Focus
   Taking research to farmers’ fields in Iran
Mustafa Pala,
A. Ghaffari, and Habib Ketata
It is sometimes difficult for researchers and farmers to agree on the causes of low productivity in crops. But when they both grasp the problems and seek solutions together, there can be wide impact in a short time. ICARDA’s collaborative research with the Dryland Agricultural Research Institute in Iran is a good example of the importance of researchers working closely with farmers.

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DARI and ICARDA researchers in a field sown to an improved chickpea variety in Maragheh Province.
heat and barley are the most important cereal crops in the Islamic Republic of Iran, with a total area of 5.2 and 1.8 million hectares, respectively. Both crops are grown under irrigated and rainfed conditions, although barley is predominantly rainfed. Irrigated wheat covers one-third of the total wheat area in the country, but accounts for more than two-thirds of the total wheat production. Despite irrigation, average yield remains low because of diseases and insect pests, persistent droughts, excessive cold in the mountainous areas, high temperatures during the late spring in other areas, and poor agronomic practices.
A farmer’s field sown to ‘Azer-2,’ an improved wheat variety, yielded 4.2 t/ha when managed by researchers/extensionists (left) and 1 t/ha when managed by farmers (right).
ICARDA has been working with researchers and farmers in Iran to identify solutions to the production constraints. The Center signed an agreement in 1990 with the Agricultural Research and Education Organization (AERO) of Iran which paved the way for the establishment of the Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI) in 1993. Since then, ICARDA/DARI collaboration has focused on: enhancing the skills of DARI researchers to conduct practical diagnostic farm surveys; providing a preliminary description and problem identification of major rainfed farming systems in agricultural areas surrounding Maragheh region; and using the survey findings to guide the planning and design of on-station and on-farm trials to validate the improved technologies for suitable crop sequences, proper tillage, use of improved varieties, stand establishment (sowing date, sowing geometry), fertilizer use, and weed control.

                    STOP PRESS
As Caravan was going to press we received the good news that Iran had attained self-sufficiency in wheat production. A ceremony to mark the achievement was held on 16 November. “Self-sufficiency in wheat production means a great deal in terms of economic considerations,” President Mohammed Khatami said. Officials believe that wheat self-sufficiency is largely due to sound farm management, research activities, increased production and distribution of quality seed and implementation of training programs.
Identifying the problem
 A farm survey conducted in 1995 in Maragheh and Hashtrood provinces revealed several factors that hinder crop productivity. Farmers were mainly growing local cereal varieties which gave low yields because of the lack of tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. ‘Sardari,’ a local wheat variety, was planted by 90% of wheat farmers. ‘Akarpa,’ a local barley variety, was grown by 56% of barley growers. There was, therefore, great scope for testing and subsequently disseminating improved cereal varieties, along with improved technologies through on-farm verification and demonstration trials.

Most farmers plant wheat at what is probably the optimum time, between mid-September and mid-October. However, 85% of barley is planted in spring because of lack of cold-tolerant varieties. Thus, introduction of more cold-tolerant barley varieties would appreciably increase production without any additional cost.

The most common sowing method for wheat is hand broadcasting (84%), followed by covering with a moldboard plow (48%); and this practice is even more widely used for barley (92% and 68%, respectively). There was need to demonstrate the advantages of seed drills over broadcasting to encourage farmers to buy their own machines or establish a custom-operated machine planting system. Research results indicate that using drills and placing fertilizer at a depth of 9 cm from the soil surface, combined with dry planting between mid-September and mid-October using cold tolerant cereal varieties is superior to broadcasting.

The survey also showed that while most farmers cultivate once before planting their wheat, some cultivate twice, and a few, three times. The first cultivation is late, generally towards the end of May or early June, and the second tillage is delayed by 62% of farmers until planting time. Delayed tillage reduces rainwater penetration into the soil and increases moisture loss through evaporation and weed transpiration. For the first and second tillage, 98% and 47% of farmers, respectively, use a moldboard plow; and for the third, a ducks-foot and harrow.

Achievements of the Iran/ICARDA collaboration
T
he Iran-ICARDA partnership benefits both partners. ICARDA offers expertise and provides improved germplasm of its mandate crops, while Iran brings the NARS commitment of a country with a wealth of genetic resources and a multitude of test environments, both of which are useful for ICARDA research. This synergetic association has led to several achievements in Iran, particularly in the past 10 years. Among the major achievements are:
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 Establishment of DARI in 1993, following an agreement between Iran and ICARDA which was signed in 1990. DARI's mission focuses on the improvement of major field crops grown in rainfed areas, including wheat, barley, chickpea and lentil. DARI has evolved from a small institute of 29 technical staff members in 1994 to 76 in 2004, 10 of whom are PhD holders. Similarly, the number of DARI research stations has gone up from 6 in 1994 to 12 in 2004.
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 Release of 12 varieties of crops in 10 years. DARI researchers, using technical expertise and backstopping of ICARDA, also developed improved production technologies and methods for the proper management of natural resources.
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 Training of more than 750 researchers from DARI and other institutes in Iran at ICARDA and elsewhere in diverse research subjects from 1990 to 2004. More than 40 students earned PhD degrees from foreign universities and returned to work at their original institutes.
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 Implementation both within and outside the country of several training programs to upgrade the competence level of technical staff involved in seed production. Laboratory facilities have been acquired by SPII and put to use with the help of ICARDA scientists. Presently, Iran is producing the needed amounts of improved seed for its major field crops, including wheat and barley. More recently, a new AREO institute (PVR-SCRI) has been established to take responsibility for plant variety rights, and seed certification and control. ICARDA's Seed Unit staff provided technical advice as needed.
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 Initiation of a regional project to control Sunn Pest, a major insect pest of cereal crops (primarily wheat) with outside funding and joint efforts of researchers from three adjacent countries (Iran, Syria, and Turkey). The project has developed an environment-friendly control method based on the use of entomopathogenic fungi.
The use of the moldboard plow for the second tillage is not the most appropriate because it results in further losses of stored moisture by evaporation. Research results showed the following best practices:
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 use of a moldboard or chisel plow in fall or early spring as soon as the weather permits to improve rain-water penetration into the soil;
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 secondary tillage with a ducks-foot cultivator to a depth of 10-12 cm after the rainfall ceases (early to mid-June) to create an isolation layer of soil mulch that reduces evaporation; and
3-
 good seedbed preparation at planting with ducks-foot to 8-10 cm depth for a suitable stand establishment.

Farmers had a different view
Instead of focusing on best practices and the need for improved varieties, farmers rated restricted fertilizer use (88%) and lack of machinery (69%) as the most important factors limiting crop production, followed by time of tillage (30%). Other factors were credit, tillage implements, sowing method, labor shortage, harvesting method, weeds and seed rate. Although time of tillage was identified by researchers as the third most important factor limiting production, 70% of farmers rated it unimportant. This showed a difference in perception between the farmers and researchers. It was, therefore, crucial to have very close involvement of the farmers, researchers and extension staff in the research process. This was done through on-farm demonstrations, field visits, and discussions. Training courses were also conducted for extension staff.

Working on solutions together
Following the farm survey, research experiments were designed to provide solutions to problems identified. Specific activities have included:
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 Introduction of improved wheat varieties and testing them on farmers’ fields.
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 On-farm fertilizer trials to identify crop response in different locations and create awareness among policy makers.
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 Sowing methods to compare recommended practices with traditional farmer practice.
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 Studies on chemical weed control in wheat.
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 Effects of sowing dates, seed rate and weeding on yields.
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 Monitoring the perception of farmers regarding the new technologies.

Initial results are impressive. After seeing the crop productivity in the demonstration farms, farmers have widely adopted the technologies on their own farms. In the 2002/03 season, the recommended technologies were adopted in more than 85,000 ha in four provinces as opposed to 4000 ha in the previous season. Despite the severe drought that prevailed in most rainfed areas, about 12.5 million tons of wheat was harvested, enough to meet nearly 90% of the country’s needs. Much of this production came from irrigated areas, but improved productivity on dryland also contributed.

Conclusion
The participation of farmers, researchers, and extension workers in the testing, demonstration and dissemination of improved technologies is leading to increased technology adoption and improved crop yields. When the timely application and cost-effective management practices such as earlier tillage, better seed bed, earlier planting with drill use, banding of fertilizers and better weed control are combined with improved varieties by farmers, there will be a breakthrough in sustainable rainfed crop productivity in dryland areas of Iran and other similar environments in Central and West Asia and North Africa.

Dr Mustafa Pala (m.pala@CGIAR.ORG) is Wheat-Based Systems Agronomist at ICARDA; Dr A. Ghaffari is the Director General of DARI; Dr Habib Ketata is the ICARDA/Iran Project Coordinator, based in Iran.
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