1. A REGIONAL STRATEGY OF SUSTAINABLE HYBRID RICE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
AND THE PACIFIC
Outline for discussions at the Expert Consultation Meeting on “Hybrid Rice Development in Asia: Assessment of Limitations and Potential“, July 2014, Bangkok, Thailand
Bui Ba Bong, FAORAP

2. Table of Contents S. No. Content 1
Overview of rice production in Asia and the Pacific
1.1
Status of rice production
1.2
Challenges
1.3
Future opportunities 2
Overview of hybrid rice production in Asia and the Pacific
2.1
Status of hybrid rice production
2.2
Constraints
2.3 3
Regional strategy of sustainable hybrid rice development in Asia and the Pacific
3.1
Vision
3.2
Key strategic objectives
3. 3
Thematic strategies and options

3. Present status of rice production in Asia and the Pacific
In , in Asia:
Rice area increased 0.8 million ha per year (0.57% per year)
Yield increased 45.4 kg/ha per year (1.08% per year)
Production increased 9.8 million tons per year (1.66% per year)
Based on FAOSTAT
Region
Area
(M ha)
Yield
(t/ha)
Production
(M tons)
2012
Increase from 2001
Asia
145.3
8.8
4.48
0.50
651.6
107.7
World
163.2
11.2
4.41
0.48
719.7
122.2

4. Area (million ha) of irrigated rice, rainfed lowland rice and upland rice and their percentage of total rice area

5. Challenges of rice production in Asia and the Pacific
Existing prevalence of hunger and poverty: 600 million in poverty and 500 million in hunger and malnutrition. Among the poor, rice farmers are predominated.
Population continues increasing (from 4.3 million in 2013 to 4.9 million in 2030)
Environmental degradation occurred in most rice ecosystems
Global climate change affects rice production (extremes events, raised sea water level, increased temperature, …), and rice cultivation contributes to increased global warming (methane and NO2 emissions, …)

6. Challenges of rice production in Asia and the Pacific (cont.)
Four “reductions” in:
Rice productivity growth (around 1% per year at present period compared to 2% in the early green revolution era);
Rice area due to economy transformation
Water resources (competition by other sector, climate change)
Labor for rice farming due to change labor profile in rural areas (aging farmers, shortage of skilled labor)
Change in diet requirement (more demand of high quality rice)
Price of rice affected by other unpredictable factors

7. Annual growth rate (%) of rice area, yield and production in Asia in 1971-1991 and 1991-2011
(Based on FAOSTAT)

8. Future opportunities of rice production in Asia and the Pacific (cont
Drive of increase rice production/supply to meet increased demand of population
Hunger and poverty reduction is still on top of development agenda of the world and in each country (Zero Hunger Challenge advocated by UN)
The world commitment to tackle the problems of global climate change (Climate Smart Agriculture advocated by UN)
New technologies (biotechnology, ICT. …) provides opportunities to increase rice productivity and to help produce more with less (inputs and labor)
Rice transformation facilitates modernization of rice production, reduction of postharvest loss and improvement of rice value chain.
Trends of promoting global rice trade

9. FAO formulated A Regional Rice Strategy for sustainable food security
in Asia and the Pacific with Vision:
Food-secure, better nourished and prosperous rice farmers and consumers in the Asia/Pacific region who benefit equitably from a vibrant, innovative and transformed rice sector that is more productive, efficient and environmentally sustainable by 2030.
(FAORAP, 2014)

10. Present status of hybrid rice production in Asia and the Pacific
Total hybrid rice area: 20 million ha
Increased rice productivity (averaged 15-20%) and increased rice production facilitating the conversion of the rice land to other agricultural and non agricultural activities
Increased incomes of rice farmers growing HR and HR seed growers as farmers
Generated additional rural labor involving HR seed production

11. % HR area to total rice area % increase in yield over inbreds
Hybrid rice development in Asia: Achievements - Area and Yield (2012/2013)
Total Asia: 20 M ha – China: 15.5 M ha – Outside China: 4.5 M ha
Country
HR area
(M ha)
% HR area to total rice area
Yield of HR (t/ha)
% increase in yield over inbreds
CHINA
15.5 51 7 30
INDIA
2.5
5.7
6-7
24-36
BANGLADESH
0.67
5.65
15-30
PAKISTAN
0.2
7.4 5
15-20
VIETNAM
0.6
8.2
10-20
INDONESIA
4.5 15
PHILIPPINES
0.155
3.26 6 50
MYANMAR
0.08
China yield (Li et al., 2009) India data (Janaiah and Xie, 2013) Basmati hybrid no increase; Bangladesh (Azad et al., 2008). Indonesia yield -11 to 46% (average 14%) (Satoto and Mejayya), 33-40% income in demonstration plot
Philippines (Tabanao et al.,)

12. Hybrid rice development in Asia: Achievements - Chinese example
Average yield is 30 percent higher than inbred rice
Increased production 608 million tons ( ) to support China feeding an extra 60 million people every year
Converting 5 million ha of rice land for other purposes thanks to increased rice production
Creating more than 0.1 million direct job positions and 10 million indirect job positions
Source: Li et al., 2009

13. Super Hybrid Varieties in China
Yield target in : 13.5 t/ha
In 2011:
Super HR variety Y Liangyou 2 reached 13.9 t/ha
HR Yongyou 12 was over t/ha
Y Liangyou No. 2, the super hybrid rice variety yielding 13.9 t/ha at Longhui, Hunan in 2011 Photo of L. P. Yuan

14. The 7. 2 ha-demonstrative location yielding 13
The 7.2 ha-demonstrative location yielding 13.9 t/ha at Longhui, Hunan in 2011
Photo of L. P. Yuan

15. HR area to total rice area (%)
Constraints of hybrid rice development: Technology
Reduction in adoption rate in recent years (except India)
Country
HR area to total rice area (%)
2010*
2013**
CHINA
51.8
51.0
INDIA
4.6
5.7
BANGLADESH
6.8
5.6
VIETNAM
10.0
8.2
INDONESIA
4.9
4.5
PHILIPPINES
3.2
* Dada from Spielman et al. (2012) ** Compiled from different authors

16. Trends of HR area, yield and production in some countries
INDIA
Hybrid rice area (ha)
PHILIPPINES
BANGLADESH

17. Constraints of hybrid rice development: Technology (cont.)
Limitation of hybrid varieties
Stagnant and inconsistent yields of HR varieties:, low heterosis magnitude
HR varieties lack other desirable traits to suit to local conditions in term of:
- grain quality
- growth duration
- tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses (narrow genetic diversity of male sterile sources resulted in more susceptibility to pests like BPH, WBPH, BLB, SB…)
- ecosystem adaptability (rainfed conditions)
Many hybrids released but very few hybrids are superior. Lack of desirable japonica hybrids
Significant improvement of inbred varieties (yield and quality, pest resistance, abiotic tolerance,…)

18. Constraints of hybrid rice development: Technology (cont.)
Limitations of HR seed production and supply
Lack of suitable land specialized for hybrid seed production.
Low seed yields due to low outcrossing capability of parents, lack of skilled workers/seed growers, low purity of parental seeds, improper techniques (for example, to synchronize flowering of parents), fluctuation in temperature /rainfall affecting outcrossing
Lack of facilities for seed processing and storage
Domestic production is not sufficient and import dependence.
High seed cost
Seed quality problems

19. Hybrid rice seed yield, seed cost and import (2012/2013)
Country
Hybrid seed yield (t/ha)
Hybrid seed cost (USD/kg)*
% hybrid seed imported in total hybrid seed use
Hybrid seed export
CHINA
2.0
Yes
INDIA
BANGLADESH
1.3 15 No
PAKISTAN -
8.0
100
VIETNAM 85
INDONESIA 80
PHILIPPINES
6.5 50
MYANMAR
* Averaged cost of certified seed is about 0.6 USD/kg

20. Constraints of hybrid rice development: Technology (cont.)
Limitations of grain quality
Poor grain quality compared to inbred varieties
Not suited to consumers preference: (for example, low amylose HR in Bangladesh, chalkiness in China, bold grains in Vietnam…)
Processing preference: low head rice recovery
Not suited to market demand (more demand of high quality rice, aromatic rice, japonica type,…)
Limitations in cultural practices
Improper crop management required for HR, particularly nutrient and pest management
Large yield gap between demonstration yields and farmers’ yield of HR
Cultivation of HR rice requires additional external inputs
Rice ecosystem degradation

21. Constraints of hybrid rice development: Socioeconomics
Low paddy price but high input price (rice farmers are not encouraged to invest in rice farming)
Low market price of HR as compared to normal rice
- Poor quality, lack of product brands
- Low profits of HR farmers
Farmers tendency to use their own seeds (seed availability)
Labor profile in the countryside change (high labor cost, labor shortage)
Farmers’ poverty resulted in low response to intensive technologies

22. Constraints of hybrid rice development: Policy
In adequate investment for:
- Research and Extension for HR development
- Human resources capability building (Education and Training)
- Infrastructure for rice production (irrigation, mechanization, post harvest…)
Lack of supportive mechanisms for:
- Mobilization of private sector and all stakeholders involved
- Public and private partnership (Week private sector participation and public-private partnership)
- Encouragement of domestic seed production
- Facilitation of technology transfer and germplasm exchange among countries

23. Constraints of hybrid rice development: Policy (cont.)
Inconstant and inefficient subsidy leading to unsustainable adoption of HR; different level of subsidy by local government within a country
Different treatment between notified HR varieties (Public) and truthfully labelled hybrids from private sector (Indian case)
Lack of consistent and long term HR program

24. Future opportunities of hybrid rice development
Requirement of food security and self-sufficiency in rice
Rice export opportunity
Progress in technology innovations - Application of biotechnology in HR breeding
- Super hybrids
- Two-line hybrids
- Hybrids for rainfed ecosystems
- Improvement in grain quality; aromatic hybrids
- Seed yield improvement
Increased trends in public-private partnership (PPP)
Increased support to IPR – plant breeder rightFuture

25. Vision of sustainable hybrid rice development in Asia and the Pacific
The Strategy’s vision for sustainable hybrid rice development in Asia towards 2030 is for a significant increase of rice productivity and quality to support ensuring food and nutrition security of the region, and for benefits of rice farmers, consumers and business sector, and environment protection

26. Key strategy objectives
To achieve both higher yield and suitable grain quality for contributing to (a) food and nutrition security (b) rice self- sufficiency or export enhancement and (c) economy transformation
To ensure sustainable intensification production addressing the needs of saving external inputs and natural resources, protecting environment and adapting to climate change
To bring about benefits for all stakeholders in hybrid rice sector
Expansion of adoption targets including both irrigated and rainfed ecosystems

27. Thematic strategies and options
1. Improvement HR varieties to adapt to local rice production systems and climatic change
2. Improvement of HR seed chain to satisfy hybrid seed demand and reduce hybrid seed cost
-Seed production, certification and quality control
- Seed marketing and trade
3. Optimized crop management practices for HR production to achieve “more yield with less inputs and natural resources exploitation”
4. Strengthening extension and outreach for effective technology transfer to farmers

28. Thematic strategies and options (cont.)
5. Capacity building at commune level (including support to small householders, women and young farmers)
6. Impact analysis of HR rice adoption and technological/policy interventions (environment, climate change, farmers. income, consumers’ preference, etc.)
7. Public - private sector partnership (technology development and investment)
8. National coordination mechanisms and international cooperation to support sustainable HR development
9. National policy options

29. (1) Improvement HR varieties to adapt to local rice production systems and climatic change
(a) Breeding approaches
Broadening genetic diversity of male sterility sources and parents
Exploitation of inter specific hybrids (indica x japonica, indica x javanica)
Strengthening research for development of 2 line hybrids
Exploitation of novel biological technologies in HR breeding (genomics, marker-aided selection, heterosis prediction, etc.)
Long term research for C4 hybrids, apomixis

30. (1) Improvement HR varieties to adapt to local rice production systems and climatic change (cont.)
(b) Development of HR varieties
Easy to produce hybrid F1 seed (parents with high outcrossing)
Yield stability
Suitable quality
Suitable growth duration
Suitable for different rice ecosystems (irrigated/rainfed)
Abiotic stress tolerance (drought, submergence, salinity, coldness, heat)
Disease and insect pest resistance (BPH, WBPH, BLB, SB, RTV,…)
(c) HR varieties testing, release and transfer to production
Strengthening national HR variety testing programs
Intensive demonstrations and training farmers to cultivate new HR varieties

31. (2) Improvement of HR seed chain to satisfy hybrid seed demand and reduce hybrid seed cost
Seed production, certification and quality control
Encouragement of domestic HR seed production (availability of suitable land for seed production, organization of seed growers,
Insurance for seed growers)
Increase of F1 seed yield and parental seed yields
- High purity of parental seeds
- Parents possessing high outcrossing capability
- Optimized seed production technologies (critical synchronization of flowering in parents)

32. (2) Improvement of HR seed chain to satisfy hybrid seed demand and reduce hybrid seed cost (cont.)
Seed production, certification and quality control (cont.)
Mechanization in seed production
Infrastructure for drying, processing, storage, quality control, packaging
Improving seed certification and quality control
Seed marketing and trade
Promotion of HR seed use
Reduced cost of female lines seeds to encourage more growers to venture into F1 seed production
Improving the supply chain of HR seed market
Control of counterfeit seeds in trade

33. (3) Optimized crop management practices for HR production
Establishment of of integrated practices site-specific and variety specific for each production following “Save and Grow” and “Smart Climate Agriculture” approaches for HR production:
- Efficiency in nutrient management
- Ecological approach in pest management
- Water-saving technologies
- Mechanization
- ICT application
Sustainability of the technologies in farmers fields
Post harvest modernization
Product quality control (food safety)

34. (4) Strengthening extension and outreach for effective technology transfer to farmers
Increase public investment in HR extension and outreach to transfer HR technology to farmers
Intensive extension programs at central and local levels
Human resource capability building for different level of extension system
Encouragement of extension activities done by private sector and NGOs

35. (5) Capacity building at commune level (including support to small householders, women and young farmers)
Supporting small householders to adopt HR technology
Support for the formation of HR production cooperatives of small households or communes/cooperatives of HR seed growers (infrastructure development at commune level and farmers’ organization)
Engaging woman and young farmers in HR seed production or modernization of HR production through training, technology and and credit support.

36. (6) Impact analysis of HR rice adoption and technological/policy interventions
Comprehensive and scientific analysis of HR impact should be done periodically by both government and independent institutions on productivity, environment, climate change, farmers’ income, consumers’ preference, etc. to provide options of technological/policy interventions

37. (7) Public - private sector partnership: technology development and investment
Synergy of strengths of public sector (technology generation, germplasm provision), private sector (adaptive research, seed production and supply) and NGOs (technology transfer)
Promotion of dialogues and information exchange among public and private sectors and NGOs
Establishment of partnership investment to develop HR projects in a target areas

38. (8) National coordination mechanisms and international cooperation
Strengthening national organization and coordination in HR development
Promotion of regional and international cooperation, through:
- Bilateral and multilateral cooperation among countries, countries with international institutions or private sector, private sector with international institutions
- International Network for Genetic Evaluation of Rice (INGER) of IRRI, in exchange of germplasm and breeding materials and testing of new HR varieties
- Hybrid Rice Development Consortium coordinated by IRRI
- Development of international networking involving FAO, IRRI, APSA and other international/regional and country institutions

39. (9) National policy options
Government commitment - Integration of HR in the overall rice sector development and transformation (to become self-sufficiency, export consolidation, safeguard of food security, hunger elimination, poverty reduction etc.). Formulation of National Strategy and Plan
Increase of public Investment in hybrid rice R & D
- Increasing budget for R & D and for strengthening extension system
- Improving human resource capability (academic sector, extension workers, seed growers, farmers)
- Prioritized investment of infrastructure in target areas of HR production
Providing incentives to attract more investment from private sector; support of HR seed industry, promotion of PPP, protection of IP
Organization of seed growers and farmers (contract / cooperatives)
Promotion of exchange of technology, information and germplasm
Careful consideration of subsidies on seeds, fertilizers or other inputs