Climate Change Technology Needs Assessments for Thailand : Adaptation in Agricultural Sector

1. Climate Change Technology Needs Assessments for Thailand:Adaptation in Agricultural Sector Morakot Tanticharoen National Science and Technology Development Agency , Thailand

3. In 2010: flood damaged more than 1.76 million hectares causing the government to approve approximately 550 million USD to help flood victims. In 2011 ( 10 Oct): flood damaged more than 1.4 million hectares. November 2010 and June 2011 over 39 provinces in Thailand were experiencing drought, causing the government to allocate a budget of more than 13 million USD to relieve the problem

4. In 2010 drought exacerbated the pandemic situation, damaging approximately 1 million hectares of cassava plantation and causing a 20-25% reduction in yields (Winotai, 2011).

5. Food Crisis???? Source: Stephen A. Goff and John M. Salmeron, 2004.

6. Scientific American October 2009, Volume 301 No. 4 Biotech’s Plans to Sustain Agriculture Biotechnology: new genes insertion and new traits; DNA marker assisted breeding Agronomic practices: precision agriculture based on remote sensing and global positioning, new equipment for irrigation and new planting technology Drought tolerance and nitrogen-use efficiency (water-optimized product, reductions in nitrogen fertilizer use)

7. Process of Technology Needs Assessment& Action plans Literature review SubsectorIdentification Experts& Stakeholders Experts& Stakeholders Technology Needs Assessment (Prioritized) Literature review Barrier analysis (capability, accessibility, policy, law & regulation, social perception, user, etc.) Experts& Stakeholders & National Consultation Technology Action Plans

8. Thailand’s Agriculture and Food : Facts and Figures Ranked 12th in the world food exporter (2010) Farmers involved 3.7 M 400,000 200,000 25,000 8

9. Criteria for prioritize technology Impact of Technology + Potential Benefit / Opportunity loss + Cost-benefit/ Cost-effectiveness Technology capability + R&D and technology based capability + Technology absorption + Technology diffusion Policy and Regulation Public Perception & Farmer’s acceptance

10. Prioritizing technologies (Stakeholder meeting) Crop Improvement Forecastingand Early Warning Further prioritizing technologies (Public hearing) Precision Farming Tech. capability—3 levels Barriers Solutions

11. Crop Improvement

12. Gene Pyramiding MAS and Backcross Breeding Super Jasmine Rice Currently take 6 years for new rice varieties to be developed by using MAS DT + SUB + BB + BL + BPH + ST DT + SUB + BB + BL BB + BL + BPH + ST DT + SUB BB + BL BPH + ST DT SUB BB BL BPH ST brown plant hoppers bacterialblight drought flood salinity

13. Examples of current work onMarker Assisted Selection (MAS) TT & commercialize Field Trial & Demonstration • Rice breeds that can resistance/ tolerance to bacterial blight, brown plant hoppers, salinity, or drought are now in a multi-location and regional trial study as well as production demonstration in farmers’ fields R&D • Use of MAS in rice breeding with a quality for flood/ drought/pest toleranceor non-photoperiod sensitivity • Implementation of gene pyramiding to improve rice breeds • Preliminary screening of wild crop relatives to identify target traits to adapt to climate change • Promote the implementation of MAS for rice breeds in the Mekong region • Thailand’s “Molecular Rice Breeding Program for the Mekong Region” KDML 105 submergence tolerance • Some rice varieties are available for farmer

14. Transfer flood tolerance trait into other rice varieties After flooding Flooding for 12 days “Chonlasit submergence tolerance” which have been transferred to farmers in Authaya, Chainat, Angthong, and Uttaradit It can survive under the water for upto 2 weeks after the occurrence of flash flooding off-season rice.Homcholasit rice (KDML 105 submergence tolerance) can be providing yield of 3 tons per hectare. 15

15. Barrier Solution Technology capability Technology capability • Promote research and development on MAS • Research collaboration withthe international research institutes, private companies and networks • Transfer MAS technology to plant breeders by collaboration betweengovernment to governmentand public private • MAS’ s currently limited to some varieties of rice (KDML105,RD6) Other crops have undergone less research Human resources Human resources • Shortage of plant breeders, molecular breeders, physiologists, plant pathologists and entomologists • Human resource development by collaboration with international institutes • Formulate courses on plant Marker Assisted Selection (MAS)

16. Barrier Solution Infrastructure Infrastructure • Lack of medium-long term seed bank • Lack of throughput screening facilities includes genotypic and phenotypic screening • Establish a national and regional network of germplasm bank • Invest a high throughput phenotyping and genotyping screening facility to increase the efficiency of crop improvement Policy Policy • access to genetic resources through increased interdependency is limited due to international agreements and countries’ s environment policy • Request international organization such as FAO, CGIAR to ease access to more genetic resource materials

17. Examples of current work on genetic modification of plants TT & commercialize Field Trial & Demonstration • Thailand is yet to trade genetically modified plants, except for research purposes • National Biosafety Act has been approved by the cabinet and is now under consideration by the Office of the Council of State of Thailand • only the virus PRSV resistant papayas went to field trial in 1997. • in 2001, experiments involving GM plant were put on hold following a decision by the cabinet • Thailand’s Biosafety Guideline, initiated in 1992, cover areas of r&d, field testing, and commercialization R&D • development of papayasresistant to the papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) • R&D on plant transformation in cassava, sugarcane, rice and orchid

18. Barrier Solution • Need the policy support to confine field trials of locally developed GM products • Arrange various activities to promote public awareness in science and regulation of GMOs • Request assistance of international organizations to negotiate the use of licensed genes and technologies • Work with international organizations such as ISAAA • Successful plant transformation has been limited to few plant species due to lack of government support • Traits, genetic engineering is covered by patents

19. Forecastingand Early Warning Target Data • Climate patterns • Pest and disease outbreaks • Past yields • Forecast weather and pest/ disease outbreaks • Reduce the risk of damage • Select the right crops based on specific planting time and crop cycle SimulationModel Warning System (rapid emergency response)

20. Examples of current work on Forecasting & Early Warning TT & commercialize Field Trial & Demonstration • Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSATT) to predict impacts of climate change on various crops such as rice, cassava, and sugarcane R&D • Basic data collection to underpin forecasting models in the future • A brown plant hopper pest prediction and warning system • Aquaculture Information System to predict the growth of shrimps under various climatic conditions • Spatial modeling of land suitability evaluation for rubber plantation in Northeast Thailand

21. Barrier Solution Technology capability Technology capability • Lack of forecasting tools for biological andphysical data, weather condition • Limitation of pest and disease databases • Limitation on data accessibility and data redundancy • Encourage cooperation between simulation modelers and biologists to develop a model/ system using biological data • Develop a simulation model with a scale suited for Thailand’s geographic areas • Develop unified databases that use the same standards both nationally and regionally • EstablishNational Spatial Data Infrastructure: NSDI

22. Barrier Solution Human resources Human resources • Lack of skilled personnel to develop climate change simulation models • Lack of linkage between skilled personnel and relevant organization • Collaborate with research institutes from overseas to provide training on the development of pest/disease simulation mode • Encourage public and private collaboration to develop software Policy Policy • no accompanying implementation plan to deal beforehand with pest and disease outbreaks relevant to the agricultural sector other than that of the bird flu • Draft an implementation plan/ manual to prepare for natural disasters that affects the agricultural sector, especially outbreaks of pest and diseases(learning from bird flu model)

23. Precision Farming “ Planting the right seed in the right place depending on the field conditions or havingthe precise application of pesticides, nitrogen fertilizer or other inputs. ” Vice President, Technology Strategy& Development, Monsanto (Scientific American, 2009)

24. Precision Farming Technology; Sikhio Model Sikhio model, Nakhon Ratchasima, demonstates the use of precision farming technology (such as drip irrigation system and customized fertilizer) to increase the productivity of cassava to about 30-40 ton/hec 29

25. GranMonte Smart Vineyard • GranMonte Smart Vineyard project was piloted in 2008 by Mahidol University and NECTEC. The project utilized an integrated set of technologies in a vineyard • Information Technology • Smart Viticulture • Networks of Multi-functional and Multi-dimensional Sensors • RFID, GIS, Radio-Controlled, • Robotics • Agro-informatics • Nanotechnology) • Farm managers can monitor changes in the farm via the Internet or by mobile phone 30 Source: Mahidol University, NECTEC and GranMonte Vineyard

26. KMITL Fishtech Farm • Closed system for tilapia fish farming • Real-time water quality monitoring • Digital tags embedded in the breeding parents to monitor the origin of breeds 31 Source:Source: King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (2010)

27. Examples of current work on Precision Farming TT & commercialize Field Trial & Demonstration • pH and DO Sensor have beentransferred to aquaculture privatecompany • Sensor technologies, pH and DO, have been developed and used in shrimp farming • prototype of Moisture and pH sensors have been used in sugarcane farming • Demonstration project has been establish - Sikhio Model - KMITL fishtech farm - GranMonte Smart Vineyard R&D • Use of GPS technology to identify coordinates/ locations best suited for sugarcane farming • R&D on Integrated system of sensor and embedded technology

28. Barrier Solution Human resources Human resources • Provide farmers with precision farming courses, focusing on how to collect and analyze relevant data to improve productivity while reducing resource consumption • Lack of necessary human skills

29. Project Ideas Formulation of related courses through international collaboration and networking Technology Transfer Public to Public TAIST Tokyo Tech technology transfer to local private players Public-Private Partnership Infrastructure International collaboration with leading academic institutes, private companies and ASEAN networks Human ResourceDevelopment Support Thailand as an ASEAN training hub “The Molecular Rice Breeding Program for the Mekong Region” Seed Germplasm Bank Papaya Biotechnology Network R&D

30. THANK YOU