The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has formed a major new alliance with the world’s biggest and most important association of rice-producing nations. The move comes just a few months before the end of the United Nations’ International Year of Rice 2004.

The new partnership follows an invitation from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) for representatives from IRRI to attend this year’s 26th Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agricultural and Forestry (AMAF) in Myanmar. The gathering considered, among other important agricultural issues, regional activities for the International Year of Rice and a new 10-year, 3-point plan presented by Myanmar that focused on three major rice production challenges facing Asia: water shortages, global warming and inadequate human resources.

The meetings in Myanmar also included the ASEAN partners known as the Plus 3 nations: China, Korea and Japan.

“We were deeply honored to be invited to such an important regional gathering, especially as the participants are all major rice-producing nations,” said IRRI Director General Ronald P. Cantrell. “We look forward very much to working with the nations of ASEAN to further develop this important new alliance, which is sure to greatly benefit the region’s rice farmers and consumers. It is especially heartening to see ASEAN and IRRI working together like this in the International Year of Rice.”

The AMAF issued the following statements to the media:

* “As this year is declared International Year of Rice (IYR), the Ministers commended all Member Countries for their efforts in undertaking activities to commemorate IYR in their respective countries.”

* “Recognising the importance of rice to the region, and the need for further support for rice research, the Ministers urged international donors to strengthen their support to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). It is envisaged that enhanced ties in specific areas of cooperation should provide benefits to the region’s rice farmers and consumers.”

* “In support of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals and in recognition of the International Year of Rice 2004, the Ministers endorsed a 10-year, 3-point plan focussing on the vitally important rice-production challenges of water scarcity, global warming and inadequate human resources. ASEAN and its partners invite the International Rice Research Institute and other concerned agencies of ASEAN to develop a detailed blueprint for the plan and coordinate its implementation to minimise the impact of these major threats to ASEAN rice production.”

In a special presentation to the AMAF, IRRI Deputy Director General for Partnerships William G. Padolina highlighted the importance of the new ASEAN-IRRI Partnership. “Clear evidence of this emerged this year, when at least one major rice-producing nation in Asia was unable to grow the rice it needed and was forced to import, driving international rice prices up by as much as 40 percent for the year,” Dr. Padolina said. “At the same time, the region’s rice farmers grew another year older, and the land and water resources they need for growing rice continued to become more precious and unobtainable.

“Not only does this powerful new partnership bring together two of the most important and respected institutions in Asia, but it does so at a crucial time for the ASEAN rice industry,” Dr. Padolina added. “We must help farmers reduce their costs and increase their productivity.”

In Myanmar, IRRI has helped train hundreds of rice farmers to better manage their use of fertilizers, reducing their use of expensive inputs and so boosting their profitability. “But that’s not enough,” Dr. Padolina stressed. “Through our new partnership with ASEAN, we know we can help thousands more farmers reduce such wasteful use of fertilizers, cutting their nations’ import costs and driving agricultural productivity to new heights.”

IRRI also formally introduced to the ASEAN agricultural ministers the Rice Knowledge Bank — Asia’s first digital extension service for rice producers. “The foundations have already been laid with Rice Knowledge Bank material available today in more than 10 languages,” Dr. Padolina said. “But to achieve impact that will really change and improve the lives of the rice farmers of ASEAN, the Rice Knowledge Bank needs more support and commitment.

“Such technologies are not just scientific dreams or scientists talking,” he added. “They are ready right here, right now for use by farmers.”

IRRI also has a number of vitally important research consortia in place that share knowledge not only across the region, but also across research disciplines and agricultural challenges. For example, the Consortium for Unfavorable Rainfed Environments is focused on helping rice farmers in the region’s most fragile environments. Meanwhile, the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium is ensuring that Asia’s most fertile grain baskets can continue to produce the rice the region needs to stay food secure, stable and developing.

“IRRI also knows education and training is something that all the members of ASEAN and their Plus Three partners value greatly,” Dr. Padolina told the AMAF. “Over the past 44 years, IRRI has provided such education to more than 14,000 trainees — farmers, extensionists and scientists — from all over the region. With your support, we can continue to help a lot more.”

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the world’s leading rice research and training center. Based in the Philippines and with offices in 10 other Asian countries, it is an autonomous, nonprofit institution focused on improving the well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low incomes, while preserving natural resources. IRRI is one of 15 centers funded through the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an association of public and private donor agencies. Please visit the Web sites of the CGIAR
(www.cgiar.org) or Future Harvest Foundation (www.futureharvest.org), a nonprofit organization that builds awareness and supports food and environmental research.

Web sites: IRRI Home (www.irri.org),
IRRI Library (http://ricelib.irri.cgiar.org),
Rice Knowledge Bank (www.knowledgebank.irri.org),
Rice facts (www.riceweb.com),
Riceworld Museum and Learning Center (www.riceworld.org) 

Saving Asia’s Rice Crop
(A 10-year, 3-point plan)

Introduction

Asia’s rice crop — which is fundamental to the region’s political and social stability, food security, and economic development — is under threat.

While rice supplies appear plentiful at present, recent rice-production challenges in some countries have lead to rice supply shortages, causing the world rice price to increase sharply. While good news for some farmers, such price increases in the international market present a major new threat to poorer, rice-importing countries and highlight the fact that rice supplies – and Asia’s food security – must not be taken for granted.

The Problems

Added to this, are three, major, long-term, threats to Asia’s ability to produce the rice it needs:

Firstly, rice farmers in many countries no longer get the water they need for irrigation, while several Asian river systems, including the Yellow River in China, no longer reach the sea in the dry season. Alarmingly this year, the Mekong River dropped to its lowest ever recorded level. Millions of Asian rice farmers depend on these and other rivers like them, to produce the rice the region needs.

Secondly, new research shows that global warming may have a potentially serious impact on Asia’s ability to feed itself, with rice yields expected to fall 10 percent for every 1° C increase in nighttime temperatures. Climate change in other areas – such as drought and rising sea levels – is also sure to impact rice production.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, rice production in Asia faces a human resources crisis. The industry no longer attracts the best and the brightest, many rice farmers are growing older and encouraging their children to leave the farm and, while their education and expertise is among
the poorest in the region.

As a result, these three production problems — water shortages, global warming and a lack of skilled human resources — have begun eating away at Asia’s ability to produce the rice it needs. In the short term, their impact may not appear serious, but over the longer term they are sure to severely reduce Asia’s ability to produce the rice it needs to maintain regional food security, stability and economic development.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) believes the rice-producing countries of Asia must work together to overcome these three crucial challenges threatening the region’s rice industry over the next decade. While some nations may find individual solutions to these problems, millions of dollars in resources can potentially be saved — and poorer economies given an important boost — if the region coordinates a united research effort to overcome these challenges.

The Solution

In a 10-year, 3-point plan, Asia’s rice-producing countries will join together to overcome these three serious problems, which are urgently in need of a joint, regional research effort. If they are left unresolved, they could lead to a crisis that puts Asia’s food supply at risk.

The three critical challenges facing the Asian rice industry are:

1. Water

Asia does not have enough freshwater to grow the rice it wants. The situation will dramatically worsen over the next 2 decades. Because of continued population growth and stiffening competition for limited freshwater supplies, more rice must be grown with much less water.

2. Global warming

There is evidence emerging that rising temperatures are already harming rice yields in food-insecure countries in the region, and the impact of future climatic changes are sure to cause more problems. New rice varieties must be developed that will tolerate the expected temperature increases and other stressful conditions, such as drought.

3. Human resources

Rice needs people as much as people need rice. Most importantly, rice needs people with the management skills and technical knowledge to grow such an important crop in a modern environment where problems such as water shortages and a changing climate will be a constant problem. Overcoming the poverty of rice farmers and boosting their productivity and profitability are vital to the success of the 10-year, 3-point plan.