Fearing that El Niño would break his heart again, he did not hesitate to buy a water pump to save his crops from the disaster. At midnight, they are wide awake, watching their fellow farmers march upstream from the M'lang and Malasila Rivers Irrigation System (MMRIS) to exercise their right to agricultural water, even in the dark. If there is no rain, the water supply is not sufficient for those who are at the end of irrigation,” this midstream member recalls.

Mendoza, a 63-year-old farmer member of the Bagontapay, New Barbaza, Buayan, Lepaga (BNBL) Irrigators Association (IA) in North Cotabato saw conflicts arise every time downstream fields could not get enough water not. I had to 'guide' the water so that it goes directly to the rice plant." Gilda Reovoca, member of the BIMADU IA - another group served by the MMRIS - said their former president, Manuel Aliaga, was the first and only farmer associate who used AWD during that time.

In 2013, more members of the BIMADU IA also participated in the PhilRice Midsayap-led training courses and pilot demonstration activities on AWD and other related technologies.

JOSHUA P. MENDOZA

In 2009, the National Irrigation Authority introduced Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology. NIA) and PhilRice to members of IA MMRIS. BNBL IA members had average yields that rose to 9.1 t/ha in the dry season and 10.4 t/ha in the wet season. More than the tangible effects, the most valuable impact of technology on them has been the harmonious relationship they now enjoy.

If they see in their observation well that they still have enough water, they would let the water flow to other rice fields,” confirmed Celeste. They roam around the farmers' neighborhoods and inform them to start their land preparation, they said. But this time they will step into each other's rice fields and no longer filled with frustrations and negative assumptions towards each other.

They will now face the problem with a 25 cm observation well and a handful of water-saving technologies installed in their hearts.

SARAH JOY N. RUIZ

It also saves time," enthused the 65-year-old president of BBIA. But with AutoMonPH we can now monitor the water level in our farm anywhere and in real time. As a project collaborator, BBIA also provided technology insight that served as valuable input to members of the technology development team.

I never imagined that there would be such a device that could provide accurate water level readings. Drought conditions caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) also enhanced salinity intrusion into the delta, significantly reducing agricultural productivity. In 2016, DCP and CCAFS SEA began piloting the process of developing appropriate site-specific rice crop adaptation maps to manage land and water management conflicts in 13 provinces in the MRD.

Using simple color coding (red-high risk, yellow-moderate and green-safe), the rice areas were mapped in terms of risk of salinization and flooding.

BERNARDO Communication Consultant

This problem of drought and salinity intrusion into the MRD, which often happens in winter and spring, has been a problem for rice farmers for decades. As assessed by CGIAR centers working in Vietnam, preparations to cope with this particular ENSO event were either lacking or were not informed of the early warnings by the government. As a result, the Department of Crop Production (DCP) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. MARD) and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Southeast Asia (CCAFS SEA) collaborated to develop and implement the Climate-Smart Maps and Adaptation Plans (CS-MAP) approach.

CS-MAP is a participatory approach that combines local knowledge and science-based research to develop climate-related risk maps and adaptation plans appropriate for site-specific conditions.

MOTIVATE

The CS-MAP approach takes into account the real capacity of local farmers and the adaptation pathways available to them, making adaptation plans practical and feasible. CS-MAP is also flexible in the sense that it can operate at different administrative levels (national, regional, provincial, district or municipality). Data from MARD reports say that adjusting the seasonal calendar – a recommendation based on CS-MAP – has successfully mitigated crop losses due to drought and salinization by 176,000 hectares of rice compared to 2015-2016.

By developing a climate change adaptation mapping system for all places, CS-MAP is selected as one of the strategies under the environmental protection category to develop green infrastructure that adapts to climate change and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The application of CS-MAP in Vietnam has achieved significant results, both on the ground and in policy areas. Following the successful implementation of CS-MAP in MRD, DCP-MARD introduced the same approach in the Red River Delta and the Northern Midlands to address irrigation water shortages and manage reservoirs, and on the South Central Coast to help farmers cope with problems with drought and salinization.

Recently, through the CGIAR Asian Mega-Deltas Initiative, CS-MAP is being introduced in delta provinces in Cambodia and Bangladesh to promote evidence-based agricultural development planning.

PARTNERS IN THE FIELD

CHRISTINE MAE A. NICOLAS

Barangay secretary and farmer Joseph Justo also attributed his improved rice yield to key interventions such as a solar irrigation system, AWD, drought and disease tolerant rice varieties, effective SWIP management and water metering to monitor consumption per acre. acres. Before, my harvest was around 4.4 t/ha, but with the help of AMIA, it almost doubled to 7.6 t/ha,” he exclaimed. AMIA also introduced other income opportunities like mushroom production, vegetable cultivation, piggery and more to the farmers in the village.

As they navigate the changing climate, they express deep gratitude to the DA and the AMIA program for instilling hope when they thought their situation was hopeless. Having been assigned as the head of CC-related PhilRice programs in the past, Orge has gained experience in drought, flood and typhoon engineering technologies. Root plasticity refers to the ability of roots to adapt and contribute to the maintenance of crop growth and development under prevailing environmental stress conditions.

While the majority of them focus on above-ground issues, he recognized the potential of investigating root systems in the context of abiotic stress adaptation.

COMPILED BY MINARD F. PAGADUAN

32 PHILRICE MAGAZINE • APR - JUNE 2023 Orge has dedicated his 30-year career to developing technologies that can help small farmers face the challenges that climate change brings. He vowed to make it his life's goal, hoping he could help prevent farmers from facing the same problems his father - a farmer, a fisherman and a carpenter - went through. Through the project, they introduced water-efficient and risk-mitigating technologies in rice production, including the AutoMonPH.

It is an offshoot of the alternate soaking and drying method (see related story on p. 26-27). Once during his youth, he witnessed how his father was almost provoked into a fight with another farmer over irrigation concerns. He said this incident inspired him to work on water-related projects during his tenure as a distinguished engineer and researcher at PhilRice.

GET TO KNOW SOME OF PHILRICE RESEARCHERS WHO WORK ON WATER MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE

CHANGE (CC) - RELATED TECHNOLOGIES

It has also led to the development of advanced rice lines that can withstand occasional drought and soil moisture fluctuations while maintaining high productivity. He finds satisfaction in contributing to the development of high-yielding and drought-resistant rice varieties, which not only benefits farmers but also contributes to agricultural research. One of her researches focused on the potential of AWD to mitigate methane (CH4) emissions in a typical rice double cropping system.

This influences the intensive promotion of AWD as a means of reducing the carbon footprint of rice farming and increasing water productivity. She dreams that safe use of AWD will one day be integrated into the existing rotational irrigation planning in the national system. Her career began through her involvement with the Philippine Cotton Corporation in 1981, the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement in and finally with PhilRice from 2000-2023.

She is best remembered for her leadership of the Rice Business Innovations Systems (RiceBIS) Community Program, which helps rice farmers improve their incomes through agribusiness.

DR. AURORA CORALES, 65

Pascual also led the project on drip irrigated aerobic rice, a potential technological solution to grow rice with limited water. Her work on water management is motivated by her interactions with farmers who told her how difficult it is to plant without enough water. We ensure that the ground is well prepared, and the dikes are tightly compacted to prevent water leakage.

We also plant trees and fruit-bearing plants to alleviate extreme heat, and in the end our children will benefit. We are also reducing our area planted with rice and growing more heat-resistant vegetables to save water. We make sure that we enroll our crops in PCIC [Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation] so that even if they are affected by drought, we will still have compensation.

We are maintaining and cleaning our small farm tank as this is where we get our water supply when it is scarce.

FREDIERICK M. SALUDEZ

If the water supply is very low, we dig a well to get an additional source. This is intended to limit the cost of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and diesel, especially in areas with poor irrigation or rainfed areas where deep wells are used.

KIARA MAE E. PANYO AND MARIEL ESPINOZA

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