IRRI 18 March 2016.

MANILA, Philippines—Reliable information based on satellite data and ground observations can help the Philippines prepare for and mitigate the effect of recurring disasters, such as typhoons and El Niño, on rice areas in Mindanao. 

Since 2014, the Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) has been providing the Department of Agriculture (DA) with timely seasonal data on rice area and yield and assessment of crop health and damage in the event of a typhoon, flood, or drought. In its first annual executive meeting on 31 March, PRISM will present its achievements and activities to a wider audience. High-level officials including Senator Cynthia Villar, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, DA undersecretaries, and other stakeholders will attend the event. 

“PRISM uses remote sensing, crop modeling, cloud computing, and smart phone-based surveys for rice mapping and monitoring,” said Alice Laborte, who leads the PRISM project at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).  PRISM, one of seven projects under the Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP), is a collaborative project among IRRI, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and the DA. The development and implementation of PRISM in the Philippines are funded under the DA's National Rice Program.

“Specifically, PRISM uses high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery acquired throughout the rice growing season,” Laborte said.  “SAR imagery can be acquired day or night and even on cloudy days. This makes the technology perfect for monitoring rice growth and assessing damage to rice crops resulting from floods and typhoons.”

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To be continued by the DA beyond 2017, the PRISM project is a pioneering achievement as the Philippines is the first country in Southeast Asia to have such an operational system.

See http://irri.org/news/media-releases/modern-rice-information-system-helps-da-plan-and-respond-to-disasters