IRRI Conducts Training on Advances in Rice Production and SRP Performance Indicators for 11 Asian Countries

As part of the collaboration between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Rural Development Administration (RDA) of South Korea, IRR Education, the educational arm of IRRI, is conducting a five-day intensive course on the advances of rice production participated by select researchers and extension workers from RDA’s partner countries.

Currently, 23 agricultural technicians and extension agents from Bhutan, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, South Korea, and Myanmar have convened at the IRRI headquarters in Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines to learn about the necessary elements in growing and producing rice – from land preparation to post-harvest operations.

The training also integrates modules from the Sustainable Rice Platform’s “Driving Sustainable Rice Cultivation: Understanding the SRP Standard and Performance Indicators Training Course”, one of the most relevant courses on best climate-smart and sustainable practices in rice production. This is an intensive learning program designed to help participants relate the benefits of sustainable rice farming to farmers; explain the SRP Standards on rice cultivation and the performance indicators; and conduct data collection and assessment among farmers to measure compliance with the SRP performance indicators.

The training program was officially opened on 6 May 2024. In her welcome message, Dr. Anilyn Maningas, Head of IRRI Education, gave a brief background of the training program, emphasizing the SRP module component. She mentioned that after they complete the training and pass the certification exam, they will be awarded the SRP Authorized Trainer certification for Standard Performance and Indicators (SPI), which will qualify them to deliver training on the topic at scale.

IRRI’s Deputy Director General, Dr. Joanna Kane-Potaka also gave a message, expressing her gratitude to RDA for funding and supporting the training program. She underscored the importance of the training and their participation in it considering that it strongly aligns with IRRI’s three-fold core business including climate change mitigation, farmer prosperity, and nutritious rice.

Also present online via Zoom, were Dr. Seol Kuk-Hwan, International Technology Cooperation Center (ITCC) Head Coordinator and Director of Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI), and Mr. Jiwon Park, ITCC Project Coordinator.

Dr. Kuk-Hwan recalled how the IRRI-RDA partnership, since its inception in 2020, has trained and empowered several researchers and extension workers on topics including novel and key technologies in rice cultivation. He urged the participants to ensure that the expertise gained from this training will be applied to their respective countries afterward.

For the duration of the program, the participants will be exploring the best practices, innovations, and trends surrounding rice production, visiting IRRI’s field experiments, laboratories, and facilities, and interacting with IRRI experts.

For more updates on IRRI Education’s programs, visit education.irri.org