Asian rice systems are undergoing various type of changes in response to economic factors and technological opportunities in farming. One such change has been the trend towards shift from transplanting to direct seeding methods for rice establishment. While the rising cost of labor has provided economic incentives for direct seeding, the availability of short duration rice varieties and chemical weed control methods has made such a shift economically profitable. Direct seeding methods have also played a critical role in the intensification of Asian rice systems. In  the future, in addition to the rising cost of labor, rice farmers of Asia will have to deal with an anticipated increasing scarcity of irrigation water as the demand for water from urban and industrial sectors expands. Direct-seeding methods, especially the method of dry seeding, may also help in achieving higher water use efficiency.

This workshop will provide an opportunity to review patterns of changes in crop establishment methods that have affected Asian rice production systems and assess the likely future trends. IRRI and NARS partners are already making considerable efforts to develop more productive and sustainable direct seeding systems. The emphasis on this workshop will be on dry seeding. A cross-ecosystems perspective will be taken so that the output of the workshop will be relevant to all rice production environments. The workshop will help identity strategic research issues on crop establishment methods covering aspects such as land preparation, weed management, crop management and crop improvement.

Objectives :

• Review past patterns of changes in crop establishment and factors explaining such patterns;

• Asses the likely future patterns of changes in crop establishment in various ecosystems/regions;

• Identify strategic research issues for improving the productivity of rice through the manipulation of crop establishment methods and related factors.

Non-point of diffuse pollution is the dominant cause of inferior water quality. The causes of diffuse pollution are mainly from agricultural practices in rural areas, urban runoff and from atmospheric deposition. The pollutants from diffuse sources are difficult to identify, monitor, and control.

The problems of diffuse pollution have been increased drastically in developed countries and begin to increase in developing countries. International Association on Water Quality (IAWQ) realization of the said problems, resulted in setting up the specialist group on Diffuse Pollution in 1991.

The 4th IAWQ Specialist Conference on Diffuse Pollution has been organized because of resources depletion, worse situation, conflict of interest and awareness of the problem on diffuse pollution in Asia and the Pacific region. This conference will be the first international conference on diffuse pollution to be held in Asia and outside of Europe and North America. The main idea of the conference will cover causes, impact, prevention and abatement of diffuse pollution in urban, rural and specific areas.

This IAWQ specialized conference will provide an international forum for researchers as well as specialists to exchange the experiences, ideas and new direction of the researches involving the problem of diffuse pollution and the solutions that should be effective and affordable for both developed and developing countries.

Some of the main themes related to deltaic environments :

• Conversion of coastal mangrove wetlands (versus shrimp farming)

• Irrigation and irrigation return flows management

• Cropland management and control

• Urban drainage

• Groundwater contamination from diffuse pollution

• Watershed management and river basin

• Water quality problems of coastal areas caused by diffuse pollution.