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20
MAY
 2019 |
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MAY RAINSTORM INTERRUPTS RICE PLANTING
Many farmers are left with acres of rice fields
still too wet to plant on time.
Posted: May. 20, 2019 3:33 PM
Updated: May. 20, 2019 4:58 PM
Posted By: Hayley Watts
BUTTE
COUNTY, Calif. - "You can see how wet it is - there's
just no way you're going to get in there with a tractor anytime soon. This is
what's causing all the problems right now in the rice world" said Andrew
Sohnrey.
Rice
farmers are in a crunch. The wet winter forced planting to start late this
year.
The
seeds need to be in the soil before June if farmers want crop insurance.
But if
they want a crop - they say it's already too late to plant.
"We're
in a lot better position than a lot of farmers in the area, we were working
about 24 hours a day to get as much done as we could," Sohnrey said.
Sohnrey
said his family is lucky. They got most of their 3,000 acres planted before the
storms hit.
"A
lot of rice farmers are maybe 50% done with their groundwork. With this rain,
it's just going to be nearly impossible for the farm to get the ground worked
up before June 1st," Sohnrey said.
Rice
farmers made about $146 million in 2017.
The
Butte County Farm Bureau said that means 2-4 times as much goes into our local
economy through jobs and distribution.
So, a
50% loss would have major impacts.
"It
could be a week, week and a half before you can even think about getting back
out here. You still have to get fertilizer on, flood it, seed it, it's going to
be a lot of farmers pushing really hard to get stuff done," Sohnrey
said.
While
many farmers may have to pay that higher insurance premium and plant after June
1st, the Sohnrey family says they may just let their 150 unplanted acres sit
this year out.
NEWS
APP:
WEATHER
APP:
New study
reveals how rice blast fungus spreads
Source:
Xinhua| 2019-05-21 15:10:23|Editor: ZX
BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- An international study has found how
rice blast fungus spreads, providing insights on the control of rice blast, the
most devastating rice disease in the world.
Rice blast fungus can infect rice plants at any growth stage and
cause lesions on most parts of the plant. Rice blast may reduce both grain
yield and quality. Under certain conditions, the disease can lead to total crop
failure.
To fend off rice blast, farmers plant disease-resistant
varieties of rice plants and spray fungicides. But rice blast fungus can adapt
to overcome resistance and develop tolerance to the fungicides.
Scientists have been trying to understand the cellular functions
used by the fungus to infect rice plants to better prevent and control the rice
disease.
In the new study, researchers from China's Nanjing Agricultural
University and Louisiana State University in the United States revealed how a
type of protein named MoAbp1 plays a crucial role in the fungus' potential
capacity to cause the disease.
They found that rice blast fungus forms a special infection
structure that applies mechanical force to rupture the rice leaf cuticle and
the protective, waxy layer covering the leaf. Once inside the host, the fungus
can live off the rice plant's nutrients to spread the infection.
The researchers reported that the two processes which are
necessary for the growth of the fungus are enabled by the protein MoAbp1.
The findings have been published in the journal Molecular
Plant-Microbe Interactions.
The study is expected to help develop new approaches for the
control of rice blast fungus infection and also shed light on the study on the
virulence mechanism of plant fungi.
PhilMech launches RCEF backed rice modernization
May 21, 2019 | 10:18 pm
PHILIPPINE
STAR/MICHAEL VARVCAS
THE Philippine Center for
Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) said it formally launched
a rice industry mechanization program backed by the Rice Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
“With the formal launch of the
projects and programs under RCEF, we at PHilMech welcome the opportunity to
spearhead the modernization of the country’s rice industry through
mechanization,” Dr. Baldwin G. Jallorina, director IV of PHilMech was quoted as
saying in a statement on Tuesday.
“PHilMech also welcomes its
collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice),
Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), the Land Bank of the Philippines and the
Development Bank of the Philippines in undertaking the different major
components under RCEF,” he added.
The government is required to
support the modernization of the rice industry through tariffs collected from
more liberal imports of foreign rice, which go into RCEF. The support will come
in the form of mechanization, rice planting know-how, seed and financing.
PhilRice will be providing
high-yielding inbred rice seed to farmers. ATI and TESDA will be conducting
training for farmers and extension workers with the assistance of PHilMech
which will provide training modules.
Land Bank of the Philippines and
the Development Bank of the Philippines will take on the credit component of
the RCEF.
PHilMech expects to decrease the
cost of producing palay in the country by P2-P3 per kilo.
“Based on studies by the
Department of Agriculture, the cost of producing one kilo of palay (unmilled
rice) in the Philippines is P12.72 per kilo while it is P6.22 in Vietnam and
P8.86 in Thailand,” PHilMech said in the statement.
“PHilMech believes with the
successful implementation of the different components under RCEF, the cost of
producing palay in the Philippines can be reduced by P2 to P3 per kilo,” it
added. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang
JS body for
stopping rice import
Staff Correspondent
12:00 AM, May 21, 2019 / LAST
MODIFIED: 02:45 AM, May 21, 2019
Amid widespread protests over the
steep fall in paddy prices, the parliamentary standing committee on the food
ministry yesterday recommended stopping import of rice.
The committee at a meeting at the
parliament complex said import of rice under public and private initiatives
would have to be stopped and the volume of paddy procurement from farmers would
have to be hiked for the sake of growers’ interest, meeting sources told The
Daily Star.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra
Majumder, Dhirendro Debnath Shambhu, Ayan Uddin and Ataur Rahman Khan, among
the committee members, were present at the meeting, chaired by Mohammed Nasim.
The food ministry informed the
meeting that it has decided to procure around 1.5 lakh tonnes of paddy at Tk 26
per kg directly from farmers this year.
The committee requested the
ministry to consider buying more paddy from the farmers directly. It also
discussed the situation that emerged following the fall in paddy prices and
stressed the need for procuring paddy directly from farmers in a transparent
way.
Farmers in different districts took
to the streets in the last two weeks, demanding higher prices for their
produce.
They formed human chains, held
press conferences and blocked roads to press home their demand.
Bulgaria to import rice, cotton
Bulgarian ambassador to Pakistan offered cooperation in animal’s
medicines of which Bulgaria is quite famous for. — Dawn/File
ISLAMABAD: Bulgarian Minister for
Economy Liliya Ivanove on Monday expressed her country’s keen desire to import
rice and cotton from Pakistan.
During the second meeting of
Pakistan-Bulgaria Inter-Ministerial Commission, Ivanove stated that Bulgaria is
looking forward to extensive cooperation in the field of agriculture including
sustainable imports of cotton and rice from Pakistan.
Bulgarian ambassador to Pakistan,
who accompanied the minister for economy, offered cooperation in the field
animal’s medicines of which Bulgaria is quite famous for.
Islamabad exports cotton fabrics,
synthetic fabric, chemical materials and products, sports goods and toys to
Bulgaria.
Pakistan-Bulgaria cooperation in
the areas of agriculture covers livestock and buffalo breeding, food processing,
food safety and phytosanitary measures, and this is included in the agenda of
the inter-ministerial commission meeting which will conclude on Tuesday.
Minister for National Food Security
and Research Mehboob Sultan said that the two sides will follow up cooperation
in the areas being identified.
The minister said that Pakistan is
world’s 5th largest milk producing country and since Bulgaria has developed its
strength in various areas of agriculture including livestock and animal
breeding and both countries could mutually benefit in this sector.
Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2019
Rice prices: A curious comparison - The answer is right next door
·
Published at 11:31 pm May 20th, 2019
Photo: Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
When the government in Bangladesh is well
aware of the crisis and is also saying that it shares the concerns of rice
farmers counting losses, it would not be a bad idea to compare how rice price
issues are well tackled in a neighbouring country
At a time when
rice farmers in Bangladesh are crying foul at the extremely low prices they are
being offered for their produce in the current Boro season, it is all quiet in
the Indian state of West Bengal as farmers there are content with a
government-provided support price.
When the
government in Bangladesh is well aware of the crisis and is also saying that it
shares the concerns of rice farmers counting losses, it would not be a bad idea
to compare how rice price issues are well tackled in a neighbouring country.
If the answer
is there right next door, there’s no point clamouring for a solution or
reinventing a remedy.
In the current
fiscal year (2018-19), farmers in West Bengal are projected to produce 25
million tons of rice and the state government decided to procure over a fifth
of it (5.2 million tons) under a public grain procurement scheme, thereby
providing farmers with a minimum support price (MSP).
Earlier this
year, when market prices were steady at 1,500 Indian Rupees (for each
quintal/100 kg) of rice, the West Bengal government offered the MSP to farmers,
fixed at 1,750 Indian Rupees by the Indian central government.
One has to keep
in mind that fixing MSP rates are not arbitrary. There is a long
well-established institutional mechanism in India to derive MSP rates for
various farm commodities in different growing and harvesting seasons.
In India there
has been a Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) since 1965.
Under the Indian agriculture ministry, CACP works as a price commission with a
mandate to recommend minimum support prices (MSPs) for 23 agricultural
commodities.
CACP is not an
all-bureaucrat body. Rather, it is comprised of one official member and two
non-official members drawn from the farming community.
The commodities
for which it recommends MSPs include, among others, rice, wheat, maize,
sorghum, millet, barley, gram, lentil, soybean, sunflower oil, sugarcane,
cotton, and jute.
Farmers in West
Bengal grow up to 25 million tons of rice annually, 10 million less than what
their counterparts in Bangladesh grow in three rice seasons – Aus, Aman and
Boro – a year.
Now in
Bangladesh’s case, the government has planned to buy only 1.85 million tons of
rice from farmers, who as projections go, would grow over 35 million tons of
rice in 2018-19. Here the public procurement volume roughly amounts to 1/19th of the total
rice output.
Simply
speaking, by procuring rice directly from farmers, West Bengal can dictate the
market price of the staple. But in Bangladesh’s case with such a small scale
market intervention government can’t dictate price terms for private rice
traders and millers, thereby leaving impoverished rice farmers largely at the
whim and mercy of millers and traders, who ultimately determine the market
price, often to the disadvantage of small and marginal farmers.
In India’s
case, a price commission (CACP) is in place that determines the support price
and that body has farmer representation in it. But in the case of Bangladesh,
an inter-ministerial body – Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) –
with no farmer representation whatsoever, decides all, that is, how much
paddy or rice will be purchased and at what price, and so on.
Then again, in
Bangladesh the food department often shies away from buying the promised volume
of paddy or rice from farmers. For instance, in the last Boro season, the
government planned to procure over one lakh tons of paddy directly from
farmers, but in reality it bought less than a fourth of the amount.
This year too ,
the government’s paddy and rice procurement drive was supposed to begin April
25, but eventually the drive began in mid-May and till yesterday, the food
department had bought only 28 tons of paddy.
Experts note
that the government is leaving much room open in Bangladesh’s rice market for
private traders and millers to rule, and often these two groups dictate price
terms, much to the misery of poor rice farmers.
Taking the
farmers' woes into consideration, the government is now mulling over import
restrictions but market sources say the government should have put in place a
restriction much earlier on cheap rice imports from India. Over 2 million tons
of rice entered Bangladesh in 2017- 2018 and still more rice is in the import
pipeline. This is all happening at a time when Bangladeshi farmers have
harvested back to back bumper crops of rice in the last Aman and Boro seasons.
Market sources
consider giving subsidies in rice exports to be a poor proposition as the
benefits, they fear, will not trickle down to the rice farmers. Rather,
hoarders and millers will reap the benefits. Farmers can only benefit if the
government increases its procurement target and buys grain directly from
farmers.
Kenya to
embrace technology to boost rice production
Kenya’s Agriculture Ministry on
Monday said it would collaborate with researchers and technologists in Africa
to increase rice production and thus ensure food security in the country.
Hamadi Boga, Principal Secretary,
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation, said Africa’s
solution to rice deficit relied on adopting innovative technology in rice
production.
“Hybrid rice seed in increasing
productivity and improving farm incomes is critical in Kenya.
“It is notable that rice
development in Asia has been achieved through the use of quality seeds,
especially hybrids.
“The replication of this
technology in Africa is a welcome intervention,’’ Mr Boga said in Nairobi
during the launch of the Alliance for Hybrid Rice in Africa.
He said the introduction of
hybrid seeds would address rice productivity gap in Kenya and Africa at large.
“Our annual production is about
150,000 metric tonnes (MT) which is far much below the average demand of
570,000 MT.
“The deficit is met through
imports which on average cost the country 13 billion shillings (130 million
dollars) annually,’’ he added.
Mr Boga said the government
targeted to increase annual rice production to 406,486 MT by 2022.
He, however, highlighted modern
technologies in irrigation, mechanisation, and adoption of high yielding seed
varieties among the interventions to reduce the import bill.
GIEWS Country Brief: Ghana 20-May-2019
REPORT
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
· Favourable moisture conditions allowed
planting activities of 2019 main season crops across the country
· Above-average cereal production
estimated in 2018
· Increasing maize prices following
high institutional demand
· Strong economic growth and high
food inflation
· Food assistance needed for
vulnerable people
Sufficient cumulative rainfall since February/March favours
planting activities in 2019
Following a timely onset of seasonal rains, planting of the 2019
main season maize crop was completed in April and harvesting operations are
expected to start in August. Weeding activities are normally progressing in
most cropped areas. Planting operations for millet, sorghum and rice, to be
harvested from October, are underway.
Pastures and availability of water for livestock have improved
in May compared to previous months in the main grazing areas of the north and
centre of the country. The animal health situation is overall stable.
Above-average 2018 cereal crop harvested
The 2018 agricultural season (main and second cropping seasons)
was characterized by timely and well-distributed rainfall. In addition, the
Governmental programme “Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ)” provided inputs
(seeds and fertilizers) at subsidized prices and extension services to about
500 000 farmers, boosting production. As a result, the 2018 cereal output is
estimated at 3.4 million tonnes, about 9 percent higher than the 2017 output
and 21 percent above the five-year average.
Despite the above-average 2018 cereal production, import
requirements for the 2018/19 (November/October) marketing year (mainly imported
rice and wheat flour) are set at a slightly above-average level of 1.4 million
tonnes. This is explained by the higher demand by traders to replenish their
stocks.
Increasing maize prices following high institutional demand
Markets are generally well supplied since the beginning of 2019
due to stocks of the 2018 cropping season's harvests and good harvests in major
seasons across the country. However, despite the good availabilities, prices of
maize increased in April due to strong demand from traders and institutions for
restocking, households for consumption and industries for animal feed
production. Prices of mostly imported rice remained relatively stable in April.
Strong economic growth projected, high food inflation
According to the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), the economic
growth is forecast to remain strong at about 6.5 percent in 2019, similar to
2018 due to increasing national oil production. The year on year inflation rate
in 2019 is forecast to remain high at about 11 percent as a result of
increasing consumer prices.
Food assistance needed for vulnerable people
Despite the overall favourable food security conditions, most
vulnerable households still need external food assistance. According to the
March 2019 “Cadre Harmonisé” analysis, about 42 000 people were estimated to be
in need of food assistance from March to May 2019, with a significant decrease
from the 99 000 food insecure people in March-May 2018. This number is expected
to increase to 123 000 during the June to August 2019, if no mitigation actions
are taken.
GIEWS Country
Brief: Côte d'Ivoire, 21-May-2019
REPORT
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
Cropping season in 2019 underway with favourable moisture
conditions
Above-average cereal harvest gathered in 2018
Decreasing economic growth and inflation rate in 2019
Overall food supply and access generally satisfactory
Favourable rainfall conditions benefitting 2019 first cropping
season
Following a timely onset of seasonal rains, planting of the 2019
main season maize was completed in April and harvesting operations are expected
to start in August. Weeding activities for maize are normally progressing in
most cropped areas. Planting of rice, for harvest in September, started in
April and operations are still ongoing. Planting operations for millet and
sorghum, for harvest from October, are also underway.
Grazing conditions and availability of water for livestock have
improved in the main natural reserves of the north and centre of the country.
The animal health situation is generally good and stable, with just some
localized outbreaks of seasonal diseases.
Above-average cereal production harvested in 2018
The 2018 agricultural season (main and second cropping seasons)
was characterized by timely and well-distributed rainfall as well as continued
Government support to farmers through free/subsidized delivery of seeds and
tools. Consequently, the country’s aggregate cereal output in 2018 was
estimated at 3.2 million tonnes, about 7 percent above the five-year average
and slightly below the 2017 record level.
Cereal import requirements in 2019 are estimated at 2.1 million
tonnes, similar to last year and slightly below the five-year average due to
higher demand for human and industrial use, mainly in the poultry and beverage
sectors.
Decreasing economic growth and inflation rate
According to the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), the economic
growth will remain strong at 6.9 percent in 2019, but it will slow down from
the 7.3 percent averaged in 2018. This slow pace of growth is explained by the
decline in global cocoa prices in 2019 due to the effects of Swollen Shoot on
cocoa trees, that have impacted cocoa production and quality. Inflation in 2019
is expected to slightly decrease from an average of 0.4 percent in 2018 to 0.3
percent in 2019 due to strong economic growth and relatively stable domestic
food prices. Inflation will overall remain well below the UEMOA (Union
Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine) convergence rate of 3 percent.
Satisfactory availability and access to food due to good 2018
harvests
Food security conditions are overall favourable following the
good harvest obtained in 2018. However, according to the March 2019 “Cadre
Harmonisé” analysis, about 23 000 people (0.3 percent of the population in the
analysed areas) are estimated to be in need of food assistance during the lean
season, from June to August 2019.
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Mexico
Opens Rice Market to Brazil
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO --
Earlier this month, the governments of Mexico and Brazil announced the
opening of Mexico's rice market to Brazil and Brazil reciprocated by opening
their market for dry beans to Mexico. The opening in Mexico is for
milled rice only. Brazilian paddy rice is permitted, however, the
presence of the fungus phona sorghina in Brazilian production fields, which
is a restricted fungus in Mexico, has impeded actual exports.
The opening for Brazil is consistent with Mexico's policy to diversify its market, especially for grains, for nearly every major origin as a means to lower prices and ensure food security for its population. The impact for U.S. rice exports to Mexico is considered negligible by many in the local import trade. "We can already source duty-free milled rice from every major origin, including the U.S., Uruguay, Argentina, Thailand, Vietnam, and India," said one major Mexican importer. "Brazil does give us another option, but logistically it's a bit more difficult. The biggest competition for U.S. milled rice sales in Mexico continues to be Uruguay for quality, and paddy rice milled at Mexican mills for price." Mexico imports about 85 percent of its rice consumption and nearly 75 percent of those exports are rough rice, the majority of which comes from the U.S. On the milled side, Uruguay has established itself as the quality leader making up about 60 percent of the milled market. U.S. milled rice makes up close to 30 percent of the market, with Argentina, Thailand, and others covering the rest. The trade reports that while Uruguayan rice is a bit more costly, it sells quicker and at greater profit margins than imported U.S. milled rice.  In an effort to recapture this market share for milled rice, USA Rice visited Mexican rice importers in January showcasing high quality U.S. rice varieties. Cheneire, Presidio, and CL163 were most favored among the participants. USA Rice will continue to showcase varieties that meet Mexico's definition of high quality and is scheduled to conduct more than 200 consumer-focused events there to promote U.S.-origin rice. |
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Rice Webinar: Thursday May 23 Tune in Thursday, May 23, at 12:00 p.m. Central Time, for a new rice webinar hosted by Dr. Bobby Coats, with the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas. Rachel Trego, an international economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service who is the team leader for food grains analysis, will present the new USDA 2019/20 forecasts, as well as global trends and developments with key competitors and markets. Go here to register for the webinar. |
GIEWS Country Brief: Liberia 20-May-2019
REPORT
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
· Favourable moisture conditions
allowed timely planting of 2019 rice crop
· Average rice production harvested
in 2018
· Decreasing economic growth and
food price inflation
· Pockets of poverty remain in the
country
Favourable moisture conditions allowed timely start of 2019
planting season
The onset of the rains in late February and early March 2019
allowed a timely start of the cropping season. Planting of the paddy crop, to
be harvested from September to December, started in April 2019. Rainfed paddy
is the only cereal grown in the country. Adequate rainfall amounts are
supporting soil moisture conditions for crop growth and development and
contributed to the recovery of pasture conditions across the country. Weeding
activities are underway in most cropping areas.
Average rice production harvested in 2018
Despite localized flooding in some parts of the South-Western
Region, the 2018 national rice production was estimated at 280 000 tonnes,
similar to the previous year and the five-year-average.
Imports account for more than half of country’s total cereal
requirements. Rice for human consumption accounts for over 80 percent of
imports, while wheat and maize account for about 13 percent and 6 percent,
respectively. Cereal import requirements for the 2019 marketing year
(January-December) are forecast at 500 000 tonnes, about 2 percent above the
previous year and 16 percent above the average due to higher demand for human
consumption. Decreasing economic growth and food price inflation
According to the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), the economic
growth will slow down from 2.9 percent in 2018 to 1.6 percent in 2019 as a
result of unfavourable prospects for international prices of some of the
country's exports, including iron ore, gold and diamonds. Moreover, the local
currency is expected to weaken from around LRD 130 per USD in 2018 to LRD 166
per USD in 2019 as a result of a greater exchange rate liberalization and a
large current account deficit, which put downward pressure on the Liberian
Dollar.
Despite the depreciation of the Liberian Dollar, the
year-on-year food inflation is expected to decline from 23.6 percent in 2018 to
13.9 percent in 2019 as a result of the lower prices of staple food, including
rice, as well as oil for consumption.
Pockets of poverty remain in the country
Despite the overall satisfactory food security conditions, some
vulnerable households still need external food assistance. According to the
March 2019 “Cadre Harmonisé” analysis, about 29 500 people are estimated to be
in need of food assistance from March to May 2019. This number is expected to
increase to 41 500 during the June to August 2019 period, if no mitigation
actions are taken. According to UNHCR, the number of registered refugees in the
country is around 9 000 as of March 2019, down from about 11 000 in April 2018
NEDA pushes for speedy release of rice fund
May 20, 2019
MANILA — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
is urging the administration’s leadership to immediately release the
PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) that aims to help
modernize and boost the productivity of rice farmers.
“It should be released hopefully
early third quarter or earlier so needed certified seeds and machinery can be
provided in time for the wet season or if not this season, the dry season,”
NEDA Assistant Secretary Mercedita Sombilla said in a mobile phone message to
the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday.
NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie
Edillon said the RCEF needs to be released “fast” to make support readily
available to farmers since it is part of the mitigating measures of Republic
Act (RA) 11203.
“Also, to catch the next planning
season,” Edillon said in a separate message.
RA 11203, or the rice
tariffication law, mandates the establishment of an RCEF that guarantees the
rice sector a PHP10-billion financial support annually for the next six years
beginning 2019.
Edillon said PHP1 billion for
credit is already available.
The NEDA official further said
the specific implementing guidelines and work program of all concerned agencies
are being finalized.
“There is a tech budget hearing
of DA (Department of Agriculture) at DBM (Department of Budget and Management)
today and probably it will be tackled,” she added.
Based on the law’s implementing
rules and regulations signed by NEDA, the DBM, and the DA, half of the rice
fund amounting to PHP5 billion annually will be used to procure rice farm
equipment by the government through the Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
Equipment such as tillers,
tractors, seeders, threshers, rice planters, harvesters, and irrigation pumps
will be given as a grant-in-kind primarily for eligible farmers, rice farm
associations, and registered rice cooperatives.
Under the rice tariffication law,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, in his Facebook post Monday, said PHP3
billion of the RCEF is allocated for inbred seeds to be handled by the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and PHP1 billion for credit.
The remaining PHP1 billion is
earmarked for technical skills development and training to be handled by the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (PHP700 million); PhilRice
(PHP100 million); PhilMech (PHP100 million); and Agricultural Training
Institute (PHP100 million), he said.
Nigeria To
Produce Agricultural Machinery Soon ― FG
machinery
THE Federal Government will soon commission Agricultural
Machinery and Development Institute (AMEDI) in Mbotu, Mbaise Local Government
Area of Imo state.
Speaking when he visited the Institute at the weekend, the
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu disclosed that the
institute would design and produce agricultural machinery for farming, planting,
processing, and harvesting of agricultural produce.
In a statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public
Relations Unit of the ministry, AbdulGaniyu Aminu, a copy of which was made
available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Monday, Dr Onu further said the
institute was established in order to ensure food security in Nigeria.
According to him, my visit to the institute is to enable me to
assess the level of work in preparation for the commissioning.
“The institute is not for actual production, our interest is for
them to do the design and do the necessary research so that the
commercialization will be done by the organized private Sector.
“If we involve our businessmen and women all over the world, the
level of commercialization will be much higher. We would not only be in a
position to produce this machine to be used locally in Nigeria but also for our
export.” He added.
He described the past situation in which
Nigeria was the highest importer of rice as unacceptable, adding that “today we
are doing very well, we are importing very little and producing rice in
abundance though we still need to produce more”.
Dr. Onu stressed need to mechanize our
agriculture and introduce lot technology and innovation that will make
agricultural processes to be very stress-free and competitive.
“We need to train our people, boost
agricultural capacity if we have enough people who have this capability to
design of machines, we would be in a position to start exporting some of these
machines,” he added.
Dr, Onu further disclosed that the workshop of
the institute is 80% completed while the administrative block is at an advanced
stage, adding that the equipment is available in Mbutu and will be installed as
the building is nearing completion.
Earlier, the Director-General, the National
Agency for Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Professor Muhammed Haruna, who
was represented by a director in the agency, Mrs. Nonye Onyiyechi said that
institute was established to boost agricultural production through
mechanization.
She expressed hope that with the visit of the minister, the project
would be concluded before the end of the year
New
Study Reveals How Rice Blast Fungus Spreads
An international study has found
how rice blast fungus spreads, providing insights on the control of rice blast,
the most devastating rice disease in the world
BEIJING, (UrduPoint / Pakistan
Point News - APP - 21st May, 2019 ) :An international study has found how rice
blast fungus spreads, providing insights on the control of rice blast, the most
devastating rice disease in the world.
Rice blast fungus can infect rice
plants at any growth stage and cause lesions on most parts of the plant. Rice
blast may reduce both grain yield and quality. Under certain
conditions, the disease can lead to total crop failure.
To fend off rice blast, farmers plant disease-resistant varieties
of rice plants and spray fungicides. But rice blast fungus can adapt to
overcome resistance and develop tolerance to the fungicides.
Scientists have been trying to understand the cellular functions
used by the fungus to infect rice plants to better prevent and control the rice
disease.
In the new study, researchers from China's Nanjing Agricultural University and Louisiana State University in
the United States revealed how a type of protein named MoAbp1 plays a crucial
role in the fungus' potential capacity to cause the disease.
They found that rice blast fungus forms a special infection
structure that applies mechanical force to rupture the rice leaf cuticle and
the protective, waxy layer covering the leaf. Once inside the host, the fungus
can live off the rice plant's nutrients to spread the infection.
The researchers reported that the two processes which are
necessary for the growth of the fungus are enabled by the protein MoAbp1.
The findings have been published in the journal Molecular
Plant-Microbe Interactions.
The study is expected to help develop new approaches for the
control of rice blast fungus infection and also shed light on the study on the
virulence mechanism of plant fungi.
Bulgaria says looking to source
more cotton, rice from Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Bulgaria is looking forward to extensive cooperation in
the field of agriculture with Pakistan including sustainable export of cotton
and rice from the South Asian country.
It was stated by Liliya Ivanove, Deputy Minister of Economy
Republic of Bulgaria, during a meeting Mehboob Sultan, Minister of National
Food Security & Research, at his office in the federal capital.
The federal minister said Pakistan was world’s fifth largest milk
producing country in the world and since Bulgaria had developed its strength in
various areas of agriculture including livestock and animal breeding, both
countries could mutually benefit in this sector.
“Our government is focusing on this sector and in collaboration
with our provincial governments, it is planning to focus areas including
enhancing production of crops, livestock, and fisheries and also improving
water management,” Sultan said.
An official statement said the agricultural cooperation was
included in the agenda of the second meeting of Pak-Bulgaria Inter-Ministerial
Commission (IGC) being hosted by Pakistan on 20-21 May, 2019 at Islamabad.
Major areas of cooperation include livestock and buffalo breeding,
food processing, food safety and Phyto-sanitary measures, it added.
The federal food security minister further said it was a pleasure
to learn agriculture was also included in the agenda of the IGC Session and,”
We are hopeful that our technical experts would come up with agreed points for
our joint endeavors in the field of agriculture”.
Sultan added that two sides would follow up cooperation in the
areas being identified during the IGC session.
On the occasion, Bulgarian Ambassador Roumen Pirontchev offered
his country’s cooperation in the field of vetrinary medicines for which
Bulgaria was quite famous.
Pakistan exports cotton fabrics, synthetic fabric, chemical
materials & products, sports goods and toys to Bulgaria.
Bulgaria is a member of the European Union, NATO, and the Council
of Europe; it is a founding state of the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and has taken a seat on the UN Security Council
three times.
Bulgaria lauds
Pakistan’s business friendly policies
ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on
Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood has said the Pakistani government was taking all
the possible measures to facilitate investors in various sectors of economy and
to attract more investments in the country, Radio Pakistan reported.
Talking to Bulgarian delegation led by the
Deputy Minister of Economy Liliya Ivanova in Islamabad, he said ease of doing
business reforms was the top most priority of the government and this was the
right time to invest in various sectors of economy in Pakistan.
The advisor extended invitation to the
Bulgarian investors to come and invest in Pakistan especially in the areas of
automobiles, engineering and agriculture.
He stressed on the need to enhance Pakistan’s
exports of citrus fruits, mango, rice and raw cotton, surgical equipment and
handicrafts to the Bulgarian market.
The Bulgarian official appreciated the current
government’s efforts to introduce business friendly policies in Pakistan which
will facilitate the investors.
Govt taking
all possible measures to attract FDI: Dawood
-
May 20, 2019
ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood said on
Monday that the current government is taking all the possible measures to
facilitate investors so that maximum foreign direct investment (FDI) could be
attracted.
Welcoming the Bulgarian trade and investment delegation at the
Ministry of Commerce, Dawood said the government is fully committed to
introducing more business-friendly reforms in the country to facilitate foreign
investors.
The Bulgarian delegation, led by the Deputy Minister of Economy
Liliya Ivanova, is in Pakistan to hold the second session of the Inter-Governmental
Commission with an aim to enhance trade and economic relations between the two
countries.
Both sides agreed that the current trade volume between the two
countries is far below the actual potential.
The adviser said that the introduction of business reforms is
among the topmost priorities of the government, adding that this is the right
time to invest in Pakistan.
Dawood also invited the Bulgarian investors to come and invest
in Pakistan, especially in the areas of automobiles, engineering and
agriculture.
The adviser stressed on the need to enhance Pakistan’s export of
citrus fruits, mangoes, rice and raw cotton, surgical equipment and handicrafts
to the Bulgarian market.
The Bulgarian deputy minister of economy on the occasion
appreciated the incumbent government’s efforts to introduce business-friendly
policies in Pakistan, as it would increase the confidence of foreign investors.
She said in the agriculture sector, it is important to establish
linkages between relevant institutions of both countries for livestock
breeding. She also called for joint ventures in food processing, research and
development.
“Cooperation in tourism, information technology, education,
maritime and aviation sectors will also be explored during the session of Inter-Governmental
Commission,” she added.
The adviser thanked the delegation and extended the government’s
full cooperation and support in the facilitation of Bulgarian investors and
enhancement of bilateral trade and economic relations between the two countries.
Chinese Team Hands Over Hybrid Rice
Seed To PU
A team of China's Wuhan University
has handed over hybrid rice seed to Punjab University for hybrid rice breeding
in Pakistan, which would bring revolution in agriculture sector
LAHORE (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News /
Online - 21st May, 2019) A team of China's Wuhan University
has handed over hybrid rice seed to Punjab University
for hybrid rice breeding in Pakistan, which
would bring revolution in agriculture sector.
In this regard, a ceremony was held at PU Vice
Chancellor's office here on Tuesday. PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad Akhter, Mr Zhiyong
XU and Mr Airu Zhu from Wuhan University, China, External
Linkages Director Prof.
Dr. Kanwal Ameen, Institute of Agricultural
Sciences Director Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem Haider, Assistant Professor
Dr Muhammad Ali and
others were present. PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad said that Punjab University
would play its role for betterment of society as well country.
He said
that PU was promoting such research projects which would leave positive impact
on society and country. IAGS Prof Dr Saleem Haider said that PU would
experiment the hybrid breeding of rice at local level and its adaptation.
He said that this hybrid breeding of rice
in Pakistan would
bring revolution in agriculture sector
and strengthen academia-industry linkages. Later, the Chinese delegation
visited the labs and experimental area of the Institute of Agricultural
Sciences for hybrid rice production and appreciated the efforts of Prof. Dr. M.
Saleem Haider and his team.
Shortage of commodities at utility
stores
GUJRANWALA: Despite government’s tall claims, the utility stores
have failed in providing daily use items to the consumers due to shortage of
the commodities.
The Utility Stores Corporation before the start of the Ramazan had
announced that 19 items, including rice, pulses, cooking oil, grams, sugar,
dates and juices would be available on subsidised rates at its outlets during
the month of the Ramazan.
However, mostly utility stores in Gujranwala are facing shortage of
flour,
ghee, oil, sugar etc, which caused a tension for the people
visiting these stores for getting edibles on subsidised rates.
There are 75 utility stores in Gujranwala but citizens are unable
to get flour, ghee and edible oil from their nearest store as these items are
available only on some branches.
Protesting over the situation, the consumers said that the people
had welcomed the PTI government’s decision to provide food items to the
consumers on subsidised rates, but they were disappointed as the utility stores
were facing shortage of essential items. They demanded the high ups take notice
of the situation.
TWO DACOITS INJURED IN ENCOUNTER: Two alleged dacoits were injured
during a police encounter at Ladhewala Warraich on Monday.
Four armed men were busy looting the citizens on a road when the
police rushed to the spot and tried to arrest the dacoits.
On seeing the police, the dacoits opened fire at the police party,
which was retaliated. As a result, two dacoits, later identified as Aftab and
Shaukat, were injured. The other two dacoits fled.
Role of
precision agriculture in food security
Rashid
Rafique May 21,
2019 Role of precision agriculture in food security2019-05-21T13:28:15+05:00Articles No Comment
Agriculture sector is a voguish sector in which our life and
business enterprises are combine together. Agriculture is considered to be
backbone of Pakistan with a share of 23.4% in economy of our country.
Now a days, food security is a big challenge and focus of
agriculture sector is to maximize production for growing population. Pakistan
must pay attention on priority bases to enhance the productivity of agriculture
sector.
The important role of agriculture sector is to minimizing poverty,
provide employment opportunity for work force. Approximately, 70% of
total population of Pakistan lives in rural areas, 45% of labor force is
engaged with agriculture sector.
Wheat, Rice, Maize, Sugarcane and Cotton are major crops in
Pakistan. According to the economic survey of Pakistan, contribution of major
crops in agriculture sector are 25.6% while 5.4% in gross domestic product
(GDP).
Besides major crops, contribution
of minor crops in agriculture sector are 11.6%. Livestock is a sub-sector of
Pakistan agriculture which contributes 56% value addition in agriculture and
11% in GDP.
Unfortunately, agriculture productivity is very low in Pakistan so
profit margin for farmer is very low that’s why farmers are not able to
purchase advance technology, high quality seeds, and other inputs as well.
Role of Precision Agriculture
Precision Agriculture is defined as information and technology
based farm management within the field for optimum profitability,
sustainability and conserve the land resources. Precision Agriculture
techniques involve doing more with less inputs and reducing harmful
applications to the soil or crop.
This means optimizing the use of water, fuel, fertilizers,
pesticides and maximizing farm profitability. Precision agriculture focus on
distribution of inputs on site specific basis to maximize cost/benefit ratio.
For better farming, information technology enhances the crop production by
efficient utilization of farm inputs.
Now a days, farmers are also
looking for new way to increase farm productivity and decrease cost of farm
inputs which is possible by precision farming. For precision farming, spatial
information technology is used such as Global positioning system (GPS)
and geographic information system(GIS) to make precision in different cropping system.
The emerging challenges for agriculture are climate change and
water shortage. Precision farming can face these challenges because precision
technology distributes farm inputs on site specific area of crop.
Precision technology is considered as advanced technique to
protect the environment from environmental pollution. Global positioning system
(GPS) increase the efficiency of farm inputs with their optimum use.
Precision farming provide useful information to the farmer for
optimum use of inputs likes irrigation, fertilizers, pesticides and seed as
well. Precision farming also maintain water table in the soil.
Precision farming are now being practiced in different vegetables,
fruits and crops like barley, maize, wheat, soybean, tomato, onion, potato,
sugarcane, grape, forages and citrus. Crop-input determination, variable-rate
application, yield monitoring and parallel swath navigation are the important
garb of precision farming.
Precision agriculture based on
three things
- Crops cultivation according to need of the
crop
- Increasingly economics challenges through
more efficient practices (e.g. improved management of fertilizer usage and
other inputs.
- Minimizing environmental risks due to
farming practices (e.g. limiting leaching of nitrogen)
Components of Precision
Agriculture
There are four components of precision Agriculture.
- GPS (Global Positioning System)
- GIS (Geographical Information System)
- Variable Rate Technologies
- Remote Sensing
Applications of GPS
GPS-based applications in precision farming are being used for
- field mapping
- soil sampling
- farm planning
- crop scouting
- yield mapping
- tractor guidance
Applications of GIS
GPS-based applications in precision farming are being used for
- to measure layers of boundaries
- to take aerial photos
- to take different measurements
- to take data from various sources for
analysis.
Applications of Remote Sensing
Remote sensing applications in precision farming are being used
for
- Crop Height Monitoring
- Chlorophyll Measurement
- Electrical Conductivity (EC)
- Aerial Photography
- Satellite Imagery
Need of precision Agriculture
In future precision agriculture
- Increase yield of different crops
- Reduce investment for crop production
- Reduce pest and disease problems in
different crops
- Increasing the use of sustainable farming
practices
- Ensure food security for 9 billion people
Authors: Rashid Rafique*1, Arslan Ali1, Akhtar Abbas 2, Muhammad Asad1
1 Department of Agronomy, 2Department of Plant Breeding
and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Kenya Embraces Technology To Boost
Rice Production
Kenya's agriculture ministry said
on Monday it will collaborate with researchers and technologists in Africa to
increase rice production and thus boost food security
NAIROBI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan
Point News - APP - 20th May, 2019 ) :Kenya's agriculture ministry said on Monday it will collaborate with researchers
and technologists in Africa to increase rice production and thus boost food security.
Hamadi Boga, principle secretary of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation said Africa's solution to rice deficit relied on adopting innovative technology in rice production.
"The importance of hybrid rice
seed in increasing productivity and improving farm incomes is critical in Kenya, it is notable that rice development in Asia has been achieved through the use of quality seed especially
hybrids, replication of this technology in Africa is a welcome intervention," Boga said in Nairobi during the launch of the Alliance for Hybrid Rice in Africa.
He said the introduction of hybrid
seeds will address rice productivity gap in Kenya and Africa at large.
"Our annual production is
about 150,000 metric tons (MT) which is far much below the average demand of
570,000 MT, the deficit is met through imports which on average cost the country 13 billion shillings (130 million U.S Dollars) annually," he added.
Boga said that the government targets to increase annual rice production to 406,486 MT by
2022, highlighting modern technologies in irrigation, mechanization, and
adoption of high yielding seed varieties among the interventions to reduce
the import bill.
Modern farmers work harder than
cavemen did: study
Italy may be forced to import olive oil after wild winter
Most would consider themselves lucky to have been born in the modern
age — unthreatened by food scarcity and saber-toothed tigers.
But a new anthropological study based in the Philippines suggests that hunter-gatherers
get about 10 hours more leisure time per week than their farming counterparts —
a shift which also disproportionately affects women.
Experts say that prehistoric man began growing plants as far
back as 23,000 years ago and surpassed hunting and gathering as the primary
means of food cultivation some 5,000 years ago.
“For a long time, the transition from foraging to farming was
assumed to represent progress, allowing people to escape an arduous and
precarious way of life,” says Mark Dyble of University of Cambridge, first author of the study now
appearing in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. “But as soon as
anthropologists started working with hunter-gatherers they began questioning
this narrative, finding that foragers actually enjoy quite a lot of leisure
time. Our data provides some of the clearest support for this idea yet.”
For the past two years, Dyble and his team of anthropologists
have lived with the Agta, an indigenous, mountain-dwelling people who still
engage in ancient foraging and rice farming practices. Researchers observed and
recorded the daily activity of 359 individuals, noting how and when they
scheduled free time, child care, domestic chores and either cultivating or hunting
for food.
They found that the Agta communities that engage in agriculture
ended up working harder and losing leisure time compared to their
hunter-gatherer relatives. It was revealed that farmers spend on average 30
hours per week tending their crops, while foragers spent just 20 hours
searching for food in the wild. Women in agricultural communities, who also
manage the largest share of child rearing and domestic work, had half as much
free time as women in hunter-gatherer groups.
“This might be because agricultural work is more easily shared
between the sexes than hunting or fishing,” Dyble says. “Or there may be other
reasons why men aren’t prepared or able to spend more time working out-of-camp.
This needs further examination.”
Research co-author Abigail Page says this study can’t prove that
cavemen had it easy, but it does raise the question: “Why did humans adopt
agriculture?”
“The amount of leisure time that Agta enjoy is testament to the
effectiveness of the hunter-gatherer way of life,” Page says. “This leisure
time also helps to explain how these communities manage to share so many skills
and so much knowledge within lifetimes and across generations.”
Questions as the new rice regime begins
37SHARES2
image:
https://www.philstar.com/images/authors/1805279.jpg
BIZLINKS - Rey Gamboa (The Philippine Star) - May
21, 2019 - 12:00am
The price of rice at retail
outlets is dropping, which is making consumers happy — and which perhaps helped
the current administration get the landslide votes to support its slate.
On the other hand, rice farmers
are bewildered as farm gate prices for palay keep dropping week after week, now
already close to 10 percent lower than its price a year ago.
Speculation is largely to blame
as ramifications of the Rice Tariffication Law signed last February have
started sinking in not just among the ranks of traders and other industry
stakeholders, but also among rice farmers too.
It is not surprising to hear news
of more rice farmers seeking part time jobs in other sectors. After all, when
there is little or no money left from selling palay to feed their family until
the next harvest and to buy seeds for the next planting season, leaving the
land is a no-brainer.
While this may seem to be a
temporary measure to survive, the threat of more rice farmers abandoning their
fields for good is real with the absence of a clear and palpable plan to stave
actual and feared losses from a new regime brought about by import
liberalization.
The vaunted savior that is the
Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) is as nebulous as all the legalese
found in the Rice Tariffication Law and its implementing rules and regulations,
and this is not comforting at all to our four million affected rice farmers.
Questions abound
How exactly is the initial P5
billion allocated by law going to help our rice farmers? More importantly, will
the P10 billion that would come from tariffs earned when importing rice really
be able to help our rice farmers earn more than they currently make, or even
make them competitive with their Thai or Vietnam counterparts?
Is mechanization really the big
answer? Fifty percent of the RCEF is allotted to the distribution of rice
farming machineries like tractors, mechanical transplanters, combine
harvesters, dryers, seed cleaners, and single-pass rice mills through the
Philippine Center for Post-Harvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
All these gizmos are supposed to
be received by farmer associations, registered rice cooperatives, and local
government units over the next six years that the RCEF is in place. Are the
policies for distribution in place so that machineries will truly boost farm
productivity?
How transparent will procedures
be in choosing recipients, and more importantly, in reporting progress in the
use of such machineries? At this time, with the first P5 billion ready for
appropriation, we should already have a list of the chosen 1,100 rice farm
community beneficiaries.
Philippine Rice Research
Institution (PhilRice) will spend P3 billion yearly for developing,
propagating, and promoting inbred rice seeds to rice farmers and organizations.
Shouldn’t we have a clear idea now of the exact details of how PhilRice will be
spending this money?
Finally, how will LandBank and
the Development Bank of the Philippines with P1 billion each teach farmers
modern methods of farming, seed production, and farm mechanization?
Rice self-sufficient is goal
We’re not even going into the
wisdom of the 50-30-10-10 allocation set by law for the RCEF disbursement. We
are putting our trust in the wisdom of Senator Cynthia Villar who had worked
hard to polish and consolidate all the bills filed in Congress to come up with
this new tariff regime.
The Department of Agriculture
must rise up to the challenge of this new order, and make things work. Our
farmers must be made to stay in the rice fields with the clear hope that the
new law and RCEF will be able to provide for better yields and improved
incomes.
More importantly, the new law
must be able to bring the country to rice self-sufficiency, and away from a
world market that is prone to upsets from a variety of factors.
Because only a small volume of
rice produced by a handful of countries is available for global trade, crises
are inevitable that immediately affect our own food security. Rice is a major
food staple of half of the world’s population, and the Philippines is but one of
the countries in the world that relies on importations on a regular basis.
Letting tariffs work
While the government is eyeing a
reduction of P7 per kilo of rice at the retail level this year with the Rice
Tariffication Law, lower prices in the long term should come from a truly
revitalized rice farming sector.
Understandably, with farmgate
prices plunging to as low as P14 per kilo from P18 last year, this year’s
harvest should make its way to the market stalls at equally lower retail prices
too, and not in the pockets of traders and middlemen.
As the new planting season
begins, and the money from the RCEF being put to good use, the next harvest
should bring in better prices for our farmers as well as increased yields.
Meanwhile, a currently tight
global market for rice trading should enable local production to keep up with
imports that should be priced higher with the addition of tariffs. Right now,
the price of imported Thai rice is not so different from local wholesale
prices.
Still, it is comforting that the
new rice law’s IRR carries powers for the president, in times when a sudden
rise or drop in domestic prices of rice occurs, specifically to “increase,
reduce, revise or adjust existing rates of import duty.”
The burden of making the Rice
Tariffication Law and the RCEF is now in the hands of the bureaucrats,
specifically the agriculture department. All doubts and cynicism must be taken
as challenges, and workarounds will be necessary to make things work.
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Climate extremes are slashing rice
& maize yields, threatening global food supply: Study
Australian
researchers find that adverse weather causes nearly 50% of global yield losses
for maize and spring wheat, 25% for rice and 20% for soybeans.
Corn
grows in a field of a farm outside of Phulambri in Maharashtra
(representational image) | Karen Dias/Bloomberg
Bengaluru: Extreme weather — such as
unusually high temperatures and heavy or abnormally low rainfall — during the
growing season is leading to considerable crop yield losses in maize, wheat,
rice and soybean across the world, Australian researchers have found.
In a first-of-its-kind study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters(ERL)
this month, scientists have concluded that fluctuations in climate indicators
during growing seasons explain nearly half of global yield losses for maize and
spring wheat, about one-quarter of losses for rice and one-fifth for soybeans.
The results suggest that maize and spring wheat are especially
vulnerable to climatic conditions.
Importantly, more than half of this correlation was found to be
only due to extreme (exceptionally high or low) temperature and precipitation
conditions; near-average conditions were found to have very little impact.
Between temperature and precipitation, temperature extremes were found to be
more relevant in explaining crop yield losses than precipitation.
The findings suggest that extreme weather could affect food
supplies across the globe as maize, corn, wheat, rice and soybeans are some of
the most widely produced crops. A vast majority of the global population relies
on these crops for their regular diet. The crops, in turn, rely heavily on
stable temperatures and rainfall distribution during growing for maximum
output.
But recent studies have shown that the current climate crisis is
causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events
like heatwaves, droughts, and heavy rainfall leading to flash-floods. Such
events take a heavy toll on agricultural crops and consequently on the
livelihoods of farmers, and food security for populations.
The study
The study has relied on crop yield data from over 13,000 locations
worldwide between the years 1961 and 2008. It also obtained temperature and
precipitation data from various regional and global organisations over the same
time period. The study examines plausible correlations between the two
datasets.
“We used a global agricultural database that provides
(year-to-year) yield data at high spatial resolution, for example, for
different states or regions within a country,” wrote Elisabeth Vogel, a
researcher from the Australian-German Climate & Energy College in
University of Melbourne and lead author of this study, in an email to The
Print.
“(Unlike previous studies) we had more local information that
allowed us to gain a clearer picture of climate impacts on crop yields,” she
added. These are officially reported numbers from public sources, statistical
bureaus and agricultural agencies and contain a chronological record of
production, yields and area harvested for each crop type and set-up (irrigated,
unirrigated, local, industrial etc).
The authors used a well-established machine learning approach to
disentangle the relationships between climate factors and crop output.
“The effects of climate extremes on agricultural yields are
challenging to analyse because their effects can be highly complex,” Vogel
said. “The algorithm we used can identify patterns in the data and this way,
helps us to better understand the links between climate extremes and crop
yields.”
Strong correlation for crops in North America, Asia
The correlation between extreme conditions and agricultural output
was particularly strong for maize production in North America and Asia, rice
production in Asia, and soy production in North and South America, the study
found.
North America and Asia were responsible for more than 70 per cent
of global maize production (based on yield data from 1990-2008). More than 90
per cent of the global rice supply comes from Asia and more than 80 per cent of
global soy supply comes from North and South America. Even small losses in
agricultural yields in these regions could have major repercussions for global
food supply.
While developed countries like the US in North America are
relatively better equipped to deal with extreme events owing to advanced
machinery and irrigation facilities, developing countries like India, where the
majority of the agriculture is still rain-fed, are at the mercy of natural
cycles.
Reported in the 2018 Indian economic survey, Indian Meteorological Department data indicates that the average
annual temperature over India has been steadily rising since 1970, as a direct
consequence of climate change. This is accompanied by a steady decline in
average annual rainfall.
As the planet is heating up, the entire temperature and rainfall
distributions are shifting. What used to be extreme conditions just a few
decades ago, are now becoming more common. And the very-low probability events
that almost never occurred before are now showing up in the distribution.
The Indian factor
There are many common conclusions between the Indian economic
survey report and the Australian study. Two of the most important ones are that
extreme weather events are responsible for the loss in crop yields while minor
fluctuations around average conditions have little to no effect.
The other conclusion is that unirrigated or rain-fed areas are
significantly more vulnerable than irrigated areas.
These two graphs, from the 2018 economic survey, clearly show
that when temperature and rainfall are in the extreme ends of the distribution,
they are associated with considerable loss in agricultural yields. The graphs
also show the diverging effects of irrigated (green lines) and unirrigated (red
lines) areas.
According to the survey report, “close to 52 per cent (73.2 million
hectares area of 141.4 million hectares net sown area) of (agriculture in
India) is still un-irrigated and rain-fed”. It also projects that “climate
change could reduce annual agricultural incomes in the range of 15 per cent to
18 per cent on average, and up to 20 per cent to 25 per cent for unirrigated
areas”.
In the long term, extreme weather events and limited irrigation
facilities, combined with land degradation and water scarcity, will present
huge challenges to Indian agriculture.
This study adds to the mounting scientific evidence suggesting
that global food supply is under serious threat from climate change.
Particularly from increasingly frequent extreme heat and rainfall events.
“Our results highlight the importance of climate extremes for understanding
and predicting year-to-year fluctuations in crop yields,” Vogel said. “Adapting
to these changes will be crucial to ensure sustainable crop production in the
future and to protect the livelihoods of farmers and communities who depend on
agriculture for their living.”
The author is a freelancer and has a keen interest in climate
change and science.
A glacial lake in PoK is
threatening people, and could mean the Indus river basin is drying
Shishpar
Glacier in the geologically-volatile Karakoram mountains has surged, blocking
another glacier nearby and creating a lake that could spell disaster.
Satellite
images showing the surging Shishpar Glacier | Source: Col. Vinayak Bhat (retd.)
New Delhi: Since February, worrying news has been coming out of the Disaster
Management Authority in the Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir. The movement of the Shishpar Glacier, also known as the Hasanabad
Glacier, in the Karakoram mountain ranges has created a lake that is
threatening human settlements.
The Karakoram mountains see a lot of geological volatility due to
the anomalous surface rock structure in the area. The people in this region
bear the brunt of this volatility, losing family and friends, property and
livestock.
A prime example of this was the landslide in Hunza district in
January 2010, which wiped out the upper reaches of Attabad village, created the
Attabad Lake, displaced thousands of villagers and submerged the Karakoram
Highway for over 30 kilometres. The highway was realigned and opened nearly six
years later after massive efforts and tunnel-digging with Chinese help.
Recent studies of glaciers in the Karakoram ranges indicated that
about 500 are retreating and more than 200 are surging. The studies suspect a
possible drying of the Indus river basin due to these receding glaciers, which
is another cause of worry for glaciologists.
ThePrint takes a wider look at the situation through satellite
imagery to understand the phenomenon and the danger associated with it.
Glacial trends
The Shishpar Glacier has been surging since 1975, and most of the
time, it converged with the Muchuhar Glacier emanating from Batura Sar, west of
Sangemarmar Sar, separating the two glaciers.
Satellite imagery from 2006 indicates that the two glaciers were
conjoined and flowing towards Hasanabad.
Muchuhar Glacier
The Muchuhar Glacier has retreated almost 4 km between 2006 and
2017. The cause of such a quick retreat seems to be kinematics of loose surface
rock, illegally exploited by local miners.
Source:
Col. Vinayak Bhat (retd.)
The glacier was broken into three parts by rocks falling from
heights along the gorges and ridges. It is likely that local miners are using
explosives during mining, affecting glacial movements in this area.
There are many tracks in the Muchuhar valley ending at mined
areas. The rockfalls from these areas onto the glacier are clearly identified
on the satellite imagery.
Source:
Col. Vinayak Bhat (retd.)
Shishpar Glacier
The Shishpar Glacier is formed with eight tributary glaciers
joining the main glacier. Its width was reducing in the last decade, possibly
due to the glacial dynamics and geological movements creating rockfalls on
sides of the glacier.
Satellite images indicate that the glacier has been turning from
white to grey to almost black. The increasing darkness of the colour can be
attributed to the regular minor and major earthquakes in this area since 2010,
which have caused rockfall and avalanche debris to form on these glaciers.
After 2016, the Shishpar Glacier has seen a sudden surge, which
seems to be a classic case of a supra-glacial debris glacier moving over the
main glacier. The width of the glacier has increased from 50-70 m, measured at
various places on various time lapse satellite images from 2010 onwards.
Source:
Col. Vinayak Bhat (retd.)
The movement of this supra-glacial surge has accelerated since
June 2016. A NASA EOstudy indicates the speed of Shishpar Glacier surge to be about
13-18 m per day, which is very high.
The surge in the Shishpar Glacier has blocked the stream water
from the Muchuhar Glacier since November 2018, which has slowly formed a lake
in the Muchuhar valley.
Source:
Col. Vinayak Bhat (retd.)
By March 2019, the lake created has become quite large, creating
fears of sudden floods downstream due to possible breaking of the glacier.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management
Authority and the Pakistan Army, which
are supposed to be monitoring the situation, claim that the “Shishper Glacier
lake has been shrink [sic]”, and that “chances of GLOF (glacial lake outburst
flood) has been almost minimum”.
The latest satellite imagery from 16 May 2019 indicates that the
statement is not
Chhattisgarh
mulls plan to become first Indian state make biofuel from rice
Chief Minister
Baghel says farming activity in the state was conducive to making fuel from
rice, even sugarcane was in surplus and there would be no raw material crisis
R Krishna Das | Raipur Last
Updated at May 21, 2019 16:36 IST
Chhattisgarh is planning to produce
biofuel from rice and other agriculture products.
If the project succeeds, the state, once known as the rice-bowl of
the country, would be the first state to make biofuel from the grain, state
government officials claimed.
“Agriculture scientists, researchers and industry have been asked
to prepare a strategy to produce biofuel from rice and other agriculture
produce,” Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said. The project of biofuel from rice
would be an innovation not in the state but also in the country, he added.
The Chief Minister exhorted that a coordinated efforts were
inevitable for making biofuel production and farming viable. Baghel said
farming activity in the state was conducive to making fuel from rice crop and
even sugarcane was in surplus. He asserted that feeding biofuel plants would
not give rise to a raw material crisis in Chhattisgarh.
The state government and the Indian Institute of Technology
(Bhilai) had inked a deal to explore the possibilities of designing the
project.
The move to use rice for biofuel is seen as a major strategic
decision of the Bhupesh Baghel government that came to power six months ago. It
would ensure the consumption of rice as the flow would be increasing over the
years given that the Chhattisgarh government had hiked minimum support price
(MSP) for rice to Rs 2,500 a quintal as part of Congress’ pre-poll promises for
state elections.
Baghel claimed rice stock would be surplus in Chhattisgarh. “The
states to which Chhattisgarh was selling rice have become self sufficient,” he
added.
The state government had procured eight million tonnes of rice at
MSP in the kharif marketing season 2018-19. The production in the state is
however much higher.
First
Published: Tue, May 21 2019. 16:36 IST
PhilMech
launches rice mechanization component of RCEF
May 21, 2019, 6:54 pm
MANILA -- The Philippine Center for
Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) formally launched on
Tuesday its Rice Mechanization Component, under the Rice Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund (RCEF), to improve rice production in the country.
The launching was held during the agency's 41st anniversary held
at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) Compound in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
Rice mechanization is one of the components of Republic Act No.
11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. It stipulates the creation of the RCEF
that would be funded from rice tariffs collections, with PHP10 billion
allocated annually from 2019 to 2024 or a period of six years.
Of the total amount, PHP5 billion was allocated for mechanization
of rice farms, PHP3 billion for provision of high-yielding in-bred rice seeds,
PHP1 billion for credit support, and PHP1 billion for extension support and
education of rice farmers.
“With the formal launching of the projects and programs under RCEF,
we at PHilMech welcome the opportunity to spearhead the modernization of the
country’s rice industry through mechanization,” said PHilMech Director 4 Dr.
Baldwin G. Jallorina.
Equipment such as tillers, tractors, seeders, threshers, rice
planters, harvesters, and irrigation pumps will be given as a grant-in-kind
primarily for eligible farmers, rice farm associations, and registered rice
cooperatives.
“PHilMech also welcomes its collaboration with the Philippine Rice
Research Institute (PhilRice), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) , the Land Bank of the
Philippines (LBP), and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in
undertaking the different major components under RCEF,” he said.
PhilRice will take the lead in providing high-yielding in-bred
rice seeds to farmers while ATI and TESDA will undertake the training of
farmers and extension workers. PHilMech will also develop and provide the
modules for the training of rice farmers.
Meanwhile, LBP and DBP will support the credit component of RCEF.
RA 11203 removes the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice
imports in place of tariffs, or 35 percent for those coming from Southeast
Asia, and 50 percent for outside the region.
Based on studies by the Department of Agriculture DA), the cost of
producing one kilo of palay (unmilled rice) in the Philippines is PHP12.72 per
kilo while it is PHP6.22 in Vietnam and PHP8.86 in Thailand.
With the successful implementation of the different components
under RCEF, Jallorina said the cost of producing palay in the Philippines can
be reduced by PHP2 to PHP3 per kilo.
Former Agriculture Secretary Dr. William Dar earlier said that
even if the country can source cheaper rice from abroad, it should maintain at
least a 95-percent self-sufficiency level for the staple. He explained that
there will come a time when even the leading exporters of rice worldwide will
experience production shortfalls from the extreme weather events.
Only five percent of worldwide rice supply is traded
internationally.
The country’s rice self-sufficiency level hovers between 93 to 95
percent.
“We should be aware that we really need to modernize the country’s
rice industry as we cannot rely forever on imported rice to help feed our
country’s growing population," Jallorina said.
"That fact also underscores the importance of the different
components under RCEF that will make the rice farmers competitive,” he added. (PNA)
PhilMech launches RCEF backed rice modernization
THE Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and
Mechanization (PHilMech) said it formally launched a rice industry
mechanization program backed by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
(RCEF).
“With the formal launch of the projects and programs under RCEF,
we at PHilMech welcome the opportunity to spearhead the modernization of the
country’s rice industry through mechanization,” Dr. Baldwin G. Jallorina,
director IV of PHilMech was quoted as saying in a statement on Tuesday.
“PHilMech also welcomes its collaboration with the Philippine
Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI),
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Land Bank of
the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines in undertaking the
different major components under RCEF,” he added.
The government is required to support the modernization of the
rice industry through tariffs collected from more liberal imports of foreign
rice, which go into RCEF. The support will come in the form of mechanization,
rice planting know-how, seed and financing.
PhilRice will be providing high-yielding inbred rice seed to
farmers. ATI and TESDA will be conducting training for farmers and extension
workers with the assistance of PHilMech which will provide training modules.
Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the
Philippines will take on the credit component of the RCEF.
PHilMech expects to decrease the cost of producing palay in the
country by P2-P3 per kilo.
“Based on studies by the Department of Agriculture, the cost of
producing one kilo of palay (unmilled rice) in the Philippines is P12.72 per
kilo while it is P6.22 in Vietnam and P8.86 in Thailand,” PHilMech said in the
statement.
“PHilMech believes with the successful implementation of the
different components under RCEF, the cost of producing palay in the Philippines
can be reduced by P2 to P3 per kilo,” it added. — Vincent
Mariel P. Galang
NFA restructuring to eliminate at least 839 jobs; new cuts possible
PHILSTAR
THE Department of Agriculture
(DA) said it expects at least 839 employees to be affected on the restructuring
of the National Food Authority (NFA).
“There would be a reduction of about 839 employees mainly (in)
regulatory and enforcement (functions),” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F.
Piñol said on Tuesday.
He said that the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and
Controlled Corporations (GCG) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
will decide the details of the severance package.
“The (NFA) Council recommended two options to be decided by the
GCG and DBM because… the workers would only receive about 1.5 month of payment
for every year of service. But the employees actually pointed out that there is
a law which covered the compensation package for BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao) and former ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao) employees in the creation of the BARMM Law na
nagbibigay ng [which gives] 2 months for every year of service,” he
said.
APPROVED BUT WITH RESERVATIONS
Mr. Piñol said the restructuring plan was approved in an NFA Council meeting on Tuesday, but the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have said further restructuring may be needed.
Mr. Piñol said the restructuring plan was approved in an NFA Council meeting on Tuesday, but the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have said further restructuring may be needed.
“Natanggal ‘yung [Positions
removed were] regulatory positions and enforcement positions and there was the
clustering of provincial offices. In almost all cases, it would be three
provinces to a provincial manager. There was a suggestion from NEDA and DTI to
further trim down the number of regions,” he said.
He said the Council also agreed to wait for the results of an
independent study before taking further actions.
The NFA lost a number of its importing and regulatory functions
under the Rice Tariffication Law, which leaves much of the rice importing
function to the private sector. It is now tasked mainly with procuring domestic
rice to maintain a buffer stock.
Meanwhile, the NFA has assured that it is fully cooperating with
the implementation of the tarification law.
In a statement, Tomas R. Escarez, officer-in-charge
administrator of NFA said that even before the signing of the Implementing
Rules and Regulations of the law, the agency implemented some self-executing
provisions.
The agency has stopped processing documents for rice importation
and issuance of rice import permits of private importers, and bids for
government-to-government import deals.
On the domestic front, it has stopped licensing and registering
grains businesses, monitoring and inspecting rice facilities, and enforcing
grains trading rules and regulations, among others.
“Under Rule 3.4 of the IRR, a transition period of ‘at most 60
days’ is allotted to implement NFA’s reorganization to suit its new functions.
NFA has 30 days to submit its Restructuring and Reorganization Plan to the
Governance Commission for GOCCs for review and approval,” NFA noted in the
statement. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang
Farmers have less leisure time than hunter-gatherers, study
By
-
Hunter-gatherers in the Philippines who convert to farming work
around ten hours a week longer than their forager neighbors, a new study
suggests, complicating the idea that agriculture represents progress. The
research also shows that the adoption of agriculture impacts most on the lives
of women.
For two years, a team including University
of Cambridge anthropologist Dr. Mark
Dyble lived with the Agta, a population of small scale
hunter-gatherers from the northern Philippines who are increasingly engaging in
agriculture.
Every day, at regular intervals between 6 am and 6 pm, the
researchers recorded what their hosts were doing and by repeating this in ten
different communities, they calculated how 359 people divided their time
between leisure, childcare, domestic chores, and out-of-camp work. While some
Agta communities engage exclusively in hunting and gathering, others divide
their time between foraging and rice farming.
The study,
published today in Nature Human Behaviour, reveals that increased engagement in
farming and other non-foraging work resulted in the Agta working harder and
losing leisure time. On average, the team estimates that Agta engaged primarily
in farming work around 30 hours per week while foragers only do so for 20
hours.
They found that this dramatic difference was largely due to
women being drawn away from domestic activities to working in the fields. The
study found that women living in the communities most involved in farming had
half as much leisure time as those in communities which only foraged.
Dr. Dyble, a first author of the study, says: “For a long time,
the transition from foraging to farming was assumed to represent progress,
allowing people to escape an arduous and precarious way of life. But as soon as
anthropologists started working with hunter-gatherers they began questioning
this narrative, finding that foragers actually enjoy quite a lot of leisure
time. Our data provide some of the clearest support for this idea yet.”
The study found that on average, Agta adults spent around 24
hours each week engaged in out-of-camp work, around 20 hours each week doing
domestic chores and around 30 hours of daylight leisure time. But the
researchers found that time allocation differed significantly between adults.
For both men and women leisure, time was lowest at around 30
years of age, steadily increasing in later life. There was also a sexual
division of labor with women spending less time working out-of-camp, and more
time engaged in domestic chores and childcare than men, even though men and
women had a similar amount of leisure time. However, the study found that the
adoption of farming had a disproportionate impact on women’s lives.
Dr. Dyble says “This might be because agricultural work is more
easily shared between the sexes than hunting or fishing. Or there may be other
reasons why men aren’t prepared or able to spend more time working out-of-camp.
This needs further examination.”
Agriculture emerged independently in multiple locations
worldwide around 12,500 years ago and had replaced hunting and gathering as the
dominant mode of human subsistence around 5,000 years ago.
Co-author, Dr. Abigail Page, an anthropologist at the London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, adds: “We have to be really cautious
when extrapolating from contemporary hunter-gatherers to different societies in
pre-history. But if the first farmers really did work harder than foragers then
this begs an important question – why did humans adopt agriculture?”
Previous studies, including one on the Agta, have variously
linked the adoption of farming to increases in fertility, population growth,
and productivity, as well as the emergence of increasingly hierarchical
political structures.
Chhattisgarh mulls plan to become first Indian
state make biofuel from rice
Chief Minister Baghel says farming activity in
the state was conducive to making fuel from rice, even sugarcane was in surplus
and there would be no raw material crisis
Chhattisgarh is planning to produce biofuel from rice and other
agriculture products.
If the project succeeds, the state, once known as the rice-bowl of
the country, would be the first state to make biofuel from the grain, state
government officials claimed.
“Agriculture scientists, researchers and industry have been asked
to prepare a strategy to produce biofuel from rice and other agriculture
produce,” Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said. The project of biofuel from rice
would be an innovation not in the state but also in the country, he added.
The Chief Minister exhorted that a coordinated efforts were
inevitable for making biofuel production and farming viable. Baghel said
farming activity in the state was conducive to making fuel from rice crop and
even sugarcane was in surplus. He asserted that feeding biofuel plants would
not give rise to a raw material crisis in Chhattisgarh.
The state government and the Indian Institute of Technology
(Bhilai) had inked a deal to explore the possibilities of designing the
project.
The move to use rice for biofuel is seen as a major strategic
decision of the Bhupesh Baghel government that came to power six months ago. It
would ensure the consumption of rice as the flow would be increasing over the
years given that the Chhattisgarh government had hiked minimum support price
(MSP) for rice to Rs 2,500 a quintal as part of Congress’ pre-poll promises for
state elections.
Baghel claimed rice stock would be surplus in Chhattisgarh. “The
states to which Chhattisgarh was selling rice have become self sufficient,” he
added.
The state government had procured eight million tonnes of rice at
MSP in the kharif marketing season 2018-19. The production in the state is
however much higher
Good News! FCI Agrees to Buy Raw
Rice from Telangana Rice Millers
Here comes the good news for rice millers of Telangana. Now, The
Food Corporation of India (FCI) has agreed to buy 3.44 lakh tonnes of raw rice
from Telangana rice millers. Last week, an FCI delegation has met the officials
of the Telangana State Civil Supplies Department.
Here various discussions related
to procurement and storage was held. Adding to it, the officials also explained
to the FCI team about issues which are faced by the State in procurement and
storage of the crop last year.
Telangana Civil Supplies
Department official said, “We have procured 68 lakh tonnes of paddy in the
kharif and rabi seasons last year. We require space to store 23 lakh tonnes of
rice in the FCI godowns.”
About FCI:
The Food Corporation of India,
popularly known as FCI was established under the Food Corporation's Act 1964.
Its aim was to fulfill following
objectives of the Food Policy:
Effective price support
operations for safeguarding the interests of the farmers.
Distribution of foodgrains
throughout the country for public distribution system (PDS).
To maintain satisfactory level of
operational and buffer stocks of foodgrains to ensure National Food Security.
Since its inception, FCI has
played a crucial role in India's success in transforming the crisis management
oriented food security into a stable security system
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