RICE-BASED SYSTEMS RESEARCH (RSR) PROGRAM: Food Security in Lao PDR, Cambodia and Bangladesh

ACIAR Dr Gamini Keerthisinghe

What is ACIAR? A statutory authority within the

Australian Government’s Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio

Part of Australia’s Aid Program, with the objectives of advancing Australia’s national interest through poverty reduction and sustainable development

A research funder and manager

ACIAR

ACIAR

Vision ACIAR looks to a world where

poverty has been reduced and the

livelihoods of many improved

through more productive and

sustainable agriculture emerging

from collaborative international

research

ACIAR

ACIAR

Mission To achieve more productive and

sustainable agricultural systems for

the benefit of developing countries

and Australia through international

agricultural research partnerships

ACIAR

What we do Commission research into improving

sustainable agricultural production in developing countries

Fund project related training

Communicate the results of funded research

Conduct and fund development activities related to research programs

Administer Australia's contribution to the IARCs

ACIAR

Themes

Food security and nutrition

Productivity and resilience of crop, livestock, forestry and fisheries systems

Smallholder and community livelihoods

Animal and plant biosecurity

Agricultural ecosystem services

Individual and institutional R&D capacity

ACIARACIAR

ACIAR Region & Country Budget 2012-13

$88.8 million $20.5 million

ACIAR

Vietnam$5.47M

Lao PDR$5.67M

Cambodia$4.13M

China$1.73M

Thailand $.36M

Burma$3.08M

PNG & Pacific Is-land countries

$12.14M

Mekong countries and China $20.44M

Indonesia, E Timor and Philippines$16.35M

South and West Asia $19.59M

Africa$20.32M

Burma

Cambodioa

Lao PDR

Vietnam

Thailan

dChina

5001500250035004500

Burma

Cambodia

LaoPDR

Vietnam

Thailan

dChina

0.40.50.60.7

GDP US $ /capita HDI

Disparities in Economy / Food security

Many disparities between and within countries

Over 30% of the population in Burma, Cambodia and Lao PDR

below poverty line

In emerging economies

persistent pockets of food insecurity & poverty

ACIAR

Country Funding - Trends

Country 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

$M

Lao PDR 2.7 3.7 5.0 5.7

Cambodia 3.3 4.2 4.9 4.1

Bangladesh 1.3 1.5 1.9

ACIAR

ACIAR

ACIAR’s Program in Lao PDR

• Alternatives to shifting cultivation in upland regions– Improving health and production of village pig and cattle

operations – Incomes from forestry and agroforestry

• Improved food security and profitability of FS through diversification– Rice-based lowland cropping systems– Horticulture– Improving riverine and culture fisheries productivity

• Adapting farming systems to climate change

ACIAR

ACIAR’s Program in Cambodia

• Securing productivity of RBFS

• Income generation and better nutrition through diversification in agricultural systems– Cropping systems– Ruminant livestock– Fisheries

• Adaptation to climate change

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ACIAR’s Program in Bangladesh

• Intensification and diversification of RBFS– Introduction of short-duration pulses– Policy constraints for rice-based farming systems

• Sustainable intensification of rice–maize production systems in Bangladesh

• Sustainable use of water resources in South Asia

• Adaptation to climate change

ACIAR

The Asian region produces and consumes more than 90 % of the world’s rice

Rice provides more than a third of total dietary energy

Part time employment to over 300 million

Rice is Life in Asia

Major challenges

Population pressure

Fragile resource base

Declining farm income

Rising cost of inputs

ACIAR

Restructure the rice sector for sustainable cost-efficient production

Identify technologies for increasing yields using•less land•less water•less labour•less chemicals

Thank You

ACIAR