ICARDA News

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS
P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria
Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012
Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG
Website: www.icarda.cgiar.org
22 July 2004
For more information contact:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
Barani Development Project Benefits Farmers
The adaptive research component of the Barani Development Project in Pakistan, with technical backstopping from ICARDA and effective participation of local farming communities, has realized impressive achievements. The project promoted improved food and fodder crop varieties and cultural practices that are contributing to substantial yield increases over traditional technologies. It was estimated that the soil conservation structures have increased crop yield by about 30% and farmers’ income by 50%. Crop improvement demonstrations in the Integrated Research Sites (IRS) have shown 25-75% yield increase of improved varieties of winter fodder crops, and 50-100% for wheat and maize, over local varieties. The use of the groundnut variety ‘Chakori’ and applications of gypsum have increased yields by 30-40%. The impact of improved feeding regimes, especially the use of urea/molasses/ minerals feed blocks on the productivity of ruminant animals has been substantial; milk production increased by 1-1.25 kg daily, and an improvement of more than 50% was achieved in major productive traits of animals such as live weight.

These achievements were reported at the fifth annual review and planning meeting of the Barani Village Development Project (BVDP)/ ICARDA, held in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on 22-24 June 2004. Around 60 national scientists, researchers, extension and development agents, academicians, six farmers from the three Integrated Research Sites (IRS), and Drs. Salkini, Qadir, Ali, Nefzaoui, and Majid from ICARDA attended the meeting. Participants discussed plans for the final phase of the project in plenary sessions. Thematic working groups were formed to discuss the urgent need for promoting (i) integration and participation; (ii) technology transfer and micro income-generating enterprises; and (iii) sustainability of the project. The Salinity Studies Institute (SSI), NARC, has been involved for the first time in the research and development programs of the project, and a workplan to address salinity issues, especially in Kaslian IRS, was developed in collaboration with Dr Qadir, ICARDA expert in marginal water use.
Soil conservation and flood-regulating structures improved crop yield by more than 30% and income by 50%. The project employed community-based, participatory approaches to research and development.

The participants concluded that the project has made major advances towards achieving its goals of sustainable agricultural development, and alleviating poverty in the rainfed dryland (barani) area of Pakistan. They recommended testing and adapting integrated ‘crop/range/livestock’ packages for higher system productivity and more diversified and intensified production options. They also suggested strengthening the institutional collaboration and farmer participation for identifying and implementing more effective mechanisms and systems for technology transfer, especially those related to the supply of improved seed. In his presentation, the head of the National Rural Support Program (NRSP) described impressive development efforts including a mini-credit program to support farmers in establishing a variety of small income-generating projects. It is believed that NRSP, in collaboration with research and extension institutions, can provide the much-needed support to ensure the success of seed multiplication and other technology transfer and family-based enterprises.

ICARDA’s overall technical backstopping has effectively contributed to the progress and achievements of the adaptive research component of the project. IFAD, the project donor, acknowledged this in a mid-term review mission, after a visit of its representatives to the project last year.

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.org) serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of 62 members and 16 Future Harvest Centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.
Back