International agencies commit to food sustainability

MANILA, Philippines — Various international agencies have committed to craft a framework that will focus on the sustainable management of rice-fish production systems in irrigated landscapes and wetlands in the Southeast Asian region.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), WorldFish, and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) inked a five-year tripartite memorandum of understanding for cooperation on research for development initiatives.

This is in line with the plan for transformation in research programs to usher in a “food systems revolution” to tackle challenges related to sustainability, nutrition, genetics, socio-economics, and information and to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Under the MoU, IRRI, WorldFish and IWMI will co-develop and implement research for development activities to discover the impact of rice-fish production systems on environmental, socio-economic, and cultural values on land and waterways.

The projects will be developed based on themes which include constructed water bodies, rice-fish landscapes, climate resilience and water, trade-offs and foresight analysis, and ICT and big data.

“The agreement exemplifies a food systems approach to transforming the global rice sector. The combined global research expertise and influence in the core elements of diets such as rice and fish, as well as land and water systems make this strategic collaboration essential to a food systems revolution,” IRRI director general Matthew Morell said.

WorldFish director general Gareth Johnstone said the multi-agency partnership provides a strategic push for wider research, promotion, and implementation of integrated rice-fish systems.

“The partnership helps create better synergies for leveraging our individual research expertise and network strengths to accelerate the sustainable supply of nutritious fish and rice into national, regional, and global food systems,” Johnstone said.

IMWI’s work on sustainable water and land use converges well with IRRI’s work on landscape-level water management and environmental sustainability.