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Project Record

Objectives:

To identify constraints and opportunities, for farmers in the study areas and in similar situations, to make better use of their land by growing short-duration crops with minimal inputs in the rabi season on residual moisture after kharif rice has been harvested.

Background:

Smallholder rice farmers in South Asia are locked into a near subsistence farming situation presenting few opportunities for enterprise and income diversification. They have limited opportunities to grow crops that would complement the staple rice diet and thus improve family nutrition status. Leaving land fallow after rice, for instance, due to lack of continued irrigation facilities, usually results in wastage of available soil water and residual nutrients that could be used to support a following crop, one that could potentially be remunerative to the farmers. Growing a crop, in particular a legume, after rice would also have beneficial effects on soil fertility and soil health (breaking pest and disease cycles) that should enhance the long term sustainability of rice productivity. Countries of South Asia, while trying to meet their demand for staple food grains (eg: rice and wheat), also realise the need for crop diversification, particularly with regard to other staple food crops like pulses and oilseeds. Various explicit crop diversification programmes have been initiated in both the target countries. There is little scope for expansion of cropping into new areas and therefore an increase in cropping intensity, along with raising of yields, needs to take place on existing agricultural lands. Rice fallows present considerable scope for crop intensification and diversification provided the appropriate technology is applied. However, there is limited understanding of the area of potential rice fallows available, and of the promising technologies that could be implemented.

Intended Outputs:

Knowledge of specific constraints on rainfed rabi cropping in representative rice fallow areas of India and Nepal gained.

Performance of variants of RRC technology assessed and lessons learned in representative rice fallow areas of India and Nepal.

Stakeholder reporting and planning workshop held.

Proposal for widespread promotion of RRC submitted to funding agencies.

Progress and Impact:

Knowledge of specific constraints on rainfed rabi cropping in representative rice fallow areas of India and Nepal gained
A socio-economic study in the project areas has identified the major limiting factors to the cultivation of rabi crops under rainfed conditions, and explored opportunities for their sustained production. The major constraints to rainfed rabi cropping are: faster receding residual moisture from the rice vacated fields; soil hardness; lack of short-duration varieties of rice that could facilitate timely sowing of rabi crops; lack of short-duration, drought escaping varieties of rabi crops; uncertain rabi rainfall.

Farmers also lack information on soil moisture conservation and sowing technologies. Farmers are poor and lack sufficient capital to purchase critical inputs such as seed, fertilisers and pesticides. Access to institutional credit is limited. Grazing of crops by stray animals is a major limitation. Low volume of produce and lack of markets may be limiting.

Performance of variants of RRC technology assessed and lessons learned in representative rice fallow areas of India and Nepal
Despite generally poor outcomes to the farmers' trials, due to a range of reasons, farmers were adamant that the major constraints could be overcome by community action, i.e. early planting of primed seed of short duration varieties and planting in a block so that they can protect the crop from birds, cattle and human beings. Farmers were convinced by their 'hands on' experience with the trials that it is possible to grow rabi crops without irrigation.

This pilot project has sensitised the farmers about the potential to grow a short-duration crop such as chickpea in rice fallows. Concerted efforts are needed to sustain the interest of the farmers in rainfed rabi cropping by timely supply of adequate quantities of seed and other inputs such as P fertilizer, Rhizobium culture, pesticides etc. and some training about the crop management.

Stakeholders reporting and planning workshop held
This was held at ICRISAT Center, Patancheru, 28-30 May 2002, with the following objectives: (i) to review the results of the project activities on the ,Promotion of rainfed rabi cropping in the rice fallows of India and Nepal: pilot phase, at the end of the 2001/2002 rabi season; and (ii) to develop a detailed project proposal on the same topic for support by DFID/PSP. The workshop had 45 participants representing NARS, NGOs, DFID/PSP, ICRISAT and AVRDC. Results were presented and discussed and detailed workplans were developed for implementation during a phase 2 project. The event had wide Indian media coverage.

Proposal for widespread promotion of RRC submitted to funding agencies
Initial funding for a phase 2 is being sought from the Plant Sciences Research programme. Discussions are being held with the Government of India and DFID India to expand activities and every effort is being made to sensitise other donors to the project activities.

Project Conclusions:

This project was a feasibility study and has provided first hand information and experience of the constraints and opportunities for rainfed rabi cropping in representative rice fallow areas of India and Nepal. It has identified appropriate short-duration crops, eg. chickpea, and simple technologies such as on-farm seed priming to establish crops in receding soil moisture after the harvest of rice. Farmers have gained an appreciation of new cropping opportunities by conducting their own trials and have formulated their own solutions to perceived problems. The study has laid the foundation for a concerted effort to improve the livelihoods of poor farmers in rice fallow areas.

General Notes:

See also the TECA Records:

Participatory varietal selection: Short duration legume crops for rainfed rabi in India and Nepal

On-farm seed priming as a vehicle for addressing nutrient deficiencies: compatibility with inoculation of legume (chickpea, mungbean) seeds with Rhizobium culture (for N-fixation)

Community-based social and technical approaches to testing and promoting cropping after rice in rice fallow areas of Nepal and eastern India

Publications:

Bourai VA, Joshi KD and Khanal N. (2002). Socioeconomic constraints and opportunities in rainfed rabi cropping in rice fallow areas of Nepal. A Consultancy Report (draft). 55 pp.



Joshi PK, Birthal PS and Bourai VA. (2002). Socioeconomic constraints and opportunities in rainfed rabi cropping in rice fallow areas of India. A Consultancy Report (draft). 59 pp.

Associated References:

R7540, R7541