Issue 41: February 2012 - Green technologies

In this issue

Today, our planet is feeding about 7 billion people. According to the latest estimates, by 2050 it will need to feed another 2 billion. But how? The Food and Agriculture Organization states that it will require a 70 per cent increase in global food production. In this context, agriculture has now become more important than ever. In particular, smallholder agriculture plays a crucial role in addressing the concerns of poor rural people who are both producers and buyers of food.

Where will increased food production come from? Limited land is increasingly being used for other purposes, agricultural productivity is decreasing due to low fertility, soils are depleted and degraded, but most importantly changing climate and growing water shortages are challenging agriculture today. These challenges need to be addressed if the increasing food demands are to be met.

New technologies and farming methods are needed to usher in a second green revolution – according to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a revolution “which permits sustainable yield improvements with minimal environmental damage and contributes to sustainable development goals.”

In Asia and the Pacific, the availability of arable land per person is just one-fifth that of the rest of the world, states IFAD’s ‘Agriculture – Pathways to Prosperity in Asia and the Pacific’ 2011 report. The small average size of landholdings means that agriculture cannot advance without new technology being made available to smallholders.

This newsletter shares some successful examples of green technologies adopted in IFAD-supported activities in the region – technologies that are promoting sustainable agriculture development while reducing poverty and guaranteeing environmental sustainability.

In Bangladesh, IFAD has promoted a number of green agricultural technologies. Khalilur Rahman takes us to the coastal Charland areas to share experiences in using organic practices such as biofertlizer and pheromone traps to control pests and help increase farmers’ yields and protect the environment. Michael A. Roy highlights homestead farming in Sunamganj as a ‘green’ approach that includes seasonal vegetable cultivation, livestock and poultry rearing and small-scale fish cultivation.

Weijing Wang from China describes a water-saving technology that can double farmers’ yields in Gansu Province. In the past, we published a number of articles on supporting biogas in Guangxi Province. Weijing provides an update on how this activity continues after the IFAD-financed project ended.

Pravanjan Mohapatra brings us to India, where IFAD is supporting low-cost sustainable technologies in Orissa State, such as solar torches. The torches are made by illiterate women from the project area who are trained to work with electronics and assemble the torches. The torches are charged by the sun rays during the day and then used in the evening to illuminate people’s homes.

As in Bangladesh and other countries, in Laos IFAD also supports organic vegetable production. Vinoth Vansy describes grant-supported activities that encourage farmers to use organic pesticides and natural predators to control insects, and organic compost fertilizer.

The many contemporary issues, such as the ones mentioned above, challenge today’s agriculture. But they also carry opportunities that can bring a fresh angle to the ways of growing food, making people healthier and happier, and creating a greener and more protected planet.

Martina Spisiakova, Newsletter Coordinator, Asia and the Pacific Division

 


Adopting green technologies in Charland regions of Bangladesh

   
   

Food security is critical for human welfare and economic growth, and is a concern throughout Bangladesh. About 70 per cent of the people who live in the coastal Charland areas depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, primarily by raising staple food crops and a few livestock on farms that are under 2 hectares. By using only modest inputs and better agronomic practices, many of these farms have the potential to produce three to four times as much as they currently produce, which translates into a marketable surplus. IFAD, in collaboration with other partners, is promoting organic agricultural practices to increase farmers’ yields and protect the environment.

With crop yields of less than 1 ton per hectare, many Bangladeshi farmers barely produce enough food to feed their family, let alone generate surplus with which to purchase yield-enhancing inputs. Low farm productivity in the southern Charland areas has many causes, including use of traditional crop varieties, increasingly depleted soils, shrinking plots of land, scarce and unreliable water supply, crop losses from pests and diseases, inequitable land distribution patterns, inefficient and unfair markets, and poor agricultural and transportation infrastructures.

Numerous initiatives aimed at addressing one or more of these problems have been launched in this area, but no desired result was achieved. In 2006 the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) undertook a combined approach to improve rural infrastructure, through the Market Infrastructure Development Project in Charland Regions (2006-2013) funded by IFAD. Among the project’s many activities, green technologies figured prominently, in particular the adoption of organic agro-farming practices.

Ensuring access to microfinance

As a part of the project, two NGOs mobilized 3,000 groups comprising 70,000 members to provide them with technical and income-generation training and supporting microcredit from Padakhep Manabik Unnayan Kendra (PMUK) and PRISM. The NGOs, including IDE-B (International Development Enterprises – Bangladesh), provided technical training and assistance in micro-enterprise development especially in the cereal, pulse and oil seeds, horticulture, small livestock and fishery sub-sectors.

Based on the training and improved access to microcredit, the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) introduced new agricultural seeds in Char island. As a result of this effort, the total cultivation area of soybean, pulses and different kinds of vegetable and horticulture products in Charland areas increased from 4,000 hectares in 2009 to 16,000 hectares in 2011. Production increased from 4,800 tons in 2009 tons to 32,000 tons in 2011.

Biofertilizers

   
   

One of the strategies used by the project safeguard the health of the soil and the quality of crop products is using biofertilizers. Biofertilizers are natural products which have involve microorganisms that promote nutrient acquisition of the plant. One such microorganism is nitrogen: nitrogen fixation by rhizobia improves phosphorous nutrition.

The project aims to improve and disseminate biofertilizer technology to increase the yields of grain legumes and other crops which are important sources of food for humans and animals in the project area, and to enhance environmentally friendly and sustainable farming practices by reducing excessive amounts of chemical fertilizer application. For this purpose, IDE-B identified the most effective microorganisms for each crop.

As a part of the process, IDE-B organized training and knowledge dissemination with 50,000 farmers from the project area. At the same time, extension support was provided to the farmers to encourage them to use biofertilizer and reduce their dependency on chemical fertilizer.

  What is biofertilizer?
With the introduction of green revolution technologies, modern agriculture is becoming more and more dependent upon the steady supply of synthetic inputs (mainly fertilizers), which are products of fossil fuel (coal + petroleum). Adverse effects are being noticed due to the excessive and imbalanced use of these synthetic inputs. This situation has led to the identification of harmless inputs like biofertilizers.
Biofertilizers are ready-to-use live formulates of beneficial microorganisms. When applied to seeds, roots or soil, they mobilize the availability of nutrients by their biological activity, and help build up the micro-flora and in turn the health of the soil.
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (
ICRISAT)
 
     

The project is very proud that almost 100 per cent of the 50,000 farmers adopted this improved technology by using biofertilizer (inoculums) in producing soybean, mungbean and groundnut over the last three years of the project. This technology is gaining popularity among the farmers in the project area day by day.

According to Mr Md. Faroq, president of a farmer association who was interviewed by the project, , biofertlizer has many advantages such as:

Mr Faroq reported that his production increased 2.5 kg per decimal (about 0.004 hectares) and his production costs decreased by BDT2.5 (USD 0.03) per decimal. Other farmers reported that from the cultivation of soybean their income has increased from BDT127 (USD 1.5) to BDT 227 (USD 2.7) per decimal.

Technology adopted by farmers, government officials, researchers and civil society representatives were expected to foster greater collaboration between stakeholders and encourage the spread of this innovation. During an interview with the Daily Sun, a local newspaper, a sample of 50 farmers shared how new technology benefited them through reducing their dependency on chemical fertilizer. and that about 50,000 farmers have adopted this technology on 22,302 acres of land in the project area.

Composting

   
   

Due to the growing and alarming trend of increased nitrogen emissions because of the use of fertilizer, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), IFAD’s important partner in Bangladesh, introduced in the project a series of training and awareness programmes about using organic fertilizers. About 74,000 farmers were trained over the first three years of the project. The rationale behind this effort was to improve both human well-being and the environment. To date, 93 per cent of the farmers have acquired knowledge about using compost (cow dung) as organic manure on the soil.

The project found that these farmers perceived the composting and green manure positively. They are now aware that compost helps improve soil health, increases water-holding capacity, helps uptake plant nutrients, and increases organic matter in soil. Use of compost is highly prevalent in the study area. About 87 per cent of the farmers themselves produce compost. About 90 per cent use compost in their own land and 73 per cent have told others to use compost as organic fertilizer.

Green manure

   
   

Smallholder farming in many parts of southern project areas is mainly constrained by declining soil fertility. Recent studies by IDE-B in the project area have identified soil fertility decline as one of the most important biophysical constraint to agricultural productivity. The use of inorganic fertilizers to alleviate the problem of low soil fertility is limited by high costs and erratic availability of fertilizer in the char areas. Even the few farmers who use inorganic fertilizers cannot afford them.

Under such conditions, one of the alternatives is to use inorganic fertilizers in combination with other sources of plant materials. Integration of green manure legume (Arohor, Dhaincha and Khesari) into farming systems can be a cheaper alternative for alleviating low soil fertility and erosion problems. 

DAE and IDE-B had been recommending the adoption of integrated legumes into farming systems of the project area. Along with using compost manure, farmers are now demonstrating the benefits of three crops (Arohor, Dhaincha and Khesari) as green manure. They are now working in harmony with local ecosystems, using natural processes and a mixture of new and traditional technology – while increasing production and income. 

Green pest control

Project partners believed that the project area needed to adopt a total integrated pest management system. The insecticide-based system had failed to control many pests, which were becoming resistant to almost all chemical pesticides. The frequency of spraying was gradually increasing while their efficacy was gradually decreasing. In fact, at one time they had to spray only once in a week; this soon became at least once every day. Enter the sex pheromone trap.

A sex pheromone trap is an indigenous technology now widely being used in the project areas. “We call it the ‘magic trap’ because it magically traps fruit flies,” explained Mr Nazrul, an upazila (sub-district) agriculture officer, referring to a recycled plastic bottle containing water, a small amount of pesticide, and a capsule of cuelure. Cuelure is a chemical compound that mimics the odour of female melon fly sex pheromones, which are powerful chemical attractants that female insects emit. The males detect the chemicals, which helps them locate unfertilized females for mating. When the trap is placed in a field of melons, it works wonders, Insects flock to the bottle and drown.

The magic traps are so popular among farmers throughout Bangladesh that demand has increased quickly. Pheromone traps are being used by 55,000 farmers in the project area as a great pest control tool for monitoring and controlling insect infestations. Since the use of the traps, farmers have been reporting good yields from their cultivated products, with minimum cost for the pesticide.  

Nazrul said the farmers benefited immensely by using a combination of sex pheromones and beneficial insects when they could no longer control harmful pests, even after spraying cocktail insecticides. Damage to production was 40 to 50 per cent even after spraying cocktail insecticides. But after using sex pheromones and beneficial insects, the rate of damage diminished to 10 per cent.

“We had to spend about BDT 15,000 (USD 187) for chemical pesticides only to produce korela (bitter gourd) on 1 hectare of land. Now, after using sex pheromones and beneficial insects, we spend only BDT 4,000 (USD 50) for the same size of land,” Nazrul pointed out.

To promote non-harmful agri-practices for the well-being of human beings and earth, the project also provides cost sharing, technical assistance and extension education. Practices that the project has approved for cost sharing usually yield long-term benefits and are practices that farmers would not, or could not, undertake without financial and technical assistance. The project currently has activities that provide cost sharing and other funding to farmers who adopt practices that improve or enhance soil quality. 

Md. Khalilur Rahman, Project Coordinator, and Md. Shahjahan Miah, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Market Infrastructure Development Project in Charland Regions

Useful links


Green technology takes root in homestead farming in Bangladesh

   
 

Shabikun feeding fish in her small pond

 

Shabikun Nahar is a 32-year-old smallholder farmer from Chalband, Solukabad in Bishwambarpur upazila (sub-district) of Sunamganj district. She has turned her small piece of land into a highly productive asset by using an integrated approach that comprises seasonal vegetable cultivation, livestock and poultry rearing, and small-scale fish cultivation. This green approach has ensured that her family receives a good income throughout the year to meet their food requirements and other living expenses. The approach has become a model to others farmers.

Sunamganj upazila is located in the north-eastern part of Bangladesh. The area is very remote and isolated, and agricultural technologies are primitive. Production suffers because of land degradation primarily due to excessive flooding.

The situation started to change following the intervention of the Sunamganj Community Based Resource Management Project (SCBRMP) implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) with funding from IFAD. The project, which began in January 2003, sought to improve agriculture production by introducing sustainable agriculture practices and green technologies such as conservation farming and integrated pest management in field crops, vegetable gardening, livestock and poultry rearing, small-scale fish cultivation, intercropping and integrated homestead farming. The latter became enormously popular among small farmers because it is productive, easy to manage and flexible in terms of selecting suitable seasonal crops.

   
 

Shabikun taking care of the vegetable in her homestead garden

 

Shabikun enrolled in SCBRMP’s community self-help group (SHG) in early 2004 and was trained in sustainable integrated homestead farming. She took a loan amounting to Tk. 18,000 (USD 214) from her SHG and invested it in integrated homestead farming: year-round vegetable and spice cultivation, ten improved-breed Sonali hens, five goats, a small pond of 15 decimals (0.06 ha) and several fruit trees for her 27 decimal (0.11 ha) homestead. She is practicing a comprehensive system of green farming – pests are being controlled using pheromone traps, resistant crop varieties are being selected and rotated, and homemade organic pesticides (using neem leaf, soapy water and so on) are being used. Instead of chemical fertilizer, she produces compost from the dung and green leaves from her livestock and garden residues. 

Shabikun received additional training in Paravets. The project initiated this training with the assistance of the Department of Livestock Services in an effort to develop local poultry and livestock vaccination and veterinary services to the community. In this capacity, Shabikun earns on average Tk. 3,000 (USD 36 ) per month providing veterinary services to around 100 households. Shabikun also works as a facilitator to promote green farming among the community, most of whose members are smallholders.

The tables below show the growth in Shabikun’s production earnings over the past five years as well as the difference in her income before and after she introduced green technology.

Activity

Earnings (Tk.)

2007

2008

 

2009

 

2010

 

2011

 

 

Homestead vegetable and spice cultivation

-

3,000

8,000

12,000

20,500

Poultry and livestock rearing

1,000

2,400

6,000

10,000

24,000

Pond fish culture

-

-

9,000

18,000

30,000

Fruit trees

-

-

-

800

1,600

Subtotal  

1,000

5,400

23,000

40,800

76,100

Income from fish  culture (leased pond) 

-

-

15,000

20,000

40,000

Seasonal business + others

36,000

39,000

38,000

50,000

50,000

Vaccination

7,000

21,100

24,000

32,000

42,000

Subtotal

43,000

60,100

77,000

10,2000

132,000

Grand total (Tk.)

44,000

65,500

100,000

142,800

208,100

   
 

Vaccinating the community’s birds and livestock

 

Shabikun’s family consumes 40 per cent of their production and sells the remainder for a regular and stable income. They now have enough food for three meals a day, which consist of vegetables every day, fish at least four days a week, eggs at least three days a week, milk at least three days a week and pulses at least two days a week. Pulses were a new addition to the menu. They were only familiar with lentils, but through the project they learned to add different pulses that are less expensive but equally nutritious.

Before the project intervention, the family earned USD 0.32 per day per head. But the family now earns USD 1.8 per day per head. They can aspire to a better future, thanks to green technology.

With such results, it is no surprise that green technology is gaining in popularity, particularly for homestead farming. More than 300 households have adopted green farming in nine upazilas of Sunamganj and been achieving very good results.

Sk. Md. Mohsin, Project Director, Sunamganj Community Based Resource Management Project

Useful links:

 


Doubling yields using water-saving technology in Gansu, China

   
   

South Gansu, located in the north-west of China in the marginal area of Qinghai-Tibet plateau, is characterized by abundant sunshine, dry climate and low annual precipitation. As a result, water shortages are the main constraints for crop production. IFAD supported the Government of China in introducing a water-saving technology invented by the Government that can double yields in the area.

Annual precipitation in South Gansu is less than 300 mm. The water shortage is worsened because more than 60 per cent of the rainfall occurs in July and August. Evaporation is relatively high, and the water-holding capacity of the soil is low.

Before the IFAD-supported South Gansu Poverty Alleviation Project (2006-2012) was implemented, farmers could only plant low-yield but drought-resistant crops such as wheat. The yield of wheat was as low as 150 kg per MU (0.07 hectares). They could not plant maize because it requires more water, and therefore could not benefit from increased prices of maize over the past years.

The project supported the Government’s new water-saving technology, whose basic premise is to completely cover the soil with plastic film. With a loan provided by IFAD, poor farmers were able to purchase the film to cover the soil. The film makes full use of the rainfall and effectively reduces evaporation. Using this technology, farmers can plant maize and potato. The yields of maize and potato are 560 kg per MU, and 1,900 kg per MU, respectively, much higher than the wheat yields. Some farmers cover all of the soil with the plastic film when planting wheat, which results in a doubling of their yields.

According to Mr Yang Qifeng, Deputy General Director of Gansu Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Bureau, “This new technology minimizes the wasting of water in terms of penetration and evaporation. Between 70 and 80 per cent of the rainfall can be absorbed by the crop.” He compared the results of two scenarios: without the water-saving technology, 1 mm effective rainfall can produce 1.5-2.0 kg grain on average; with this technology, it increases to 2.7 kg (of maize).

“We do not need to take additional action in fighting drought”, Director Duan Qibin, the Gansu Project Management Officer (PMO) said. Even in a bad year, production is guaranteed.” Gansu had severe drought in the spring and summer of 2011, but wheat yields in drought-hit areas were more than 340 kg per MU, or 5.1 tons per hectare. “Precipitation in Gansu is only 40 per cent of the national average, but the yield is equal to the national level,” the Gansu PMO and the Gansu Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Bureau proudly confirmed.

Other benefits of using the plastic film are the reduction of soil erosion, increased soil temperature and preservation of soil fertility.

The film can be used for two years. After the harvest of the second year, the film is removed from the field. In order not to pollute the environment, the plastic film needs to be collected and recycled. Currently less than half of the film is recycled. The rest is burned or buried. The Government realized this problem and has issued relevant policies to promote film recycling. The Government is also providing training to enhance farmers’ awareness of environmental protection. More recycling factories are planned to be set up close to villages. The Gansu Government expects that 80 per cent of the film will be recycled by 2015.

Weijing Wang, Programme Officer, IFAD China

Useful links:


Biogas: simple technology makes a big difference

   
 

Project beneficiaries enjoying the light produced by biogas. (Source: Guangxi PMO)

 

Guangxi province, located in the south-west of China, is one of the poorest provinces in the country, with gross domestic product ranking 22nd out of 31 provinces. Poverty incidence was about 6 per cent in 2009, much higher than the national average of about 3.8. Villagers used to deplete nearby forests to collect wood for cooking. This changed with the help of an IFAD-supported project that promoted biogas activities in the area. The bio-digesters that IFAD helped build are protecting 9000 hectares of trees every year.

Li Mingqiang is a poor farmer living with his family in Moling Tun, Yaoli village, Guangxi province. He has 0.13 hectares of dry land and 0.03 hectares of rice paddy. Ten years ago, before the IFAD-supported West Guangxi Poverty Alleviation Project (2002-2008) started, like other poor families in the village, he had to go to the mountains and cut trees to get wood for cooking. As the trees close to the village became fewer and fewer, he was forced to travel further and further. Every day he had to spend four to five hours travelling to a suitable area to get his wood. Without the tree protection, the hills became vulnerable to soil erosion, which made it even more difficult to reserve water.

To change the situation, IFAD started to support the Government’s biogas programme through the above project. Bio-gas is a very simple technology, and almost all small households can produce it as long as a modest amount of start-up finance is provided. Livestock, human waste and crop straw are collected and put in the bio-digestors. The biogas generated can be used for cooking and lighting. The project supported Li Mingqiang to rear three pigs. The waste of these pigs is enough to meet his household’s needs for cooking fuel and lighting.

Mr Li and his family derived significant benefits using the technology. He gained back half of his labour time from collecting wood, which enabled him to spend more time tending his fields to increase production. He had a surplus of vegetable, and increased his small livestock holdings. Every year he has six pigs to sell, which increases his income by USD 586. Moreover, he no longer uses the 2,500 kg of wood per year for cooking, which translates into 3,300 square metres of trees being saved.

By the time the project closed in 2008, it had supported the construction of 22,500 bio-digestors, benefiting 30,000 rural households in 3,700 villages. To date, the Government has supported 3.5 million bio-digestors, covering 44 per cent of rural households in Guangxi province. One bio-digester on average will save two tons of woods, equivalent to the protection of 0.4 hectares of trees. This means the bio-digesters in Guangxi province will protect 1.4 million hectares of trees every year – a significant number in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate change mitigation.

IFAD also supports a biogas project in Gansu province through the South Gansu Poverty Alleviation Project (2006-2012). In Gansu, the biogas produced is used to generate electricity. International research is being conducted on various aspects of biogas, such as storage, compression and transportation. If the technology is further developed and scaled up, biogas will be more transportable and sustainable. The future of biogas will be even brighter.

Weijing Wang, Programme Officer, IFAD China

Useful links:


Promoting organic vegetable production in Laos

   
 

Organic vegetable grower

 

The Sustainable Natural Resource Management and Productivity Enhancement Project started in January 2010 is supported by an IFAD grant of USD 15 million and an ADB (Asian Development Bank) grant of USD 20 million. The project is operating in 42 districts of 5 southern provinces of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and is responding to the problem of the use of pesticides by farmers. Farmers are being encouraged to adopt organic vegetable production technology, including the use of organic pesticides and natural predators to control insects, and the preparation of organic compost fertilizer.

The increased value of and demand for vegetable products encouraged farmers of Champasak and Savanakhet provinces to increase their production substantially. Unfortunately, many of them resorted to indiscriminate use of pesticides, which can result in serious food safety problems for consumers as well as personal health hazards for farmers who come in direct contact with the pesticides while applying them in the fields. Moreover, it poses a potential risk of contaminating the soil and the waterways, which are the major source of drinking water for the population residing in the region.

In response, the Sustainable Natural Resource Management and Productivity Enhancement Project (SNRMPEP), funded by IFAD and ADB, was designed to encourage farmers to adopt organic vegetable production technology. With technical support from Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF) provincial staff, SNRMPEP has established three organic vegetable production groups (55 farmers) in Pakse, Phonethong and Sukhuma districts of Champasak province, and one group (11 farmers) in Phak Kha village of Kaisonephumvihan district of Savanakhet province.

 

A Model Organic Farmer Family
Mr Sithon Duangpaseuth is a 56-year-old rice farmer from Ban Danekoh in Pakse district of Champasak province. He and his family of nine have 3200 m2 of agriculture land, which is both rain-fed and irrigated. 

The family started farming rice in 1993 with some use of chemicals, and average annual income was approximately 1 million Kip (USD 300). In 2011, he learned about SNRMPEP and decided to join. As one of the pilot farmers, he received support from the project through the District Agriculture & Forestry Office (DAFO) to produce organic fertilizer and construct sheds to grow organic vegetable. He also attended training programmes and exposure visits to learn more about organic vegetable cultivation. The project team and DAFO staff provided regular technical support and advice along with seeds for new varieties of vegetables like lettuce, shallots, cucumbers, long-beans, water spinach and coriander.

Mr Sithon is very happy with his decision and the support the project provided. Before the project, his income was about USD 1,700 and out of this he would spend about USD 500 on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. After the project interventions his average annual income increased to USD 2,450 and his expenditure to buy the fertilizer and chemical pesticides was eliminated. He spends only USD 200 to buy some raw material to produce the organic fertilizer and pesticides. He is also pleased that his land, water and soil are becoming more productive and free from health hazards. His wife is also satisfied that the rice and vegetables grown in their fields are completely safe and not adversely affecting the health of the consumers. She is very keen to share their experiences with other farmers.

 
 

 

 

The farmers were trained to use organic pesticides and natural predators to control insects, and to prepare their own organic compost fertilizer. Considering that a typical farmer cultivates 1600 square metres of vegetables, there are now about 9 hectares of land on which organic technology is being practiced. In the pilot activities being carried out, the farmers decide for themselves the vegetables they will cultivate, depending on market demand.

   
 

A model organic farmer family – Mr Sithon Duangpaseuth and his wife

 

Since the project’s inception in January 2010 yields during the dry season have been extremely encouraging, with 4.2 tons of organic vegetables produced (mostly for the local market), earning more than 31 million Kip (USD 3900) per family in just one planting season. Before the project, farmers used to earn about 16 million Kip (USD 2000), and part of this they spent to buy the chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides. 

Eleven small farmers of Phak Ka village of Kaison Phomvihan districts have established 22 greenhouses on 1 hectare of land to cultivate organic vegetables. Farmers have developed a rapid composting method. This is a farmers’ innovation and they use locally available raw material like cattle dung, rice husk, rice straw and weeds mixed with locally produced Effective Micro-organism (EM) Culture and are able to produce high-quality compost within ten days. They have produced 20 tons of compost and 600 litres EM in a three-month period, which are applied over 4 hectares of rice and 1 hectare of vegetables. The quality of the vegetables they produce is very good and traders are buying their vegetables at farm gate. This is the first successful model for organic vegetable production in Savanakhet province. The model serves as learning ground for many farmers in the area, and collaboration with the private sector is underway to supply the organic vegetables to domestic and international markets.

   
 

Members of an organic vegetable grower group with DAFO staff preparing the seed to grow in gardens

 

With the successful results in this pilot phase, SNRMPEP plans to continue supporting organic agriculture by supplying farmers with inputs and technology, including a new, improved variety of cultivars that not only yield better but have higher resistance to diseases and pests. SNRMPEP also organized a fair in Pakse to raise consumer awareness about the benefits of organic vegetables and farming practices. The overwhelming response from the consumers has further prompted the SNRMPEP to continue supporting the various awareness campaigns on food safety and health advantages of organic agriculture to local consumers. Support has taken the form of market demonstrations and information bulletins. The campaigns have also inspired other farmers to take up organic vegetable production, which is increasingly being seen as a healthier and more profitable business in the province.

   

The project is looking at ways to replicate activities in other areas of Champasak, Attapeu and Savanakhet provinces. The strategy is to coordinate with the private sector to export organic vegetables to other countries, which will further increase farmers’ incomes and spur economic growth of the region. There is also a plan for large-scale adoption by farmers in other areas of the three provinces. The farmers have formulated the plan, in which SNRMPEP, working with the Department of Agriculture, will implement three sub-projects for large-scale uptake of organic vegetable production in the three provinces and accessing national and international markets. 

This green technology is clearly a “triple win” solution – for the health of the environment, the farmers and the consumers.

Mr Vinoth Vansy, National Project Director, SNRMPEP, Department of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Dr Kulwant Singh, Team Leader, Project Implementation Consultant, SNRMPEP, Department of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Useful links


Illuminating the darkness in Orissa, India

   
 

Women from Bonda tribe (also SHG members) learning to assemble solar torches

 

“It was a surprise for many of our elders to experience illumination in the house in the evening without kerosene. Although it came late, it brought lots of changes, in the life of women in particular. We feel the day has been lengthened. We don’t need to finish dinner before the sun sets,” explained Mamata Kishani, a 30-year-old Bonda (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group) woman from the village of Baunsapada. The low-cost sustainable technologies brought to villages by the IFAD-funded Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme are changing the lives of many people in this poor state of India.

Banusapada, like the other 29 villages located throughout Bonda Hills, is far from the mainstream grid, and the topography limits access of electricity as well. Kerosene is the major source of energy for illumination for these Bonda tribes. Kerosene creates a smoky and very unhealthy environment inside the small huts. At times the price at the nearest market is inflated.

   
 

Women from Bonda tribe learning to assemble solar torches

 

The IFAD-supported Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme has been working in these villages since 2009 to ensure food and livelihood security. The programme has become instrumental in bringing low-cost and sustainable green technologies that reduce human labour and pollution. As part of this innovative programme, young women from seven self-help groups (SHGs) in Odisha were identified and promoted as women entrepreneurs to disseminate rural technology based on solar energy.

These illiterate young women worked hard for weeks to learn about electronics and to assemble equipment to make solar torches. A solar torch is a handy devise configured with LED bulbs and a small battery that can be recharged during the day using portable solar panels. It takes three to four hours to charge the battery. The programme facilitated the very hands-on training through a rural technology service provider agency called Desi Technologies. The women practiced using tools and material such as soldering irons and paste, circuit boards, screwdrivers, multi-meters, solar panels and batteries. Step-by-step methods for assembling equipment were taught to them using diagrams and pictures. After they become confident in assembling the torches, they were asked to do it without the support of the trainer.

   
 

The solar torches are packed and branded - ready for sale

 

A total of 90 young women from various SHGs have been trained to assemble solar torches, and their SHGs are taking up the enterprise. These women have also learned business practices and have started receiving orders to sell solar torches to schools and other institutions in their neighbouring villages. Recently the Government of Odisha placed orders to supply 2,000 solar torches to the residential schools for the Tribals.

Sale of each torch brings an income of Rs.1750 (USD 35) to the SHGs. Deducting the cost of materials, the SHG makes a profit of about Rs.450 (USD 9) per torch, which is shared by the member (who assembles the torch) and the SHG (which provides the capital for procuring inputs). On average an SHG assembles and sells about 100 torches per month, or about Rs.45,000 (USD 900), which increases the monthly income of each member up to Rs.3000 (USD 60). Solar torches a with similar configuration are available in the local markets at double the price of those that the SHGs are producing. Thus, the demand for the torches is growing, which means more self-employment for the women. To popularize this initiative, the programme has supported the SHGs in selling their torches under a single brand called “Jyoti” (ray of light) and has also provided technical assistance to better package the products. In addition, promotional events at state and national forums have been organize to spread the word.

   
 

Women displaying the solar lights that they assembled

 

The 90 women are happy to lead this initiative in their villages by coaching other young girls on the technology. They are focusing not only on sales, but on maintenance of the torches. Several of the SHGs are now planning to open sales cum service centres in the nearest urban locations to ensure their customers’ satisfaction. This initiative has enhanced the vision of the tribal women, who previously did not think beyond the village. They are also planning to increase their product range by assembling street lights, pump sets and other solar-operated equipment.

These women from remote villages of Odisha have committed themselves to keeping the earth green by using renewable energy. They are a light to the world.

Susanta Nanda, Programme Director, OTELP
Om Prakash Rath, Programme Officer (Knowledge Management & Vocational Training)
Pravanjan Mohapatra, Programme Officer (Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation)

Useful links:

Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme


Events and missions

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

Bhutan

China

Kyrgyzstan

India

Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Maldives

Mongolia

Pakistan

Philippines

Sri Lanka


Occasional papers

The Asia and the Pacific Division of IFAD has just released three Occasional Papers that can be downloaded (links are provided at the end of each description). For more information, please contact: Valentina Camaleonte ([email protected]), Asia and the Pacific Division, IFAD, tel: +39 06/54592670.

Occasional paper, Issue 12: Policy Responses to Food Price Crisis and Their Implications: The Case of Four Greater Mekong Sub-region Countries

Although food prices have been increasing globally since 2000, they increased at a faster rate from 2006 to 2007/08, when prices of major cereals surged rapidly. The countries of Asia and the Pacific also experienced these price spikes. Surges were due to a combination of short-term factors (such as droughts, trade restrictions and speculation and hoarding) and long-term ones (such as declining productivity, inadequate investment in infrastructure and linkages with other commodity markets, such as those for energy). In the region, prices of rice have been more volatile than those of wheat, because there are fewer rice-exporting countries and less international trade in rice. Moreover, heavier regulation and protection in rice markets, compared with those for wheat, have favoured the price rise for rice.

This study of four countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam) offers a rich and insightful analysis of the effects of the food price crisis on food producers, consumers and wage labourers, primarily regarding rice. More specifically, it discusses the impact of various policy measures adopted by the governments of these countries for domestic and international pricing; food production, particularly by smallholders; and nutritional and poverty levels. It confirms the negative impact in these countries of rising food prices on poor people’s food intake and nutrition. However, it also highlights the benefits of rising food prices for households that depend on market agriculture, particularly in net food-exporting countries such as Thailand.

The study offers a number of valuable lessons and policy recommendations for the formulation of appropriate policy responses to address similar crises that may occur in the future. We hope the findings will be useful to policy makers, development practitioners, academics and civil society.

The research was carried out by Mercedita A. Sombilla, Arsenio M. Balisacan, Donato B. Antiporta and Rowell C. Dikitanan, and can be accessed at the following link: http://www.ifad.org/operations/projects/regions/pi/paper/12.pdf.

Occasional paper, Issue 13: Women’s Empowerment & Microfinance – an Asian Perspective Study

There is general consensus that access to financial services is important if poor people are to raise productivity, create assets, generate income and achieve food security. Microfinance involves small-scale credit, savings and insurance to meet the needs of poor producers. Microfinance programmes also provide skill-based training to enhance productivity and organizational support and consciousness-building to empower poor people. Microfinance has become an important focus for poverty reduction in many parts of the world, including the Asia and the Pacific region. About 20 per cent of IFAD’s overall portfolio of loans and grants is focused on rural financial services.

Several studies show that access to microfinance contributes to poverty reduction,
particularly for women participants, and to overall poverty reduction at the village level. It also contributes to women’s empowerment, including higher levels of mobility, political participation and decision making.

It is generally agreed that microfinance institutions (MFIs) have the potential to empower women in rural areas through microcredit and related financial services. However, they also face a number of challenges in meeting this objective. This study argues for a more sophisticated and nuanced analysis of culture for a deeper understanding of the relationship between MFIs and women’s empowerment.

Based on a survey of various studies and analytical reviews, the study identifies key areas that can help IFAD and other development partners enhance the effectiveness of microfinance as an anti-poverty intervention. We hope that the findings of this study will be useful to policy makers, development practitioners, academics and civil society.

The research was carried out by Vani S. Kulkarni, and can be accessed at the following link: http://www.ifad.org/operations/projects/regions/pi/paper/13.pdf.

Occasional paper, Issue 14: Role of Agriculture in Achieving Millennium Development Goal 1 in Asia and the Pacific Region

The Asia and the Pacific region has made impressive gains in achieving high economic growth and poverty reduction over the last three decades. Several studies have shown that the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of halving extreme poverty by 2015 (as measured by the USD 1.25 per-capita per-day criterion) will be achieved by the region as a whole, as well as by many of its constituent countries. However, the rate of decline in poverty over time varies widely. While poverty has declined dramatically in countries such as China, Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam, rates have remained high in countries such as Bangladesh, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Nepal,
despite moderate reduction in recent years.

Many researchers have used the poverty threshold of USD 1.25 per day (at 2005 purchasing power parity [PPP]) in assessing progress towards MDG1 in developing countries. However, it is now believed that there is a need to assess progress in reducing moderate poverty (as opposed to extreme poverty), as its incidence is high in many countries in the region – including middle-income ones. When we consider poverty headcount ratios at USD 2 per day, a substantial share of the population is classified as poor, even in countries that experienced dramatic poverty reduction at USD 1.25. For example, the poverty headcounts at USD 2 were 36.3 per cent in China in 2005, 60 per cent in Indonesia in 2007, 45 per cent in the Philippines in 2006 and 48.4 per cent in Viet Nam in 2006. In Bangladesh, 81 per cent of the population was below the USD 2-per-day poverty line in 2005. The present study uses both poverty thresholds in its analysis, at 2005 PPP.

The study has examined whether accelerated growth of agriculture – through agricultural expenditure, official development assistance (ODA) or investment – makes a difference in the prospects of achieving MDG1 in the Asia and the Pacific region (using both USD1.25- and USD 2-per-day poverty criteria). The results, based on country panel data, show that increases in public agricultural expenditure, ODA, agricultural investment or fertilizer use (as a proxy for technology) accelerate both agricultural and economic growth. As a result, the headcount and depth of poverty indices are reduced substantially. Although the share of agriculture in GDP has declined, the study reinforces
the case for allocating a substantially larger flow of resources to the agriculture sector, not just to accelerate growth, but also to achieve the more ambitious MDG1. It is hoped that the findings of this study will be useful to policy makers, development practitioners, academics and civil society.

The research was carried out by Katsushi Imai, Raghav Gaiha and Ganesh Thapa, and can be accessed at the following link: http://www.ifad.org/operations/projects/regions/pi/paper/14.pdf.