Since mid-2002, and in reward
for its continued research excellence and commitment to improving the
efficiency of the agricultural sector, CLRRI has been nominated by the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) as the Regional
Institute for the Mekong Delta. This places the Institute in a prime
position to realize the gamut of government resolutions.
Three areas are focused upon:
-
improvement
of seed varieties and technologies
-
identify and establish specialized zones of production
-
improve the quality of
produce at source for the export arena
While the Institute’s focus
remains rice production it also works with crops like soybean, maize,
cotton and sugarcane, as well as designing and transferring innovative
mixed farming systems of aquaculture and stock with various crops. To
achieve these area objectives CLRRI has instituted a number of
short-term research strategies:
-
research
based on principles of sustainability such as promoting biological
diversity and real socioeconomic gains for producers
-
combine conventional plant breeding with advances in biotechnology
-
research production costs
and market trends to improve the competitiveness of agricultural
products
-
diversify the sources of
farmers’ incomes away from rice-only production systems
CLRRI is also seeking to bridge
the gap between scientists and farmers by establishing
farmer-technician-extension networks in all 12 Delta provinces. Through
this network transfers of new and improved technologies will be
streamlined. The use of television and radio is expected to play an
important role here, along with farmer feedback.
The Institute continues to
address issues of local, regional and national food security via a focus
on improved yield, product quality and farm productivities.
Priority areas are:
-
stabilize
current crop yields by reducing insect, disease and post-harvest
losses
-
reduce
yield gaps in different agro-ecological zones
-
improve farmers’ cropping
knowledge and practices
-
break the ‘yield threshold’
impasse
Protection of the environment
and natural resource base is central to these areas.
