Mekong Delta rice farmers to benefit from new tool for prioritizing agronomy R&D

Can Tho, Vietnam (October 12, 2024) –The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Department of Crop Production (DCP) organized a consultation workshop to explore the application of the PAiCE (Prioritizing Agronomy in Changing Environments) tool to the rice production sector in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) of Vietnam. Developed under the CGIAR Initiative on Excellence in Agronomy (EiA), PAiCE is designed to prioritize agronomy intervention options for crop production.

With almost 30 participants from various provinces in MRD, the workshop emphasized the importance of a participatory process involving researchers, policymakers, and community members to ensure that solutions are grounded in real-world realities.

Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of DCP, highlighted the urgent need to prioritize solutions to address the impacts of climate change on rice production. He emphasized the importance of restructuring the rice sector and considering the changing environment, recognizing PAiCE as promising tool to support adaptation efforts.

Dr. Nguyen Van Hung, the scientist at IRRI and EiA focal point in Vietnam, introduced the tool’s modules, which include ranking the economic importance of key crops, assessing climate challenges, and evaluating potential response options. He shared that building on the successful completion of modules 1 and 2 in three pilot provinces, the project is now turning its attention to module 3, which will prioritize climate hazards. He also acknowledged that the Vietnamese partners have actively contributed to the project.

In her presentation, Ms. Nguyen Ha An, an assistant scientist at IRRI and a key researcher of PaiCE in Vietnam, elaborated more on PAiCE and how it can be an effective tool for assessing the impact of climate change and other factors on rice productivity in MRD. She explained how PAiCE, a tool built on Excel, can calculate crop value, identify limiting factors, and recommend adaptation methods. By entering data on factors like cultivation practices, natural disasters, and proposed adaptations, users can estimate potential damage and prioritize investments for sustainable rice production.

The workshop included group discussions where participants evaluated PAiCE input data and preliminary results, analyzed rice production systems and constraints, and discussed methods to overcome challenges, and assessed the potential, economic, social, and environmental conditions for applying adaptation methods in different rice production regions. The participants also discussed priority areas proposed by PAiCE.

In his closing message, Dr. Kazuki Saito, senior scientist at IRRI, emphasized the importance of accurate information and urged stakeholders, most especially the national and local leaders, to work together to develop effective strategies. He suggested key actions like refining the tool, prioritizing water management and sustainable land use, and ensuring adaptation measures align with the needs of all levels of stakeholders.

This work is part of the CGIAR Initiatives on Excellence in Agronomy and Asian Mega-Deltas.