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I. Pesticide Use in The Philippines: Assessing The Contribution of IRRI's Research To Reduced Health Costs
I. Pesticide Use in The Philippines: Assessing The Contribution of IRRI's Research To Reduced Health Costs
The use of pesticides in rice production in the Philippines grew rapidly during the
1970s and into the 1980s. This was partially due to fears that the benefit from
planting new varieties of rice would be negated by crop losses from pests. By the
mid-1980s, though, it was apparent that the indiscriminate use of pesticides could
create biological imbalances that could intensify a pest problem rather than mitigate
it.
Accordingly, while the body of such studies has demonstrated conclusively that
insecticides are detrimental to farmers' health and contracted sprayers, politicians
would not have been able to prohibit extremely toxic pesticides because they were
not confident that farmers had alternate means of controlling pests. From the mid-to
late-1970s onwards, IRRI's research and production of pest-resistant rice cultivars
and the implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to the Philippines
provided farmers with less toxic pest control alternatives. According to the result of
IRRI's research on IPM, indicating that more judicious usage of pesticides does not
result in yield losses, are regarded by the Pesticide Policy and Technical Advisory
Committee (PPTAC) while giving pesticide policy guidance to the FPA.
____________
1. See, for example: Pingali, P.L. and Roger, P.A., Eds. 1995. Impact of Pesticides on Farmers’ Health
and the Rice Environment. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Norwell, Massachusetts, USA and
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): Los Baños, Laguna, the Philippines. 664 pp.
2. This brief summarizes research described in full in: Templeton, D.J. and Jamora, N. 2008 (in press).
Economic Assessment of IRRI’s Policy-orientated Research into the Private Health Costs of Pesticide
Use in Rice Farming in the Philippines. IRRI Impact Assessment Report No. 1. International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI): Los Baños, Laguna, the Philippines
II. Agrochemical use in the Philippines and its consequences to the
environment
In fragile areas of the ocean, agricultural runoff fuels massive algal blooms,
especially in tropical marine habitats that are naturally low in nitrogen. Accordingly,
Algal blooms can contribute to the proliferation of toxin-producing algal species. This
may result in neurological, amnesiac, paralytic, and/or diarrheic shellfish toxicity in
human consumers when the algae are swallowed by shellfish.
This study has shown that, the future of agriculture lies in a new form of
agriculture that operates, not against, with nature and with people. Millions of farms
on all continents have already proven that organic and sustainable agriculture can
produce adequate food, improve food security, replenish natural resources, and
provide farmers and local populations with a better livelihood.
________________
1. Reyes Tirado. Greenpeace Research Laboratories. University of Exeter (UK)
David Bedoya. Vladimir Novotny. Northeastern University, Boston (USA)
2. www.greenpeace.org.ph. Agrochemical use in the Philippines and its consequences to the environment.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia. February 2008.
3. National Economic and Development Authority in the Philippines (2004a). Medium Term Philippine
Development Plan. Chapter 2: Agribusiness. Available at: http://www.neda.gov.ph
III. Importance of Pesticides for Growing Rice in South and South East
Asia
According to the research of the authors, there is wide potential for substantial
growth in crop yields in Asia with the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices.
Judicious use of pesticides can increase yields.
FUNGICIDES
Fungicides for sheath blight control have resulted in a rice yield increase of 20%.
Farmers and agronomists across the region have not been adequately trained to
correctly diagnose the diseases.
HERBICIDES
INSECTICIDES
Southeast Asian rice production has increased by about 40% from 2000 to
2013. Rice production in South Asia increased by about 30%. Increased use of
pesticides has been one of the contributing factors.
_______________
1. Leonard Gianessi, Director of the Crop Protection Research Institute. International Pesticide Benefits
Case Study No. 108. Crop Protection Research Institute. October 2014
2. Heong, K. L., and M. M. Escalada. 1999. Quantifying rice farmers’ pest management decisions: beliefs
and subjective norms in stem borer control. Crop Protection. 18:315-322.
IV. New rice technologies and challenges for food security in Asia and
the Pacific
The authors1 of this study has analyzes factors regulating the long-term demand-
supply balance of rice in Asia and the technical challenges of rice production, in
order to preserve the supply-demand equilibrium.
The concern is whether, at the beginning of the 21st century, Asia will be able to
preserve favorable food balances and further boost food and nutrition security for
low-income households. Considering these perspectives:
___________________
1. M. Hossaina and Josephine H. Narcisob - aHead and bDatabase Administrator, Social Sciences Division,
IRRI, Manila, Philippines
2. UN. 2002b. World urbanization prospects: The 2001 Revision. Population Division, New York
3. Barker, R. & Herdt, R.W. 1985. The rice economy of Asia. Washington D.C., Resources for the Future.
Bender, W. & Smith, M. 1997. Population, food and nutrition. Population Bull., 51(4): 5-7.
V. Strategies to sustain and enhance Asia-Pacific rice production
According to the authors1 of the study, sustained and increased productivity and
development of Asian rice and rice land are vital to the food security and political-
economic stability of the country.
The science-led rice revolution which triggered the green revolution in the 1960s
led to a significant drop in the level of hunger and poverty in rice-growing Asia. World
Food Summit goal of halving the number of malnourished persons by 2015 must be
met. Asian rice lands must considerably increase rice production, reaching 540, 665,
and 765 Mt per year in 1996, 2015, and 2030. Average rice yield must increase from
3.5 to 4.6 t/ha in the period from 1996 to 2030. With this, a four-pronged attack is
needed to achieve the goal2 were listed by the authors:
1. Preserve and realize the gains achieved during the green revolution,
especially bridging the yield gaps and reducing post-harvest losses;
2. Increase the potential for rice yields and value-adding enterprises;
3. Facilitate integrated and environment-friendly natural resources management;
and
4. Initiate appropriate policies for investment, including those in research and
technology development, trade liberalization and globalization, institutional
supports, gender mainstreaming and human resources development.
____________________
1. R.B. Singha T. Woodheadb and M.K. Papademetriouca aAssistant Director-General, bConsultant and
c
Senior Plant Production and Protection Officer Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, FAO, Bangkok,
Thailand
2. Cantrell, R.P. 2000. Integrated natural resources management for sustainable production: Regional
efforts and concerns - opportunities and challenges - IRRI’s perspective. Paper presented at the Sixth
General Assembly of APAARI and Expert Consultation, Chiang Rai, Thailand, Nov. 2000.
VI. Issues and challenges in rice technological development for
sustainable food security
The study discussed the current rice production situation with the goal of
addressing problems and concerns pertaining to economically sustainable
production. According to the author 1, there are far from different problems with the
current rice situation and long-term demands, as solutions for the current crisis could
have a significant effect on fulfilling future needs.
The author1 highlighted the pertinent issue; the ability to fulfill potential rice
requirements will be hampered by many evolving problems. The most significant
restrictions on sustainable rice production are yield stagnation and insufficient land
and water supplies for expanding rice areas 2. Nutritional quality issues, genetic
erosion and environmental degradation demand more stringent rice production
choices, especially with regard to internal rice production.
Future needs were also addressed by the author, which are scientific
development and new issues in the rice industry sector, on the other hand, offer
opportunities which, if properly harnessed, can lead to sustainable production.
Urbanization offers new approaches to rice marketing, and with rising incomes, there
is an increased demand for quality rice. Biotechnological tools and other advanced
breeding methods could help to generate rice varieties with higher-yielding potential.
In conclusion of the author, low rice prices in the international market could
have a depressing effect on production in Asia if the situation continues. Several
countries have taken advantage of the poor economic returns on rice cultivation. It is
unclear how long many countries can continue to provide the required support, given
the huge financial costs.
________________
1. M. Solh. Director, Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO, Rome, Italy Chairperson, Steering
Committee of the International Rice Commission
2. Tuong, T.P. & Bouman, B.A.M. 2002. Rice production in water-scarce environments. In Proceedings of
International Conference on Irrigation Water Management. (In press)
VII. Biotechnology for rice breeding: progress and impact
The current world population of 6.1 billion is expected to reach 8.0 billion by
2030. Rice production must increase by 50 percent in order to meet the growing
demand.
According to the authors1, recent advances in cellular and molecular biology and
rice biotechnology2 have produced new tools to increase the efficiency of these two
Plant breeding phases;
__________________
1. G.S. Khusha and D.S. Brarb. aFormer Programme Leader and bPlant Breeder Plant Breeding, Genetics
and Biochemistry Division, IRRI, Philippines
2. Chen, L., Marmey, P., Taylor, N.J., Brizard, J., Espinoza, C., D’Cruz, P. Huet, H., Zhang, S., de Kochko,
A., Beachy, R.N. & Fauquet, C.M. 1998. Expression and inheritance of multiple transgenes in rice
plants. Nature Biotechnology, 16: 1060-1064.
VIII. Golden Rice
According to a study, Golden Rice 1, was developed by a team of European
scientists in the late '90s in the hope of combating the problem, was genetically
engineered to provide an essential nutrient that white rice lacks: beta-carotene,
which in the body is transformed into vitamin A.
The author2 has enlisted the challenges of the golden rice project;
_______________
1. AIM students. Attitudes and Influences relevant to Golden Rice’s potential use in the Philippines. Golden
Rice Humanitarian Board.
2. I. Potrykus. Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland Lucca, P., Hurrell, R. & Potrykus,
I. 2001. Genetic engineering approaches to improve the bioavailability and the level of iron in rice
grains. Theor. Appl. Genetics, 102: 392-397.
IX. Innovative Low-Cost, Labor-Saving Technology for Rice
Transplanters Using Dense Seedling and Automatic Adjustment of
Planting Depth
The following findings have been verified for the production of dense seedling
transplant technology that incorporates high density cultivation techniques for sowing
and growing seedlings and precise transplanting techniques;
1. The amount of seedling mats used can be decreased to between one-half and
one-third of the previous levels and it is therefore possible to reduce material
costs and labor requirements.
2. It is possible to use the same management methods as traditional
transplantation.
3. It is possible to produce the same yield as traditional transplants.
_______________
1. Dense seedling is a technique for sowing and raising seedlings at high density and with high accuracy.
2. Shoichi Nakamura. Development Division. Innovative Low-Cost, Labor-Saving Technology for Rice
Transplanters Using Dense Seedling and Automatic Adjustment of Planting Depth. YANMAR
AGRIBUSINESS CO., LTD. April 13, 2018
X. Technological priorities in rice production among smallholder
farmers in Ghana
The study looked at the adoption of rice productivity-enhancing agricultural
technologies in Ghana. They found that smallholder farmers' adoption decisions
could be affected by the interdependencies of rice technology. The authors 1 say this
could lead to invalid inferences and incorrect conclusions about farmers' decisions.
Rice farmers were more likely to adopt fertilizer only after adopting the
improved rice variety but not vice versa.
Adopters of the improved rice varieties were more likely to use inputs
separately or simultaneously adopt all technologies.
Education and complementary input availability consistently predicted the
adoption of five technology bundles.
Extension contacts and farm size consistently and significantly predicted the
adoption of all technology bundles.
Complementary input availability and participation in field demonstrations
were the strongest predictors of adoption.
_________________
a
1. Edward T. Sinigo and bJere R.Behrman. aInnovations for Poverty Action, P. O. Box KT 50, Kotobabi,
Accra, Ghana bWilliam R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Economics & Sociology, Population Studies Center
Research Associate, University of Pennsylvania, USA
CONCLUSION/SUMMARY
The use of pesticides in rice production in the Philippines grew rapidly during
the 1970s and into the 1980s.
This was partially due to fears that the benefit from planting new varieties of
rice would be negated by crop losses from pests.
By the mid-1980s, though, it was apparent that the indiscriminate use of
pesticides could create biological imbalances that could intensify a pest
problem rather than mitigate it.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) contributed to the research
community between 1989 and 1992, in the Philippines1 particularly to private
health risks of using insecticides in rice cultivation are high and any future
economic benefits are daunting1.
Accordingly, while the body of such studies has demonstrated conclusively
that insecticides are detrimental to farmers' health and contracted sprayers,
politicians would not have been able to prohibit extremely toxic pesticides
because they were not confident that farmers had alternate means of
controlling pests.
The new system of industrial agriculture encourages dependence on
agrochemicals, both synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides while neglecting to
take into account their adverse effects on the local community's economy,
human health, and the environment.
The inappropriate and incorrect usage of chemical fertilizers in crop soils is
causing soil erosion and soil productivity declines worldwide.
Agrochemicals cause water contamination that affects human health directly
and indirectly.
According to the Jurisdiction of National Economy and Development (NEDA),
37% of gross water contamination comes from livestock activities that require
drainage from agricultural waste and fertilizers and pesticides.
Water contamination from fertilizer runoff-derived nitrates is more severe than
previously believed in the Philippines.
According to the research of the authors, there is wide potential for substantial
growth in crop yields in Asia with the implementation of Good Agricultural
Practices.
Judicious use of pesticides can increase yields.
Fungicides for sheath blight control have resulted in a rice yield increase of
20%.
Farmers and agronomists across the region have not been adequately trained
to correctly diagnose the diseases.
Bangladesh's economic study of rice production showed that the net profits
from the application of herbicides were 116% more than that of hand weeding.
Factors regulating the long-term demand-supply balance of rice in Asia and
the technical challenges of rice production, in order to preserve the supply-
demand equilibrium.
The concern is whether, at the beginning of the 21st century, Asia will be able
to preserve favorable food balances and further boost food and nutrition
security for low-income households.
Considering these perspectives: 1.Income effect - As incomes increase
beyond a threshold, people can afford to have a high-cost balanced diet.
The rate of change in per capita consumption of food staples over the next
three decades will then depend on the relative strength of the upward
pressure for low-income countries.
As people move from rural to urban areas, energy needs decrease somewhat.
According to the authors1 of the study, sustained and increased productivity
and development of Asian rice and rice land are vital to the food security and
political-economic stability of the country.
The science-led rice revolution which triggered the green revolution in the
1960s led to a significant drop in the level of hunger and poverty in rice-
growing Asia.
World Food Summit goal of halving the number of malnourished persons by
2015 must be met.
Asian rice lands must considerably increase rice production, reaching 540,
665, and 765 Mt per year in 1996, 2015, and 2030.
Average rice yield must increase from 3.5 to 4.6 t/ha in the period from 1996
to 2030.
The current rice production situation with the goal of addressing problems and
concerns pertaining to economically sustainable production.
According to the author1, there are far from different problems with the current
rice situation and long-term demands, as solutions for the current crisis could
have a significant effect on fulfilling future needs.
The ability to fulfill potential rice requirements will be hampered by many
evolving problems.
The most significant restrictions on sustainable rice production are yield
stagnation and insufficient land and water supplies for expanding rice areas2.
Nutritional quality issues, genetic erosion, and environmental degradation
demand more stringent rice production choices, especially with regard to
internal rice production.
The current world population of 6.1 billion is expected to reach 8.0 billion by
2030.
Rice production must increase by 50 percent in order to meet the growing
demand.
Recent advances in cellular and molecular biology and rice biotechnology
have produced new tools to increase the efficiency of these two Plant
breeding phases; The evolutionary phase, where variable populations are
created - Genetic variability for agronomic traits is the key component of
breeding programs for broadening the gene pool of both rice and other crops.
Breeders search for genetic variability in other gene pools involving wild
relatives of Oryza.
In the Philippines, one of the anther-culture-derived lines, IR 51500-AC-11-1,
has been named as variety PSBRc50.
Golden Rice, was developed by a team of European scientists in the late '90s
in the hope of combating the problem, was genetically engineered to provide
an essential nutrient that white rice lacks: beta-carotene, which in the body is
transformed into vitamin A. Micronutrient deficiencies are the consequence of
low dietary intake of iron, vitamin A, iodine, and zinc.
Vitamin A deficiency is prevalent among the poor whose diets are based
mainly on rice.
'Golden Rice' is a principle of genetic modification for the production of
nutrient-dense staple crops that can make an important contribution in
developed countries to the elimination of malnutrition.
New technology must be passed on to subsistence farmers and the urban
poor for free.
Dense seedling1 transplanting is a technology for reducing the number of
seedling mats needed per unit area.
The rice transplanter requires a high level of precision to pick up three to five
seedlings per hill.
This cuts material costs and saves labor by reducing the amount of work
needed for raising, transporting, and supplying the seedlings.
It is possible to use the same management methods as traditional
transplantation.
Dense seedling, transplanting was developed by Yanmar to show combines
cultivation techniques for sowing and raising seedlings at high density and
techniques for precise transplanting.
The study looked at the adoption of rice productivity-enhancing agricultural
technologies in Ghana.
They found that smallholder farmers' adoption decisions could be affected by
the interdependencies of rice technology.
SOURCES
https://croplife.org/case-study/importance-of-pesticides-for-growing-rice-in-south-
and-south-east-asia/
https://www.greenpeace.to/publications/GPSEA_agrochemical-use-in-the-philip.pdf
http://www.fao.org/docs/eims/upload/256849/Brief%2029(IRRI)-pr(2)F_l-r.pdf
http://www.fao.org/3/y4751e/y4751e0r.htm#bm27
http://www.fao.org/3/y4751e/y4751e0s.htm#bm28
http://www.fao.org/3/y4751e/y4751e04.htm#TopOfPage
http://www.fao.org/3/y4751e/y4751e02.htm#TopOfPage
http://www.fao.org/3/y4751e/y4751e06.htm#TopOfPage
https://www.yanmar.com/ph/about/technology/technical_review/2018/0413_4.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1573521417300106