Sustainable Agro-Ecosystem Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Tarand (IRA/05/17 (65th))
Project Details & Results
Project Location: Tarand, Varamin
1-Farmers empowerment in sustainable agro-ecosystem management
2-Demonstrating project using IPM methods
3-Protecting biodiversity of farmlands by using local traditional knowledge and reducing pesticide use
4-Establishment of a demonstration site (2ha)
5-Linking this project to other IPM projects at national level
6-Promoting the culture of using safe and IPM products.
7-Increasing the health and environment in the region.
8-Reducing costs of production and increasing farmers income
Notable Community Participation
Except a few experts who initially trained farmers in IPM/FFS method, all other activities in the project were implemented by local community. One of the most important success factors in the project was efficient knowledge flow among people in the area. They shared their experiences and lessons learned in regulated meetings which planned and managed by their own.
As project team’s report indicates, in addition to local farmers who were involved in project activities and trainings, some farmers from neighboring villages attended in the workshops. As a result some ideas from workshops were applied by those farmers in their own farms. Where 3,000-square-meter farm allocated by village council was primary used in IPM/FFs method, in the middle of project this area was increased to a total of 8,000-square-meter land owned by villagers.
Capacity - Building Component
During the past years provincial bureau of ministry of state allocated small amounts of money $20 to $50 to each farmer as compensation for drought. However in early phases of this project during the problem identification sessions where almost all farmers attended, participants decided not to breakdown this money into small shares and spend whole money to repair and improve irrigation channel to the village. Proceeding to this group decision, farmers received an average of a quarter more water and saved $1000 annual cost. This was the first major step to attract more farmers to participate in the project.
In further phases of project, farmers rehabilitated the village cooperative which was almost bankrupted when project started. As project focal person reported, while cooperative financial balance was less than $3000 at the beginning of project, the new board succeeded to increase it to $500,000 through organizing activities and appropriate investments.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Project approached to sustainable livelihoods in different ways: Many women in the project started growing mushrooms upon receiving trainings on this. At the end of project considerable number of women were involved in growing mushrooms to sell in the market. In addition growing herbs such as peppermint not only to be used in the family but also dried and sold in the market was another small business started and run by women. Reports received from project team indicate that a 6-square-meter farm returned an income of $100 in a year.
On the other hand, farmers used to spend considerable amount of money on chemical fertilizers since animal fertilizers take time to nourish the soil. Proceeding to trainings provided in the project, farmers learned how to make compost in their farms using animal fertilizers together with leaves and branches which enriches the soil faster and more efficient. This approach helped farmers not only use natural fertilizers but also save more not paying for chemical fertilizers.
And finally stopping or reduction of using chemical pesticides in the farms, considering application of IPM techniques such as biologic combat, has significantly reduced costs of farming through eliminating relatively high payments for chemical pesticides.
Gender Focus
Along with activities directly connected to elimination or decreasing use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in the farms and introducing green and safe techniques to increase productivity, some other activities were taken to promote villagers to start new small businesses. Mentioning growing mushrooms and growing herbs such as peppermint to be dried and sent to the market, women took the main role in such activities and increased their income accordingly. Consequently women got engaged in developing group activities and finally set up a local trust fund which is funded and managed by women.
Project Results
- Replication of Project Activities:
This project is one of the IPM series. Farmers of this group, who mainly grow vegetables including cucumber, cabbage, zucchini, eggplant, etc. visited some other IPM project sites and then decided to propose a project to SGP start IPM/FFS activities in their area. In addition to visits to other IPM sites before project formulation, many other visits to Tarand site as well as other site were planned and executed to share information and lessons learned among the IPM farmers throughout the country.
- Project Sustainability:
Farmers of this project together with some other IPM projects (supported by FAO, GEF/SGP and Ministry of Agricultural Jihad extension office) made a network and set up a cooperative to share related information and sell their products in markets throughout the country. This self-organized network now runs efficiently and its members regularly update each other with news and markets. They represented their products in several festivals and market in many cities and recently they opened their permanent stall in one of grocery markets in Tehran. Cinergy of this gathering and using team potential to develop the market is the best motive to carry on project activities.
Azad university local branch used this project as a research site for its students and some graduated students were introduced and trained in project site. These graduate students are now active in different companies and organizations related to agricultural activities.
- Policy Impact:
Since a considerable number of projects supported by SGP, FAO, CEP, UNEP, and ministry of agriculture were executed during the recent years and a good network was formed between these projects and policy and decision makers, finally in 2008 the Organic Agriculture National Strategy Policy of Iran was approved.
Another notable outcome of this project was considerable number of authorities’ visits to the site (this site is near to Tehran and easily accessible so it became a demonstration site for head authorities of Jihad-Agriculture ministry extension office) which resulted in allocation of a budget to promote the IPM method among Tehran province greenhouse producers.
Project Photo Gallery
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2007 FAO site visit to SGP site, Wheat Lab pic 2
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2007 FAO site visit to SGP site, Wheat Lab pic 9
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2007 FAO site visit to SGP site, Wheat Lab pic 1
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