National Agriculture

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National Agriculture Forestry
InstituteNational Rice Research Program
Farmer as the key to overcoming constraints in
rice production

• Vientiane, Lao PDR
• 1 Oct 2005

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Production statistics in rice environment of the
Lao PDR

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Sources of growth in rice production for Lao
PDR, 1990-2003.
(Data source FAO electronic database 2002).
Growth rates estimated by fitting
semi-logarithmic trend lines to time-series data.

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Overall for agriculture development sector

• A top priority for the government is modernize
  the agriculture sector in manner that meets
  sustainable practices and that achieves food
  security and better livelihood for all Lao people
• Agriculture sector provides the economic, social
  and culture base for more than 80 per cent of the
  population
• Subsistence farming is characterized by low input
  and low output (yield), that farming income are
  very low

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Goal for agriculture sector

• Ensure food security for all Lao people
• Promote commodity production for export
• Stabilize shifting cultivation and eradicate
  poppy cultivation
• Diversify and modernize the agricultural sector

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The NRRP

• Variety Improvement
• Crop Protection
• Nutrient Management
• Agronomy
• Farming Systems
• Training Program
• Research in 3 environments
• Rainfed Lowland
• Irrigated
• Rainfed Upland

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Central Southern lowlands
Upland
Northern lowlands
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Achievements Variety Improvement (IRRI parents
crossbred with Lao varieties)

• 14 Lao improved varieties released
• 12 recommended introduced varieties
• 23 recommended traditional varieties
• (RL 15, RU 8)
• 3 - 5 promising lines ready for release
• (cold tolerant, non-glut, glut)

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Future priorities of NRRP

• Overall Objectives
• To improve rice production technology to increase
  rice productivity and maintain rice self
  sufficiency

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Variety Improvement

• Quality improvement (Taste, Seed technology)
• Rice quality for food processing / export
• Definition of quality standards by NAFRI
• Taste aromatic rice, black rice
• nutrient content / chemical characterization
• Breeding for - Early and medium maturity
• - Cold tolerant varieties
• - Drought tolerant
  varieties
• - Pest resistance GM, BPH
• - Disease resistance BLB, BL,
  Bakanea

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Crop protection

• Screening for resistance
• Determine economically most important pests and
  disease in the Lao PDR
• damage thresholds
• Assist breeding unit in screening for pest and
  disease resistance
• improve lab screening methods

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Nutrient management

• Sustain productivity of soil nutrient
• Develop high yield technology package
• Diversify rice-based cropping system
• Define the methodology of organic rice production

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Farming Systems

• On-farm demonstrations of rice production
  technologies
• On-farm demonstrations of integrated farming
  practices (Fish-in-rice, fish ponds, pigs, duck
  in rice, non-rice crops)
• Farm economics of agricultural production
• Alternative crops in the dry season irrigated
  environment
• Intercropping / multiple cropping systems

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Farming problems

• How to improve rice production increase yields
• How to apply fertilizer / improve soil
• Livestock raising

Basis for farming systems activities
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Objectives

• Disseminate high yielding improved varieties for
  household rice security and income generation
• Maintaining improving preferred traditional
  varieties of farmers to maintain rice
  biodiversity for crop protection
• Support income generating farming activities
  (diversification)

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Areas of focus

• 1. Increase rice production
• Soil improvement organic inorganic fertilisers
• Agronomic practices for improved traditional
  varieties
• Appropriate fertiliser applications according to
  the recommendations of Lao-IRRI /NRRP
• Demonstrations of high yielding improved
  varieties
• On-farm seed multiplication
• 2. Income generation
• Support of other farming activities within
  rice-based production systems (pig, fish, crop
  protection, fruit trees, vegetables.)

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Principles

• Farmer-managed demonstrations / experiments
  integrating new and farmers technologies
• Combinations of improved / local varieties with
  new / traditional production methods
• local varieties important for maintaining rice
  diversity
• helps reduce levels of pests and disease
  (long-term)
• Farmers like the taste, characteristics etc.

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Need Variety recommendations

• Many new varieties and more to come
• Decision-making tool adapted to locations, soil
  types and/or season to help farmers choose the
  suitable varieties

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On-farm seed multiplication
Improved variety
Traditional variety

• Objectives
• To improve rice yield through improving seed
  quality of improved and traditional varieties in
  village communities
• increase plant vigour and yields
• improve quality acceptance of traditional
  varieties
• (gt in situ conservation)
• evaluate farmers preferences regarding variety
  characteristics
• extend information and seeds of new
  Lao-improved varieties
• 23 farmers in wet season 2003

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Importance of seed multiplication
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Farmer field day

• Introduction to Lao breeding program
• Seed multiplication roguing practices
• Farmer variety evaluation
• Seed germination testing
• General discussion

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