Rice-Based Systems Research (RSR)
Program
Newsletter 1 October 2012
Contents
Welcome from ACIAR .................................................................................................................... 2
Headline stories ............................................................................................................................ 3
Vientiane workshop report ......................................................................................................... 3
RSR program website ................................................................................................................ 4
Apply for a grant ....................................................................................................................... 4
Progress Report 2012 ................................................................................................................ 5
LAO PDR ...................................................................................................................................... 6
ACIAR’s Lao PDR in-country consultation .................................................................................... 6
Project 1 – Southern Lao PDR .................................................................................................... 6
CAMBODIA ................................................................................................................................... 8
Project 2 – Improved rice germplasm ......................................................................................... 8
Project 3 - Improved establishment and productivity ................................................................... 9
Project 4 - Improved irrigation water management .................................................................... 12
BANGLADESH ............................................................................................................................. 14
Project 5 - Short duration pulses into rice-based cropping systems in western Bangladesh ........... 14
POLICY ...................................................................................................................................... 15
Project 6b - Lao PDR and Cambodia ......................................................................................... 15
Project 6c - Bangladesh ........................................................................................................... 17
RELATED PROJECTS ................................................................................................................... 19
Adaptation to Climate Change in Asia: Climate change can bring smiles to farmers...................... 19
Events ........................................................................................................................................ 20
Team member changes ........................................................................................................... 20
Events calendar ....................................................................................................................... 20
Welcome from ACIAR
Dear colleagues
About 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
1A 
5
6(a)-(b)
6(c)
ACCA*
Other
X
IWMI*
X
1B 
X
2
X
3
X
X
X
X
4
IWMI
5
X
6(ab) 
X
X
6(c) 
X
ACCA 
X
X
X
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):
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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)
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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 Cambodiaconference in making sure that we don’t lose the best parts when endeavouring to address those
aspects in need of improvement:
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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 crossproject 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:
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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:
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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 firsthand 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 germplasm
Variety 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 Australia
Under 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, Deniliquin
Sam 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 levelling
The 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 John Hornbuckle,
CSIRO Land and Water
Project partners with locally constructed levelling bucket to be fitted with Trimble laser equipment
Preliminary groundwater investigations
A 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 socioeconomic 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 Water
Testing 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 Bangladesh
The 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. amanboro cropping system. Early rice variety (BRRI 33) was found economically viable as it allows shortduration 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 Australianintroduced 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. amanboro 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 Cambodia
Dr 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 ricebased 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
Leader
CDRI-1
Supply of fertiliser for rice farmers in Takeo
Theng Vuthy
CDRI-2
Credit for rice farmers in Takeo
Kem Sothorn
CDRI-3
Rice value chain in Takeo and including cross-border
trade with southern Vietnam
Nou Keosothea
CDRI-4
Rice contract farming in Takeo
Nou Keosothea
NUOL-1
Irrigated and rainfed rice-based farming systems in
Savannakhet: production techniques, costs and
returns, diversification
Lytoua Chealue/
Supply of inputs and services to rice farmers in
Savannakhet: smaller case studies of seeds, fertilizer,
water, credit
Chitpasong Khousonsavath/
Rice value chain in Savannakhet and cross-border
trade
Phengkhouane Manivong/
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 ricebased 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-3
Farmer organizations and local services, including
Nguyen Xuan Hoan
NUOL-2
NUOL-3
Silinthone Sacklokham
Silinthone Sacklokham
Silinthone Sacklokham
credit
CASRAD-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/
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
Dao The Anh
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 - Bangladesh
The 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 droughtprone 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