PANAMA
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2021 Updates
Government Efforts to Promote the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Panama Increase
[November 15, 2021] At the recent UNFCCC COP26 held in Glasgow, Scotland, technical staff from the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) and the Institute of Agricultural Research (IDIAP) of Panama held an event (right) to communicate how Panama is endeavoring to enhance resilience and reduce emissions from the agriculture sector. Kelly Witkowski, who attended COP26 with the IICA delegation, outlined some of the SRI efforts by Panama's government. Since 2016, IDIAP has been working to adapt SRI to the agro-ecological conditions in Panama to help the sector respond to climate change. Researchers have been able to increase yields from 2.9 to 5.7 t/ha and reduce water and seed use, which has helped generate interest from many farmers. Also in the rice sector, MIDA is working on developing a NAMA (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action) with financial support from Euroclima+. Executed by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the project has been engaging producers through farmer field schools to encourage innovation and practices that set a strong foundation for an eventual transition to SRI.
IDIAP is also participating in a new SRI project, More Productive and Sustainable Rice for Latin America, led by the National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) of Chile and supported by FONTAGRO, which is currently underway in Chile, Argentina, Venezuela and Panama. Over 3 years, on-farm actions and exchange between the countries will help increase the rice yield and while reducing agrochemical use, required rice seed, and production costs. The project has a strong focus on innovation with farmers to help support the socio-cultural changes required to adjust conventional practices. In Panama, the goal is to engage 900 family farmers and 210 mechanized farmers across seven provinces and three indigenous regions to employ SRI. [See full report for details.]
2020
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Inmates of Coclé to Grow their Own Rice with SRI Methods on Llano Marín Farm
[January 4, 2020] According to an article in tvn Noticias, as part of an experimental program for planting of rice and other crops, the Ministry of Government (Mingob) will allow prisoners to plant and harvest their food on the farm of the Llano Marin Penitentiary Center. Carlos Romero explained that this first program will use SRI methods to grow rice and is being carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) and IICA. There are currently four plots of 10x10 meters, which were planted on December 10, along with two other 35x35 plots which will be sown with another variety of seed. An additional 10X10 plot was cultivated using conventional methods in order to see the difference in performance. The experiments are expected to double production. Romero stressed that this type of program, in addition to chicken-raising, is a pilot program encouraging Mingob to seek sustainability; the prisoners themselves cultivate their food and, if successful, the program is expected to be replicate soon in the Chiriqui Prison Center and other penitentiaries. According to the article, Rosa Vegara, who is in charge of plot four, said she monitors the daily data on the size of the rice plants. She explained that the rice was first grown in a seedbed and then transplanted at 16 cm. In 23 days, the plant had grown to 26 cm. For his part, inmate Jaime Raul Ruiloba Quezda, said this is an important experience that contributes to resocialization; he hopes to have the opportunity to transmit what he has learned as soon as he regains his freedom. [See Spanish language article for full story.]
2019
- SRI Demonstration Plots Established in El Caño, Cocle, Panama
[December 14, 2019] The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) together with the Ministry of Agricultural Development and the producers association, APUSREC, established SRI demonstration plots in El Caño, Cocle, Panama. An initial training and field visit was held in early April 2019 to prepare for the initiative. Diddier Moreira of IICA provided the initial training on SRI for students, producers and technicians (left). A subsequent field visit was made to select parcels to establish the SRI demonstration plots together with and a comparison plot, and to collect soil samples for analysis. The demonstration parcels will be planted in early May, 2019 (-see photo by Manuel Pitre at right). Results from this project will contribute towards the development of a National Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) for the rice sector in Panama. Results are presented in an October 2019 presentation [For more information, contact IICA.]
2017
- The Second Regional Exchange: Advances with SRI in the Americas
[December 15, 2017] Panama participated in the Second Regional Exchange: Advances with SRI in the Americas, which took place in Ibagué, Colombia from October 10-12, 2017. During the meeting, the countries of Colombia, Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panamá, Trinidad-Tobago, and Venezuela presented the results of their experiences with SRI with the objective of exchanging information, lessons learned and
opportunities for adapting SRI in the Americas. This Second Regional Exchange was organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the National Federation of Rice Growers of Colombia (FEDEARROZ), within the framework of the Project "Cultivate more with less: Adaptation, validation and promotion of the intensive system of rice cultivation (SRI) in the Americas as a response to climate change," financed by FONTAGRO and the GEF. José A. Yau Quintero, researcher at the Instituto de Investigacion Agropecuaria de Panamá (IDIAP), presented in behalf of Panama. [See video and poster presentation from the conference.] - IDIAP's Experience in Two Provinces Shows Positive Results
[December 12, 2017] As of 2017, 14 SRI plots in two provinces have been established by researchers at the Instituto de Investigacion Agropecuaria de Panamá (IDIAP). While the trials have not yet shown important differences in tillering, the number of spikes, plant height and yield, the plots do show a significant increase in microbiological activity, measured by microbial respiration. For the country, this project has contributed to the validation of SRI methodology and thus the identification of measures that smallholder rice producers can implement to improve sustainable productivity. For the future of SRI in Panama, it is important to continue the dissemination and transfer of knowledge in other rice regions for producers and technicians of all subsistence, commercial, certified seed and genetic production. It is expected that the SRI methodology will scale up to more commercial regions with larger producers through the mechanization and adaptation of its practices while maintaining its principles. [See video and poster presentation for more information.]
2011
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Panama SRI Experience Presented at International Workshop in Costa
Rica
Marie-Soleil Turmel brought the SRI experience in Panama to the First Workshop on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Latin America and the Caribbean, which was held at EARTH University, Costa Rica, on October 31- November 1, 2011. Her presentation, Sistema Intensivo de Cultivo Arrocero en Panamá: Investigación sobre los Dinámicos de Nutrientes (SRI in Panama: Research into Soil Nutrient Dynamics), included results of her recent dissertation research and general information on the future of integrating SRI methods into farming systems in Panama (and throughout the tropics).
- Marie-Soleil Turmel Completes Dissertation on SRI in Panama
Marie-Soleil Turmel completed her dissertation "Soil properties and the response of rice production to water regime and fertilizer source in low fertility soils of the Republic of Panama." She received the Ph.D. degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
2009-2010:
- Initial SRI (SICA) Trials in Panama Produce Good Results
SRI (SICA in Spanish) was introduced and first evaluated in Panama by Marie-Soleil Turmel who completed her dissertation on SRI in 2011 from McGill University in Canada. Her research was based at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) Panama City, with funding support from the International Development Research Centre of Canada and with supervision from Dr. Ben Turner of STRI. Some of the findings of her studies can be found in the reports and articles section below.
In August 2009, Soleil organized a national conference on SRI held at the STRI with IDRC funding. International participation included: Yoannis Martin from the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (INCA) in Cuba, Oscar Montero from Costa Rica, and Norman Uphoff from CIIFAD. The conference was attended by professionals from the Agriculture Research Institute of Panama (IDIAP), the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), and the NGO Patronato de Nutricion.
Patronato de Nutrición has cooperated with Soleil in SRI evaluation under small-farm conditions in 12 communities in various regions of Panama. Together with Panamanian colleagues, Soleil has written an article summarizing initial results, to appear in a forthcoming FAO publication. This summarizes results from five farm communities in Veraguas province in central Panama. Farmers who did on-farm comparison trials with proper use of the methods and with monitoring of practices were very satisfied with their results. Two communities had almost a doubling of yield, and the two which did not have a yield increase expressed satisfaction with the water saving, which averaged 80% among the five sets of farmers. In the fifth community there was a 36% increase in yield.
Soleil reports that with conventional methods, farmers got increased yields of 0.6 to 3.6 t/ha, while on their adjoining SRI plots, yields increased over previous production by 1.2 to 5.2 t/ha. Weed control was more necessary with SRI management, but farmers did not consider this a problem because they found the mechanical weeder to be very efficient and labor-saving. Transplanting young seedlings took some more time initially, but it enabled them to use the mechanical weeder, which was judged to be a sufficient offset. As the farmers’ evaluations were positive, the article recommends wider testing and demonstration of the new methods.
Reports and Articles
- 2020. Reos de Coclé sembrarán sus propios alimentos en granja de Llano Marín. tvn Noticias, January 4.
- Witkowski, Kelly and Diddier Moreira. 2017. Informe segundo intercambio regional: Avances cons SRI en las Américas [Read online (slideshare.net). Also, 15MB hi-res download version; or 5MB download version without posters]. SRI-Rice website. (50p., 4MB pdf) [Spanish language document about a regional workshop related to the Proyecto Cultivar más con menos: Adaptación, validación y promoción del Sistema Intensivo del Cultivo Arrocero (SRI) en las Américas como una respuesta al cambio climático. The workshop was held October 10-12 in Ibagué, Colombia.] [See also shorter description in English.]
- Turmel, Marie-Soleil. 2011. Soil properties and the response of rice production to water regime and fertilizer source in low fertility soils of the Republic of Panama. Ph.D. dissertation, McGill University.
- Turmel, Marie-Soleil, Benjamin L. Turner, and Joann K. Whalen. 2011. Soil fertility and the yield response to the System of Rice Intensification. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 26(3):185-192. doi:10.1017/S174217051100007X
- Turmel, Marie-Soleil, Juan Espinosa, León Franco, Candelario Pérez,
Horacio Hernández, Eric González, Guillermo Fernández, Carlos
Rojas, Daniel Sánchez and Nicolás Fernández. 2010. On-farm evaluation of a low-input
rice production system in Panama. Paddy and Water Environment.
155-161. DOI: 10.1007/s10333-010-0227-1
- Turmel, Marie-Soleil, León Franco, Candelario Pérez, Horacio Hernández, Eric González, Joann K. Whalen and Benjamin J. Turner. 2010. On-Farm Evaluation of a Novel Low-Input Rice Production System in Panama. System of Rice Intensification website (4p., 25KB pdf)
- 2009. System of Rice Intensification Conference. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution (STRI) Panama website. August 3.
Presentations and Videos
- Presentation: 2021. El Sector Agropecuario Panameno Contribuyendo a la Lucha Frente al Cambio Climatico. 6 slides. SRI-Rice channel, Slideshare. [This is a partial slideset related to the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). The full slide set was presented at COP26, Glasgow, Scotland, by the Ministereo Desarrollo Agropecuario, Panama, during November 2021.] [uploaded November 19, 2021]
- Presentation: 2019. Proyecto IICA - MIDA/ Sistema Intensivo de Arroz (SRI) Evaluación del primer ensayo de validación realizado en coclé para enfrentar al Cambio Climático (alternativa) Localizada en el Sistema de Riego El Caño. DICIEMBRE /2018 - ABRIL/ 2019 - OCTUBRE/ 2019. 44 slide. Presentation on the IICA/MIDA SRI Project in Panama that began in December 2018. [uploaded December 14, 2019]
- Video: 2019 (July 29). Opiniónes de productores sobre SRI. 2:05 min. IICAnoticias channel, YouTube. [Farmer experiences with IICA-sponsored SRI efforts in Panama, Costa Rica and elsewhere in Latin America.]
- Video: 2019 (July 29). 1) ¿Qué es SRI?. 2:00 min. SRI 2do Segmento. 6:10 min. SRI 3er Segmento 5:46 min. IICAnoticias channel, YouTube. [Agroconecxion TV show (in three parts) on IICA's SRI program.]
- 2019 (July 25). Sistema Intensificado para el Cultivo de Arroz | SICA / SRI (EN). 9:25 min. Ernesto de Crema channel, YouTube. [FONTAGRO (Colombia) video that focuses on their SRI outreach work with IDIAP in Panama] [accessed September 4, 2022]
- PowerPoint: Turmel, Marie-Soleil. 2011.
Sistema Intensivo de Cultivo Arrocero en Panamá: Investigación sobre los
Dinámicos de Nutrientes
(SRI in Panama: Research into Soil Nutrient Dynamics). Presentation at the First Workshop on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Latin America, EARTH University, Costa Rica - Video: 2018 (January 16). 02 SRI - Panama nuevo. 4:39 min. IICA channel, Vimeo. [Jose Alberto Yau Quinero from IDIAP talks about Panama SRI trials.][accessed February 21, 2018]
Photo Collection
- Click here for the SRI Panama Photo Collection
