In Indonesia: Laser leveling of farmland steps up agricultural production

Participants in the laser leveling demonstration learn the basic principles of the technology and how to operate the equipment. IRRI’s CORIGAP project supports capacity building of NARES partners and other rice-farming sectors, such as youth, to accelerate adoption of best management practices that will support Indonesia’s national goal to achieve rice self–sufficiency.

The swampy land areas of South Sumatera, Palembang are poised to become the next rice granary in Indonesia. Recently, to step up the region’s agricultural productivity, local extension professionals, farmers, and students were trained on the use of laser-assisted land leveling and tractor driving in Palembang.

Marto Suwarno, local owner of a 3-hectare rice-corn farm and leader of Gabungan Kelompok Tani (Association of Farmers’ Group) in Mulya Sari village, pointed out a problem that he has been experiencing on his farm. “I always have uneven plant growth in my rice and corn fields, but I hope there can be a solution,” he said.

Laser leveling of the land could be that solution and it was demonstrated for the local extensionists, farmers, and students on Pak Suwarno’s farm during an event on 24-25 May. Budi Raharjo, who spearheads the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology (BPTP), partnered with Pak Suwarno to illustrate the benefits of the laser leveling technology.

“After successfully conducting the land leveling during the 2-day event, Pak Suwarno will continue to plant corn and rice,” Budi pointed out. “Over the next 2 seasons, we will observe the productivity of his farm to see if there is any difference between manually leveled and laser-leveled fields.”

Caling Balingbing, postharvest and mechanization expert at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), presented the principles and advantages of laser-assisted land leveling and answered queries on issues related to timing and soil type. He also guided BPTP staff members on properly doing automatic land leveling on Pak Suwarno’s fields.

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Indonesian farmers and extension workers receive training on participatory video production

by Reianne Quilloy

(Reposted from Rice Today)

PALEMBANG, Indonesia—Indonesian farmers and extension workers were recently trained in basic video editing as part of making effective participatory videos for spreading new technologies to other rice farmers.

Forty-five farmers and extension personnel from the tidal swamp villages of Sumbur Mulyo, Sidorharjo, Telang Rejo, and Mekar Sari on Sumatra Island attended the training provided by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and funded by Give2Asia on 1-2 August. This training is a part of a bigger participatory video effort that focuses on disseminating technologies developed through Closing rice yield gaps in Asia with reduced environmental footprints (CORIGAP), an IRRI project with Indonesia as part of its geographic focus.

The budding videographers worked together to edit video materials they produced during an earlier production training in March. Trina Mendoza, a development communication expert and consultant to Give2Asia and CORIGAP, and Reianne Quilloy, IRRI communication and outreach specialist, facilitated the training. The edited videos were exhibited to allow participants to receive feedback on how to improve their production skills.

“I am grateful about this training,” an enthusiastic participant said. “In Mekar Sari village, we have someone who knows how to shoot videos but does not know how to edit them. He goes all the way to Palembang to have our videos edited. Now, that is no longer necessary.”

Participatory videos can be effective in documenting local people’s experiences, needs, and solutions based on their own perspectives. The videos can be useful tools in promoting community-led movements, technology, and innovations.

“An advantage of creating participatory videos is that realities are captured well,” Mendoza said. “They tell more compelling stories worth sharing with fellow farmers and the world.”  She encouraged the participants to continue creating videos that reveal their stories of farming challenges and significant changes.

Harmanto, director of the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology (BPTP) in South Sumatra, expressed his gratitude for the activity. “This will help us disseminate solutions to improve rice production that will benefit our farmers,” he said. “The videos are being uploaded onto the BPTP website to reach a wider audience.”

CORIGAP is a regional consortium led by IRRI on developing and demonstrating best crop management approaches for improving irrigated rice farming in an environmentally sustainable manner. Give2Asia ensures safe, effective, and impactful international philanthropy. IRRI has partnered with the organization to engage more donors who share IRRIs cause. The donations received through Give2Asia support IRRIs work across Asia.

Indonesian rice farmers and extension workers learn to produce participatory video for technology dissemination

by Rona Azucena

Reposted from IRRI News

PALEMBANG, Indonesia—“Technologies that do not reach the people who are meant to use them are rather useless, that’s why the outscaling process is crucial,” said IRRI scientist Buyung Hadi. To fill the gap between technology and the farmers, a participatory video production training-workshop (photo) was conducted under the Give2Asia-funded capacity enhancement project for sustainable intensification of rice ecosystems in Indonesian outer islands.

Twenty farmers and 13 research and extension staff of the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technologies (AIAT)-South Sumatra participated. They learned the basics of participatory video production during a training-workshop on 28 March-1 April at the AIAT compound in South Sumatra.

“When you involve the end-users (farmers) in scaling out a technology, you produce something that is potentially more effective because it (the technology) is communicated in layman’s terms from the perspective of a fellow end-user,” added Hadi who is also the project coordinator. “There will also be ownership by the farmers, which may encourage them to use the participatory video method in their own outscaling efforts.”

Dr. Harmanto, AIAT-South Sumatra director, expressed his appreciation to IRRI for organizing an activity that built the capacity of both farmers and AIAT staff. Also, he expressed hope that participatory outscaling methods will encourage more farmers to adopt rice-farming technologies.

The event—the first of three training sessions—taught the participants how to create a storyboard, properly handle equipment, practice filming techniques, and conduct outdoor hands-on exercises in filming videos and interviews. The participants came up with multiple storyboards on various topics, such as trap barrier system, drum seeder, and mechanical transplanter. The participants showed eagerness and enthusiasm in learning “outside their comfort zone” and promised to come back to the next training session with video clips based on their storyboards.

The farmers were from villages in tidal swamp areas where integrated best management approaches are promoted by CORIGAP (Closing rice yield gaps with reduced environmental footprint), an IRRI project that aims to increase farm productivity through environmentally sustainable ways.

Mr. Budi Raharjo, head of the mechanization and postharvest division of AIAT and CORIGAP country partner, was instrumental in bringing the farmers and AIAT staff together. Trina Mendoza, an IRRI consultant, led the participatory video production workshop. She was assisted by Rona Azucena, IRRI communication specialist.