In October and November 2018, the Paddy Rice Research Group (PRRG) of the Global Research Alliance (GRA) took part in the APEC-funded project: ‘ Capacity Building on Management Technologies for Climate Smart Rice Cultivation in the South-East Asian and Latin American Rice Sector’.
Paddy rice production is a significant source of methane emissions (CH4), and it is therefore essential that countries find ways to reduce emissions from rice cultivation while improving productivity.
The ‘Capacity Building on Management Technologies for Climate Smart Rice Cultivation in the South-East Asian and Latin American Rice Sector’ project was initiated in 2018 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan, with the aim of enhancing knowledge among researchers and rice producers of climate change mitigation within the rice sector.
The project was funded by the APEC Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group and featured two capability building workshop attended by GRA scientists in partnership with researchers, experts, and rice producers.
The three key aims of the project were:
1) The sharing of knowledge and best practices of new management technologies for adapting to and mitigating climate change in the rice sector;
2) The exchange of views on management technologies and;
3) The development of networks among rice producers, researchers and experts, by organising an international workshop and expert visits.
Two capability building workshops were held; one in Bangkok, Thailand, and one in Parral, Chile. These workshops represented the different production systems found in these two regions and were supported by the Asia and America regional sub-Groups of the Paddy Rice Research Group respectively.
These workshops included expert presentations on a wide range of topics from mitigation through water saving techniques (Alternate Wetting and Drying-AWD) to country-specific experiences, capacity-building training on rice management technologies, and field training.
Following the workshops, farmers expressed an enhanced understanding of the effects of rice cultivation on climate change and the environment, and agreed to share their learning with others in their communities. Farmers and experts agreed on the need for the farming community, governments, and scientists to work together to ensure the right policies are put in place and research projects prioritised to improve climate change mitigation efforts.
Read more:
Read more about the individual presentations, knowledge sharing sessions and field training in APEC’s report: Capacity Building on Management Technologies for Climate Smart Rice Cultivation in the South-East Asian and Latin American Rice Sector.
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) of Thailand in Bangkok, the GRA organized a regional meeting to start a network on farming systems. Participating countries were Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam and of course Thailand. With the support of Agriterra, farmer representatives from the Philippines and Indonesia also joined this meeting. The Netherlands, the current Chair of the GRA, was represented by the Co-chair of the GRA Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Group and a policy official of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. In this two-day workshop, the countries’ policy and research representatives explored the challenges and difficulties of developing farming systems that meet the impact of a changing climate. On the first day the exchange of experiences between participants was the focus. On the second day, participants analyzed the exchanged information and identified common areas of interest. As a result they identified and agreed to put their efforts into four projects. The projects are: 1) Mixed farming systems, 2) Knowledge transfer/adoption of mitigation technologies/adaptations for GHG reduction, 3) Development of information systems for tools and technologies, and 4) Increased collaboration between policy makers, researchers and farmers. For each project, one (or two) leading countries will initiate the process. This very successful workshop makes an impressive start to the regional collaboration initiated and supported by the GRA. In the upcoming months the groups will exchange the results, and as the process continues it will be worthwhile to meet again in a year’s time.
Akarapon Houbcharaun, Thailand: [email protected] / Jan Verhagen, the Netherlands: [email protected]
The Global Research Alliance is pleased to welcome Thailand as its newest member country. Thailand has been a participant in the Alliance since it was launched, and we are please to announce that the Government has recently endorsed the Alliance Charter approving Thailand’s full Membership.
There are now 33 Member countries participating in the activities of the Global Research Alliance: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam.
For more information on Thailand’s participation in the Alliance or how to become a member country please contact the Alliance Secretariat.
The Livestock Research Group held the first in a series of regional capacity building workshops March 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop provided an opportunity for regional scientists from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam to identify future collaborations and coordinate capacity building activities in livestock mitigation research across South-East Asia.
Information about the Workshop, the agenda, the summary of outcomes and all the presentations are now available to read and download from the Livestock Research Group capability development page.