PROJECT #1999-15
CLIMAG-Asia Scoping Workshop
| Project Leader |
Dr. Hassan VIRJI
Deputy Director, Intenational START Secretariat
2000 Florida Ave. NW 200
Washington DC 20009
USA
Tel: +1 202 462 2213
Fax: +1 202 457 5859
E-mail: hvirgi@agu.org
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| Funding |
The workshop was funded using the Hyogo Prefecture APN Symposium/Workshops
fund.
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| Participating countries |
Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, UK, USA
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Introduction/Background
The aim of the CLIMAG-Asia workshop was to follow-up on the recommendations
from the recent International Workshop on CLIMAG Geneva, September 1999
on design and implementation of a regional CLIMAG demonstration project
in Asia. Participants were selected on basis of interest shown at
the Geneva workshop and reflected a cross-section of partners (APN, WCRP,
IGBP, START, IRI, ICASA, etc) who will collaborate on implementation of
the regional CLIMAG demonstration project.
Outline of activities conducted
Building upon the discussions at the Geneva workshop, the Kobe workshop
considered three specific potential projects that could be enhanced into
a regional CLIMAG demonstration project. These candidate projects
were judged against a set of criteria that were based upon the elements
of a regional CLIMAG demonstration project agreed to by the Geneva workshop.
The project in South Asia was recommended to be ready to become a full
regional CLIMAG demonstration project. The other two were still more
on the pilot activity phase requiring background strategic research.
The Kobe workshop also received feedback from the APN Secretariat (based
on discussions of the APN Steering Group) that the APN would consider a
single proposal package requesting initial 1-year support for a regional
CLIMAG demonstration project in Asia. In further consultations following
the Kobe workshop and endorsement of the recommendations of this workshop
by both APN Secretariat and the START SSC, it was decided that this single
proposal package would be collated on behalf of the partners by the International
START Secretariat and submitted for further consideration by APN.
The following section summarizes discussion and recommendation on each
of the candidate projects.
South Asia Mixed Cropping System:
This effort is based upon pilot activities in the region (supported
by START and NOAA-OGP) conducted by Dr. Sulochana Gadgil and associates
in Banglore/India and these conducted by Dr. Holger Meinke/Australia and
colleagues from the Tamil Nadu University in South India. The success
of these pilot activities lends confidence that a meaningful regional CLIMAG
demonstration project can mobilize the core network of stakeholders (scientists,
agricultural community, sponsoring organizations) with relatively modest
investments over a period of 3 or so years. Given the readiness of
this project, well-coalesced group of researchers and indications of co-sponsorship
support from various partners (START, APN, IRI, NOAA-OGP, IGBP, WCRP),
the workshop recommended that this project should be developed in to a
full regional CLIMAG demonstration project as a matter of priority.
The workshop charged Dr. Meinke/Australia and Dr. Gadgil/India with further
development of the project and a proposal for an initial year funding request
to APN.
Southeast Asia Rice Cropping System:
This effort builds upon pilot activities in the region (supported by
START and NOAA-OGP) conducted by scientists from the Philippines and Indonesia
(Dr. Felino Lansigian and Dr. Grace Centano of the Philippines, Dr. Daniel
Murdiyarso and Dr. Istiqal Amien of Indonesia). Results of these
pilot activities have indicated a need for further analysis of existing
data to determine the suitability of potential sites for a CLIMAG demonstration
project. When judged against the specific criteria for a regional
CLIMAG demonstration project, the need for further analysis became even
more obvious.
It was also clear that further underpinning strategic research (refinement
and calibration of various crop models, scaling of crop and climate model
outputs, etc) was needed to support CLIMAG. The workshop noted that
GCTE was keen to sponsor such activities.
The workshop participants noted that upcoming IRI April 2000 Forum
was an ideal opportunity for convening a workshop to carry out the required
analysis of data from the SE Asia region. Hence, they recommended
that a focused workshop should be conducted in conjunction with the IRI
April 2000 Forum to analyze the existing data and current cropping practices
in Southeast Asia in order to establish climate-crop relationships and
to decide on what aspects of current cropping practices could be modified
to respond to climate information. Such workshop would involve two
scientists (one climate and one agriculture) from each of Indonesia, Philippines
and Thailand. Drs. Murdiyarso, Lansigian and Amien were charged with
preparation of a proposal for this workshop. Resource needs for this are
to be included in the proposal to APN and further discussed with the IRI
April 2000 Forum organizers.
Fiji Sugar Cane System:
This effort is based upon a proposal from the University of the South
Pacific, the Fiji Meteorological Service and the Fiji Sugar Corporation
to NOAA-OGP. The workshop participants noted that ACIAR/Australia
had also expressed possible interest in this effort. However, when
judged against the criteria for a regional CLIMAG demonstration project,
it was clear that significant amount of background work needs to be conducted
in the region. Hence, it was recommended that this effort be treated
at present as a pilot project and NOAA-OGP and ACIAR be encouraged to support
it. Dr. Manton was charged with fostering this further.
Outcomes/Products
The major product of the meeting was a draft proposal for each of the
above candidate projects.
Future directions/follow-up work
Details of the necessary follow-up work for each of the candidate projects
is given above.
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