Rice is an important staple crop which is now being promoted inlowland areas of the ECA sub region. Lowland areas are known to face challengesin producing rice; thus the need to promote use of improved high-yielding ricevarieties for the lowland rice-based cropping systems. Prior to theintervention by ASARECA, the rice yield was as low as 1.5–2.5 tons/ ha. Thiswas mainly attributed to use of local varieties, coupled with traditional cropand land management practices in the two intervention districts/sites in CentralMadagascar. Through implementation the project in the collaborator’s farmers’fields, it was demonstrated that the technology works which aroused theinterest of other farmers. At the end of the project, interest in the ricetechnologies was created, but this needs to be promoted on a larger scale so asto benefit more farmers.

This technology, innovations and management practices package is acombination of (i) lowland rice varieties (X 265 and FOFIFA 160); (ii)technical package (including information on seedling age, spacing, number ofseedlings/ hill and fertilizer application-application rate and type, landpreparation, and weeding); (iii) promotion of best practices such as making useof the best marketable off-season crops, which is suitable for the ricecropping pattern in lowland areas; (iv) use of post-harvest tools such as thepedal thresher and the winnower to reduce product losses; and (v) use ofpolyethylene sheets as drying tools to improve the quality of rice and henceminimize the amount of sand and stones in the rice product. Mobilization of thefarmers through an effective, participatory approach, to promote adoption ofthe technology was also a critical aspect of the project. This approach hasbeen proven to be relevant and efficient in the dissemination of thetechnologies.

The main users of the technology were the immediate farmers in theselected site/zone for the scaling-out and scaling up of the technology, thesurrounding farmers or intermediaries and other key players such as extensionservice providers, NGOs working on rural development, input suppliers andtraders, local authorities and the decision-makers. The use of the technologywill be supported by the communication strategy and products/tools such asposters, leaflets, booklets, brochures, video clips, and local radio programmesproduced during the project implementation phase.

Figure 1:Collaborating farmer admiring his field of the improved rice variety

The main dissemination and scaling-out/up approaches used were: demonstrationsin farmers’ fields; organized field visits; field days; exchange visits betweencommunities involved to showcase the technology with stakeholders such asextension service providers, NGOs, local authorities, inputs suppliers (Figure 2)and; development and implementation of a knowledge-communication plan forscaling-up and out.

Figure 2:Rice field at maturity stage visited by ASARECA Staff

Among these, the most effective approaches will involve use of plotdemonstrations; field visits and exchange visits (that include key stakeholders)combined with effective participatory approaches. These coupled with complementaryapproaches are the most effective, because previous experience has clearlyshown that farmers can only adopt technologies and innovations that they haveseen. For wider dissemination, it is important to develop differentcommunication products and tools.

The critical and essential factors for successful promotion andadoption of the technology/ innovation include: easy access of the technologyby end-users having interest; reduced cost of inputs; taking into account end-userpractices; training of end-users and the availability of technical support fromorganizations/agents promoting the technology. In the approach, it’s importantto indicate which essential partners/stakeholders should be involved in furtherscaling-out and scaling-up. Such stakeholders may include: Ministry ofAgriculture (MoA)/extension services; researchers; NGOs/CSOs working on ruraldevelopment; input suppliers, and traders; farmers; demonstrators (lead farmers/progressivefarmers); local authorities and decisions-makers.

This technology package has proven to be attractive to potentialusers with more farmers being reached through demonstrations, field days andexchange visits, and linkage to knowledge networks. The technology package promotescrop diversification and can help to increase resource-use efficiency and thesustainability of the system by breaking the soil, nutrient, water use and pestbuildup trends associated with continuous rice cultivation. The key challengesimpeding adoption of this technology package are high input costs andinadequate knowledge about the technology. Establishing partnerships among keystakeholder actors along the rice value chain as well as field demonstrationswill be critical in raising awareness about the technology. This willcontribute to wider uptake and scaling up/out of the technology.

Often crops grown off-season have a higher market value, whichfurther motivates farmers to invest in inputs they would not normally consider.Besides, innovative use of crop diversification will contribute to improvedhuman nutrition in the target countries. Through integrated management optionsfor sustainable lowland rice-legume cropping systems, farmers can get moreincome, expect more food security while improving in a sustainable manner soilproductivity. The technology package enhances profitability of the riceenterprise through increased yields of up to 50% compared to the fallow-ricesystem. The estimated net returns from rice-legume systems were much higherthan those from the rice-fallow or rice-rice systems further demonstrating thatthis technology package is economically viable.

Razakamiaramanana;

Head, Regional Research Station;

Centre National de la Recherche Appliqué au Développement Rural(FOFIFA);

P. O. Box 230;

Antsirabe 110, Madagascar.

Mob: +261 320439184/ +261 331327564

Email: fofifa-abe@moov.mg/ rzk5320@yahoo.fr

Nivo Grazia Ravoavison;

Chief, Irrigation Service, Regional Direction of Rural Development(RDRD);

P. O. Box 82;

Antsirabe 110, Madagascar.

Tel: +261 20 44 497 77/ +261 20 44 484 62

Email: tinaandrianaivo@yahoo.fr

Team Leader- Tanzania

P.O. Box 5088;

Tanga, Tanzania.

Tel: +255 295 276

The following is essential and critical information (guidelines)that will enable extension agents and the private sector to adopt and apply thetechnology package:

a)    Doubling irrigated riceyield in the central Madagascar is feasible by using improved varieties (FOFIFA160 and X 265) together with the technical package which should include:

•       Young seedling (around 22 days old) should be used and linetransplanted in spacing of 30cm between plants and 30 cm between rows (≤ 30 cmX 30 cm).

•       Weeding operations should be carried out as necessary.

•       Fertilization should be carried out using mainly organicfertilizers (≥ 5 t/ha).

•       Chemical application of urea fertilizer for basal and top dressingis recommended, and up to 90 kg/ha (in 3 split applications) may be requireddepending on its affordability by farmers.

b)    Practice cultivation ofoff-season crops such as legumes (sweet pea or improved varieties of haricotbean) on the rice fields for additional income (≈US$1,000/ha) is recommended;and

c)     Growing leguminous crops onthe rice field during off-season period is also recommended for soil fertilityimprovement, since it has beneficial effects for the following rice crop.

Communication products/tools such as posters and guidelines havebeen developed and produced to highlight the use of the technology beingpromoted (these communication products/tools can be seen at the ASARECA/StapleCrops Programme web site.

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