Increasing participation of end users in postproduction research and development.
Bakker, R. R.; Padua, D. B. de; Bell, M. A.; Rickman, J. F.;
Postharvest handling of fresh vegetables. Proceedings of a workshop held in Beijing, China, 9-11 May 2001
2001
บทคัดย่อ
In the Philippines, the adoption and utilization of new technologies for postproduction handling of rice have not kept pace with increased volumes of grain, handling requirements for wet harvest, and the growing demands for higher rice quality. To date, the Philippine postproduction sector is characterized by a lack of grain-drying capacity, the presence of antiquated milling systems, and a lack of adequate storage facilities. The current state of affairs can be partly attributed to wrongful targeting of potential users in technology design and development, and a weak collaboration between public and private sectors. Furthermore, agencies involved in research and development have historically approached problems from an inward-looking perspective. In 1998, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) convened a workshop involving representatives of all interest groups in the rice postproduction industry to review the current situation in the Philippines, and to jointly identify priority problems. In response, four national agricultural research organizations and IRRI together identified opportunities for research and launched a collaborative research programme to increase the effectiveness of postproduction research in the Philippines. This collaborative program is known as the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium and is currently in its third year. The objective of this consortium is to take a more comprehensive approach to rice postproduction research, and increase the participation of technology end users. A variety of research and development activities is jointly undertaken by consortium members, including in-depth needs assessment studies of producers and consumers, case studies of successful and failed technology introductions, and development of appropriate dissemination strategies for postharvest technologies. In addition, the consortium is in a partnership with the private manufacturing industry to localize production of mechanical dryers in the Philippines.