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12 Oct 2016

IPNI SEAP Quarterly Newsletter 2016 - 3

Quarter 3, 2016


IPNI SEAP PROGRAM UPDATES

New Regular Column on “Updates on Land and Crops in Southeast Asia”
Southeast Asia is a vital area for crop production and commodity trading. Ten out of 12 countries in this region are leading producers of globally traded crops such as paddy rice, maize, oil palm, cassava and coconut. For instance, Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s largest oil palm producers. In addition, the population in Southeast Asia itself has increased by more than 40% since 1990 to over 630 million in 2015 (World Bank, 2016), leading to greater demand for food. Consequently, more than 27% of land in Southeast Asian countries was used for agricultural purposes.

IPNI SEAP is looking to provide up-to-date land use and crop production data to its audience. Specifically, we will analyze the land area for crops, their production and productivity as well as the total nutrients requirements for important commodities in Southeast Asia, and present such information in a specific column on “Land and Crops in Southeast Asia” in each newsletter.

There are several accessible databases, some free, some fee based. Most source their primary information from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), The World Bank or The World Factbook. For this column, IPNI SEAP will use FAO and USDA information.

FAO Statistical Division is responsible for maintaining The Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (a.k.a. FAOSTAT 2015). The FAO database is sourced from host national governments, and it is updated annually and compound based on the calendar year. Due to this acquisition process, FAO data is 2 years behind the actual year.

Meanwhile, USDA data is generated independently and peer-reviewed by expert panels of commodity and trade specialists. It works together with their internal agencies such as Economic Research Service, Foreign Agriculture Service and World Agricultural Outlook Board to generate all USDA commodity data and forecasts. USDA data is compound based on the marketing year, and it is updated approximately once per month, providing data for the actual year as well as forecasting the world’s agricultural production.

General trends and patterns revealed in the data from FAO and USDA are similar. Figures 1 and 2 show for example the area planted with oil palm and rice respectively in the Southeast Asian region. Figure 3 exhibits maize productivity with FAO data slightly higher than those of the USDA data. With trends similar, the differences in data acquisition for these two databases render them useful for different purposes.

Our new column will kick off in the next Quarterly Newsletter in January 2017, and we invite you to stay tuned.

Mei Shih Tan, IPNI SEAP Research Officer



Figure 1: Total land use for oil palm plantation in Southeast Asia from 2001-2014. Southeast Asian countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Thailand.



Figure 2: Total land use for paddy rice plantation in Southeast Asia from 2001-2014. Southeast Asian countries include Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

*Different units used: ‘Rough rice’ used in USDA data, and ‘Paddy rice’ used in FAO data; *Paddy rice data for Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste not available in USDA


Figure 3: Productivity of maize in Southeast Asia from 2001-2014. Southeast Asian countries include Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

*Maize data for Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste not available in USDA data.

References:

Coming soon: Oil Palm Course on 4R Nutrient Stewardship this November.
IPNI SEAP will be conducting its next Course on 4R Nutrient Stewardship in Oil Palm from 15-17 November 2016 in Penang, Malaysia. Limited seats are still available.

4R NUTRIENT STEWARDSHIP is an innovative approach for fertilizer best management practices. This approach takes into consideration the economic, social and environmental dimensions of nutrient management and is important for sustainability of agricultural systems. The concept is simple - apply the right source of nutrient, at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place - the implementation, however, is knowledge intensive and site-specific.

We developed this course to introduce the concept of 4R Nutrient Stewardship to planters and outline the principles that define the four “rights” in the context of a successful oil palm operation. It is intended to adapt and integrate those fundamental principles into a comprehensive method of nutrient management that meets the criteria of sustainability within an oil palm production system.

Open to agronomists, managers and plantation owners who are keen to improve on their crop nutrient management or understand the science behind plant nutrients, the course is now offering special rates for groups.

Great savings for companies sending 2 or more delegates, with second and subsequent delegates entitled to a 20% discount each.

This is a highly popular course so do sign up fast to avoid disappointment. The course group size is kept intentionally small to facilitate in-depth learning and sharing.

For more details, please refer to the training brochure http://seap.ipni.net/article/SEAP-3207.
We look forward to your participation.


New Books
We would like to highlight two good books that are now available for order at the IPNI Southeast Asia office:
  1. Pictorial Guide To Oil Palm Cultivation and Mammalian Pests (including their management) by Chung Gait Fee, Lee Chin Tui and Chee Kheng Hoy (ACT)
  2. Organic Soils of Malaysia by S. Paramananthan (MPOC)
Click on the links above to know more.


Cool Farm Tool: online environmental impact calculator
The new coolfarmtool.org website is up with more resources and updates. A major development is the Cool Farm Tool, an easy to use, online tool for calculating on-farm environmental impacts, mainly greenhouse gas emissions, associated with a range of crop or livestock products. (details attached)

Based on empirical research, the Cool Farm Tool makes it easy for farmers to test alternative management scenarios for a wide range of crops globally across farming systems. It is farmer-friendly in that it uses information that a farm manager would typically have readily available, making it easy to use. Results are presented in a way that helps farmers consider a variety of improvement options and what-if-scenarios. The tool is free for use by individual farmers for internal management. Commercial usage, however, would require membership fees. Read on...
CFT Article.pdfCFT Article.pdf
CFT Leaflet.pdfCFT Leaflet.pdf



NEWS FROM THE REGION

Food insecurity and climate change
Have a look at the new website (click below) which enables you to explore how different scenarios of global greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to climate change could change the geography of food insecurity in developing and least-developed countries.

Source: Food Insecurity Index


Rice paddies raise methane threat
“Traditional growing of rice in flooded fields is bad for the staple crop’s future quality and produces vast amounts of methane greenhouse gas. Directly seeding rice into fields rather than transplanting it into flooded paddies would dramatically reduce methane emissions and slow down climate change, according to scientists studying the staple crop.”

Source: Eco-Business, September 14, 2016


El Niño a key player in severe Indonesia fires
“For many people, the term El Niño foretells a cyclical weather pattern that brings increased rainfall and more intense storms. But not every place on Earth responds to El Niño with wetter conditions. In some locations, like Indonesia, the change in ocean temperatures and atmospheric patterns brought about by El Niño has the opposite effect—shifting thunderstorms eastward and causing extremely dry conditions. In 2015, this "drying out" effect triggered one of the most severe fire seasons on record in Indonesia.”

Source: NASA, September 9, 2016


Global warming tripled number of super typhoons in East and Southeast Asia since 1978
“Global warming has caused typhoons that make landfall in East and Southeast Asia 15% more intense over the past 40 years. Researchers found the proportion of category four or five typhoons – the strongest recorded – has doubled if not tripled since 1978, and that warmer ocean surface temperatures are to blame.”

Source: International Business Times, September 5, 2016


Vietnam sugarcane industry faces challenge from climate change, foreign rivals
”Vietnam’s sugarcane industry is struggling not only to maintain itself in the competition against imported sugar, but also to combat the negative effects of climate change.The 2015-2016 season marks the decline of sugar output for the second year in a row, after many years of growth.”

Source: Tuoi Tre News, August 20, 2016


Banana demand outstrips supply in Thailand
“Kluai namwa, or cultivated banana, a tropical strand only grown in South and Southeast Asia, has long been an affordable, ubiquitous food staple for Thais, the same way apples are for Westerners. However, over the past few months, the rising price of the fruit has been a major concern across the country.”

Source: Fresh Plaza, August 17, 2016


Nestlé to help grow cassava industry
“Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé and its Philippine subsidiary has helped coffee growers as part of its Nescafe “shared value” creation efforts. With its P2-billion Milo malt plant now rising at its Batangas facility, it will do the same thing with the country’s cassava farmers.”

Source: Manila Bulletin, August 14, 2016


Environment and Global Climate Change
“Over the past decade, Vietnam has experienced rapid economic growth and has risen to the status of a lower middle income economy. While many positive changes have been achieved, rapid development has come with environmental costs, including degradation of natural resources, pollution, and illegal trade in wildlife. In addition to domestic challenges, Vietnam is also one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of climate change. A one-meter rise in sea-level will inundate approximately nine percent of Vietnam’s territory, directly affecting an even larger percentage of the nation’s population, with economic damages costing 10 percent of the gross domestic product. USAID interventions in climate change mitigation, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, combating wildlife trafficking, and biodiversity conservation support Vietnam in its efforts to choose a more sustainable development path.”

Source: USAID, August 1, 2016


Indonesia moratorium to include existing plantations
Indonesia plans to issue in August a five-year moratorium on new palm plantations that will include a halt to approvals to extend planting into forested areas inside existing concessions, threatening output growth and palm oil investment. The moratorium will cover around 3.5 million hectares, according to the Environment and Forestry Ministry, starting with 950,000 hectares that are being proposed by plantation companies for expansions.

Indonesia, the world’s top producer of palm oil, currently has about 11.4 million hectares devoted to palm plantations.
In April, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the areas already issued to palm oil growers could be more than twice as productive “provided they use the right seeds”.

Source: Borneo Post online, July 21, 2016


South East Asia is grain industry future
“Every man, woman and child in China eats the equivalent of 40 packets of instant noodles a year, but the future for Australia's grains industry lies with South-East Asia, not China.
That was the message to young people in agriculture on the first day of the Innovation Generation conference in Scarborough hosted by GrainGrowers in partnership with AgConnectWA.”

Source: Farm Weekly, July 8, 2016


Fires begin to appear en masse as Indonesia’s burning season gets going
“It’s a far cry from last year’s crisis, when thousands of forest and peatland fires raged across the archipelagic country during the extended dry season brought on by El Nino, sending toxic haze pollution billowing across the region.”

Source: Eco-Business, July 8, 2016


10% of GDP Lost to Climate Change
“Cambodia lost 10 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) last year to the negative effect of climate change, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In announcing a $96 million package to help the Kingdom cope with the loss of livelihoods and income due to extreme climatic events, Ancha Srinivasan, principal climate change specialist of ADB’s Southeast Asia Department said last year $1.5 billion was shaved off from its total GDP of $16 billion.”

Source: Khmer Times, July 4, 2016



USEFUL INSIGHTS FROM THE LITERATURE

a. Feeding Climate Change: What the Paris Agreement means to food and beverage companies
“The Paris Agreement marked a major breakthrough in support for climate action from many parts of the business community. Hundreds of CEOs pledged to reduce their carbon footprint – 115 companies committed to aligning their targets to keep the global temperature increase below 2°C, and 52 companies promised to strive for 100 percent renewable energy.

Undoubtedly, this shift in private sector positioning helped open new political space for governments to strike a deal in Paris. But what does the resulting agreement mean for the private sector, not least the food and beverage industry, which rightly spoke out about the ‘climate challenges that face our businesses’?

What does the Paris Agreement on mitigation mean for food and beverage companies?” – Pearl-Martinez, R., and Gore, T.

Source: Oxfam Briefing Paper, Oxfam International, June 2016


b. Global GHG footprints and water scarcity footprints in agriculture
This report commissioned by Oxfam provides insight into the global greenhouse gas (GHG) footprints and water (scarcity) footprints of seventeen major food commodities, along with a regional differentiation (for five continental regions). The five commodities with the highest annual global GHG footprint are rice, soybean, maize, palm oil fruit and wheat. Soil emissions (e.g. methane emissions from rice cultivation) and land-use change emissions contribute most to the global GHG footprint. Water scarcity footprints are highest in Asia because of relatively high irrigation rates and water scarcity. - Odegard, I.; Bijleveld, M., and Naber, N.

Source: Food Commodity Footprints, April 2015


Reports address true price of agricultural commodities
Reports produced by IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative in the Netherlands and True Price claim to have determined the real cost of agricultural commodities such as underpayment of workers, health and safety accidents, child labour, forced labour and gender discrimination, among others, and have estimated costs that are usually unmeasured.

Source: C & CI, July 2016
C&CI True Price Article.pdfC&CI True Price Article.pdf


Climate, soil and land-use based land suitability evaluation for oil palm production in Ghana
In the past decade, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) has become the world’s most important oil crop. The large demand for palm oil has resulted in a rapid expansion of oil palm cultivation across the globe. Because of the dwindling availability of land in Southeast Asia, most expansion of the industry is expected in Central and South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where land with suitable agro-ecological conditions is available. Using Ghana as a case study, a method for evaluating areas that are both suitable and available for oil palm production is presented. Our assessment used spatial data and GIS techniques, and showed that areas with suitable climatic conditions (annual average water deficit <400 mm) is about 20% greater than was previously identified. The observed differences are the result of using different methods to determine suitability, and climate change. A major climatic factor limiting suitability for oil palm production in Ghana is the annual water deficit, with the most suitable areas located in the rainforest and semi-deciduous forest zones with higher rainfall in southern Ghana. Opportunities for large-scale oil palm plantation development is limited, however, because of the lack of availability of large and contiguous tracts of land that are required for commercial plantation oil palm development. A feasible strategy for oil palm expansion is therefore smallholder production, which can make use of smaller parcels of land. Alternatively, oil palm production in Ghana can be increased by yield intensification on land already planted to oil palm. This can also reduce the requirement for further land clearance for new plantations to meet the growing demand for palm oil. Such assessments will be essential for guiding government policy makers and investors considering investments in oil palm development. – Rhebergen, T.; Fairhurst, T.; Zingore, S.; Fisher, M.; Oberthür, T. and Whitbread, A.

Source: Europ.J.Agronomy 81: 1 -14 (2016)


Rapid conversions and avoided deforestation: examining four decades of industrial plantation expansion in Borneo
Abstract: New plantations can either cause deforestation by replacing natural forests or avoid this by using previously cleared areas. The extent of these two situations is contested in tropical biodiversity hotspots where objective data are limited. Here, we explore delays between deforestation and the establishment of industrial tree plantations on Borneo using satellite imagery. Between 1973 and 2015 an estimated 18.7 Mha of Borneo’s old-growth forest were cleared (14.4 Mha and 4.2 Mha in Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo). Industrial plantations expanded by 9.1 Mha (7.8 Mha oil-palm; 1.3 Mha pulpwood). Approximately 7.0 Mha of the total plantation area in 2015 (9.2 Mha) were old-growth forest in 1973, of which 4.5–4.8 Mha (24–26% of Borneo-wide deforestation) were planted within five years of forest clearance (3.7–3.9 Mha oil-palm; 0.8–0.9 Mha pulpwood). This rapid within-five-year conversion has been greater in Malaysia than in Indonesia (57–60% versus 15–16%). In Indonesia, a higher proportion of oil-palm plantations was developed on already cleared degraded lands (a legacy of recurrent forest fires). However, rapid conversion of Indonesian forests to industrial plantations has increased steeply since 2005. We conclude that plantation industries have been the principle driver of deforestation in Malaysian Borneo over the last four decades. In contrast, their role in deforestation in Indonesian Borneo was less marked, but has been growing recently. We note caveats in interpreting these results and highlight the need for greater accountability in plantation development. - Gaveau, D.L.A.; Sheil, D.; Husnayaen; Salim, M.A.; Arjasakusuma, S.; Ancrenaz, M.; Pacheco, P. and Meijaard, E.

Source: Scientific Reports, 6:32017 (2016)


Commercial Crop Yields Reveal Strengths and Weaknesses for Organic Agriculture in the United States
Abstract: Land area devoted to organic agriculture has increased steadily over the last 20 years in the United States, and elsewhere around the world. A primary criticism of organic agriculture is lower yield compared to non-organic systems. Previous analyses documenting the yield deficiency in organic production have relied mostly on data generated under experimental conditions, but these studies do not necessarily reflect the full range of innovation or practical limitations that are part of commercial agriculture. The analysis we present here offers a new perspective, based on organic yield data collected from over 10,000 organic farmers representing nearly 800,000 hectares of organic farmland. We used publicly available data from the United States Department of Agriculture to estimate yield differences between organic and conventional production methods for the 2014 production year. Similar to previous work, organic crop yields in our analysis were lower than conventional crop yields for most crops. Averaged across all crops, organic yield averaged 80% of conventional yield. However, several crops had no significant difference in yields between organic and conventional production, and organic yields surpassed conventional yields for some hay crops. The organic to conventional yield ratio varied widely among crops, and in some cases, among locations within a crop. For soybean (Glycine max) and potato (Solanum tuberosum), organic yield was more similar to conventional yield in states where conventional yield was greatest. The opposite trend was observed for barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestevum), and hay crops, however, suggesting the geographical yield potential has an inconsistent effect on the organic yield gap. - Kniss, A.R.; Savage, S.D. and Jabbour, R.

Source: PLoS ONE 11(8): e0161673 (2016)


What general practitioners, football coaches and rocket science have to do with conservation
Excerpt: “The results of scientific research should be to conservation what stars are to celestial navigation; when the skies are clear, the stars inform us whether we are heading towards our goal and how fast we are moving. And if we’re clever we could work out whether we’re on the right ship. The problem is often that our skies are far from clear. Conservation problems are complex and we rarely get a clear view of where we are heading and how to get there, let alone whether we are using the right tools.” – Meijaard, E.

Source: Forest Science News (2016)


Genetic diversity and parentage in farmer selections of cacao from Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia revealed by microsatellite markers
Abstract: Indonesia is the third largest cocoa-producing country in the world. Knowledge of genetic diversity and parentage of farmer selections is important for effective selection and rational deployment of superior cacao clones in farmers’ fields. We assessed genetic diversity and parentage of 53 farmer selections of cacao in Sulawesi, Indonesia, using 152 international clones as references. Cluster analysis, based on 15 microsatellite markers, showed that these Sulawesi farmer selections are mainly comprised of hybrids derived from Trinitario and two Upper Amazon Forastero groups. Bayesian assignment and likelihood-based parentage analysis further demonstrated that only a small number of germplasm groups, dominantly Trinitario and Parinari, contributed to these farmer selections, in spite of diverse parental clones having been used in the breeding program and seed gardens in Indonesia since the 1950s. The narrow parentage predicts a less durable host resistance to cacao diseases. Limited access of the farmers to diverse planting materials or the strong preference for large pods and large bean size by local farmers, may have affected the selection outcome. Diverse sources of resistance, harbored in different cacao germplasm groups, need to be effectively incorporated to broaden the on-farm diversity and ensure sustainable cacao production in Sulawesi. - Dinarti, D.; Susilo, A. W.; Meinhardt. L. W.; Ji, K.; Motilal, L. A.; Mischke, S. and Zhang, D.

Source: Breeding Science 65: 438–446 (2015)


What are the limits to oil palm expansion?
Abstract: Palm oil production has boomed over the last decade, resulting in an expansion of the global oil palm planting area from 10 to 17 Million hectares between 2000 and 2012. Previous studies showed that a significant share of this expansion has come at the expense of tropical forests, notably in Indonesia and Malaysia, the current production centers. Governments of developing and emerging countries in all tropical regions increasingly promote oil palm cultivation as a major contributor to poverty alleviation, as well as food and energy independence. However, being under pressure from several non-governmental environmental organizations and consumers, the main palm oil traders have committed to sourcing sustainable palm oil. Against this backdrop we assess the area of suitable land and what are the limits to future oil palm expansion when several constraints are considered. We find that suitability is mainly determined by climatic conditions resulting in 1.37 billion hectares of suitable land for oil palm cultivation concentrated in twelve tropical countries. However, we estimate that half of the biophysically suitable area is already allocated to other uses, including protected areas which cover 30% of oil palm suitable area. Our results also highlight that the non-conversion of high carbon stock forest (>100 t AGB/ ha) would be the most constraining factor for future oil palm expansion as it would exclude two-thirds of global oil palm suitable area. Combining eight criteria which might restrict future land availability for oil palm expansion, we find that 234 million hectares or 17% of worldwide suitable area are left. This might seem that the limits for oil palm expansion are far from being reached but one needs to take into account that some of this area might be hardly accessible currently with only 18% of this remaining area being under 2 h transportation to the closest city and that growing demand for other agricultural commodities which might also compete for this land has not been yet taken into account. -Pirker, J.; Mosnier, A.; Kraxner, F.; Havlík, P. and Obersteiner, M.

Source: Global Environmental Change 40: 73 – 81 (2016)


Changes in Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Long Term Improved Natural and Traditional Agroforestry Management Systems of Cacao Genotypes in Peruvian Amazon
Abstract: Growing cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in an agroforestry system generates a productive use of the land, preserves the best conditions for physical, chemical and biological properties of tropical soils, and plays an important role in improving cacao production and fertility of degraded tropical soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of two long term agroforestry systems of cacao management on soil physical and chemical properties in an area originally inhabited by 30 years old native secondary forest (SF). The two agroforestry systems adapted were: improved natural agroforestry system (INAS) where trees without economic value were selectively removed to provide 50% shade and improved traditional agroforestry system (ITAS) where all native trees were cut and burnt in the location. For evaluation of the changes of soil physical and chemical properties with time due to the imposed cacao management systems, plots of 10 cacao genotypes (ICS95, UF613, CCN51, ICT1112, ICT1026, ICT2162, ICT2171, ICT2142, H35, U30) and one plot with a spontaneous hybrid were selected. Soil samples were taken at 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm depths before the installation of the management systems (2004), and then followed at two years intervals. Bulk density, porosity, field capacity and wilting point varied significantly during the years of assessment in the different soil depths and under the systems assessed. Soil pH, CEC, exchangeable Mg and sum of the bases were higher in the INAS than the ITAS. In both systems, SOM, Ext. P, K and Fe, exch. K, Mg and Al+H decreased with years of cultivation; these changes were more evident in the 0-20 cm soil depth. Overall improvement of SOM and soil nutrient status was much higher in the ITAS than INAS. The levels of physical and chemical properties of soil under cacao genotypes showed a marked difference in both systems. - Arévalo-Gardini, E.; Canto, M.; Alegre, J.; Loli, O.; Julca, A. and Baligar, V.

Source: PLoS ONE 10(7): e0132147 (2015)


International trade, and land use intensification and spatial reorganization explain Costa Rica’s forest transition
Abstract: While tropical deforestation remains widespread, some countries experienced a forest transition —a shift from net deforestation to net reforestation. Costa Rica had one of the highest deforestation rates in the 1980s and is now considered as a model of environmental sustainability, despite being a major producer of bananas and pineapples. We tested three land use processes that are thought to facilitate forest transitions. First, forest transitions may be accompanied by land use displacement through international trade of land-based products, which may undermine the global-scale environmental benefits of national forest protection. Second, reforestation is often associated with land use intensification in agriculture and forestry, allowing for land sparing. Third, this intensification may partly result from a geographical redistribution of land use at the sub-national scale to better match land use with land suitability. These hypotheses were verified for Costa Rica’s forest transition. We also tested whether forest increased mainly in regions with a low ecological value and agriculture expanded in regions with a high ecological value. Intensification and land use redistribution accounted for 76% of land spared during the forest transition, with 32% of this spared area corresponding to net reforestation. Decreasing meat exports led to a contraction of pastures, freeing an area equivalent to 80% of the reforested area. The forest transition in Costa Rica was environmentally beneficial at the global scale, with the reforested area over 1989–2013 corresponding to 130% of the land use displaced abroad through imports of agricultural products. However, expansion of export-oriented cropland caused deforestation in the most ecologically valuable regions of Costa Rica. Moreover, wood extraction from forest plantations increased to produce the pallets needed to export fruits. This highlights the importance of a multi-scale analysis when evaluating causes and impacts of national scale forest transitions. – Jadin, I.; Meyfroidt, P. and Lambin, E.F.

Source: Environ. Res. Lett. 11: 035005 (2016)



NEW ENTRIES TO THE IPNI SEAP LIBRARY

We have also updated our SEAP Reference Database with references dealing mainly with the following topics: oil palm, maize, cassava, cocoa, and coffee. For a complete listing of these references, please click here.



IPNI SEAP IN THE PRESS

Press Release
IPNI Southeast Asia Program has in the third quarter of 2016 disseminated the following press releases:
Article in the Bi-monthly Journal - Fertilizer Focus
Dr. Mirasol Pampolino elaborates on Nutrient Expert® in her article entitled "Optimising Fertilizer Formulations for Smallholders in Asia and Africa" in the July/August 2016 edition of Fertilizer Focus. We thank the publisher Argus FMB for their permission to extract the pages to show you here.

Book Review: 4R Plant Nutrition - A Manual for Improving the Management of Plant Nutrition
Mr. Chiu Sheng Bin, an independent oil palm agronomist with 32 years of experience in the plantation industry in the region, has reviewed the 4R Plant Nutrition Manual and published his thoughts in The Planter, Vol. 92, No. 1081, page 259-260. We sincerely thank The Incorporated Society of Planters for allowing us to share the article with you here.
For more info about the 4R Plant Nutrition Manual and to place an order, please visit this page.

Webinar Series
Mr. Christopher Richard Donough (Senior Oil Palm Advisor, IPNI Southeast Asia Program) spoke about "First step to high oil palm yield - a good nursery" on 29 September. If you have missed the live session, you may access the recording of this informative webinar at https://youtu.be/rxb7x45Kc5I

We cordially invite you to join us in our next webinar:
    Date: Wednesday, 26 October 2016
    Time: 9.00 a.m. (Singapore Time)
    Speaker: Dr. James Cock (Agricultural Consultant, IPNI Southeast Asia Program)
    Title: Homologous Event
    Introduction: The system of Homologous Events (HE) was developed by the IPNI Plantation Intelligence® group for Oil Palm. The HE system provides managers with a tool to characterize the growing conditions of individual fields over time. Similar conditions are defined as HEs. Yield variation within and across homologous events is analyzed with a view to providing managers with information on how distinct management practices affect yield. Examples are presented for fertilizer response. The same approach can readily be applied to other crops.
    For free registration, go here.



UPCOMING EVENTS

Oils and Fats International Congress 2016
19 - 21 October 2016
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Partnership Meeting and Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair
26 - 27 October 2016
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

26th International Conference on Coffee Sciences (ASIC 2016)
13 - 19 November 2016
Kunming, China

MAHA 2016: Our Food, Our Future
24 November - 4 December 2016
Selangor, Malaysia

7th International Nitrogen Initiative Conference (INI2016)
4 - 8 December 2016
Melbourne, Australia

International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC) 2017
14 -16 November 2017
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia




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Disclaimer: News from the Region is a selection of regional agriculture-related articles extracted from internet sources. IPNI does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the accuracy, currency, completeness or quality of the content in these sites. Due to the nature of this service, IPNI cannot always verify every single news item. Be sure to check with the official websites of the companies, universities, research centers, and government agencies before using any information in the IPNI SEAP Quarterly Newsletters or webpages, as IPNI cannot vouch for news items submitted by the public. Links to external websites are included for the sole purpose of providing easy access to the source. The inclusion of external hyperlinks does not constitute IPNI’s endorsement of the views expressed by these websites. IPNI shall not be responsible for any damages caused directly or indirectly by the use of any information or content from within linked websites.
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