Rice Ecosystem Management Facilitators ? Rostamabad, Caspian Area
(Empowerment of the students and local farmers of Rostamabad agricultural technical school to function as rice ecosystem management facilitators in communities for farmer groups)
Project location:Rostamabad ,Gilan(Lat/Lang:36.825702-49.422684)
Since the early 70?s, the prevailing rice protection method in the Caspian coastal region has been chemical application. Biological ?control was introduced to the region in 1985. Its contribution to sustainability, however, has been very limited so far, mainly due to the ?fact that it did not incorporate paddy farmers as a main stakeholder. The relevant agencies are currently seeking ways to improve the ?situation. In response to this need, the project will set in place an appropriate model for sustainable agro-ecosystem management in the ?pilot site in Gilan Province.
Although covering a relatively small area, the project bears significance of national scope because the ?rural sector needs appropriate and extendible models for sustainable plant protection. Also, public programs often overlook the role of ?local communities in different phases of formulation and implementation; as such, successful participatory project might be useful in ?changing the attitudes of public planners and decision-makers.
The project aimed to achieve a model for sustainable rice agro-?ecosystem management through an appropriate empowerment program of the farmers of rice fields in Rostamabad Village, Rudbar ?Region of Gilan Province. In the participatory workshops for planning and evaluation of existing conditions the following pests, ?diseases and weeds were identified as the challenges for which farmers used chemical pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and ?fungicides:
Ephydra sp, Chilo Suppressalis, Naranga aenescens, Magnaporthe grisea, Cyperus longus, Echinochloa ?colonum, Paspalum distichum and Alisma plantago.
The project used Training of Trainers (TOT) through Participatory ?Technology Development (PTD) and Farmers Field School (FFS) approaches in consecutive cropping seasons to train facilitators on ?integrated pest management and alternative crop management methods (IPM and ICM) for rice agro-ecosystems. These approaches ?incorporate informal adult education. Drawing and illustration, participatory laboratory and field research and indigenous knowledge ?were widely used under these approaches.
Other activities of the project were:
1-developing a model to reduce the use of ?agricultural chemicals via IPM and ICM approach,
2-establishing an insect zoo for participatory research on pests, predators, ?biology and ecology,
3-participatory monitoring,
4-organizing workshops,
5-documentation,
6-extension of the ?project impacts to neighboring regions.
Since the early 70?s, the prevailing rice protection method in the Caspian coastal region has been chemical application. Biological ?control was introduced to the region in 1985. Its contribution to sustainability, however, has been very limited so far, mainly due to the ?fact that it did not incorporate paddy farmers as a main stakeholder. The relevant agencies are currently seeking ways to improve the ?situation. In response to this need, the project will set in place an appropriate model for sustainable agro-ecosystem management in the ?pilot site in Gilan Province.
Although covering a relatively small area, the project bears significance of national scope because the ?rural sector needs appropriate and extendible models for sustainable plant protection. Also, public programs often overlook the role of ?local communities in different phases of formulation and implementation; as such, successful participatory project might be useful in ?changing the attitudes of public planners and decision-makers.
The project aimed to achieve a model for sustainable rice agro-?ecosystem management through an appropriate empowerment program of the farmers of rice fields in Rostamabad Village, Rudbar ?Region of Gilan Province. In the participatory workshops for planning and evaluation of existing conditions the following pests, ?diseases and weeds were identified as the challenges for which farmers used chemical pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and ?fungicides:
Ephydra sp, Chilo Suppressalis, Naranga aenescens, Magnaporthe grisea, Cyperus longus, Echinochloa ?colonum, Paspalum distichum and Alisma plantago.
The project used Training of Trainers (TOT) through Participatory ?Technology Development (PTD) and Farmers Field School (FFS) approaches in consecutive cropping seasons to train facilitators on ?integrated pest management and alternative crop management methods (IPM and ICM) for rice agro-ecosystems. These approaches ?incorporate informal adult education. Drawing and illustration, participatory laboratory and field research and indigenous knowledge ?were widely used under these approaches.
Other activities of the project were:
1-developing a model to reduce the use of ?agricultural chemicals via IPM and ICM approach,
2-establishing an insect zoo for participatory research on pests, predators, ?biology and ecology,
3-participatory monitoring,
4-organizing workshops,
5-documentation,
6-extension of the ?project impacts to neighboring regions.
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Project Snapshot
Grantee:
Mother&Child House Charity
Country:
Iran
Area Of Work:
Multifocal Area
Grant Amount:
US$ 25,000.00
Co-Financing Cash:
US$ 119,000.00
Co-Financing in-Kind:
US$ 26,000.00
Project Number:
IRA-G52-2003-026(IRA98G52)
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed
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Project Characteristics and Results
Gender Focus
One of the main jobs for rural women in Gilan is rice farming (sowing rice seeds, transplanting rice seedlings in paddies and finally harvesting). The project provided practical training for two ladies in newer skills of sowing and transplanting that have been tested in IPM methods. This is basically one to two seedlings instead of a bunch per clump and it requires more skill/attention to ensure the right number of seedlings is transplanted per clump and also such small clumps need to be sowed at a specific depth in the mud.
Notable Community Participation
The project?s community of farmers was involved in planning, implementing and monitoring of the activities and results of the project. The group made informed decisions on whether to continue or discard a tested method based on their observation and monitoring.
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SGP Country office contact
Ms. Asiyeh Rezaei
Phone:
(98-21) 2286 0691-4
Fax:
(98-21) 2286 9547
Email:
Address
UNDP, P.O. Box 15875-4557
Tehran
Tehran
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