The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) organised a two-day workshop in Ho Chi Minh on 1-2 June 2017, aiming to identify market prospects for potential use of rice straw products and explore future potential to develop market value chain for the use of rice straw
The Vietnamese rice experts across the fields of academia, research institutions, private sectors and farmer groups participated in the workshop.
The workshop configured the dynamics of rice straw market for various sectors such as agriculture, food and feed, energy and other industries. The participants also mapped out key drivers and the latest trends in the rice straw market, in order to explore future market pathways.
Commenting on the workshop, Matty Demont, value chain expert at IRRI, stated, “We have developed a new workshop tool that can help generate out-of-the-box thinking with respect to future market prospects for rice straw.”
“More importantly, we now have a lot of insights into upgrading the strategies that are needed to achieve sustainable rice production in Vietnam,” Demont added.
The IRRI’s rice straw project has been funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which funded several other IRRI-projects since 1974.
On the rice-straw project, Martin Gummert, postharvest and mechanisation expert at IRRI, said, “Over the last 10 years, we have looked at technology alternatives to handle rice straw, however, we have not contemplated the market potential for straw products, which is also a critical component that will ensure that the byproduct is sustainably managed.”
Dr Duy Duong Dong, the vice-president of Nong Lam University, said that the workshop in Ho Chi Minh could effectively push towards a better utilisation of rice straw in the country.
He further commented, “I can see that the team has clear and targeted activities towards this goal and I can assure you that the university will continue to work with IRRI to out scale the benefits.”
