Twenty-One researchers and extension workers from Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam have successfully completed the Rice: Postproduction to Market training organized by IRRI Education.
The training ran from May 8-12 and covered the critical issues and challenges in reducing post-production losses, including identifying losses at all points in the post-production chain; evaluating technology options for harvesting, threshing, drying, storage, and milling of paddy; and learning how to use methodologies and tools to assess local post-harvest chains, mapping of actors, and use of a business plan for introducing or scaling out suitable technology options.
“From beginning to end we received very valuable points from our resource persons, scientists, and professors. These are very valuable for us to implement in our countries”, remarked Ms. Deepika Priyadaeshani Weerasinghe Weerasangiliyalage from Sri Lanka.
Another participant, Mr. Isagani Verallo Boholano from the Philippines, shared that despite being diverse in degrees and background, all of them gained practical applications during the training which they can share to the rice farmers and other stakeholders.
In his message during the closing ceremony, Dr. Il-Ryong Choi IRRI’s Country Representative in Korea encouraged the participants to apply what they learned during the training and share it with their colleagues in their countries. “This training was a great opportunity for you to acquire systemic knowledge and skills on how to adopt the standardized postharvest practices in the actual situation in order to minimize crop losses throughout the whole production chain”, said Dr. Choi.
The training was implemented through the joint collaboration of IRRI and the International Technology Cooperation Center (ITCC) Rural Development Administration (RDA).
For inquiries, you may email education@irri.org.