by Trina Leah Mendoza
Partners of the IRRI-ADB Philippine Postharvest Project from different provinces in the Philippines and the Philippine Rice Research Institute, as a key project partner, recently conducted the ADB-IRRI Postharvest Project Planning Meeting last June 1 and 2, 2010 at the Visayas State University in Baybay, Leyte.
The 2-day meeting aimed to update partners on the project’s current activities at IRRI and in pilot provinces, plan and agree on activities targeted for the next 18 months, brief partners on steps to creating a business model, and introduce adaptive research and pilot study protocols to partners.
Fifteen partners from key institutions in the three pilot sites of Camarines Sur, Bohol, and Agusan del Norte attended and reported on their progress on participatory hermetic storage verification.
Updates on the activities on hermetic storage were presented. Wilson Orino, program officer of Caritas Diocese of Libmanan, Camarines Sur also provided the results of their adaptive trials. Dr. Caesar Tado, co-project leader from PhilRice, reported on the adaption of mechanical dryers, particularly the new reversible dryers. IRRI anthropologist Rica Flor discussed updates on what the postharvest learning alliance in the Philippines has done.
A lecture on Business models development was also done with group exercises facilitated by Alfred Schmidley and Rica Flor. The meeting concluded with each pilot site having their set of work plans which will be a jump off point for the 2011 project implementation strategies.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Hermetic Storage and Flatbed Dryers Training series pilots in three PH provinces
Hermetic storage and flatbed dryers training were conducted at the Bohol, Agusan, and Camarines Sur for the month of April. Participants from the local government, seeds growers, producers and NGOs graced the events.
Lively discussions through open forum and hands-on exercises were conducted to be able to identify actual field problems and concerns were discussed with the help of Dr. Caesar Tado and Engr. John Eric Abon of PhilRice.
Basic principles on hermetic storage were also discussed by Engr. Carlito Balingbing of IRRI. Further, Alfred Schmidley facilitated a discussion on developing business models for hermetic storage which perked the interests of some participants and expressed their interest into piloting their respective business models for hermetic storage system. In terms of facilitating adaptive research in the same area, the protocol was discussed together with the efficient monitoring and sharing of information that will be generated from the research results. At the end of the training, key farmers and seed growers gave their commitment to facilitate and coordinate with their group members in gathering relevant information and data that will be shared with the postharvest Learning Alliance.
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Lively discussions through open forum and hands-on exercises were conducted to be able to identify actual field problems and concerns were discussed with the help of Dr. Caesar Tado and Engr. John Eric Abon of PhilRice.
Basic principles on hermetic storage were also discussed by Engr. Carlito Balingbing of IRRI. Further, Alfred Schmidley facilitated a discussion on developing business models for hermetic storage which perked the interests of some participants and expressed their interest into piloting their respective business models for hermetic storage system. In terms of facilitating adaptive research in the same area, the protocol was discussed together with the efficient monitoring and sharing of information that will be generated from the research results. At the end of the training, key farmers and seed growers gave their commitment to facilitate and coordinate with their group members in gathering relevant information and data that will be shared with the postharvest Learning Alliance.
(Edit post)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Learning Alliance activities for 2010
Forging of partnerships and collaborative efforts have been the forefront of Learning Alliance teams in Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines. The IRRI-based team started with plans of activities for each target countries.
For Vietnam, implementation of Posthavest research and extension in coordination with various universities (Nong Lam, Can Tho, SIAEP, VIAEP, and HUAF) are in the pipleline and will start anytime soon.
In Cambodia, collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture through Dr. Pyseth Meas was renewed to be able to continue the Postharvest outscaling efforts.
In the Philippines, Flat bed dryers and hermetic storage training and needs assessment will be conducted in the target areas of Bohol, Camarines Sur, and Agusan del Norte. Partnerships between NGOs, private individuals and farmers' groups were tapped through these activities. Partnership with the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium has also been explored.
Exploring different platforms were also prioritized to widen the access to the latest technologies and studies in Postharvest. The team is strengthening its partnership with the IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank and other IRRI-based consortia to facilitate and encourage sharing of good practices and lived experiences.
For the next couple of months, rest assured that the team and their partners will be bent on deliveringPH technologies through efficient outscaling of scientifically-proved technologies, conducting of adaptive research, and quality extension delivery service in the most accessible platform.
For Vietnam, implementation of Posthavest research and extension in coordination with various universities (Nong Lam, Can Tho, SIAEP, VIAEP, and HUAF) are in the pipleline and will start anytime soon.
In Cambodia, collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture through Dr. Pyseth Meas was renewed to be able to continue the Postharvest outscaling efforts.
In the Philippines, Flat bed dryers and hermetic storage training and needs assessment will be conducted in the target areas of Bohol, Camarines Sur, and Agusan del Norte. Partnerships between NGOs, private individuals and farmers' groups were tapped through these activities. Partnership with the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium has also been explored.
Exploring different platforms were also prioritized to widen the access to the latest technologies and studies in Postharvest. The team is strengthening its partnership with the IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank and other IRRI-based consortia to facilitate and encourage sharing of good practices and lived experiences.
For the next couple of months, rest assured that the team and their partners will be bent on deliveringPH technologies through efficient outscaling of scientifically-proved technologies, conducting of adaptive research, and quality extension delivery service in the most accessible platform.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
ADB 13th RETA 6489 Review and Planning Workshop Conducted
A review mission of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project entitled Bringing about a Sustainable Agronomic Revolution in Rice Production in Asia by Reducing Preventable Pre and Postharvest Losses was conducted at Rex Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on December 2, 2009. These activities were conducted to review the 2008-2009 activities, identify constraints and appropriate action in the current research procedures and outputs deliveries, and, plan for 2010 activities.
The event was graced by Dr. Bui Ba Bong, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam, Dr. Bas Bouman, Program 2 leader, and the two projects’ regional stakeholders from Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.
Dr. Bong also lauded the importance of the postharvest component’s current initiatives to improve the postharvest practices and combat grain losses.
The Postharvest Team of the ADB project reported about the implementation status by the regional leaders in the project key areas--Dr. Pyseth Meas for Cambodia, Dr. Phan Hieu Hien for Vietnam, and Dr. Caesar Tado for Philippines. The three spearheads and links the IRRI initiatives to the farmers in their various areas. Another topic focusing on Participatory approaches to facilitating impact, the team's major approach to project implementation, was reported the group's anthropologist, Ms. Rica Flor.
Prior to the merged Review and Planning Workshop, the pre and post harvest components met separately with their stakeholders to discuss their take-off activities in 2010 and went on a field trip on provinces of Tieng Giang and Long An.
The ADB RETA 13 started its implementation in November of 2008 to address the issues on reducing the vulnerability of crops to preharvest losses caused by planthopper outbreaks, and reducing the postharvest losses and increasing income through better-quality rice.
The event was graced by Dr. Bui Ba Bong, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam, Dr. Bas Bouman, Program 2 leader, and the two projects’ regional stakeholders from Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.
Dr. Bong also lauded the importance of the postharvest component’s current initiatives to improve the postharvest practices and combat grain losses.
The Postharvest Team of the ADB project reported about the implementation status by the regional leaders in the project key areas--Dr. Pyseth Meas for Cambodia, Dr. Phan Hieu Hien for Vietnam, and Dr. Caesar Tado for Philippines. The three spearheads and links the IRRI initiatives to the farmers in their various areas. Another topic focusing on Participatory approaches to facilitating impact, the team's major approach to project implementation, was reported the group's anthropologist, Ms. Rica Flor.
Prior to the merged Review and Planning Workshop, the pre and post harvest components met separately with their stakeholders to discuss their take-off activities in 2010 and went on a field trip on provinces of Tieng Giang and Long An.
The ADB RETA 13 started its implementation in November of 2008 to address the issues on reducing the vulnerability of crops to preharvest losses caused by planthopper outbreaks, and reducing the postharvest losses and increasing income through better-quality rice.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Rice: Post Production Training conducted
The Postharvest Unit spearheaded by Martin Gummert recently conducted a training course titled "Rice Post-Production Training" held at IRRI, from October 19 to 31, 2009. About 24 collaborators from the ADB, ACIAR and IRRC projects attended the said two-week course.
The training course aimed to provide participants with: methodologies and tools to understand and quantify quality of paddy, milled rice, and seeds;hands on skills relating to all aspects to postharvest management and postharvest technologies for harvesting, threshing, drying, storage, and milling; a basic understanding of rice markets and rice standards; familiarity with the rice postharvest sector in the Philippines; familiarity with the postproduction science and resources at IRRI; an understanding of international collaboration, and
developing a project plan, a business plan for a selected technology and personal contacts to use on their return to their homes.
Participants came from Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and Philippines. The training course also provided postharvest certification based on the participants' theoretical and practical performances.
The training course aimed to provide participants with: methodologies and tools to understand and quantify quality of paddy, milled rice, and seeds;hands on skills relating to all aspects to postharvest management and postharvest technologies for harvesting, threshing, drying, storage, and milling; a basic understanding of rice markets and rice standards; familiarity with the rice postharvest sector in the Philippines; familiarity with the postproduction science and resources at IRRI; an understanding of international collaboration, and
developing a project plan, a business plan for a selected technology and personal contacts to use on their return to their homes.
Participants came from Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and Philippines. The training course also provided postharvest certification based on the participants' theoretical and practical performances.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Market and Communication Strategy for Cambodia rolled out
by Alfred Schmidley
A multi-stakeholder workshop dubbed as "Market Communication Strategy in Cambodia" was conduted on September 7-8, 2009. This workshop aimed to define further needs, topics, and next steps for the Project, including how to: 1) operationalize the Learning Alliance, 2) assess communication needs and strategies, and 3) scale out previously piloted PH technologies and interventions by developing integrated business models.
The Workshop was opened by the Deputy Secretary General of MAFF, His Excellency Sen Sovann. The Monday dinner was also attended by His Excellency Lord Reasmey, Secretary General of MAFF. Dr. Meas Pyseth, International Programs Coordinator at MAFF and the IRRI PH Project consultant, along with Team consultants Vichet Sorn and Son Sovann, did an outstanding job with local preparations to make the Workshop a success.
In addition, ADB Postharvest project staff Rica Flor and Trina Mendoza made field visits following the work.shop to gather additional information on needs and perspectives from farmer cooperators in Prey Veng
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