, Project 1) – visit to Lao PDR, including to field sites Champassak (12-17 November 2012).Project 6b Annual Workshop will be held in July 2013 in Cambodia