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Florencia G Gonzaga-Palis

University of the Philippines Los Baños, CAS, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty Member

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• Professor of Anthropology, Department of Social Sciences, UP Los Baños
• Former Scientist (Agricultural Anthropology),International Rice Research Institute, Philippines
• More than 25 years of experience working on social science research in Philippines and Asia
• Areas of interest: Program Evaluation, impact assessment, climate change, innovation system, Gender, technology adoption, biodiversity conservation, indigenous knowledge, socio-economic & cultural dimensions of natural resource management, agriculture & health, water and food, Community-Based action research and development, Social Enterprise
Supervisors: • Scientific Advisor for Social Science Research, International Foundation for Science (IFS), Sweden

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McGill University

Florencia G Palis

University of the Philippines Los Baños

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University of Greenwich

Wageningen University and Research Centre

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International Rice Research Institute

James Litsinger

Elisabetta Gotor

Deepanjan Majumdar

National Environmental Engineering Research Institute

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Papers by Florencia G Gonzaga-Palis

Bringing Farmer Knowledge and Learning into Agricultural Research: How Agricultural Anthropologists Transformed Strategic Research at the International Rice Research Institute

During the post-Green Revolution period of rice research at the International Rice Research Insti... more During the post-Green Revolution period of rice research at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), a wide range of innovative methodologies were introduced by anthropologists that transformed the way rice research is conducted, with a particular focus on valuing farmer knowledge, criteria, and practices, and on bringing farmers into the research process. This study presents a historic account of the contributions of eight practicing agricultural anthropologists at IRRI, one of the 15 world Consortium for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers, between 1978 and 2010. The types of research undertaken reflect how anthropologists work in the area of strategic research, with the mandate to contribute upstream to basic science and downstream to applied outcomes. We document the innovations of IRRI anthropologists, including methodologies by which integrated pest management interventions and other technical tools are adapted by and for farmers; as well as the development of Farmer Field Schools, farmer-to-farmer training, and other innovations drawing on anthropological skill sets. [CGIAR, IRRI, practicing anthropologists, agricultural anthropology, rice research, history]

Early rice harvests to address seasonal hunger in northwest Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of annual seasonal hunger. Agricultu... more Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of annual seasonal hunger. Agricultural innovations incorporating short duration varieties and direct seeding with integrated weed management were introduced to farmers in NW Bangladesh to overcome seasonal hunger or monga. These innovations allow early harvest, which increased household food security and livelihood opportunities during and beyond the hunger season. The farmers who used short duration varieties and/or direct seeding were able to harvest three weeks earlier than those who used the traditional practice of long duration varieties and transplanting. The monga technologies generated significant multifaceted impacts on the lives of rice farming communities in northwest Bangladesh by increasing rice production, and providing and/or increasing income. Further, there are improvements in and improving a range of factors including access and availability of food, physical and mental well-being, marital and family relations, and peace and order in the community. These technology options could be scaled out in rice producing countries with similar agroenvironments to reduce seasonal hunger and have positive benefits on a range of factors.

Early harvest of monsoon rice to address seasonal hunger in northwest Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration v... more Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration varieties (SDV) and direct seeding of rice (DSR) were introduced to farmers in NW Bangladesh during the monsoon season or kharif-2 to overcome seasonal hunger or monga. These technology options allow early harvest, which increased household food security and livelihood opportunities during and beyond the hunger season. The farmers who used short duration varieties and/or direct seeding were able to harvest three weeks earlier than those who used the traditional practice of long duration varieties and transplanting. More than 70 % of the SDV_DSR farmers completed harvest by mid-October, and all had done so by the end of October, whereas fewer than 5 % of farmers who grew long duration rice varieties that were transplanted, had harvested within the monga period, with most of them (80 %) harvesting during the last week of November. Early harvesting of rice generated significant, multifaceted impacts on the lives of rice farming communities in northwest Bangladesh by increasing rice production, and providing and/or increasing income along with creating additional jobs for the landless or agriculture day laborers in the lean or monga period. We estimated that during the monsoon season, the average hired labor demand was 40 person days/ha, with around 67 % of this labor generated by SDV_DSR. Further, there were improvements in access and availability of food during deficit times of the year. These technology options for rice production could be scaled out in similar agro-environments to reduce seasonal hunger and produce positive benefits on a range of factors.

OLD_Social_Capital_and_Diffusion_of_Integrated_Pest_Ma.pdf

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability Impacts of direct-seeded and early-maturing varieties of rice on mitigating seasonal hunger for farming communities in northwest Bangladesh

We assessed the impact of combining direct-seeded rice (DSR) and early-maturing varieties (EMVs) ... more We assessed the impact of combining direct-seeded rice (DSR) and early-maturing varieties (EMVs) on productivity, costs, income and agricultural employment of farmers in two hunger-prone districts of northwest Bangladesh. Analysis included descriptive statistics, comparison of means and regression. The combination of DSR and EMV has a significant positive effect on the income of farmers by US$625 per ha from aman (wet) to boro (dry) seasons. The main reasons for the increase in income were a higher rice yield (US$669 kg/ ha) and a reduction in costs (US$44 per ha) due to less labour required in crop establishment in the aman season and a higher yield and income for boro crops. Farmers were able to plant their boro crops earlier and sell their crops at a time when the supply in the market was low and prices were higher. For agricultural labourers, the early aman harvest generates more labour demand (19% in Rangpur and 22% in Nilphamari), with the assumption that 5% of the total rice area was planted using both DSR and EMVs. Directseeding and shorter duration rice varieties therefore enable farmers to obtain a higher yield and income while allowing agricultural workers to earn money in the monga months and ensuring efficient use of limited resources for sustainable agricultural production.

EBRM_JESAM_June 2015.pdf

Since 1995, the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research has funded eight ecolog... more Since 1995, the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research has funded eight ecologically-based rodent management (EBRM) projects to address rodent problems in three countries in Mekong Delta Region, namely: Vietnam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia. This paper aims to analyze the adoption and impacts of EBRM among rice farmers in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam; the facilitating and constraining factors in its adoption, and lessons learned that could guide EBRM implementation in the future. The study utilized more of a qualitative approach anchored on an impact pathway framework. Data were gathered through focused group discussions among farmers from 19 villages, key informant interviews among key cooperators from collaborating agencies, and review of project documents and scientific papers published from the projects in the three countries. The ACIAR rodent control projects have brought about widespread adoption and significant impacts-economic, environmental, and socio-cultural-of EBRM in Vietnam but were limited in Lao PDR and Cambodia. The interplay of political, socio-cultural, historical, and economic factors is critical in the adoption of EBRM, and therefore, must be considered in promoting EBRM.

December 2016 Issue_CMD Valdivia et al..pdf

This paper examined how alternate-wetting and drying (AWD), a water saving technology, affected t... more This paper examined how alternate-wetting and drying (AWD), a water saving technology, affected the economic aspect of lowland rice farming in Bohol. AWD was introduced in the Bohol Irrigation System (BIS) 1 in 2006. The changes in the area cultivated, yield, and mean net income of rice farmers were assessed using household panel data for 2005 and 2010. Descriptive statistics, comparison of means, and regression models were used to characterize the changes between the two periods. The mean and total rice areas cultivated were higher in 2010 compared to 2005. There were significant increases in the mean yield and net income of farmers, especially among those from the downstream areas. Regression analyses indicated that AWD might have had a significant contribution to changes in profit but not to yield. It was further confirmed that AWD did not cause yield penalty. Farmers, particularly those from the downstream areas, had a more reliable water supply after AWD implementation, resulting in a closing of the yield gap between upstream and downstream farmers.

Regional: Development and Dissemination of Climate-Resilient Rice Varieties for Water-Short Areas of South Asia and Southeast Asia (Financed by the Climate Change Fund and the Government of Finland

April 2015 Issue_FG Palis et al_March 31 2015_Flor.pdf

This paper presents an assessment of needs and coping mechanisms of small-scale rice farmers in t... more This paper presents an assessment of needs and coping mechanisms of small-scale rice farmers in the Philippines. Various ethnographic methods were used in the study. Focus group discussions among farmers and key informant interviews among agricultural staff and extension workers were conducted in 51 villages of 19 municipalities in six provinces of the country. Household survey was conducted among 923 farmers in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Iloilo and Isabela. The major needs faced by small-scale Filipino rice farmers ranged from overcoming biotic and abiotic stresses, economic sufficiency, structural sufficiency and enhanced knowledge in rice farm management & technologies. Sufficient capital prevailed to be the most common need in rice farming. Other specific needs include low input cost, higher paddy price, access to equipment and post-harvest facilities, adequate irrigation system, farm-to-market roads, overcoming biotic stresses such as pests and diseases, overcoming abiotic stresses such as flooding and drought, and improved knowledge on rice farm management and technologies. Some needs and constraints were found to be location-specific such as biotic and abiotic stresses, but were interrelated. Adoption of key technologies promoted in the PalayCheck system to increase rice production remains a great challenge since these technologies such as the site specific nutrient management are closely interrelated with timely availability of sufficient financial capital. Farmers were found to manage and cope by borrowing money from informal lenders who charge them with high interest rates, and traders that require farmers to sell their produce immediately after harvest with a low paddy price. These situations entrapped our rice farmers in a cycle of poverty, hence pro-farmer policies and programs that addressed real needs of farmers should be in place: easy access to formal financial institutions with low interest rates and simplified credit requirements; a competitive price for paddy; reduction in costs of inputs; livelihood programs to farmers and their households; access to post-harvest facilities; better irrigation systems and road infrastructures; and most of all, strengthening farmer organizations. A working multi-stakeholder partnership among farmer organizations, Department of Agriculture and local government units are imperative in addressing the needs of farmers to increase rice production, farming households' income and achieving the country's goal of rice self-sufficiency.

AJAD_2016_13_2_xHo Ngoc Ninh_Web_122116.pdf

Regression-based strategies along with propensity score matching (PSM) were used to assess the fa... more Regression-based strategies along with propensity score matching (PSM) were used to assess the farm-level economic impact of community action (CA) strategies associated with ecologicallybased rodent management (EBRM). The paddy yield and real net income of rice farmerbeneficiaries of the EBRM approach in An Giang Province, Mekong River Delta, Vietnam, were analyzed using panel data from 151 rice farmers. PSM along with the difference-indifference framework using the fixed-effect approach were found to be the most appropriate methods to evaluate the farm-level economic impact of the adoption of the CA strategies. The EBRM through CA did not replace what the farmers were doing, but rather built on their practices and incorporated a scientific basis by encouraging farmers to work together at key times of a cropping season. In terms of labor use for rodent control, CA only entailed an additional 0.3 man-days/ha for every CA. Normally, for a 40-hectare (ha) rice field, around 30 persons participated in each CA including men, women, and children. With two to three times done in a season, a total of 1 man-day/ha is as an additional labor for the whole season. The adoption of the EBRM through CA had a significant and positive impact on paddy yield and real net income of rice farmers. The mean paddy yield increased by 0.43-0.45 ton per ha and real net income of the beneficiaries increased by . These findings imply that the adoption of the CA strategies in rodent pest management as part of EBRM may not only have partly contributed to food security and increased household income of the rice farmer-beneficiaries but also to environmental improvement in these communities.

AJAD_2015_12_2_Pasa et al._for author-1.pdf

The purpose of the paper is to describe the impact of community-led action research on food secur... more The purpose of the paper is to describe the impact of community-led action research on food security and poverty alleviation on the production decisions and food adjustment strategies of farmers in a grain-producing village in northwest Bangladesh. The study used a mixed method approach with 80 respondents for the quantitative part (survey), which are distributed equally between gono-gobeshona participants and non-participant groups, and 30 for the qualitative part (10 in-depth interviews, 4 key informant interviews, 4 focus groups, and 10 case studies). Survey responses were analyzed using SPSS software and content analysis framework was used for qualitative data. The findings show that far more households who participated in the from the gono-gobeshona make joint decisions (by both husband and wife) in various aspects of production than non-participants. Women as authority figures were higher in number among the participants than the non-participants and more households in the non-participant group considered the husband as the authority figure. Finally, the community-led action research process met sustainability features and was inclusive across social positions.

06 Page 219-234 (JTAS 0603-2014).pdf

Natural Resource Management (NRM) technologies, some of which include Site-Specific Nutrient Mana... more Natural Resource Management (NRM) technologies, some of which include Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM), Ecologically-Based Rodent Management (EBRM) and Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) for increased farm productivity and income in the irrigated rice ecosystem, have recently been generated through research. Guaranteeing that these technologies are properly disseminated and utilized by farmers is one of the challenges not only for researchers but for policymakers and various stakeholders as well. These need to be tested and evaluated on-farm to determine their appropriateness for wide-scale adoption of farmers, and the factors that may hinder their diffusion. In 2006, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) forged partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to implement a project enhancing the delivery of NRM technologies for irrigated rice ecosystem from adaptive research to nationwide implementation. Activities of the collaborative project included training of partners, stakeholders' workshop, establishment of demo farm cum learning field, information campaign and on-farm evaluation. Results revealed yield increases of 28.3% and 12.6% in the SSNM demo plots for DS and WS 2007, respectively; 3.17% yield increase in the EBRM field; and 18.8% reduction in production cost by utilizing the AWD technologies. These results encouraged farmers to continue using the NRM technologies and sharing them to others. Eventually, the NRM technologies were integrated into the National Rice Program through the PalayCheck system. Overall, the PhilRice-IRRI joint partnership has been proven to be a powerful instrument in facilitating delivery and adoption of NRM technologies, thus, improving the quality of life of Filipino farmers.

Interdisciplinary problem framing for sustainability: Challenges, a framework, case studies

Interdisciplinarity is a means to integrate knowledge and action for people seeking sustainable n... more Interdisciplinarity is a means to integrate knowledge and action for people seeking sustainable natural resource science, management, and policy. We suggest that professionals who integrate via interdisciplinarity aim to create environments where human dignity is maximized and ecosystem functions are maintained. The goals of justice and environmental sustainability are recognized worldwide as overriding goals for humanity. We introduce a practical, analytic framework that can help our sustainability work. This problem-oriented, multi-method, and contextual approach is known as the "policy sciences." It is used in work reported in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry. It is used at the individual and small-team level, and in diverse settings worldwide. Skilled interdisciplinary professionals use it as an explicit, analytic, and systematic approach in framing problems, mapping contexts, and inventing practical solutions for learning and adaptation. However, this framework is not widely known, in part due to complex barriers to using Interdisciplinarity and innovation. Nevertheless, the interdisciplinary approach is used in case studies available to wide audiences. In the end, we contend that interdisciplinarity offers a way to understand seemingly intractable, problematic social and ecological trends, and a way to support the twin goals of justice and sustainability.

Bringing Farmer Knowledge and Learning into Agricultural Research: How Agricultural Anthropologists Transformed Strategic Research at the International Rice Research Institute

Culture, Agriculture, Food and Environment, 2016

Assessment of Rodent Control Projects in Vietnam: Adoption and Impact

The roles of change agents and opinion leaders in the diffusion of agricultural technologies in Vietnam: a case study of ACIAR–World Vision collaborative adaptive research projects

Social capital and geography of learning: Roles in accelerating the spread of integrated pest management

The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Dec 1, 2005

Early harvest of monsoon rice to address seasonal hunger in northwest Bangladesh

Food Security, 2016

Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration v... more Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration varieties (SDV) and direct seeding of rice (DSR) were introduced to farmers in NW Bangladesh during the monsoon season or kharif-2 to overcome seasonal hunger or monga. These technology options allow early harvest, which increased household food security and livelihood opportunities during and beyond the hunger season. The farmers who used short duration varieties and/or direct seeding were able to harvest three weeks earlier than those who used the traditional practice of long duration varieties and transplanting. More than 70 % of the SDV_DSR farmers completed harvest by mid-October, and all had done so by the end of October, whereas fewer than 5 % of farmers who grew long duration rice varieties that were transplanted, had harvested within the monga period, with most of them (80 %) harvesting during the last week of November. Early harvesting of rice generated significant, multifaceted impacts on the lives of rice farming communities in northwest Bangladesh by increasing rice production, and providing and/or increasing income along with creating additional jobs for the landless or agriculture day laborers in the lean or monga period. We estimated that during the monsoon season, the average hired labor demand was 40 person days/ha, with around 67 % of this labor generated by SDV_DSR. Further, there were improvements in access and availability of food during deficit times of the year. These technology options for rice production could be scaled out in similar agro-environments to reduce seasonal hunger and produce positive benefits on a range of factors.

Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure among Filipino Rice Farmers

Page 1. The Applied Anthropologist 40 Vol. 28, No. , Spring 2008 Health Effects of Pesticide Expo... more

Farmers’ Awareness and Factors Affecting Adoption of Rapid Composting in Mekong Delta, Vietnam and Central Luzon, Philippines

Journal of Environmental Science and Management, Dec 22, 2012

A survey of 417 respondents and focus group discussions among selected farmers were conducted in ... more A survey of 417 respondents and focus group discussions among selected farmers were conducted in four villages in Mekong Delta, Vietnam and Central Luzon, Philippines. Key informants interviews among representatives of current adoptors of rapid composting, local authorities, agricultural extension offices, cooperatives, farmers' associations, women's groups, and other related institutional organizations in the study sites were also done. The study aimed to: a) determine the current practices of rice straw uses of the farmers in the study sites; b) describe farmers' awareness and perception about using rice straw to produce rapid compost with Trichoderma; and c) determine the factors affecting the acceptance of farmers to do rapid composting.

Bringing Farmer Knowledge and Learning into Agricultural Research: How Agricultural Anthropologists Transformed Strategic Research at the International Rice Research Institute

During the post-Green Revolution period of rice research at the International Rice Research Insti... more During the post-Green Revolution period of rice research at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), a wide range of innovative methodologies were introduced by anthropologists that transformed the way rice research is conducted, with a particular focus on valuing farmer knowledge, criteria, and practices, and on bringing farmers into the research process. This study presents a historic account of the contributions of eight practicing agricultural anthropologists at IRRI, one of the 15 world Consortium for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers, between 1978 and 2010. The types of research undertaken reflect how anthropologists work in the area of strategic research, with the mandate to contribute upstream to basic science and downstream to applied outcomes. We document the innovations of IRRI anthropologists, including methodologies by which integrated pest management interventions and other technical tools are adapted by and for farmers; as well as the development of Farmer Field Schools, farmer-to-farmer training, and other innovations drawing on anthropological skill sets. [CGIAR, IRRI, practicing anthropologists, agricultural anthropology, rice research, history]

Early rice harvests to address seasonal hunger in northwest Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of annual seasonal hunger. Agricultu... more Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of annual seasonal hunger. Agricultural innovations incorporating short duration varieties and direct seeding with integrated weed management were introduced to farmers in NW Bangladesh to overcome seasonal hunger or monga. These innovations allow early harvest, which increased household food security and livelihood opportunities during and beyond the hunger season. The farmers who used short duration varieties and/or direct seeding were able to harvest three weeks earlier than those who used the traditional practice of long duration varieties and transplanting. The monga technologies generated significant multifaceted impacts on the lives of rice farming communities in northwest Bangladesh by increasing rice production, and providing and/or increasing income. Further, there are improvements in and improving a range of factors including access and availability of food, physical and mental well-being, marital and family relations, and peace and order in the community. These technology options could be scaled out in rice producing countries with similar agroenvironments to reduce seasonal hunger and have positive benefits on a range of factors.

Early harvest of monsoon rice to address seasonal hunger in northwest Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration v... more Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration varieties (SDV) and direct seeding of rice (DSR) were introduced to farmers in NW Bangladesh during the monsoon season or kharif-2 to overcome seasonal hunger or monga. These technology options allow early harvest, which increased household food security and livelihood opportunities during and beyond the hunger season. The farmers who used short duration varieties and/or direct seeding were able to harvest three weeks earlier than those who used the traditional practice of long duration varieties and transplanting. More than 70 % of the SDV_DSR farmers completed harvest by mid-October, and all had done so by the end of October, whereas fewer than 5 % of farmers who grew long duration rice varieties that were transplanted, had harvested within the monga period, with most of them (80 %) harvesting during the last week of November. Early harvesting of rice generated significant, multifaceted impacts on the lives of rice farming communities in northwest Bangladesh by increasing rice production, and providing and/or increasing income along with creating additional jobs for the landless or agriculture day laborers in the lean or monga period. We estimated that during the monsoon season, the average hired labor demand was 40 person days/ha, with around 67 % of this labor generated by SDV_DSR. Further, there were improvements in access and availability of food during deficit times of the year. These technology options for rice production could be scaled out in similar agro-environments to reduce seasonal hunger and produce positive benefits on a range of factors.

OLD_Social_Capital_and_Diffusion_of_Integrated_Pest_Ma.pdf

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability Impacts of direct-seeded and early-maturing varieties of rice on mitigating seasonal hunger for farming communities in northwest Bangladesh

We assessed the impact of combining direct-seeded rice (DSR) and early-maturing varieties (EMVs) ... more We assessed the impact of combining direct-seeded rice (DSR) and early-maturing varieties (EMVs) on productivity, costs, income and agricultural employment of farmers in two hunger-prone districts of northwest Bangladesh. Analysis included descriptive statistics, comparison of means and regression. The combination of DSR and EMV has a significant positive effect on the income of farmers by US$625 per ha from aman (wet) to boro (dry) seasons. The main reasons for the increase in income were a higher rice yield (US$669 kg/ ha) and a reduction in costs (US$44 per ha) due to less labour required in crop establishment in the aman season and a higher yield and income for boro crops. Farmers were able to plant their boro crops earlier and sell their crops at a time when the supply in the market was low and prices were higher. For agricultural labourers, the early aman harvest generates more labour demand (19% in Rangpur and 22% in Nilphamari), with the assumption that 5% of the total rice area was planted using both DSR and EMVs. Directseeding and shorter duration rice varieties therefore enable farmers to obtain a higher yield and income while allowing agricultural workers to earn money in the monga months and ensuring efficient use of limited resources for sustainable agricultural production.

EBRM_JESAM_June 2015.pdf

Since 1995, the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research has funded eight ecolog... more Since 1995, the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research has funded eight ecologically-based rodent management (EBRM) projects to address rodent problems in three countries in Mekong Delta Region, namely: Vietnam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia. This paper aims to analyze the adoption and impacts of EBRM among rice farmers in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam; the facilitating and constraining factors in its adoption, and lessons learned that could guide EBRM implementation in the future. The study utilized more of a qualitative approach anchored on an impact pathway framework. Data were gathered through focused group discussions among farmers from 19 villages, key informant interviews among key cooperators from collaborating agencies, and review of project documents and scientific papers published from the projects in the three countries. The ACIAR rodent control projects have brought about widespread adoption and significant impacts-economic, environmental, and socio-cultural-of EBRM in Vietnam but were limited in Lao PDR and Cambodia. The interplay of political, socio-cultural, historical, and economic factors is critical in the adoption of EBRM, and therefore, must be considered in promoting EBRM.

December 2016 Issue_CMD Valdivia et al..pdf

This paper examined how alternate-wetting and drying (AWD), a water saving technology, affected t... more This paper examined how alternate-wetting and drying (AWD), a water saving technology, affected the economic aspect of lowland rice farming in Bohol. AWD was introduced in the Bohol Irrigation System (BIS) 1 in 2006. The changes in the area cultivated, yield, and mean net income of rice farmers were assessed using household panel data for 2005 and 2010. Descriptive statistics, comparison of means, and regression models were used to characterize the changes between the two periods. The mean and total rice areas cultivated were higher in 2010 compared to 2005. There were significant increases in the mean yield and net income of farmers, especially among those from the downstream areas. Regression analyses indicated that AWD might have had a significant contribution to changes in profit but not to yield. It was further confirmed that AWD did not cause yield penalty. Farmers, particularly those from the downstream areas, had a more reliable water supply after AWD implementation, resulting in a closing of the yield gap between upstream and downstream farmers.

Regional: Development and Dissemination of Climate-Resilient Rice Varieties for Water-Short Areas of South Asia and Southeast Asia (Financed by the Climate Change Fund and the Government of Finland

April 2015 Issue_FG Palis et al_March 31 2015_Flor.pdf

This paper presents an assessment of needs and coping mechanisms of small-scale rice farmers in t... more This paper presents an assessment of needs and coping mechanisms of small-scale rice farmers in the Philippines. Various ethnographic methods were used in the study. Focus group discussions among farmers and key informant interviews among agricultural staff and extension workers were conducted in 51 villages of 19 municipalities in six provinces of the country. Household survey was conducted among 923 farmers in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Iloilo and Isabela. The major needs faced by small-scale Filipino rice farmers ranged from overcoming biotic and abiotic stresses, economic sufficiency, structural sufficiency and enhanced knowledge in rice farm management & technologies. Sufficient capital prevailed to be the most common need in rice farming. Other specific needs include low input cost, higher paddy price, access to equipment and post-harvest facilities, adequate irrigation system, farm-to-market roads, overcoming biotic stresses such as pests and diseases, overcoming abiotic stresses such as flooding and drought, and improved knowledge on rice farm management and technologies. Some needs and constraints were found to be location-specific such as biotic and abiotic stresses, but were interrelated. Adoption of key technologies promoted in the PalayCheck system to increase rice production remains a great challenge since these technologies such as the site specific nutrient management are closely interrelated with timely availability of sufficient financial capital. Farmers were found to manage and cope by borrowing money from informal lenders who charge them with high interest rates, and traders that require farmers to sell their produce immediately after harvest with a low paddy price. These situations entrapped our rice farmers in a cycle of poverty, hence pro-farmer policies and programs that addressed real needs of farmers should be in place: easy access to formal financial institutions with low interest rates and simplified credit requirements; a competitive price for paddy; reduction in costs of inputs; livelihood programs to farmers and their households; access to post-harvest facilities; better irrigation systems and road infrastructures; and most of all, strengthening farmer organizations. A working multi-stakeholder partnership among farmer organizations, Department of Agriculture and local government units are imperative in addressing the needs of farmers to increase rice production, farming households' income and achieving the country's goal of rice self-sufficiency.

AJAD_2016_13_2_xHo Ngoc Ninh_Web_122116.pdf

Regression-based strategies along with propensity score matching (PSM) were used to assess the fa... more Regression-based strategies along with propensity score matching (PSM) were used to assess the farm-level economic impact of community action (CA) strategies associated with ecologicallybased rodent management (EBRM). The paddy yield and real net income of rice farmerbeneficiaries of the EBRM approach in An Giang Province, Mekong River Delta, Vietnam, were analyzed using panel data from 151 rice farmers. PSM along with the difference-indifference framework using the fixed-effect approach were found to be the most appropriate methods to evaluate the farm-level economic impact of the adoption of the CA strategies. The EBRM through CA did not replace what the farmers were doing, but rather built on their practices and incorporated a scientific basis by encouraging farmers to work together at key times of a cropping season. In terms of labor use for rodent control, CA only entailed an additional 0.3 man-days/ha for every CA. Normally, for a 40-hectare (ha) rice field, around 30 persons participated in each CA including men, women, and children. With two to three times done in a season, a total of 1 man-day/ha is as an additional labor for the whole season. The adoption of the EBRM through CA had a significant and positive impact on paddy yield and real net income of rice farmers. The mean paddy yield increased by 0.43-0.45 ton per ha and real net income of the beneficiaries increased by . These findings imply that the adoption of the CA strategies in rodent pest management as part of EBRM may not only have partly contributed to food security and increased household income of the rice farmer-beneficiaries but also to environmental improvement in these communities.

AJAD_2015_12_2_Pasa et al._for author-1.pdf

The purpose of the paper is to describe the impact of community-led action research on food secur... more The purpose of the paper is to describe the impact of community-led action research on food security and poverty alleviation on the production decisions and food adjustment strategies of farmers in a grain-producing village in northwest Bangladesh. The study used a mixed method approach with 80 respondents for the quantitative part (survey), which are distributed equally between gono-gobeshona participants and non-participant groups, and 30 for the qualitative part (10 in-depth interviews, 4 key informant interviews, 4 focus groups, and 10 case studies). Survey responses were analyzed using SPSS software and content analysis framework was used for qualitative data. The findings show that far more households who participated in the from the gono-gobeshona make joint decisions (by both husband and wife) in various aspects of production than non-participants. Women as authority figures were higher in number among the participants than the non-participants and more households in the non-participant group considered the husband as the authority figure. Finally, the community-led action research process met sustainability features and was inclusive across social positions.

06 Page 219-234 (JTAS 0603-2014).pdf

Natural Resource Management (NRM) technologies, some of which include Site-Specific Nutrient Mana... more Natural Resource Management (NRM) technologies, some of which include Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM), Ecologically-Based Rodent Management (EBRM) and Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) for increased farm productivity and income in the irrigated rice ecosystem, have recently been generated through research. Guaranteeing that these technologies are properly disseminated and utilized by farmers is one of the challenges not only for researchers but for policymakers and various stakeholders as well. These need to be tested and evaluated on-farm to determine their appropriateness for wide-scale adoption of farmers, and the factors that may hinder their diffusion. In 2006, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) forged partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to implement a project enhancing the delivery of NRM technologies for irrigated rice ecosystem from adaptive research to nationwide implementation. Activities of the collaborative project included training of partners, stakeholders' workshop, establishment of demo farm cum learning field, information campaign and on-farm evaluation. Results revealed yield increases of 28.3% and 12.6% in the SSNM demo plots for DS and WS 2007, respectively; 3.17% yield increase in the EBRM field; and 18.8% reduction in production cost by utilizing the AWD technologies. These results encouraged farmers to continue using the NRM technologies and sharing them to others. Eventually, the NRM technologies were integrated into the National Rice Program through the PalayCheck system. Overall, the PhilRice-IRRI joint partnership has been proven to be a powerful instrument in facilitating delivery and adoption of NRM technologies, thus, improving the quality of life of Filipino farmers.

Interdisciplinary problem framing for sustainability: Challenges, a framework, case studies

Interdisciplinarity is a means to integrate knowledge and action for people seeking sustainable n... more Interdisciplinarity is a means to integrate knowledge and action for people seeking sustainable natural resource science, management, and policy. We suggest that professionals who integrate via interdisciplinarity aim to create environments where human dignity is maximized and ecosystem functions are maintained. The goals of justice and environmental sustainability are recognized worldwide as overriding goals for humanity. We introduce a practical, analytic framework that can help our sustainability work. This problem-oriented, multi-method, and contextual approach is known as the "policy sciences." It is used in work reported in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry. It is used at the individual and small-team level, and in diverse settings worldwide. Skilled interdisciplinary professionals use it as an explicit, analytic, and systematic approach in framing problems, mapping contexts, and inventing practical solutions for learning and adaptation. However, this framework is not widely known, in part due to complex barriers to using Interdisciplinarity and innovation. Nevertheless, the interdisciplinary approach is used in case studies available to wide audiences. In the end, we contend that interdisciplinarity offers a way to understand seemingly intractable, problematic social and ecological trends, and a way to support the twin goals of justice and sustainability.

Bringing Farmer Knowledge and Learning into Agricultural Research: How Agricultural Anthropologists Transformed Strategic Research at the International Rice Research Institute

Culture, Agriculture, Food and Environment, 2016

Assessment of Rodent Control Projects in Vietnam: Adoption and Impact

The roles of change agents and opinion leaders in the diffusion of agricultural technologies in Vietnam: a case study of ACIAR–World Vision collaborative adaptive research projects

Social capital and geography of learning: Roles in accelerating the spread of integrated pest management

The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Dec 1, 2005

Early harvest of monsoon rice to address seasonal hunger in northwest Bangladesh

Food Security, 2016

Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration v... more Bangladesh has a high global hunger index with grave impacts of seasonal hunger. Short duration varieties (SDV) and direct seeding of rice (DSR) were introduced to farmers in NW Bangladesh during the monsoon season or kharif-2 to overcome seasonal hunger or monga. These technology options allow early harvest, which increased household food security and livelihood opportunities during and beyond the hunger season. The farmers who used short duration varieties and/or direct seeding were able to harvest three weeks earlier than those who used the traditional practice of long duration varieties and transplanting. More than 70 % of the SDV_DSR farmers completed harvest by mid-October, and all had done so by the end of October, whereas fewer than 5 % of farmers who grew long duration rice varieties that were transplanted, had harvested within the monga period, with most of them (80 %) harvesting during the last week of November. Early harvesting of rice generated significant, multifaceted impacts on the lives of rice farming communities in northwest Bangladesh by increasing rice production, and providing and/or increasing income along with creating additional jobs for the landless or agriculture day laborers in the lean or monga period. We estimated that during the monsoon season, the average hired labor demand was 40 person days/ha, with around 67 % of this labor generated by SDV_DSR. Further, there were improvements in access and availability of food during deficit times of the year. These technology options for rice production could be scaled out in similar agro-environments to reduce seasonal hunger and produce positive benefits on a range of factors.

Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure among Filipino Rice Farmers

Page 1. The Applied Anthropologist 40 Vol. 28, No. , Spring 2008 Health Effects of Pesticide Expo... more

Farmers’ Awareness and Factors Affecting Adoption of Rapid Composting in Mekong Delta, Vietnam and Central Luzon, Philippines

Journal of Environmental Science and Management, Dec 22, 2012

A survey of 417 respondents and focus group discussions among selected farmers were conducted in ... more A survey of 417 respondents and focus group discussions among selected farmers were conducted in four villages in Mekong Delta, Vietnam and Central Luzon, Philippines. Key informants interviews among representatives of current adoptors of rapid composting, local authorities, agricultural extension offices, cooperatives, farmers' associations, women's groups, and other related institutional organizations in the study sites were also done. The study aimed to: a) determine the current practices of rice straw uses of the farmers in the study sites; b) describe farmers' awareness and perception about using rice straw to produce rapid compost with Trichoderma; and c) determine the factors affecting the acceptance of farmers to do rapid composting.