Rice farmers in Sarawak are mostly subsistent. Low yield, low prices and low income are the banes of the farming community. Life is not easy and the farmers lack opportunity. Members of the project team trained the farmers. Regular dialogue kept the farmers informed and motivated. Lead farmers were chosen to demonstrate its viability. By optimizing the plant distance and density the yield increased from 3 tons per hectare to 5 tons per hectare. The increase in yield was more than 60%, which was very significant in terms of income generation. The old practice of planting required a lot of weeding. Closer planting resulted in a healthier crop because there was lesser competition with weeds. Farmers participating in the duck program, reared ducks in their rice field. Rice and ducks are symbiotic partners who compliment themselves for a better ecology. The ducklings were brought into the farm just after transplanting. Only 100 ducks were reared per hectare to reduce the cost of feed. Feeds for the baby ducklings must be moist thus water was added to the feed. The ducklings were fed 3 times a day for the first 10 to 14 days. They were allowed into the fields only after 2 weeks. From dawn till the rest of the day they roamed free in the padi fields. The ducklings were only fed once in the evening. The ducks ate the weed, pests and insect larvae. There was no need for pesticide and herbicide. The fields were chemical free. Their eating habits and wading feet stirred and aerated the soil, keeping the roots healthy. Their droppings are also organic fertilizers for the rice fields. The yield was 30% higher and the crop was chemical free. By rearing ducks, the farmers had increased their income .His production cost was also lower because the ducks worked for free. The duck farmers were very happy and one farmer built a better pen complete with swimming pools and tropical shade trees. Duck rearing in rice fields were environment friendly and good for the ecology. The farmers also consumed the ducks. Sekudok became one of Sarawaks center for BD. More than 50 traditional varieties were grown in the farmer?s field. The grains were of varying varieties and sizes, textures and flavors, colors and shades. Sarawaks traditional rice varieties must be conserved for posterity. The project also introduced nitrogen-fixing plants as biofertilizers for the rice fields. Sasbania, a legume was grown along bunds and levees. The plant became an excellent source of nitrogen when incorporated into the soil. The plants become trap crops because they attracted pests and helped to reduce the pest population in the field. Azola, a water fern also fixed nitrogen. These plants reduced farmer?s dependence on fertilizers. The dried grass and vegetation used to cover the floors of the duck pens made excellent compost. Biofertilizers helped to reduce cost significantly. An effective step to one?s conservation of BD was to educate farmers on IPM and ICM to enable them to differentiate between beneficial and destructive insects and organisms. Knowledge and awareness enabled farmers to form an effective surveillance team to monitor and control pests and diseases. An improved sun drying facility helped the farmers to minimize post harvest losses. The sliding roof protected the harvest from rain. The covered yard improved the drying of padi significantly. Downstream activities such as milling and packaging will allow farmers to benefit from value added activities. Packaging will improve the popularity of traditional varieties. Students also visited the project site to learn first hand about padi growing and the benefits of IPM.

This project has given the farmers a rare opportunity, which will benefit the farmers and the country by conserving the agro biodiversity and the ecology. A plus for BD is good for the farming community.