The Rice-Wheat Consortium

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1 The Rice-Wheat Consortium An Institutiona Innovation in Internationa Agricutura Research on the Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems of the Indo-Gangetic Pains (IGP) The Review Pane Report Ashok Seth (Leader) Assisted by Ken Fischer, Jock Anderson and Dayanatha Jha

2 iii Contents Tabes v Figures v Boxes v Abbreviations vii Acknowedgements ix Executive Summary xi 1 Introduction: Recent deveopments in Rice-Wheat Consortium (RWC) 1 and context of the review 1.1 The RWC in brief Rationae for this review Scope and coverage of the review How the review was conducted 3 2 The RWC: Past and present Deveopment of the approach Historica and evoving rationae Institutiona arrangements for coordination and impementation Membership of the RWC Achievements Is there a systems approach to research by the RWC? Is the research agenda appropriate to provide (internationa/regiona) pubic-good research outputs? What is the impact at the farm eve? How robust and sustainabe is the framework of the RWC? What are the gaps in the research program as perceived by stakehoders? A summary of the achievements what were the drivers for success? 19 3 Directions for the future: Poicy and research Poicy issues Vaidity of key issues: Liveihoods/growth, sustainabe natura resource management Changing comparative advantage and strategic adjustment: Views concerning RWC roes Productivity and poicy Impications for future research directions Poicy anaysis and priority setting Directions for research Impact work in RWC Roe of impact assessment Better fostering of farm-eve impact 27

3 iv Contents 4 The future for the Consortium Partnership issues Adding countries to membership of RWC Adding/changing IARC engagement Pubic private partnerships Organizationa issues The Convening Center The Coordination Unit Nationa coordination arrangements Funding for the RWC Coordination Unit Research funding Future funding strategies Increasing investor awareness and interest Raising the RWC profie Deveop a comprehensive medium-term pan Assess current returns to the eary investors in the RWC Increase commitment to funding issues by a members of the Consortium 35 5 The way forward for the RWC The RWC as an Institutiona Innovation for Regiona/Internationa Research The Partners of the Consortium The roe of the CU as the main business unit of the RWC Towards a systems approach based on participatory method and ocationspecific research for deveopment Understanding the future biophysica and socio-economic environment of the IGP The research agenda Poicy anaysis and priority setting The research program for technoogy deveopment Attracting new (and maintaining od) investors 41 References 42 Annexure 1 Members of the Review Team 44 Annexure 2 Terms of Reference for the Review of RWC 45 Annexure 3 List of Seected Past Work and Outputs of RWC Made Avaiabe to the Pane 49 Annexure 4 Fied visits by the Pane Members to Partner Countries and Seected Research Sites 53 Annexure 5 Stakehoder Survey Approach and Summary of Findings 54 Annexure 6 Roes and Responsibiities of RWC Coordination Unit 61 Annexure 7 List of RWC Research Partner Nationa Research Systems 62 Annexure 8 Pubic-private Partnership for Acceerated Deveopment and Manufacture of the Muti-crop Zero-ti Dri-cum-Bed Panter 65 Annexure 9 A Case Study on Changing Tiage and Crop Estabishment Methods in IGP 68 Annexure 10 Donor Funding of Specia Projects Under Rice-wheat Cropping Systems 77 Annexure 11 Matrix of RWC s Current Research Activities aong with Priorities 79

4 v Tabes Tabe 1 Key functions of various bodies of RWC and the Pane s assessment of their strength and weaknesses. 7 Tabe 2 Annua growth (%) in input use, output, and TFP of the crop sector by agroecoregions during and in the IGP 21 Tabe 3 A custer of research activities and suggested core roes of the RWC for the two main transects of the RWS of the IGP. 24 Tabe 4 Understanding constraints to technoogy adoption A comparative anaysis of zero-tiage in wheat and nutrient management in rice. 28 Tabe 5 Coordination Unit: Actua expenditure for and proposed budget for Tabe 6 Sources of funding for the Coordination Unit. 34 Figures Fig. 1 Map showing the IGP transects according to RWC. 1 Fig. 2 Sustainabiity dimensions of rice-wheat systems. 5 Fig. 3 Rice-Wheat Consortium operationa structure. 6 Fig. 4 The RWC impact pathways. 9 Fig. 5 Estimated investment pattern of donor funded projects by thematic themes. 34 Boxes Box 1 The Consortium objectives aso serve the CGIAR goas 2 Box 2 Confuence of factors that drove rapid deveopment and transfer of the resource conserving technoogies (RCTs) in the western transect of IGP 12 Box 3 Laser and eveing for efficient use of water - A success story from Pakistan 13 Box 4 Exampes of RWC faciitated transfer of research information/technoogy from one member that has been of vaue to other members 15 Box 5 India: Reasons given by farmers for the adoption of zero-tiage for wheat 17 Box 6 RWC drivers for success 19

5 vii Abbreviations ACIAR ADB ARI ASA C CABI CDC CGIAR CIMMYT CIP CIRAD CSIRO CU CWA DFID DG DGIS EP FPR GIS GM IAEA IARC IASRI ICM ICRISAT IFAD IGP INM IPM IRRI ISC IWMI K Austraian Center for Internationa Agricutura Research Asian Deveopment Bank Advanced Research Institute American Society of Agronomy Carbon Center for Agricuture and Bioogy Internationa Center Directors Committee of the CGIAR Consutative Group on Internationa Agricutura Research Centro Internaciona de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (Internationa Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) Centro Internaciona de a Papa (Internationa Potato Center) Centre for Internationa Co-operation in Agricutura Research for Deveopment (France) Commonweath Scientific and Industria Research Organization (Austraia) Coordination Unit, RWC Comprehensive Assessment of Water Department for Internationa Deveopment (UK) Director Genera Netherands Deveopment Assistance (Formery: Directorate Genera for Internationa Cooperation, Netherands) Ecoregiona Program Farmer Participatory Research Geographic Information System Geneticay Modified Internationa Atomic Energy Agency Internationa Agricutura Research Center Indian Agricutura Statistics Research Institute Integrated Crop Management Internationa Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Internationa Fund for Agricutura Deveopment Indo-Gangetic Pains Integrated Nutrient Management Integrated Pest Management Internationa Rice Research Institute Interim Science Counci Internationa Water Management Institute Potassium

6 viii Abbreviations LCC MTP N NARI NARS NATP NGO NZODA PT PTOS R&D RCT RRA RSC RTCC RW RWC RWS SC SWI TAC TFP USAID USG WB Leaf Coor Chart Medium-term Pan Nitrogen Nationa Agricutura Research Institute Nationa Agricutura Research System Nationa Agricutura Technoogy Project, India Non-governmenta Organization New Zeaand Agency for Internationa Deveopment (formery, New Zeaand Officia Deveopment Assistance) Power Tier Power Tier Operated Seeder Research and Deveopment Resource Conserving Technoogy Rapid Rura Appraisa Regiona Steering Committee, RWC Regiona Technica Coordination Committee, RWC Rice-wheat Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains Rice-wheat System Science Counci System-wide Initiative Technica Advisory Committee, CGIAR Tota Factor Productivity United States Agency for Internationa Deveopment Urea Super Granues Word Bank Fig. 5. Estimated investment pattern of donor funded projects by thematic themes Fig. 3A. Zero-ti sown wheat after three weeks of seeding (This image shows the controed traffic enabing movement of farm equipment in the (fied) Fig. 3B. A heathy wheat crop after five weeks of sowing. Stubbes can be ceary seen aong side the crop

7 ix Acknowedgments The present review was commissioned by CIMMYT at the request of the Regiona Steering Committee (RSC) of the Rice-Wheat Consortium (RWC). The Pane members woud ike to thank a members of the RSC, especiay the Chairman Dr R.P. Sapkota, Executive Director, Nepa Agricutura Research Counci, and other managers, scientists and officias interviewed or contacted during the review for their open and freey given hep and advice. The Pane worked cosey with the Coordination Unit (CU) of the RWC. The CU was responsibe for arranging the ogistics and for providing administrative support for the review. The Pane wishes to acknowedge the remarkaby effective assistance rendered, and extends its sincere thanks to a the Unit staff, especiay Dr Raj K. Gupta, the Regiona Coordinator; Dr S.V.R.K. Prabhakar and Mr. Shahid Parwez, both are Research Feows at CU. We are gratefu to everyone invoved, especiay Dr Craig Meisner, the Co-Coordinator, ocated in Bangadesh, in arranging fied visits for the Pane members in India, Bangadesh and Nepa. These visits provided invauabe insights into the fied operations of the programs being impemented by NARIs. The Pane woud ike to express its appreciation for hepfu suggestions received from a number of peope during the review and for improvement of the report. We are particuary gratefu to Dr Derek Byeree, Word Bank, Dr Larry Harrington, CIMMYT, Dr J.K. Ladda, IRRI, and Dr Peter Hobbs, Corne University, for criticay reviewing the draft report and for making vauabe suggestions. We recognize that despite this hep and guidance there may sti be some gaps for which the Pane takes fu responsibiity. Finay, gratitude is expressed to the Agricuture and Rura Deveopment Department of the Word Bank for providing the time of Jock Anderson in Pane participation and to the CGIAR Secretariat for his trave in March 2003.

8 xi Executive summary 1. The review of the Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains (RWC) was undertaken at the request of the Regiona Steering Committee (RSC) of the RWC. The RSC at its 7th meeting (Dhaka, Feb , 2001) outined the purpose of the review. They sought greater carity in the roe and responsibiities of NARS, ARI and IARC members, and anticipated the need for broad-based partnerships, incuding those invoving the private sector, to respond to changing needs. The RSC members were concerned that the work program of the RWC needed to be more expicit in its response to the revised assistance strategies of donors funding research to have greater impact on poverty aeviation, sustainabiity and the environment. The outcome of this review is outined in this report. 2. Accordingy, the goa of the review was to determine the changes in research priorities, organization and methods that wi be required for the RWC to continue to make a significant impact on the iveihoods of those empoyed in agricuture, especiay the poor, on the sustainabe management of natura resources in the IGP, and on regiona food security. 3. The review process incuded the foowing activities: i. A desk review of seected past work and outputs ii. Fied visits to partner countries and seected research sites iii. Surveys of stakehoders (IARCs/ARIs, NARSs, farmers), incuding interviews of key personne in the NARSs/IARCs/ARIs iv. Country case studies to investigate on-farm changes undertaken by an externa expert in each of the NARSs v. Commissioned sef-assessment of institutiona impact of RWC undertaken by the RWC Coordination Unit (CU). 4. Findings of the review show that the RWC has emerged as an innovative mode for regiona and internationa coaboration, which is now beginning to deveop a credibe record of achievements. It is operating as an inter-institutiona and inter-center, mutidiscipinary network faciitating systems based farmer participatory research in the rice-wheat ecoogy of the IGP. The main source of strength of RWC is the commitment of its key stakehoders to the founding principes and ownership of its work program spanning strategic, appied, and adaptive research and knowedge dissemination activities. The key assets of the RWC are in its roes as: An innovator and suppier of new knowedge for the rice-wheat systems (RWSs) A cearing house for new approaches, methods etc. for use by the NARSs in the region, and A faciitator and a catayst of research for deveopment among the NARSs. 5. The effectiveness of partnerships between CGIAR Centers and their NARS partners as we as within and between the four nationa systems is one of the most important achievements of the RWC. The RWC has provided a number of exampes where the research from one member has contributed to a members based on experiences and expertise within the NARSs and their internationa partners. There is ceary room for further deepening of such mutuay beneficia NARS and IARC partnerships, incuding NARS outside the region, e.g., Brazi and its work on resource conservation technoogies (RCTs). ARIs have argey been invoved as contractors for donor-supported activities that have not aways been programmed RWC projects

9 xii Executive summary but potentiay coud make greater contributions in addressing the emerging strategic themes reated to ong-term sustainabiity and the environment. RWC has foowed an open door poicy for new partners/ members wishing to join the technica work and the technica committees of the Consortium. This has contributed to the free fow of new ideas/concepts, which has benefited the RWC. However, there are concerns by some that membership of the Regiona Steering Committee (RSC) needs to refect more the membership at the technica eve. The Pane notes that the guiding principes for membership on the RSC and the Regiona Technica Coordination Committee (RTCC) are neither widey known nor fuy defined or understood. As the RWC changes and coaborates with more institutions (nationa and internationa, pubic and private) as we as deepens invovement of some of the existing partners, it is important to carify as to who is eigibe to be a partner/member, what are different types of memberships and what are the roes and responsibiities of partners/members in different categories. 6. Whie there is no need for fundamenta change in the structure, the RWC must face severa continuing design chaenges reating to governance at various eves concerning nationa and internationa partners; scope and pacement of programmatic work within nationa and state/ provincia agencies, not to mention those with NGOs, private-sector entities, and advanced research institutions. Good judgment must be exercised in deaing with the dynamics of these decisions, such as judging when the RWC can best et go of a theme that can be better handed by the nationa partners in the Consortium or beyond. The nationa coordination arrangements have not aways been very effective and receive itte budgetary support from the nationa systems. In some cases the Nationa Steering Committee (NSC) has not met reguary, resuting in weak review and panning of activities at the nationa eve, incuding inkages with the extension services. In addition, not a nationa research entities are fuy integrated into the RWC network, especiay those operating outside the agricutura research estabishment. 7. The present RWC bioogica research is focusing on issues reated to natura resource management (NRM). Its most notabe success to-date has been the recent deveopment of severa RCTs due to the efforts championed by RWC s CU with its NARS partners, incuding the private-sector machinery manufacturers. There is evidence of a significant change in the tiage and crop estabishment methods being used by farmers in the wheat-based system of the northwest IGP. This impact is a major achievement for the RWC of regiona significance and contributes to the goba appication of RCTs into a new ecosystem. However, the success of the tiage practices raises a number of concerns as we as opportunities. The chief of these is the ack of farm-eve impact studies that can guide the process of adaptation to other zones, and identify emerging issues that need to be addressed by the RWC partners. Athough, some monitoring studies were aunched a few years ago, e.g., on soi heath, there is need for more hoistic monitoring of ong-term impacts on the productivity and sustainabiity of the RWSs in the context of RCTs. The scope, coverage and ocations of such ong-term work shoud be debated amongst members to deveop a work pan with ceary agreed responsibiities of the nationa and internationa partners. 8. The focus on RCTs is important for reasons other than efficiency and sustainabiity per se. The new RCTs provide a nove patform for and and water management approaches and to introduce new crops and varieties into the systems, which may aso hep to re-estabish better ecoogica baance. However, the work to foster greater diversification of the RW systems acks a comprehensive strategy, incuding poicy and market anaysis, to guide the research and deveopment efforts in the region. Agreement on an overa

10 Executive summary xiii strategy woud hep to set more appropriate priorities for fostering systems diversification suited to needs of different transects of the IGP. 9. The biophysica and socio-economic heterogeneity in different IGP transects must be borne in mind in panning future programs. In the west, traditionay a wheat-based production system, introduction of intensive rice cutivation has raised concern about environmenta sustainabiity due to antagonism between the current soi-water production requirements of the two crops. The chaenge for RWC is to undertake research to determine what possibiities exist to grow rice in different ways to the benefit of the RWSs in terms of productivity, diversity and sustainabiity (particuary of water use) and determine under what circumstances (incuding nationa poicies) such changes are appropriate. The RWC can make significant contributions both by improving wateruse efficiencies at farm-eve through new RCTs, incuding aser and eveing and bed panting, and by joining with the CGIAR s Chaenge Program on Water and Food. In the east, where the production systems are traditionay rice-based, intensification and diversification in the winter (non-monsoon) season wi need to be focused on enhancing economic viabiity, earning from farm-eve experiences with diversification in Bangadesh. 10. The RWC has faciitated a change towards a systems approach and use of farmer participatory methods for ocation-specific mutidiscipinary research. It has successfuy inked NRM with production systems research. Whie these processes have been adopted in some institutes, especiay in the context of RWS research, much greater effort is needed through the nationa research estabishments to mainstream these processes as a reguar feature of program panning and impementation. RWC can pay a bigger roe towards this goa by infuencing nationa research poicy, disseminating benefits and continued efforts to buid capacity of the nationa partners. 11. There are opportunities for greater contributions from IARCs/ARIs in support of RWC s need for attention to poicy anaysis work and new knowedge about the system processes impacting on its ongterm resiience and profitabiity in the context of fu expoitation of RCTs and distincty different needs of the western and the eastern transects of the IGP. These incude strategic research themes of regiona and goba significance reated to and, nutrient, water and crop component management and safeguarding the environment (goba warming gas emissions and carbon baance). IARCs are we paced to assist by deveoping/introducing new toos and techniques and estabishing new themebased partnerships for pioneering research. Panning of future research shoud be backed up with a forma anaysis of research priorities, and deveopment of a Medium-Term Pan (MTP). It is not about tradeoffs, but about better targeting of imited resources avaiabe for research to both the nationa and the internationa partners of the RWC. 12. Knowedge sharing and capacity buiding is an important goa of RWC. It has done a good job in sponsoring training of scientists, organizing scientific interactions through nationa/internationa workshops, exchange of scientists and participation in annua RSC and RTCC meetings. It has been particuary successfu in documenting and disseminating information emanating from RWCsupported/faciitated work. RWC is aso paying a constructive roe in generation and transfer of knowedge in non-traditiona areas of agricutura research, such as those invoving information technoogy and GIS toos. Cross-transect traveing seminars organized by the CU for scientists, extension workers, farmers, and private-sector participants from NARSs have proved to be popuar and effective training too for providing new ideas and opportunities for exchange of information between NARS personne working on simiar probems. This is heping to strengthen the systems approach to research by the NARS scientists and

11 xiv Executive summary their resove to show greater farm-eve impact of their work. Such benefits cannot be easiy captured soey through the nationa and/or the private research and shoud continue as an important part of the RWC work program. 13. Poicy anaysis and work to understand the socio-economic circumstances of the IGP farming communities are a weak part of the RWC research program. This weakness has aso been a handicap for setting priorities and in deveoping greater focus on poverty issues in the research programs. Whie incusion of funding for socio-economic research in recenty approved donor supported projects is a positive sign, deveopment of a strong program that fuy engages the nationa institutions woud require pooing of resources and expertise of a the partners, wherever possibe inking their on-going work with the RWC activities. The objective shoud be to deveop a good understanding based on systems anaysis, constraints, tradeoffs, equity, and institutiona and poicy issues, since each aspect has an important roe in the IGP. 14. The impact assessment of the work under the RWC umbrea has agged behind, even though this is now routiney required as one of the products of research programs/projects. This work needs to be mainstreamed into a significant research and deveopment activities of the RWC. This woud mean designing in impact work routiney in a major project proposas to ensure adequate resources and attention to deveopment of resource groups in the nationa teams with capacity to undertake such studies. Work to assess farm-eve impact shoud incude anaysis of potentia technica as we as socio-economic constraints to adoption of recommended technoogies. 15. Whie the RWC in recent years has attracted good donor funding for sma individua projects, harnessing of medium-term resources, especiay for faciitation, coordination and support to nationa programs for system-based research and for humanresource deveopment woud require energetic efforts of a its members. There are gains to be made by deveoping more comprehensive program proposas of reated projects covering biophysica, socioeconomic and communications aspects, which can then be presented to potentia donors either as a whoe or as individua projects. The needs for expansion of successfu RCTs, for system diversification and for water management research present an attractive window of opportunity for adoption of such a strategy and for exporing different options for securing medium-term funding. At the same time, the RWC members shoud aso examine a move towards a more equitabe costsharing arrangement in ine with their size, degree of invovement and capacity to bridge the gap in sustainabe funding for the CU. 16. The review concudes that there are continuing focused roes for RWC in knowedge generation, co-ordination/ faciitation of research agendas and in exchange of knowedge and peope among members and countries. It shoud stay NARSdriven, focused on new innovations for the RWSs and responsive to emerging needs and opportunities, be open to new committed members, incuding those from the private sector, promote greater coaboration between NARSs as we with IARCs/ ARIs, and support a time-bound and adaptabe agenda that is modest in coordination and faciitation resources. The RWC can best contribute to impact for the beneficiaries by sharing of appropriate knowedge deveoped through participatory research, utiization of opportunities opened up by the new information technoogies and faciitating the scaing up of its deivery by others to ensure sustainabiity of RWSs, which contribute some 80% of tota cerea production and are the cornerstone of food security in the region.

12 CMYK Introduction: Recent deveopments in Rice-Wheat Consortium (RWC) and context of the review The RWC in brief The RWC for the Indo-Gangetic Pains (IGP) has its origins in many years of coaborative research between CIMMYT, IRRI and the Nationa Agricutura Research Institutes (NARSs) deaing with rice and wheat in Bangadesh, India, Nepa and Pakistan (Fig. 1). In 1989 these parties signed an agreement for research coaboration in response to concerns about sustainabiity of the rice-wheat systems (RWSs) of the IGP occupying neary 13.5 miion ha and providing empoyment and iveihoods to tens of miions of rura famiies. Rice and wheat contribute 80% of tota cerea production and are critica to food security in the region. Over the next 17 years, the demand for these two cereas in South Asia is expected to grow at 2.02 and 2.49% per year, respectivey, (Rosegrant et a. 2001) requiring continuing efforts to increase production and productivity. The RWC was formed in 1994 as an Ecoregiona Program (EP) of the CGIAR with strong support from the nationa partners. As an EP, the Consortium is a specia kind of research network, which addresses NRM issues, and probems of agricutura productivity and production within a geographicay defined area. Its goas are given in Box 1. It provides a mechanism for the commodity-based internationa and nationa institutions working on N Transect 1 Transect 2 Transect 3 Transect 4 Transect 5 Fig. 1. Map showing the IGP transects according to RWC (Source: RWC, New Dehi). CMYK

13 MYK 2 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Box 1. The Consortium objectives aso serve the CGIAR goas Strengthen existing inkages and partnerships with nationa research programs, other internationa centers, advanced institutions and the private sector working in the region to deveop and depoy more efficient, productive and sustainabe technoogies for the diverse rice-wheat production systems of the Indo-Gangetic Pains so as to produce more food at ess cost and improve iveihoods of those invoved with agricuture and as a consequence to decrease poverty. simiar themes to engage in cropping systems research in coaboration with each other. It accords high priority to adaptation of new toos and techniques to regiona needs and sharing of research findings amongst scientists in the region through workshops, meetings, seminars, newsetters and pubications. The founding members of the RWC incuded the NARSs of Bangadesh, India, Nepa and Pakistan, and CIMMYT and IRRI. Three other Centers (ICRISAT, CIP and IWMI) coaborated cosey from the beginning. ICRISAT was the first convening center and hosted the CU for a short time. This responsibiity is now with CIMMYT. The Consortium aso works with severa advanced research institutions (ARIs) in more deveoped countries, mosty through donor-funded initiatives, incuding Corne University (USA), CABI (UK), WIS Internationa, Wageningen (Netherands), IACR Rothamsted (UK), CIRAD (France), CSIRO (Austraia), Massey University (New Zeaand), University of Adeaide (Austraia), Michigan and Ohio State Universities (USA), IAEA (Vienna), and deveopment institutions/agencies (DFID, DGIS Netherands, ADB, ACIAR, NZODA, IFAD, Word Bank (WB), USAID). Funding for the Consortium activities argey comes through specia projects financed by donors and from externay aided nationa projects as we as budgets of the participating NARSs. 1.2 Rationae for this review A Pane appointed by the Technica Advisory Committee (TAC) of the CGIAR first reviewed the activities of RWC in 1999 as a part of a review of severa EPs. The report of the TAC review Pane MYK was positive. It assigned the success of the RWC to it being a NARS-driven initiative with other partners having defined roes with a commitment to make it successfu. The report highighted the fostering of improved system-based panning, and a sharpening of the focus on a systems perspective with crop estabishment techniques providing a center stage for improving soi and crop management as its positive attributes. The Pane aso noted its infuence on how WB funding is used to strengthen nationa programs in the region. Despite good progress, however, farm-eve impact is sti imited. A number of questions have surfaced that require a fresh ook at the future roe, strategy and priorities for the RWC work program. There is a need for greater carity in the roes and responsibiities of NARSs, ARIs and IARCs. Donors have recenty reframed their strategies for funding of research to have greater impact on poverty aeviation, sustainabiity and the environment. In addition, given the increasing strength of the private sector in the region, some objectives of the RWC can be best met through partnership and/or cooperation with the private sector. Given these wide-ranging considerations and an interva of three years since the TAC review, the 7th meeting (Dhaka, Feb ) of the Regiona Steering Committee (RSC) recommended a forward-ooking review of the RWC. 1.3 Scope and coverage of the review The review has the foowing goa: To determine changes in the research priorities, organization and methods that wi be required for

14 Introduction 3 the RWC to continue to make a significant impact on the iveihoods of those empoyed in agricuture, on the sustainabe management of natura resources in the IGP, and on regiona food security. The review examines the RWC s past and present and assesses directions for future research, poicy, organization and partnerships. The RWC is now in a mid-term transitiona stage, raising the fundamenta questions: Is there a case for maintaining the RWC at the regiona eve? If yes, what are the key assets of the RWC and shoud the RWC maintain focus or grow organicay? What is the added vaue of IARCs and ARIs working in the RWC? The review addresses these questions in the fina chapter (Chapter 5) The Way Forward for the RWC, which incudes the major recommendations. The ist of the Pane members who undertook this review and their Terms of Reference for the review are set out in Annexures 1 and 2 respectivey. 1.4 How the review was conducted The review began in first phase in October 2002, with a fied visit of Seth, Jha and Anderson to the CU in Dehi and to severa sites in northern India. Based on this eary anaysis the foowing was undertaken: A desk review of seected past work and outputs (Annexure 3) Fied visits to partner countries and seected research sites (Annexure 4) Interviews of key stakehoders in the NARSs/ IARCs/ ARIs Commissioned sef-assessment of institutiona impact of RWC undertaken by the CU Country case studies on farm-eve changes undertaken by an externa expert in each of the NARSs Surveys of stakehoders (Annexure 5) The second phase began in eary March 2003 with the competion of the fied visits by Fischer and Jha to India and Bangadesh, and by Seth to Nepa (The Pane was unabe to visit Pakistan). During March 2003 RSC/RTCC meeting in Kathmandu, Nepa, the fu Pane met individuay with a members of the RSC, with the Nationa Technica RW Coordinators as a group, with the Program Director of CIMMYT who is responsibe for the CU, and with some donors and other stakehoders. The drafting of this report was commenced at the CU in Dehi in mid-march and finaized during Apri-May 2003.

15 The RWC: Past and present Deveopment of the approach Historica and evoving rationae The RWC evoved to address growing concerns that the rates of growth in yied of rice and wheat were sowing or had stagnated and in some cases were on decine (Finn and Khokhar 1989). There was a growing awareness that the productivity of the system as a whoe depended on the interaction of the two main commodities rice and wheat and that soutions coud ony be achieved by a farmingsystems approach. In 1991, through an ADB grant, IRRI and CIMMYT, in partnership with the four South Asian NARSs, started a research program to respond to these concerns. This work, incuding the diagnostic surveys for setting up the initia research priorities (Harrington et a. 1993; Fujisaka et a. 1994), was coordinated by IRRI. Outcome of the eary phase was reviewed in a workshop organized by FAO in 1994 (Paroda et a. 1994) and, with the Word Bank hep, ed to estabishment of the RWC as the ecoregiona program of the CGIAR. The TAC review (1999) concuded that the RWC is truy a Consortium (a specia kind of research network). It is not a research program in its own right in the sense that the word programme is generay used in the CGIAR. Apart from any studies the Faciitation Unit might carry out on ecoregiona methodoogies, the RWC is not structured to conduct research in its own name. The research approach for the RWSs that evoved over time had the foowing eements: The research woud begin with mutidiscipinary diagnostic surveys at key sites in the IGP. This was to identify the constraints to productivity at the farm eve and to understand the compex chain of cause and effect that drove each constraint. Each member was to conduct a specific part of the agreed research agenda using their own core resources. The RWS research woud feed back to the commodity programs the required changes in cutivar deveopment. The research woud monitor the ong-term sustainabiity of the RWSs. Diagnostic surveys were to be conducted in a four countries and from them a set of research themes and responsibiities by the members of the consortium woud be evoved. The research themes incuded: Tiage and crop estabishment (with a focus of providing a more favorabe window for sowing wheat) Integrated nutrient management (with a focus on site-specific nutrient management, nutrient mining in ong-term trias set up at the beginning of the Green Revoution (GR), and eguminous break crops in the rotation) Studies on water management at the fied eve IPM at the system eve and need for break crops with a focus on Phaaris minor as a major emerging weed of the systems. The RWC has since added the new themes of knowedge management systems, socio-economic anaysis and human resource deveopment, as we as capacity buiding in each of the themes. The present RWC activities are we founded in a farming system approach to research. A better understanding of the systems has evoved (as shown in Fig. 2) and most of the research is conducted at

16 CMYK The RWC: Past and Present 5 the farm eve with active participation and experimentation of farmers Institutiona arrangements for coordination and impementation The RWC is a muti-tiered organization (Fig. 3) with the RSC the pinnace management group for endorsing the research themes, and approving work pans (deveoped by the RTCC) and budgets. It consists of the Directors Genera of the four participating NARSs, the Directors Genera of CIMMYT and IRRI and a donor representative. The Chairmanship of the RSC rotates annuay between head of NARSs and is currenty chaired by Dr. R.P. Sapkota, Executive Director, Nationa Agricutura Research Counci (NARC), Nepa. The Regiona Coordinator acts as Secretary. The activities of RWC are coordinated through the CU, (previousy caed the Faciitation Unit) headed by a Regiona Coordinator (housed at New Dehi} and a Co-Coordinator (previousy caed Faciitator and Co-Faciitator), with the atter previousy housed at Katmandu and now at Dhaka. CIMMYT is the current convening center and provides administrative support to the CU through its offices in India, Nepa and Bangadesh. The CU reports to RSC, iaises with IARCs/ARIs and the nationa partners, to faciitate impementation of agreed work programs, organizes annua RSC/ RTCC meetings, workshops and other HRD reated activities, incuding traveing seminars and fosters partnerships. In addition, CU is aso heping to deveop a regiona project information system and a regiona GIS for cross-site synthesis of data. More information on the roes of CU is given in Annexure 6. A brief summary of the key functions of various bodies of RWC and the Pane s assessment of their reative strength and weaknesses is briefy summarized in Tabe Membership of the RWC Over the years the RWC has engaged with over 80 partners in research and deveopment activities, which are consistent with the RWC work pans. Fig. 2. Sustainabiity dimensions of rice-wheat systems (Source: RWC Vision paper for deivery of resource conserving technoogies. Rice-Wheat Cosortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India) CMYK

17 6 The Rice-Wheat Consortium CK These have incuded institutions that are parts of NARSs, such as State Government agencies deaing with poicy and extension, NGOs, IARCs, ARIs, UN agencies and the private sector. The eve of invovement has varied between comprehensive on-going engagements with the core members (NARSs of India, Pakistan, Bangadesh and Nepa, IRRI and CIMMYT) to a short-term project-specific reationship. Many of the partners are sef-funded whie some receive funds from the specia projects administered by the CU. A fu isting of the partners by country is given in Annexure Achievements In examining the achievements of the RWC, the Pane asked the foowing questions: Is there a systems approach to research by the RWC members? Is the research agenda appropriate to provide (internationa/regiona) pubic-good research outputs? What is the impact at the farm eve? How we it has contributed to capacity enhancement of NARI scientists? How robust and sustainabe is the framework of the RWC? In ooking to answer these questions the Pane took note of the heterogeneity both in the natura resources of the RWSs in the IGP and in the research capacity of RWC members. It has given carefu consideration to information contained in the RWC reports/pubications, insight gained from responses to the questionnaires (Annexure 5) and persona interviews at severa eves in IARCs and NARSs. The imited documentation of farm-eve adoption and outcomes was argey from one zone of the RWSs (north western, wheat-based, irrigated) covering northwestern India and Pakistan (Punjab). Fig. 3. The RWC operationa structure CK

18 The RWC: Past and Present 7 Tabe 1. Key functions of various bodies of RWC and the Pane s assessment of their strength and weaknesses RWC body Composition and function Sources of funding Strength and weaknesses Regiona Steering Heads of NARSs, IARCs and a donor RSC meetings and ++++ Committee (RSC) representative:provides poicy guidance, other operationa Functions we and endorses priorities, resource aocations needs financed as a provides the needed for agreed work pans and monitors part of the CU poicy guidance. Coud progress budget pay a stronger roe in securing medium-term funding for RWC activities, incuding the CU Regiona Technica NARS, IARCs, ARIs RTCC meet Funding for regiona ++++ Coordination annuay in each of the member country technica meetings Generay functions we. Committee by rotation. Deveops work pan, in the CU or specia Can pay a stronger roe (RTCC) identifies emerging issues and project budget in technica oversight opportunities, promotes exchange of and quaity assurance information and inkages between members and maintains technica oversight and provides quaity assurance Coordination Unit Regiona Faciitator fu-time and Co- Donor funds, (CU) faciitator part-time CIMMYT staff; CGIAR Highy satisfactory office and administrative staff engaged contributions, performance, which is ocay in India:Acts as secretariat to CIMMYT appreciated by a RSC and iaison with IARCs/ARIs and contribution, (Annexure 5). Of specia other stakehoders. Faciitates Administrative importance has been its impementation of participatory research support charges cataytic roe in in each country under the agreed work from specia faciitating deveopment pan; exchange of information within projects of partnerships, adoption and outside the region; workshops, training and traveing semina of participatory research processes and activities reated to human resource deveopment through knowedge sharing across countries, nationa and internationa institutions (aso see section and 5.3) CIMMYT as the Part-time support from the Director, CIMMYT core ++++ Convening Center NRMManagement of CU; accountabiity budget, overheads The arrangement is of on-going projects; briefing of CGIAR from projects working reasonaby we about RWC; and deveopment of project proposas for funding by donors but an expanding and more compex program needs its own identity and greater manageria support from CIMMYT (aso see section 4.3.1) Contd...

19 8 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Tabe 1. Contd... RWC body Composition and function Sources of funding Strength and weaknesses Nationa Steering Head of NARSs, Chair; other senior +++ Committee (NSC) staff members.decides on research NSC not meeting priorities; promotes mutidiscipinary reguary in a the research; aocates resources for nationa countries eading to gaps research; and constitutes NTCC in panning and oversight. There is a need for a more proactive roe, especiay in monitoring and issues reated to medium (aso see section 4.3.3) Nationa Technica Heads of Units/Senior Scientists directy Limited operationa +++ Coordination invoved in RWSs research. Hep pan funds from CU In some countries there Committee activities undertaken by RWSs institutions; seem to be sippage in (NTCC) inkages between pubic-private reguarity of NSC institutions; identify emerging issues and meetings eaving gaps in propose research to address them; monitor progress review and oversight. There is a need for proactive invovement of NSC, especiay in issues reated to monitoring, priority setting and resource aocation/ mobiization (aso see section 4.3.3) Nationa Managed by mosty part-time Nationa Member funds for +++ Coordination Coordinators (NCs) with some staff position. Some There is room for further Units administrative support from host nationa projects funds improvement; countries institutions. Oversee impementation of through CU to cover with a arge program nationa RWSs research programs; iaise operationa costs shoud either have a fuwith research sites and RWC CU, IARCs time Coordinator or and other stakehoders; foster participation and faciitate government cearances provide effective coordination mechanism with some budget for operationa support (aso see section 4.3.3) Site Coordination Site specific mutidiscipinary teams Projects funds ++++ through CU. Some Generay working we. funds from specia Receiving direct technica projects of IARCs and financia input from and ARIs the specia projects Is there a systems approach to research by the RWC? Research processes The impact pathway adopted by RWC (Fig. 4) emphasizes participatory needs assessment of farmeve constraints to determine priorities, joint panning of work programs with nationa partners and other stakehoders and participatory research and technoogy vaidation. The pathway aso recognizes the importance of two-way fow of

20 CK The RWC: Past and Present 9 Fig. 4. The RWC impact pathways information between the nationa and internationa partners, knowedge sharing and capacity buiding of nationa research and extension systems. It seeks to faciitate invovement of the private-sector input and service providers in technoogy deveopment and dissemination processes. RWC considers that the adoption of this pathway has not ony heped to insti a new paradigm for research-extension-farmer inkages but aso acceerated the speed with which technoogies are being transferred from research to farmers. The Pane beieves that the institutiona processes adopted by RWC have been effective in the coordination of mutidiscipinary and mutiinstitutiona research, particuary at the fied-site eve. Here participants from different discipines, incuding extension workers, NGOs, input suppiers, and farmers, are invoved in a stages of the research process. However, whie working we in the context of specia projects, transfer of these approaches as a reguar feature of nationa program panning and impementation is much ess deveoped eaving considerabe room for improvement. The RWC has made good contributions in broadening the vision and perspective of participating scientists. In the past wheat and rice research was insuated in commodity-based programs. Now there are visibe signs that these barriers are breaking down both in IARCs and in NARSs. Simiary, productivity enhancement was the primary criterion for assessing outputs of a research, but scientists are now starting to ook at socio-economic factors, such as input-saving and cost-reduction strategies as egitimate goas of research. Whie there is room for further deepening of this process, the RWC has given hands-on experience for this change to take pace and, as a consequence, scientists outside the RWC projects have started panning system-based experiments taking account of technica as we as socio-economic factors. RWC is heping to promote concepts of farmer participatory research and much of its research is cast in this mode. During fied visits, the Pane was struck by the enthusiasm and depth of interactions in many aspects of research where farmers are activey interacting with scientists and other partners in designing trias and in providing feedback, e.g., CK

21 10 The Rice-Wheat Consortium need for design changes to machinery manufacturers and options for crop diversification to scientists. Thus, this work is providing important essons for a paradigm shift in agricutura R&D from the outdated inear research-extension-farmer mode, to participatory approaches and extended networks where researchers, extension workers, NGOs, the private sector, and farmers are a invoved in various stages of the process and many joint decisions are taken ocay. The vaue of participatory approach and partnership with the private sector is we demonstrated by the effectiveness and speed with which the modified system invoving the muti-crop no-ti - dri - cum bed panter was deveoped and refined by private manufacturers working in cose coaboration with researchers, extension personne and farmers. Key features and reasons for success of this partnership are summarized in Annexure 8. The NARIs stand to gain a ot by decentraizing contros and by adopting more participatory approaches in research panning and impementation. In many on-farm experiments undertaken in farmer participatory mode in South Asia, it is not possibe to accommodate a treatments in the same fied. As a resut, the soi types, varieties and management regimes vary with each farmer adding to immense variabiity. To cater for such situations, there is a need to deveop new statistica methods for anaysis of farmer participatory research. RWC can faciitate such research in coaboration with IARC and speciaized institutions in NARS, for exampe the Indian Agricutura Statistics Research Institute (IASRI). To cope with the diversity of RWSs in different transects of the IGP, GIS-based knowedge systems are assisting in targeting the ocation-specific deveopment and appication of technoogies for optima use of the natura resource base. For exampe, at each research site under the ADB project 1, different options appropriate to the situation represented by that site are being tested. Scientists who met during fied visits wanted to see greater use of this approach. However, access to GIS-based toos and techniques within NARSs is sti imited and it woud be some time before these become a routine feature of ocation-specific panning and impementation of research and deveopment activities Human Resource Deveopment Knowedge sharing and capacity buiding is an important goa of RWC. It sponsors training of scientists, organizes scientific interactions through nationa/internationa workshops, exchange of scientists and participation in annua RSC and RTCC meetings. It has been particuary successfu in documenting and disseminating information emanating from RWC-supported/faciitated work. RWC is aso paying a constructive roe in generation and transfer of knowedge in non-traditiona areas of agricutura research, such as those invoving Information Technoogy and GIS toos. Crosstransect traveing seminars organized by the CU for scientists, extension workers, farmers, and privatesector participants from NARSs have proved to be popuar and effective training toos for providing new ideas and opportunities for exchange of information between nationa scientists working on simiar probems in a number of important areas, incuding conservation technoogies and crop estabishment, nutrient management, pest profiing and management. This is heping to buid capacity and strengthen the systems approach for research by the NARI scientists for greater fied-eve impact. Reaizing these benefits, nationa programs are increasingy wiing to meet oca costs of these activities. The Pane concudes that the traveing seminars and other cross-transect activities to promote greater interactions and knowedge sharing between scientists working in the nationa systems 1 A three-year ADB-financed project entited Study on sustaining the Rice-Wheat Production Systems of Asia RETA-5945 which commenced in 2001 at six different sites in India, Pakistan, Bangadesh and Nepa.

22 The RWC: Past and Present 11 is an important achievement of the Consortium, which deserves continued emphasis and greater support in the future. Further, participation by IARC/ARI scientists in such activities adds depth to the scientific debate, heps in resoving issues through on-site exchanges and provides effective mechanisms for deveoping need-based programs/ partnerships to meet future chaenges. Annexure 3 provides a ist of seected pubications on research faciitated by RWC, which has contributed to the advancement of knowedge. Annexure 8 and 9 describe the success of pubic-private partnerships and RCTs, provide exampes of the RWC approach to capacity buiding of NARSs invoving knowedge sharing participatory approaches, exposure visits, capacity buiding and technoogy transfer as mutuay supportive activities Is the research agenda appropriate to provide (internationa/regiona) pubic-good research outputs? The RWC began its research agenda based on farmer participatory approaches (e.g., Fujisaka et a. 1994) and has evoved into a broader research agenda that now incudes 26 activities in 8 themes, as shown in Annexure 7. In one theme, tiage and crop estabishment, there has been remarkabe success, whie the success in other themes has been mixed, both in the impementation of the research agenda, and in research product (outputs) and impact at the farm eve (outcome). The foowing is a summary of achievements in some of the themes of the ecosystem-based research agenda Tiage and crop estabishment There is evidence of a significant change in the tiage and crop estabishment methods being used by farmers in the wheat-based system of the northwest IGP. This impact is a major achievement for the RWC of regiona significance and contributes to the goba appication of RCTs into a new ecosystem. The Pane concudes that the drivers of this success are to be found in a timey congruence of technoogica interventions and the participatory operationa approaches provided by the RWC, and the enabing environment created by the changing socio-economic circumstances, especiay in the north-western India and eastern Pakistan. These factors are aso becoming increasingy important in the Terai region of Nepa. These drivers, whie unique to the adoption of zero and minimum tiage, are of generic interest for other technoogies and are summarized in Box 2. The RWC is activey engaged in deveoping new tiage, and, crop, nutrient management and water use systems based on the principes of this success, yet adapting them to the different resources of the different transects. For exampe, in Bangadesh and Nepa, work is underway to deveop/adapt tiage impements that can be used with the two-wheeed tractor which are now widey used in both the countries. The focus on RCTs is important for reasons other than efficiency and sustainabiity per se. The new RCTs provide nove and and water management systems to introduce new crops and varieties into the system. The RWC has conducted a number of on-farm trias incorporating potatoes, entis and other egumes into the systems at the oca eve but acks a comprehensive strategy, incuding poicy and market anaysis, for research and deveopment to foster greater diversification of the RW systems. The success of the tiage practices raises a number of opportunities as we as concerns, the chief of which is the need for coser monitoring of areas rapidy adopting RCTs and greater understanding of bio-physica and socio-economic circumstances in the remaining areas to guide the adaptive research. The Pane understands that there wi be a greater emphasis on socioeconomic work in the new research agenda of the RWC. Other needs and opportunities are discussed in sections 3.2 and Water management Work initiated in Pakistan, ater supported by the RWC, and has successfuy adapted the technique

23 12 The Rice-Wheat Consortium MYK Box 2. Congruence of factors that drove rapid deveopment and transfer of the resource conserving technoogies (RCTs) in the western transect of IGP Technica Yied increases from eary panting of wheat, enabed by a time saving of 2-3 weeks that resuted from the adoption of zero tiage (direct driing of wheat in rice fieds). Deveopment and modification of critica impements through on-farm testing, rapid feedback of farmer response to engineers and vaidation of prototypes with active invovement of the private sector machinery manufacturers, e.g., no-ti dris (India), aser eveer (Pakistan), straw chopper (India). Increasing importance of Phaaris minor weed probem and deveopment of resistance to the commony used herbicide, isoproturon. Operationa Adoption of participatory approaches for on-farm trias with emphasis on aowing innovative farmers to experiment, e.g., with farm impements, panting techniques, rather than waiting unti research and extension recommended the technoogy. Promotion of pubic-private partnerships through provision of prototype direct dris to machinery manufacturers and farmers for further deveopment. Concurrent support to spread of contractua services for various farm operations, incuding direct driing of wheat, which provided access to mechanica power to those without tractors of their own. A way for resource poor to obtain the technoogy (aso see Annexure 8). Strong support from the nationa partners. In Pakistan this was mainy provided by the On-Farm Water Management Group. Rapid dissemination and exchange of research findings as we as fied observations to a stakehoders within and between countries, incuding poicy makers, scientists, extension workers and farmers. Socio-economic Increasing cost of and preparation and other production activities, e.g., weed contro due to increasing resistance of Phaaris minor to commony used herbicide as we as shortage of abor at peak demand periods (and preparation, weeding and harvesting). Increased recognition by scientists and poicy makers of the threat posed by stagnating/decining productivity of RWSs. Rapid mechanization of agricuture based on use of four-whee tractor and avaiabiity of private contract service providers. of aser and-eveing equipment in RWS improving water use efficiency by up to 25% (Box 3). This has invoved aser technoogy deveopment and innovation and the invovement of the private sector in deveoping appropriate earth-moving equipment and the engagement of new private suppiers of services to farmers. These concepts deveoped in Pakistan are in the process of being transferred to India with hep from IRRI. The RWC is deveoping other and-preparation/ crop-estabishment methods, incuding zero tiage and bed panting, that have the potentia of reducing MYK

24 CMYK The RWC: Past and Present 13 Box 3. Laser and eveing for efficient use of water - A success story from Pakistan LASER Leveing in progress Key Constraints: Poor water appication and water use efficiency and imited water resources. Proposed Soution: Laser and eveing (aso known as Precision Land Leveing) is a process of topographic modification, grading and smoothing of and to a precise and uniform pane surface (± 2 cm). Loca Adaptation. Imported rather expensive equipment was adapted to oca conditions and manufactured ocay with cose support of scientists, agricutura engineers and farmers. Benefits: It features the foowing benefits: Curtaiment in irrigation appication osses (25%) Reduction in abor requirements for irrigation (35%) Enhancement of the area irrigated (2%) Promotes the adoption of improved soi and crop management practices Increase in crop yieds (20%) (Source: Gi et a. 2002) water use at the fied/farm eve. The RWC has just begun to measure the effect of these RCTs on water use at the farm and basin eve. The Pane notes that, whie this aspect of the work has been agging (because of funds), the RWC is one of the partners for the CGIAR Chaenge Program on Water and Food. It woud be important to use this opportunity for a new partnership to add more capacity for anaysis of water management issues at the basin eve Nutrient management The RWC has successfuy deveoped new concepts for the management of nutrients based on the matching of site-specific capacities of the soi to suppy nutrients and to the demand of the crop(s) in the system (Doberman and White, 1999). Farmers are earning these concepts through participatory research and the use of zero pots/ omission pot, and in the case of N, this knowedge has been captured in the eaf coor chart (LCC). The LCC has been widey distributed to farmers in a number of countries to assess response. The work on other nutrients is ess advanced at the farm eve athough the carefu examination of ong-term experiments by the RWC is identifying nutrient mining (such as of K) and imbaances, aong with the oss of C in some situations, as contributing to reduced yieds (Ladha et a. 2003). CMYK

25 14 The Rice-Wheat Consortium The RWC is adapting these nutrient management strategies to the new crop and tiage systems Crop improvement and management The RWC has provided usefu feedback from the systems research to the component commodity research programs of IARCs and NARIs; rice breeders have focused more on earier maturity than on yied, so that wheat can be panted earier; opportunities for short-season puses, potatoes and other crops have been identified; and more recenty commodity programs in wheat and rice are examining the genotype panting-system interaction to decide if seection practices in the breeding program need to be modified. As more farmers use the new RCTs there wi be a need to adapt the inputs of crop, variety, fertiizer, water and pest management to the new system in the context of oca requirements. The Pane noted a tendency for the RWC to engage in a diversity of such activities, raising the question of whether such work might be better done by the nationa commodity programs, eaving the RWC to focus on more strategic themes to deveop new knowedge about systems to target the technoogica chaenges more overty Knowedge management The RWC has begun a knowedge management system incorporating database management (on projects, experts, previous research, pubished information, institutions) by transects in GIS framework to deveop methods that target the new agricutura technoogies based on the natura resource base potentia and crop characteristics at the oca eve. Sharing of database information with a scientists woud significanty improve the abiity to address ocation specific constraints of production systems. However, to date, outside of piot projects there is no evidence of bringing the GIS-based toos to the agronomists/practitioners for their routine use in adaptation studies. The Pane recognizes that these toos are sti in the eary stages of use in research but aso sees a need for greater coordination of efforts between IARCs and NARIs to ensure that as much effort goes to the vaidation of their use as to deveoping more sophisticated approaches by a sma centraized unit in the CU of the RWC. The transfer, appication and use of the knowedge toos by the nationa systems is a high priority in order to better target the adaptive studies for diversification, varieta seection, nutrient management and optima use of natura resources, especiay and and water, with or without the new RCTs. In summary, the current research agenda of RWC is impact-oriented, as is highighted through case studies on recent deveopment of RCTs (Annexures 8 and 9). The agenda has produced research outputs that are appropriate pubic goods for the region and has encouraged invovement of the private sector where appropriate. The RWC has provided a number of exampes where the research from one member has contributed to other members (Box 4). The research outputs are effectivey shared in a RWC Paper Series and in Research Briefs and there have been a number of Conference Proceedings. An ASA monograph (Ladha et a., 2003) has recenty been pubished covering a number of topics on productivity and sustainabiity of ricewheat system. The Consortium has pubished a resource book on Addressing Resource Conservation Issues of Rice-Wheat Systems of South Asia in Thus, the RWC is generating a ot of knowedge about the systems and is communicating that knowedge to the members. However, the reporting of research in peer-reviewed journas, particuary on principes and processes, is variabe among the research themes. There are a number of papers on nutrient dynamics, pest profies and yied osses and on the sustainabiity (particuary in terms of nutrients) of the system. Aso there are some papers from the eary stages on understanding the importance of changes in productivity at the farm

26 MYK The RWC: Past and Present 15 Box 4. Exampes of RWC-faciitated transfer of research information/technoogy from one member that has been of vaue to other members Technoogy Origin 1 Primary destination Linkage to bioogica research Bed panter/muti-crop CIMMYT, Mexico/ India/Nepa, Panting techniques in rice, bed panter India Bangadesh, Pakistan wheat, and intercropping for improved system sustainabiity Chise type opener/inverted New Zeaand/India Bangadesh, Nepa Suitabiity for soi types, T openers for ZT dri and Pakistan moisture conditions Two-wheeed tractor Bangadesh Nepa Introduction of ZT/BP attachments Controed traffic/paired Austraia/China India and other Disease management row panting in zero tiage countries and crop physioogy Couter type doube disk Austraia India Residue and nutrient bed panter management Laser-aided and eveing Pakistan India Water management for suppy driven irrigation systems and crop-water-nutrient interactions Leaf coor charts IRRI, Phiippines A IGP countries Water-nutrient synchronization in wheat Straw chopper India Pakistan Residue management/ environnementa Parachute 2 panting of rice China Pakistan Pant popuations, abor saving Star whee type dibber Zimbabwe India Panting systems in oose panter crop residue 1 Refers to the ocation from where the technoogy was picked up by the RWC for dissemination in the region 2 Farmers in China grow rice seedings in bubbe sheets, a pastic sheet with cups hoding ~200 g of soi enough to grow the seedings for 20 days, and transpant the seedings by broadcasting them in the pudded soi. The name parachute came from the way the seedings and on the soi whie they are broadcasted aong with the soi adhering to their roots. eve. The RWC is urged to maintain a baance in activities that wi continue to generate new knowedge about the processes of the overa system that determine its ong-term resiience and profitabiity. The Pane makes some suggestions in section 3.2 on how the RWC may better keep that baance What is the impact at the farm eve? As noted in section 1.4, one of the steps taken in panning this review was to commission studies of impact in each country. As of the main phase of the review in March 2003, ony the India study was avaiabe as a fu draft. The Nepa and Pakistan studies were unavaiabe. The fu report on Bangadesh study was made avaiabe after competion of the review. Remarks that foow are thus argey drawn from the Indian case study. In preparation of this review, economists at the Nationa Center for Agricutura Economics and Poicy Research (NCAP), New Dehi, were asked to conduct severa rapid rura appraisas (RRAs) through the Indian RW zones. The scope of the work incuded other facets, such as review of aggregate data reevant to the zone, as we as some work on research prioritization. The draft made avaiabe to the Pane, Pa et a. (2003) assembed MYK

27 16 The Rice-Wheat Consortium much information pertaining to the RWSs of northern India as we as viage-eve observations in parts of the zone from Haryana to Bihar, where RWC has been active. The Pane has extracted from this draft the materia on India that foows and ooks forward to a four studies being pubished by the RWC in a singe voume. Use is aso made of information assembed by the CU of RWC. Rapid rura appraisas using a reativey sma sampe were conducted in two production regions to capture some of the diversity of the system. The Kaitha district of Haryana, fas under the Trans- Gangetic Pains, where RW is intensivey cutivated and a number of deveopments are taking pace through market forces and technoogica intervention; and the Samastipur and Begusarai districts of Bihar, in the Midde-Gangetic Pains. This region is comparativey more humid, receives high rainfa, and use of modern inputs is comparativey ow. Crop productivity is rising in the atter region, whie it is pateauing in the former. Two viages were seected in each of the production regions where there was an adequate number of farmers exposed to or adopting the RCTs. The Pane concudes the foowing from these studies: A positive and significant impact of zero/ minimum tiage Among the RCTs, zero tiage technoogy has been adopted quicky and is spreading rapidy over a arge area in both the regions. It is estimated by RWC (RWC, persona communication, 2003) that in season zerotied wheat in rice-wheat system in India and Pakistan occupied neary 500,000 ha (about 4% of tota rice-wheat area in these two countries). The resuts of the survey estabished the superiority of zero-tiage technoogy over the conventiona methods of crop estabishment. It has enabed farmers to reduce the cost of wheat production (over Rs. 8000) and increased yieds (by about 10-17% over conventiona tiage) by faciitating the timey sowing of wheat (earier panting by 1-2 weeks). In zero tiage, wheat irrigation time and need for additiona irrigations during crop growth was reduced due to the muching effect of crop residue and increased soi water-hoding capacity from higher organic matter content due to crop residue retention. Farmers aso noted that with zero-ti ess time per irrigation was needed because the water fows more quicky over the surface and covers the whoe fied more rapidy. A notabe feature is that a categories of farmers are adopting zero tiage and its advantages are we understood by them. The advantages as tod by the farmers are: (a) cost saving and thus higher profit, (b) saving of irrigation water, especiay in the first irrigation, and (c) improvement in soi fertiity due to decomposition of paddy stubbes in the soi. The date of sowing is aso advanced by one to two weeks (Box 5). The Pane can report other circumstantia evidence about zero tiage gained from their fied visits with farmers. There appears to be a reduction in Phaaris minor weed popuation in wheat, which probaby contributes to the higher yied reported by farmers. The Pane aso heard of the initia resistance by farmers to zero tiage, as it was contrary to traditiona beiefs that the more you ti the more the yied. Such resistance was an obstace to the eary adoption and there may sti be some concerns hed by farmers of the ong-term effects based on their perceptions of hardening of the soi as a resut of continuous cutivation. Based on the Bangadesh report by Hossain (2003) and the Pane s own fied visits it is concuded that there is considerabe awareness of the potentia of RCTs in wheat and other crops and some adoption is taking pace in areas where research is being undertaken with somewhat simiar benefits to those reported in the Indian study. However, more extensive adoption is being constrained by the imited avaiabiity of suitabe impements. Further

28 MYK The RWC: Past and Present 17 Box 5. India: Reasons given by farmers for the adoption of zero tiage for wheat Who are adopters? A categories of farmers Drivers of adoption: (a) Reduction in cost of cutivation, incuding fue savings (b) Timey sowing of wheat (c) Reduction in P. minor popuation Other direct benefits: Crop yied: A few farmers mention higher yied with zero tiage, but not sure about the ong-term impact Soi fertiity: Positive due to muching effect of crop residue and increased soi waterhoding capacity from higher organic matter content due to crop residue retention Irrigation water: Saves water in first irrigation; quicker spread of water in zero-tiage fieds reduces pumping time from shaow tubewes Major adoption faciitating factors: (a) Refinement of the no-ti dri (b) Promotion of manufacturing of the dri by severa private manufacturers (c) Strong government support and provision of subsidies (d) Integration of research efforts and arge-scae demonstrations on farmers fieds in a persistent manner machinery deveopment research is in progress to deveop suitabe attachments for two-wheeed tractors, which are widey avaiabe in Bangadesh. This shoud acceerate the pace of adoption of RCTs Other Impact Studies Khan and Hashmi (2003) based on their research in Pakistan have reported simiar benefits to those reported above from India (soving the probem of ate wheat panting, reduction in cost of production, increased productivity, reduction in fue consumption, ess irrigation water use and improvement in environmenta indicators). In their work they aso identified areas for further improvement and research, incuding refinement of dri operation and manufacture and issues reated to physica and bioogica properties of soi, fertiity management under different types of soi, water management, varieta seection, etc. Despite these gaps, however, a significant number of farmers have now adopted some zero-tiage system for wheat panting, especiay in Pakistan (Punjab). In addition, introduction of aser eveing in combination with zero-tiage has ikey ed to significant savings in water requirements (Box 3) Summary There are some important essons for the RWC members from the experience of zero tiage. First, sma refinements of technoogy, ony evident with the interaction of farmer, and pubic and private agricutura engineers, remove important bottenecks to arge-scae adoption. These refinements may differ from area to area. In the case here, sma modifications in the zero-ti dri frame, tine and furrow opener bade based on farmer feedback, and cose coaboration with the private sector, made the use of the dri more convenient for the farmers. Second, active participation of the manufacturers has improved the avaiabiity of the no-ti dri and thus acceerating the adoption process. Training and MYK

29 18 The Rice-Wheat Consortium encouragement provided to the dri manufactures by the government and researchers encouraged their participation. This means that input suppiers, whether in the pubic or private sector, shoud be seen as key partners in the technoogy dissemination process an aspect that was not given due attention unti recenty. Third, the provision of a (seemingy unnecessary) subsidy (Rs 3,000 per machine with a unit gross price of Rs 13,000) not ony reduced the cost of new dris and hence possiby improved access by farmers, especiay in Haryana but, aong with persistent extension work, may have heped to convince farmers that the concept of zero tiage is beneficia and certainy has the endorsement of the government. Hopefuy such arbitrary subsidies wi not be sustained or re-introduced How robust and sustainabe is the framework of the RWC? The RWC has emerged as an innovative mode for regiona and internationa coaboration, which is now beginning to deveop a credibe record of achievements. The main source of strength of RWC is the commitment of its key stakehoders to the founding principes and ownership of its research and deveopment program spanning strategic, appied, and adaptive research and support for technoogy-transfer activities. That these activities are demand driven and impact oriented is ampy demonstrated by the success of RCTs, which are now generating research outputs of regiona, and internationa pubic-good nature. In addition, its positive impact on research processes and contributions to human resource deveopment contributes to sustainabiity of this partnership. Such benefits cannot be fuy captured through ony the nationa and/or the private research. Whie there is no need for a fundamenta change in the structure of RWC, the Pane concudes that there are some operationa issues that require attention to enhance sustainabiity. These incude greater inter-center and inter-nars coaboration, increased attention to the emerging strategic research themes reated to and, nutrient, water, crop components and the environment (section 3.2 and 5.6) through expicit inkages between the RWC work program and the core research of IARCs, human resource deveopment support and rapid pass-through of research activities to the nationa systems. At the same time, the RWC members need to make greater efforts to overcome uncertainty about medium to ong-term funding for research and for the CU, which affects sustainabiity (section 4.4) What are the gaps in the research program as perceived by stakehoders? A questionnaire was sent to a stakehoders with a goa of seeking forward-ooking suggestions in severa areas, incuding the gaps in the research agenda. In addition, the Pane aso sought views of those met during persona interviews. The most common research gaps identified by these means is given in Annexure 5. A summary of responses highighted the need for greater attention to the foowing areas: Socio-economic anaysis at the farm eves Anaysis of poicies as they infuence technoogy deveopment and dissemination Forma methods of priority setting Diversification for sustainabiity and for income generation Inadequate understanding of the markets for diversification Changes to the soi ecosystem and to the soi pathosystem Water quaity Technoogy uptake Move from IPM or IPNM to ICM modes Crop modeing in the context of RWSs.

30 MYK The RWC: Past and Present A summary of the achievements what were the drivers for success? The Pane concudes that the RWC has been successfu in many of its activities. The Pane aso notes that there are important gaps and some activities that were not successfu. It encourages the RWC to carefuy examine these outcomes and define its core strengths and unique assets. These must be strengthened in the next phase of the RWC. The Pane provides its assessment of the unique drivers for the success of the RWC (Box 6) as a guide for focusing the RWC in its next phase of activities. Box 6. RWC drivers for success The research addressed constraints of a arge, reativey homogenous, food system of goba significance requiring the efforts of many stakehoders. The need for a systems approach to research was ceary articuated and impemented with effective faciitation by the CU. The formation of a partnership between the rice and wheat institutes at the nationa and internationa eve to define the needs of the system through on-farm participatory diagnostics. A mutidiscipinary and bi-commodity team conducted diagnostic surveys at the farm eve to identify the key research issues for the RWC. The research agenda expored innovations for the system with a strong focus on tiage and crop estabishment research and provided the patform for unifying a other major activities of the RWC. The RWC wecomed a other sef-funded stakehoders to contribute to the research agenda. The Consortium provided the entry point with teams of scientists at the oca (site) and inks with NARS, incuding the private sector. A seamess participatory research system was made avaiabe at key sites in the IGP for some components of the research agenda. The RWC had the commitment of the DGs of the members to decide poicy and approve the research pan and budget. The NARIs defined the roes for the IARCs; identified the need for a CU to maximize interaction among the partners, and the commitment of nationa funds to the agreed research agenda. Some IARCs used core funds and dedicated fu-time staff positions to the thematic research agenda approved by the RWS (IRRI and CIMMYT). Research in the thematic areas of tiage, nutrient management and knowedge management and sharing made significant progress; the gaps evoved in other thematic areas because of reduced core funding of a number of Centers. The CU was provided research funds for faciitating impementation of muti-stakehoder activities at the farm eve and faciitated the fow of experiences among a members. More on-farm participatory research by the members; rapid uptake of components of RCTs by farmers in the target sites; feedback to mainstream programs of the members. The RCTs created new opportunities for increased productivity, possibiities to improve ong-term sustainabiity (particuary through better water management) and a patform for diversification (incuding through bed panting for new crops). New opportunities for the system resiience and sustainabiity created through RCTs adapted to oca needs. MYK

31 Directions for the future: Poicy and research Poicy issues Vaidity of key issues: iveihoods/ growth, sustainabe natura resource management Rapid growth in rice and wheat production and productivity achieved during 1960s, 70s and 80s, supported by pubic investment in infrastructure, government poicies designed to foster food sefsufficiency and GR technoogies, has sowed or stagnated in recent years. This has raised concerns about future sustainabiity of the RWSs, and, in the context of increasing demand for wheat and rice at prices affordabe to the poor, about regiona food security. Since very itte additiona and can be brought under cutivation in the region to increase production, future rising demand for these cereas must be argey met through sustainabe increases in productivity. The new chaenge is that this must be done whie conserving the natura resource base, especiay and and water, and creating opportunities for diverting some and for diversification for greater income generation and enhanced sustainabiity. Attention to these concerns, therefore, must remain the centra thrust of the RWC research agenda, technoogica innovations and anaytica work for institutiona and poicy reforms Changing comparative advantage and strategic adjustment: Views concerning RWC roes The production-oriented poicies adopted in a the participating countries are changing. More ibera domestic and externa trade, the (sometimes sow) shift from subsidy-oriented regimes, gradua withdrawa of state support for institutions and rura investment, and the focus on non-food commercia crops as a source of future growth, are some important pointers that wi affect the IGP in profound ways. The RWSs and the RWC wi aso need to respond. In particuar, as macro-economic circumstances change and infuence the farming systems of the IGP, the RWC wi need to adapt its priorities accordingy. In this process of change, it wi be important to ensure that rura poverty concerns and ecoogica sustainabiity of production systems are not compromised. The biophysica and socio-economic heterogeneity in different IGP transects must be borne in mind in panning future programs. In the west, traditionay a wheat-based production system, introduction of intensive rice cutivation has raised concern about environmenta sustainabiity. Farmeve diversification woud therefore ikey reestabish better ecoogica baance. However, in the east, where the production systems are traditionay rice-based, intensification and diversification in the winter (non-monsoon) season wi need to be focused on enhancing economic sustainabiity through optima use of avaiabe natura resource base, especiay water and the and eft faow after rice Productivity and poicy Pa et a. (2003), in the study cited in section 2.2.3, documented many aspects of the Indian situation incuding the rapid increase in both rice and wheat cutivation in recent decades through intensification of cropping and increased input use, the rising costs of abor, and the increasing use of mechanization. They cite the work of Kumar et a. (2002) who

32 Directions for the Future: Poicy and Research 21 documented changes in tota factor productivity (TFP) in recent times (Tabe 2). Kumar and his coeagues went on through further decomposition work to argue that most of the TFP growth was associated with investment in agricutura R&D. This is aso in ine with the wider findings of recent IFPRI studies for India and China (IFPRI, 2002). It shoud be noted that TFP, especiay as imperfecty measured as it amost inevitaby is, is not in itsef a fuy defining measure of trend in sustainabiity (e.g., Byeree and Murgai, 2001). By way of context setting, it shoud be noted that there has reay been no new technoogy deveoped for the system unti recenty, with the exception of cutivars, which by and arge have reduced the need for chemica pest contro (through resistance breeding and IPM) but have done itte for yied per se. As Pa et a. (2003) indicate, even with emerging technoogies, a number of factors in the economic environment infuence the choice of technoogy, for exampe in the RWSs of western and eastern regions of north India (weaker infrastructure, access to eectricity and other services, incuding credit in the east as compared to west). They use their viage data to describe severa recent trends in the RWS incuding diversification into non-traditiona crops, incuding maize, roots and tubers, and puses, especiay in Bihar, They stressed the significance of custom hiring of machines, particuary among sma-scae farmers, and note the weakness in repair service faciities for machines in many parts of the zone. As noted in section 2.2.3, they focused on RCTs, in accord with their Terms of Reference. But noting these points for the Indian case serves to remind the reader that, whie technoogica advance is critica for agricutura deveopment, there are many other conditioning factors, which can be categorized broady as poicy matters. Of course, it is not just research (such as for crop improvement and biodiversity conservation and expoitation) and pubic infrastructure investments (such as for roads and teecommunications) that wi be critica to progress. Poicies that infuence farmer investment in fixed improvements such as and eveing and irrigation wi continue to be important as we as those pertaining to subsidies on inputs, most notaby eectricity and nitrogenous fertiizers. It is reasonabe to expect considerabe progress on this broad poicy front with the reforms emerging under gobaization and trade iberaization, and changing perceptions of the importance of better management of natura resources in an expanded environmenta poicy agenda. Thus greater attention Tabe 2. Annua growth (%) in input use, output, and TFP of the crop sector by agro-ecoregions during and in the IGP (Kumar et a., 2002). Agro-eco Period Trans-Gangetic Pain Midde-Gangetic Pains region Pains of Punjab North- North East South Bihar and Haryana Bihar Pains Bihar Pains Pains Input Output TFP TFP % share in growth neg

33 22 The Rice-Wheat Consortium in pubic poicy to improved management of soi and water resources is doubtess to occur, and this accords we with the current and ikey future focus of the RWC, with its strong emphasis on RCTs. 3.2 Impications for future research directions Poicy anaysis and priority setting The RWC has attempted to deveop its research agenda and set its priorities in ine with the constraints identified through diagnostic surveys at the fied eve. As indicated earier, this process has acked guidance from poicy anaysis and on knowedge about market-driven changes to diversify the system. There is ceary a need for more anaytica procedures to set the priorities that bring in poicy and market anaysis. The anaysis aso needs to consider the baance between the subregions based on more detaied understanding of the biophysica and socio-economic situations. The priority-setting methods chosen need to combine cose interactions invoving farmers with anaytica inputs from priority-setting modes. A start in this direction has been made by Pa et a. (2003) that has reveaed the ikey returns to a variety of themes in the RWSs of India. This method can be vaidated and refined for use in the other RWSs too. Such an anaysis woud benefit the RWC in: deveoping the specific research agenda for different transects of IGP guiding the research of the NARS members (conducted outside the RWC), and seeking investor support for RWC activities What is the best use of the core assets of RWC? Having identified the constraints and those research investments that wi give the greatest benefits in the first stage, the second stage in this process shoud be an anaysis of comparative advantage of the RWC as a suppier of that research and services. The Pane sees the RWC as a specia institutiona arrangement that provides added vaue to the NARS members who in turn are mandated to provide new knowedge to the nationa partners and farmers. The Pane considers the key assets of the RWC to be its roes as: An innovator and suppier of new knowedge for the RWSs, introduction of prototype practices from other parts of the word, previousy unknown in the Indo-Gangetic Pains A cearing house for new approaches, methods etc. for use by the NARSs in the region A faciitator and a catayst for research for deveopment among the NARSs. It is important that: (a) a forma anaysis of priority setting be conducted in ine with the approach of Pa et a. (2003) after it has been further refined; (b) the RWC, through the RSC, define the roe of the RWC/CU in impementing the agreed agenda; and (c) the RSC ony endorses projects that are in ine with the agreed priorities Directions for research Environmenta issues Soi submergence is the dominant feature of present rice cutivation in the IGP and eads to unique biogeochemica processes that infuence ecosystem sustainabiity and environmenta services, such as carbon storage, nutrient cycing and water quaity. For exampe the submergence of sois promotes the production of methane by anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. However, worries that such rice systems are a major contributor to goba warming were aayed through a wide-scae study in the region (Wassman et a. 2001) Incorporation of straw can dramaticay increase methane emissions under fooded conditions, but surface management of the straw under aerated conditions and temporary aeration of the sois can mitigate these effects. Thus the present direction of change in the RWS is ikey to see a reduction of methane emissions from the system. The water regime can strongy affect the

34 Directions for the Future: Poicy and Research 23 emission of nitrous oxide, another greenhouse gas, which increases under submergence, and is negigibe under aeration. The trend of RCTs in the RWS woud favor the decrease of this goba warming gas. The water, tiage and surface residue management infuences the carbon stocks of the soi. Submerged rice fieds maintain C content whereas soi C rapidy decines in frequenty tied aerated systems, particuary where residues are removed or burned, as is the case of much of the present RWS. The move to more aerated sois for rice wi reduce C stocks whereas the move to noti can sow respiration and accumuate more C in the soi. The no ti systems aso use ess energy for tiage and thereby reduce emissions. In addition to these direct effects on goba warming gases, the RCTs may have some indirect effects. Research findings show that zero-tiage on an average saves about 60 iters of fue per hectare thus reducing emission of green house gases. The submergence of rice sois is known to promote N fixation with estimates of the indigenous and suppying capacity of the sois to be as much as 80 kg N per ha per year. The direction of change in the RCTs of the RWS, if not counteracted by residue retention, introduction of egume N catch crop and higher nitrogen use efficiency through deeper pacement, wi reduce this inherent capacity with the ikey need of more fertiizer N use (and the possibe eaching of nitrates into the ground water). The production of N fertiizer has an indirect effect on goba warming gases. Thus, the changes in the RWS may infuence a of these goba warming gases. An agronomic activity that increased nitrous oxide emission by 1 kg/ha needs to be offset by sequestering 275 kg/ha of carbon, or reducing methane by 62 kg/ha (IPCC, 1996). The Pane recommends that the RWC take in to account potentia positive and negative impacts on the environment in panning future research and faciitate this work through partnerships of interested IARCs/ARIs/NARSs to measure and monitor these environmenta services with the adoption of new RCTs Biophysica and socioeconomic research The Pane is of the view that the RWC has and is deveoping an appropriate research agenda, as outined in the Vision Paper for the Deivery of Resource Conserving Technoogies by Gupta et a. (persona communication), in the comprehensive review of the RWSs by Timsina and Connor (2001) for the sustainabe soi and water management of irrigated rice systems. The Pane suggests that the research agenda be deveoped as a medium-term pan (MTP) guided by the poicy anaysis and a baance between the core assets of identified in the section above. At the same time the CU shoud deveop its own Business Pan to compement the MTP and outine its core strengths in faciitating impementation of the MTP based on reaistic avaiabiity of resources. The Pane offers the foowing anaysis of the main technoogica custers with comments on activities that match the core strengths and focus for the RWC and the CU (Tabe 3). Specific recommendations are provided in Chapter Impact work in RWC Roe of impact assessment Foowing a period when impact studies in agricutura research were undertaken ony occasionay, these are now routiney required. But the topic is not one without many inherent probems, which must be recognized in any evangeica ca for more attention to this matter, such as the Pane is attempting herein. The probems associated with attribution and with the cost of coecting impact data are greaty compounded when assessments must be made of methods of, say, crop husbandry, that may be traceabe to the research activities. Many agents are invoved in advising farmers how

35 24 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Tabe 3. A custer of research activities and suggested core roes of the RWC for the two main transects of the RWS of the IGP Activities for the western transect Activities for the eastern transect a) Effect of poicy on the deveopment and uptake of RCTs Provide research to: Provide research to: Understand the effect of poicy at the state and nationa eve that woud guide new RCTs particuary those that infuence sustainabiity and water quaity and savings b) Crop estabishment, nutrient, IPM and residue management Provide research on: Coordinate research on: Socio-economic anaysis of benefits and studies of constraints to adoption Measurement of the benefits of the new tiage systems to ong-term sustainabiity incuding water at the basin eve, and soi nutrient, physica and bioogica heath. Baance at the crop system eve and soi physica and bioogica heath and microbia function Monitoring of second-order system constraints, particuary changing weed composition and bioogy with use of herbicides Understand the processes for conservation agricuture and deveop a knowedge-based system that can target the extrapoation domains for the RCTs IPM and nutrient management. c) Changing the fooded rice cuture in the RWS particuary in the irrigated West Understand the effect of poicy at the state and nationa eve that woud guide new RCTs particuary those that infuence diversity for income generation. Adaptation of RCTs to oca environments incuding the deveopment of new modes (i.e. farmer fied schoos) for deivery and feedback. Farming system research to determine the adjustment of the component inputs of, variety, fertiizer and water based on the interaction of these with the new management (i.e., crop input by RCTs, IPM and nutrient management) The search for new break crops to enhance sustainabiity and constraints Feedback of information to commodity programs to bring about change (if there is a arge genotype by panting system interaction, changes wi need to be made in the way in which eary-generation nurseries are managed as we as in the seection of the end varieties) Understanding of other constraints to adoption Provide research to: Expore the opportunity to reduce the antagonism between the current soi-water production requirements of the two crops with permanent raised bed pantings Provide research to: Understand under what conditions, particuary soi texture, water avaiabiity in rainfed systems (where pudding of rice reduces the risk of drought) and weed management, new panting systems are appropriate d) Maintaining the resiience and sustainabiity of the RWS under a tiage and panting systems Coordinate and strengthen the commitment of nationa systems to: Maintain and strengthen the ong-term monitoring of the productivity and sustainabiity of the RWS as they undergo change, incuding nutrient baance studies at the system eve Monitor at the farm eve on nutrient mining with a focus on K and some macro nutrients Same eements as for the East Contd...

36 Directions for the Future: Poicy and Research 25 Tabe 3. Contd... Activities for the western transect Activities for the eastern transect Understand the patho-systems (incuding weeds) eading to better IPM practice Understand the changes in the soi ecosystem and use the new knowedge to design appropriate intervention for sustainabiity e) Efficient use of water Provide research on water use efficiencies: Measure the efficiencies of the new RCT practices incuding and eveing and bed formation, and though changes in cropping systems at the pot and farm eve Provide the entry point and framework for the coaboration of the RWC members with the CGIAR Water Chaenge Program to measure effects at the basin eve Provide research on water use efficiencies: Measure the efficiencies of the new RCT practices incuding and eveing and bed formation, and though changes in cropping systems at the pot and farm eve Coordinate the extended use of oca irrigation systems Provide research to monitor the specific case of arsenic poisoning f) Goba gas emissions and carbon baance Provide research to: Understand the changes in physica properties, and suppies of indigenous and exogenous nutrients in the soi as the system moves from a repeated cyce of pudding to an aerobic system Measure the fuxes in N gases and methane in the aerobic system Measure C baances in the new systems, focused on surface tiage and stubbe management and wetting and drying cyces Diversification and intensification a) Markets anaysis for new crops: from fied to pate expoiting the new RCTs of the system Provide research on: Anaysis of poicy at state and nationa eve that wi provide guiding principe for diversification in the region A fied-to-pate system anaysis that wi set the appropriate research agenda for the component crops/varieties for a diversified system As a coordinator and faciitator Provide the feedback of this framework anaysis to appropriate crop-research-oriented members Coordinate activities at the site eve to faciitate the diversification of the system at the farm eve Provide research on: Anaysis of poicy at state and nationa eve that wi provide guiding principe for diversification in the region A fied-to-pate system anaysis that wi set the appropriate research agenda for the component crops/varieties for a diversified system As a coordinator and faciitator Provide the feedback of this framework anaysis to appropriate crop-research-oriented members Coordinate activities at the site eve to faciitate the diversification of the system at the farm eve Contd...

37 26 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Tabe 3. Contd... Activities for the western transect Activities for the eastern transect b) Adapting the crop components to the new and and water use systems Coordinate farming systems studies to investigate the benefits of the new RCTs for: reduced water use and more timey panting of new crops window for diversification (in ine with state poicies) window for break crops for sustainabiity Faciitate the feedback of information on the crop management by tiage and water use system interaction, eaving the commodity programs to conduct the research for adjusting the components Coordinate farming systems studies to: Understand benefits of RCTs and water harvesting to provide windows for new crops particuary for the winter (non-monsoon) season for income generation Faciitate the feedback of information on the crop management by tiage and water use system interaction, eaving the commodity programs to conduct the research for adjusting the components better to manage their farm resources, incuding new cutivars. The private sector, for one, is usuay heaviy engaged through its desire to se inputs to farmers. Perhaps these difficuties expain the rather imited documentation of the effectiveness of much crop-management research. This is not to say, however, that such work is unimportant. Indeed, given the importance of crop-management research as a major means of technoogica advance in the post-gr era, there is further imperative to intensify the effort to document successes. The difficuties become even greater when estimating and assessing the effects of cropmanagement and soi- and water-management research on the productivity of the agricutura resource base. To see this, one has ony to refect, for exampe, on the technica difficuties of measuring soi oss under aternative cropmanagement and and-management practices, or the poution of groundwater and downstream fows through inappropriate use of agricutura chemicas. Some of these difficuties shoud, in fact, be confronted in assessing the rea impacts of any productivity-enhancing research, to the extent that some of the gains apparenty made may be at the expense of reductions in the quaity of the resource base. Deaing with the equity issue presents substantia additiona chaenges. Many factors determine the extent to which the work of agricutura researchers benefits specific groups, and it is not easy to ascertain precisey whether the effects of research are equitaby distributed. Observers need to be humbe about the actua possibiities of assessing research impact hoisticay. This is particuary the case in measuring the effects of research on poverty. Notwithstanding these chaenges and difficuties, the Pane is convinced that the Consortium shoud do more to demonstrate the ink between its work and poverty aeviation in the RWSs. A guiding principe is that the purpose of any impact study must thus be we articuated to guide choices as to stage, product emphasis, geographic scope, precision of measurement, and other parameters, not to mention the extent of resource commitment made to such work. What a this might mean for the RWC is of immediate concern, especiay as it strugges with questions of resource scarcity now common throughout the CGIAR and other pubic research enterprises. The approach to be taken wi surey be strongy infuenced by the dominant purpose that drives a particuar effort, whether it be more for accountabiity, or more for

38 Directions for the Future: Poicy and Research 27 earning. Whichever, it is possibe but ony possibe that the degree of impact and efficacy reveaed wi come at a reativey sma socia cost, yet with an impressivey arge socia gain. Information of this kind, whatever the cost, wi be hepfu, and may be even decisive, in underpinning arguments in the has of power for supporting natura resources research, which is the main focus of the work supported by the Consortium. To go from these genera guiding thoughts, just how shoud the RWC approach its impact chaenges? It appeared to the Pane that there is a pervasive accountabiity reason for doing a much better job of impact accounting, given the diversity of stakehoders invoved with the Consortium. This woud be reason enough to invest a greater share of the scarce Consortium resources in such activity. But there is an even more compeing reason, namey, to support a stronger pubic- reations effort as discussed ater in Chapter 4 (section 4.4.) in discussing the profie of the RWC. How then best to accompish this? It seems to the Pane that consideration of what is to be done about assessing impact needs to be mainstreamed into a significant R&D activities of the RWC. This woud mean designing in impact work routiney in a major project proposas. Usuay some baseine survey work wi be necessary, so that there is a concrete comparator for assessing ater caimed progress. Uness this is avaiabe from some prior activity, perhaps by an earier project activity of a research institute or an NGO, fresh survey work wi be needed. There wi usuay be other benefits to the research design that emerge from such more detaied description of the research domain, and it shoud be hepfu to biophysica research workers to have an enhanced understanding of the socio-economic context in which their work is to proceed. Critics wi compain about added costs in an era of growing resource scarcity. But they need to refect carefuy on the benefits against which such costs shoud be considered, as we as the increasingy mandatory requirement that must eventuay be confronted. In the Pane s view, mainstreaming such work at an eary stage in the research cyce wi constitute good practice, even if it is approached in a modest manner Better fostering of farm-eve impact The need for designing in impact work in the project proposas argued above (section 3.3.1) shoud incude anaysis of potentia technica as we as socioe-conomic constraints to adoption. As discussed under achievements (sections 2.2.), the RWC work has been hepfu in providing important essons for better fostering of farm-eve impact through adoption of participatory approaches, where researchers, extension workers, the private sector and farmers are a invoved in various stages of the research and deveopment processes. Amongst other things, such an approach has heped in eary identification and resoution of potentia constrain to arge scae adoption, which sometimes can be sma refinements of the technoogy neary ready for dissemination. It seemed to have aso shortened the time taken from discovery to farmer adoption. Commitment to and mainstreaming of simiar approaches by the nationa partners ceary wi be important to arge scae success. RWC can pay an important roe in ensuring that this chaenge is met through strategic partnerships, knowedge sharing, capacity buiding, input to design and panning of the nationa RWS research programs and in ex-ante anaysis of potentia technica and socio-economic constraints to adoption. A comparison of successfu technoogy for zero-tiage panting of wheat with ess successfu nitrogen management technoogies in rice given in Tabe 4 shows that, when insufficient attention is given to eary understanding / addressing a potentia constraints to adoption even a good technoogy can take a ong time or even fai to get adopted by farmers.

39 28 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Tabe 4. Understanding constraints to technoogy adoption A comparative anaysis of zero-tiage in wheat and nutrient management in rice Potentia constraint to adoption No-ti wheat Use of LCC Comments and USG in rice Technica efficiency High High See section Ease of use Medium Medium Better with LCC as compared to USG Avaiabiity of impements for Unike coaboration with the private appication: sector in the case of RCTs, which Access High Low ensured avaiabiity of no-ti dris, Affordabiity High Unknown work with USG appicators made imited progress. More recent bioogica work is showing that singe deep pacement of pried urea in wheat and rice may give simiar resuts to those obtained with USG. If confirmed and fuy deveoped, this woud make USG work redundant. Economic benefits High Medium See sections 2.2 Incentive for the private sector to In countries with high subsidies on participate: nitrogenous fertiizers there is ow Manufacturers High Low incentive for manufacturers and Input suppiers High Low suppiers to promote USG technoogies that reduce input use Farmer response: Eary responses from farmers suggest Priority attached to soving High Medium that acceptance of LCC is ikey to be the probem good. However, there are indications Ease of use Medium Medium that deep pacement of singe Perceived eve of benefits High Low appication of urea gives simiar Leve of adoption. High Low to response to spit appication. If Medium confirmed this woud make use of LCC redundant Potentia overa impact High Low to Medium

40 The future for the Consortium Partnership issues Estabishment of need-based nationa and internationa partnerships has been the founding principe of RWC, which has stood the test of time and has been a significant contributor to its success. It has worked to foster sharing of experiences and expertise between NARSs and with IARC partners. However, as the scope and coverage of its work program is adjusted/expanded to address emerging issues and increased donor interest, it woud be desirabe to revisit the founding principes to ensure that these do not constrain the abiity of the Consortium to fufi its mandate. The Pane considers that these principes (Who is eigibe to be a partner/ member? What are different categories of memberships? What are the roes and responsibiities of members under different categories? What are the funding options for members?) are neither widey known nor fuy defined/understood. It is important, therefore, that, as decided by the March 2003 meeting of the RSC, the CU shoud deveop a position paper on this aspect to carify the situation to a those wishing to contribute by becoming partner/member of the RWC. The issues invoved in expanding/changing nationa and internationa membership of the key RWC bodies are briefy discussed beow Adding countries to membership of RWC The poitica differences between Pakistan and India not withstanding, the coaboration between four NARS partners has been strong, driven argey by simiarity of issues confronting the RWSs, reative ecoogica homogeneity and a desire to work together to benefit from strengths of each partner to overcome weaknesses. In view of the arge unfinished research and deveopment agenda and changing technica as we as socio-economic considerations, a senior staff of the four NARSs interviewed by the Pane emphasized the need for RWC research to stay focused on the IGP issues. The proposa to enarge coverage of RWC to incude arge areas of RWS in different agro-ecoogica situations in the Peopes Repubic of China apparenty has been discussed by the RSC on severa occasions with a unanimous view not to expand the fu membership of the Consortium. Instead, the RSC has encouraged coser technica coaboration with scientists from China reguary participating in the RTCC meetings and other technica activities, which has heped in transfer of some technoogies from China to South Asia (Box 4). These deveopments confirm the vaue of the open door poicy adopted by the Consortium in promoting technica cooperation with other agencies/countries to address IGP issues. The Pane agrees with this position Adding/changing IARC engagement The RWC is a NARS-driven initiative in which the Consortium decides the roe of IARCs and other partners. The NARSs are the majority members of the RSC. As confirmed by the stakehoders it has been highy successfu in buiding need-based partnerships between IARCs and their nationa partners without feeing the need to expand membership of the RSC. The Pane fuy endorses the desirabiity of maintaining the NARS-driven nature of the consortium. However, increasing emphasis on newer issues, especiay those reated

41 30 The Rice-Wheat Consortium to diversification and water-use efficiency have highighted the need for deeper invovement of other IARCs, such as ICRISAT, IWMI and CIP. These Centers are members of the technica committee but not of the RSC. Ony CIMMYT and IRRI support RWC activities through their unrestricted funds as we as from RWC project funds. Other centers depend on RWC speciaproject funds for their support (e.g., the ADB project). The Pane hopes that other centers woud strengthen the scope and coverage of their invovement by aocating resources from their core funds. This has been suggested by some that membership of the Steering Committee needs to refect more the membership at the technica eve. The Pane beieves that active engagement amongst the members takes pace at the technica eve (incuding decisions about funding of joint activities) than at the RSC eve. The Pane suggests that just as membership at the nationa eve is of the system so too the IARC members deveop a mechanism to be representing the system and not individua components of it. One mechanism is for the current CGIAR member(s) of the RSC to activey canvass issues of the IARCs (perhaps in their DG meetings) for presentation and discussion at the annua RSC Pubic private partnerships Three areas of the private sector investments coud have potentia opportunities for deveoping pubicprivate partnerships. These incude seed, crop protection against weeds, pests and diseases, and farm impements. With the exception of growing interest in hybrid rice, at present there is itte investment by the private seed companies in the two major crops of the RWS. The future growth woud depend on the effectiveness of the PVP aws and the demand for geneticay modified (GM) products. For exampe, IRRI, Rockefeer Foundation, Syngenta and others are working together to deveop a GM rice (Goden Rice), which coud in time create need for coaborative research through RWC, and integration with RCTs. Unike for some other crops (e.g., hybrid maize), there is itte incentive for the private sector to market cutivars of rice and wheat for which production in the region is argey undertaken by pubic institutions and farmers can save seed from season to season. However, the diversification of the system and the growing demand from new markets, e.g., anima feed grains, is an opportunity for the private sector. Integration of ocation specific hybrids, e.g., winter maize, into RWSs coud provide opportunity to deveop needbased modes for such partnerships of vaue to the RWC members. Perhaps it is in the area of integrated weed management that the RWC can pay a major roe with the private sector. The past experience of IPM (for insects) of rice shows quite a gap in the concepts (and outcomes) between the private and the pubic sector even though both parties genuiney favor IPM. For the pubic sector chemicas are matters of ast resort; for the private sector, chemicas are to be used judiciousy for protection. These differences are rea and need to be rationaized as the new pests and the higher costs of abor wi bring increasing use of herbicides in the RWS for weed management outside the north-western transect. The major ong-term concerns are shifts in weed species and emergence of resistant biotype. However, there is an opportunity for deveopment of a genuine integrated weed management approach that is in the best interests of farmers, the pubic and the environment. This wi aso enabe herbicide manufactures to proong the effective ife of the current, reativey environmentay benign herbicide moecues. In this changing scenario of the RWSs, the pubic and the private sector have a joint responsibiity and a common interest to deveop and design sustainabe integrated weed management practices and poicies. The RWC is in a strong position to take a ead in promoting pubic-private

42 The Future for the Consortium 31 partnerships to deveop new modes for NARSs to expore for mutuay desirabe outcome. The private sector is becoming increasingy important suppier of other services. Two successfu exampes (highighted in section 2.2. and Annexure 8) of such partnerships with RWC have invoved adaptation and oca manufacture of aser eveer in Pakistan and of no-ti dris in India. These deveopments have aso given a boost to growth of the private contract service providers for speciaized work such as mechanized direct driing, herbicide appication, combine harvesting, invoving expensive farm impements. This trend wi continue to grow in the future. 4.2 Organizationa issues Over the years a number of institutions have become invoved with RWC with somewhat diverse interests and this number is ikey to grow in the future. This has some impications for the organization of RWC as discussed beow The Convening Center As indicated in section 2.1.2, CIMMYT is the convening Center, acting on behaf of CGIAR. It has payed an important roe in supporting RWC and in nursing it through a difficut period foowing ICRISAT s decision to withdraw as the convening Center. In addition, CIMMYT aso is a critica partner of RWC in its scientific work. Thus, the RWC activities both compement and suppement the mandate and core programs of CIMMYT, and unsurprisingy the Pane found strong support amongst the Consortium members for CIMMYT to continue as the convening Center. There is one further reason for CIMMYT to continue to pay an important roe in the management of RWC. In the four-member countries a high proportion of tota wheat area is grown under RWSs. In the case of Pakistan 28%, in India 38%, in Nepa 78%, and in Bangadesh neary 100% of wheat area is under RWSs. Thus, CIMMYT s abiity to achieve its ong-term goas for the wheat crop in South Asia is cosey tied to the sustainabiity and profitabiity of RWSs. Under current institutiona arrangements CIMMYT s Director, NRM is the contact point for RWC. However, despite the importance of the RWSs, the RW program has no separate entity. As a resut, boundaries between different RWC activities and the core programs tend to be somewhat burred. Whie in past this has not been a major probem, increasing workoad now makes it necessary to revisit the existing arrangements to define the roes and responsibiities of different units for coordination and impementation support to the RWC work program. This roe carity woud be of hep both to the RWC stakehoders and to the CIMMYT s Board to maintain an oversight on this increasingy important CIMMYT-RWC reationship The Coordination Unit Since RWC is not mandated to conduct research in its own name, the most important function performed by the CU has been to coordinate and faciitate impementation of the research program by the NARS and IARC partners and to assist with activities reated to human resource deveopment. However, under the ADB project, the CU is aso invoved in overseeing impementation at some of the sites in India. Other important functions undertaken by the CU are summarized in Annexure 6. A the stakehoders surveyed thought the coordination arrangements to be effective (60%) or highy effective (40%). The eadership roe payed by the CU in catayzing the institutiona change and in raising the profie of RWSs research has been widey appreciated by the stakehoders. Annexure 5 gives more information on findings from the stakehoder survey. The funding issues reated to the CU are discussed in section Looking ahead, the CU must continue to be a catayst for change whie maintaining the focus on its key faciitation roe to ensure efficient and

43 32 The Rice-Wheat Consortium effective impementation of the research agenda by the NARS and IARC/ARI partners and sharing knowedge on new approaches, techniques etc. for use by them. In performing these key functions the CU woud need to reach out to a the NARSs, especiay those with weaker nationa institutions, to make sure that they benefit fuy from stronger NARSs and IARC/ARI partners. The CU must be activey engaged in capacity buiding activities and in strengthening od and new partnerships invoving both the pubic and the private institutions to address the evoving work program of RWC Nationa coordination arrangements The most striking feature of RWC is the strong commitment to its activities at the highest eadership eves in NARSs. This commitment is aso evident at working eve amongst scientists and cooperating extension staff. However, despite this, the coordination arrangements at the nationa eves have not aways been very effective. Unti very recenty, the nationa coordinators (NCs) have worked on a part-time basis in a the NARSs with itte or no operationa budget support from the nationa systems. In addition, they have not reached out to a nationa research entities as fuy as may have been desirabe, especiay those operating outside the traditiona agricutura research estabishment. In some cases the Nationa Steering Committee (NSC) has not been meeting reguary, weakening the nationa review and panning processes. Reduced time aocated in more recent RTCC meetings to the review of nationa research findings outside the donor-supported projects has further weakened this process. The Pane is of the view that the NCs, especiay in countries with arge programs, shoud be futime appointments with some operationa and budgetary support. Perhaps there was a case for imiting the number of nationa research partners in the eary stages, but with changing research agenda (discussed in section 5.6) new working inks with speciaized nationa (and internationa) agencies wi be required. 4.3 Funding for the RWC Coordination Unit Like other systemwide programs of CGIAR stabe funding for the CU operations has been a probem even though the resources required are not very arge (Tabe 5) and the need for a strong capacity for management/governance to faciitate panning, coaboration and knowedge transfer has been widey recognized as critica to success. The current sources of funding for the CU (Tabe 6) incude: direct grants from the DGIS, Netherands, CGIAR, core budget of CIMMYT and administrative overheads contributions from on-going specia projects. In the eary years ( ), funding for the coordination function was made avaiabe through the systemwide Ecoregiona Program. In 2002, on recommendations of the Center Directors Committee of the CGIAR (CDC), a sum of $150,000 was aocated from the $1.5 miion strategic funds made avaiabe by the Word Bank to CGIAR and this support may aso be avaiabe during Whie in short-term funding situation ooks comfortabe, its continuity is not assured. The RWC/CU provides an effective mechanism through which IARCs and ARIs members can impement their research agendas. It is therefore reasonabe to assume that, if the RWC did not exist, these externa members woud need an aternative arrangement, most ikey financed from core funds. Ceary, a strong CU with assured funding is essentia for effective impementation of the RWC program. The Pane considers that a the members of RWC need to work together to secure stabe funding for the CU. As has been the case in the past, CIMMYT as the convening Center and IRRI as the core CGIAR partner, need to continue making a case for reguar funding for the CU by the CGIAR and other donors. The practice of transferring a share of administrative

44 The Future for the Consortium 33 charges incuded in the recenty approved projects to finance the CU activities is an important step in the right direction. In 2003 this mechanism is expected to contribute about $26,000 to the CU budget. The Pane considers that there may be opportunities for aocation of a greater proportion of avaiabe administrative charges to the CU budget. In addition, the Consortium needs to deveop an equitabe cost-sharing arrangement to bridge the funding gap with a members contributing (a membership fee) in ine with their size, degree of invovement and capacity Research funding The research on RWSs is being undertaken under two streams. The first stream, which started before estabishment of RWC, is being undertaken by NARSs outside of the RWC umbrea. This work is financed under the nationa budgets, incuding some funding from the externay aided projects at the nationa eve. The second stream is the RWC program, which is being funded under the specia projects, financed by donors through IARCs/ARIs. Some of the staff costs of the RWC program are provided under the core budgets of CIMMYT and IRRI. Since the NARS budgets do not incude ricewheat systems research as an expenditure head in financia reporting it was not possibe to obtain information on current investment patterns of the NARS financed research. However, in the case of India, based on budgets of ICAR Cropping Systems Research Program and two Word Bank funded projects (Nationa Agricutura Technoogy Project and UP Diversified Agricutura Support Project), it is estimated that the tota annua operationa expenditure (excuding staff costs) over the past three to four years has been around US$1 to 1.3 miion per annum. This is ikey to exceed US$5 miion per annum if a the staff Tabe 5. Coordination Unit: Actua expenditure for and proposed budget for 2003 (US$) Budget Items CU Core Budget Governance costs 1 204, , , ,742 Capita Budget 0 22,069 30,709 22,300 Operationa Trave 2 26,618 36,950 26,966 35,000 RTCC/RSC Meetings 17,040 19,377 23,707 25,000 Web Page/PRISM/GIS 24,746 17,193 20, ,112 Pubications/ Dissemination 10,389 8,607 21,502 32,429 HRD Support 3 99,683 85,695 50, ,481 Sub Tota (A) 382, , , ,064 RWC Specia Projects 4 Specia project expenses 56, , , ,081 Sub Tota (B) Grand Tota (A+B) 439, ,491 1,148,148 1,206,145 1 Faciitator and Co-Faciitator saary & aowances, staff saary & aowances, CU office operationa costs 2 Operationa trave of Faciitator/ Co-Faciitator/ Oversight Director. 3 Traveing seminar/ study tours, support to nationa programs, prototype deveopments, trainings & workshops, contingencies & overheads. 4 Specia projects funds are passed through the CU to the nationa programs. Figure for 2003 does not incude the impending projects.

45 34 The Rice-Wheat Consortium CMYK Tabe 6. Sources of funding for the coordinating Unit, RWC Source Year 2000 Year 2001 Year 2002 Year 2003 Specia project expenses 56, , , ,081 The Netherands 111, , ,000 CGIAR Set Aside 145, , CGIAR WB Specia Grant , ,000* Office Support from CIMMYT Programs 88,422 47,600 60,100 21,000 Others 0 14,000 33,352 28,700 Tota for yr. 345, , , ,700 * proposed costs are aso incuded. Whie this may not be an accurate estimate, it does serve to indicate the high eve of investment being made by India in RWSs research. It aso points to a need to revisit priorities by thematic thrusts to ensure that the program is addressing priority issues and is deivering vaue for money. For the future, the Pane recommends that the CU shoud examine with NARSs the best way of estimating annua investments being made by the four NARSs to deveop a more accurate picture of nationa investments by thematic themes. This information can then be used as an input to the prioritysetting work and for tracking utiization of resources against agreed benchmarks. CU was abe to provide accurate information on investments being made through the donorsupported projects. Annexure 10 gives a ist of projects approved between 1999 and The tota investment over nine projects (financed by DFID, ADB, IFAD, WB, FAO, and NZODA) amounts to US$3.48 miion with an estimated annua expenditure of US$1.27 miion. Athough the project expenditures are not being recorded by themes, an estimated breakdown is given in Annexure 10 and Fig. 5. This shows that the tiage, crop estabishment, diversification and machinery deveopment work now accounts for the argest investment at 29%. HRD and knowedge management foow at 21% and 19%, respectivey. Whie the proportion aocated to nutrient management 1 work has stayed fairy stabe at around 6%, more recent projects have expanded themes to incude investment in water management (9%), crop management and improvement (9%) and socio-economic (7%) research. Thus, it woud appear that a arger number of donors are now invoved in funding research and the investment patterns are more baanced, covering the key themes, incuding the emerging issues. Fig. 5. Estimated investment pattern of donor funded projects by thematic themes Future funding strategies The expanding research program of RWC woud require additiona funds in future to support innovative projects. Whie the introduction of CPs by the CGIAR adds further compexity to the 1 Figure does not incude staff costs contributed by IRRI. If these costs are incuded the percentage investment on nutrient management wi increase by 4-5%. CMYK

46 The Future for the Consortium 35 funding process, it aso offers opportunity for forging new aiances. However, success in an environment with tightening resource avaiabiity for internationa agricutura research woud require considerabe effort from a members of the Consortium. The current improvement in funding situation notwithstanding, the Pane beieves that the Consortium shoud make greater efforts to secure medium- to ong-term funding to enhance effectiveness and impact. The Pane presents beow some options for meeting future funding needs, taking into account the specific chaenges identified above. 4.4 Increasing investor awareness and interest Raising the RWC profie Pane discussions on this theme ed to a view that there was scope for the RWC to ift its profie, especiay among the wider stakehoder community, incuding of course those investors concerned with poverty reduction and environmenta sustainabiity. One such readiy accessibe community is the membership of CGIAR itsef. Thus, focusing on that part of the profie might be a usefu first step. Concurrenty, the Consortium shoud aso brief the pant science industry, the association representing the companies invoved in production of crop protection chemicas and GMOs, and the fertiizer industry of its activities, especiay the work on RCTs, which coud be of particuar interest to the member companies Deveop a comprehensive mediumterm pan Since there is no coherent medium-term work pan for the Consortium, it makes it difficut to estimate and raise funds for key activities in a systematic manner. As discussed earier in section 3.2.2, deveopment of a MTP woud faciitate fund-raising efforts Assess current returns to the eary investors in the RWC Since information on impact of research is now routiney required, documentation of ex-post impact of past research can be effectivey used to bring stronger donor contributions and more sustained commitment, especiay for the ong term work that wi be required in the future Increase commitment to funding issues by a members of the Consortium To ensure stabe funding for innovative research and for the CU the Pane recommends that the a the RWC members increase their commitment by: Deveoping a transparent aocation of the overheads in the projects that support RWS research between Center headquarters administration and the CU, with the aim of aocating more funds to the CU; Moving to an equitabe cost-sharing arrangement with a members of the Consortium contributing in ine with their size, degree of invovement and capacity to the CU as a membership fee ; Compimenting the considerabe efforts of CIMMYT to activey expore new sources of funding for the RWC. The RWC members need to avoid a situation where they are individuay seeking funds for activities for impementation in the RWSs using the framework of the RWC and the CU. The new CPs of the CGIAR highights this point where individua members coud be seeking support for their component programs and for and on behaf of the RWC. Such an approach does not strengthen the RWC or the CU; Deveoping more comprehensive program proposas of reated projects covering biophysica socio-economic and communications aspects, which can then be presented to potentia donors either as a whoe or as individua projects. In this way, the donors

47 36 The Rice-Wheat Consortium woud be abe to seect projects that best meet their objectives whie appreciating the inkage with the overa program and a project s expected contributions to the program s deveopment objectives. The need for expansion of successfu RCTs, potentia for system diversification and water management research present an attractive window of opportunity for adoption of such a strategy and for exporing different options for medium-term funding for research; The roe of the Consortium in knowedge sharing and human resource deveopment, e.g., through traveing seminars, workshops and training, human resource enhancement has been widey appreciated by the NARS partners and this points to a need for increased funding of this activity. Since many donor-funded initiatives and oans to nationa systems for deveopment projects incude funds for capacity buiding, the NARS partners shoud pro-activey seek access to such untapped funds for supporting RWCreated HRD activities. An exceent exampe of this type of initiative has been in India where a sum of US$ 200,000 was aocated under a Word Bank financed project (NATP) for the CU-coordinated HRD activities for the nationa teams invoved with RWS research and deveopment activities. In addition, there are often opportunities for competitive funds within the nationa systems. RWC can activey assist NARS members in project deveopment as a component of a technica workshop.

48 The way forward for the RWC 5 The Pane concudes that the RWC has been a successfu institutiona innovation. Given this positive outook, what shoud be the future of RWC? The Pane makes the foowing recommendations with the aim of sustaining that success as the RWC examines the scope, coverage and impact of its work and faces new chaenges. 5.1 The RWC as an institutiona innovation for regiona/ internationa research The RWC must face severa continuing design chaenges to be reevant in the future. Most of these coud be described as boundary issues, reating to governance at various eves concerning nationa and internationa partners; scope and pacement of programmatic work within nationa and state/ provincia agencies, not to mention those with NGOs, private sector entities, and advanced research institutions. Good judgment must be exercised in deaing with the dynamics of these decisions, such as judging when the RWC can best et go of a theme that can be better handed by the nationa bodies within or outside the confines of the Consortium. The Pane recommends that RWC shoud continue to pay its centra focused roe, in knowedge generation, co-ordination of research agendas among members and countries, and in sharing and faciitating the exchange of knowedge and peope. It shoud stay NARS-driven, focused on new innovations for the RWSs responsive to emerging needs and opportunities, open to new committed members, promoting greater coaboration between NARSs as we with IARCs and have a time-bound and adaptabe agenda modest in coordination and faciitation resources. The RWC can best contribute to impact for the beneficiaries by sharing of appropriate knowedge deveoped through participatory research, utiization of opportunities opened up by the new information technoogies and faciitating the scaing up of its deivery by others. 5.2 The partners of the Consortium The Pane considers the effectiveness of partnerships between centers and their NARS partners as we as within and between the four nationa systems as one of the most important achievements of the RWC. It has worked towards a mode where IARCs or other members can draw on experience and expertise within the NARSs to buid capacity. RWC has foowed an open door poicy for new partners/ members joining the Consortium to aow free fow of new ideas/concepts for the benefit of IGP but the guiding principes for membership are neither widey known nor fuy defined. As the RWC changes and coaborates with more institutions (nationa, internationa, pubic and private) as we as deepens invovement of some of the existing partners, the Pane recommends that: (a) RSC/CU shoud carify as to who is eigibe to be a partner/member and what are different types of memberships; and (b) what are the roes and responsibiities of partners/ members under different categories.

49 38 The Rice-Wheat Consortium 5.3 The roe of the CU as the main business unit of the RWC The RWC through the CU has successfuy raised the profie of RWS research, catayzed change in research processes towards a more demand-driven participatory approach to panning of research and deveopment activities and contributed to human resource deveopment. Despite these successes, however, there is room for a stronger roe in exchange of information and personne within NARSs, strengthening of the in-country coordination mechanisms and infuencing resource aocation to agreed priorities in the nationa RWSs research programs. The Pane, therefore, recommends that the CU shoud: (a) focus on its important roe in gathering and disseminating knowedge from a sources and for faciitating greater exchanges at different eves between IARCs/ARIs and NARS and between and within NARS; (b) maintain a baance between its different roes by passing on themes that can be better handed by the nationa agencies within or outside the Consortium; and (c) work with NARIs to deveop an accurate assessment of nationa investments in RWSs research by thematic themes and infuence future aocations in reation to agreed priorities and in tracking progress against agreed benchmarks. 5.4 Towards a systems approach based on participatory method and ocation-specific research for deveopment The RWC has faciitated a change toward systems approaches and use of farmer participatory methods for ocation-specific impact-oriented mutidiscipinary research. It has successfuy inked NRM with production systems research. Whie these research processes have been adopted in some institutes, especiay in the context of RWSs research, much greater effort is needed by NARIs to mainstream these approaches as a reguar feature of research and deveopment program panning and impementation. The Pane beieves that RWC can pay a bigger roe in heping to institutionaize these concepts and recommends that a greater effort shoud be made through RSC and RTCC meetings and other opportunistic interventions to infuence nationa research poicy, encourage further research for methodoogy deveopment, disseminate benefits and buid capacity to faciitate broader adoption by the nationa systems. 5.5 Understanding the future biophysica and socio-economic environment of the IGP The Pane (as we as many of the stakehoders) found that the RWC has made good progress in understanding the biophysica environment but has faied to ink this work with appropriate poicy anaysis and understanding of the socio-economic circumstances of the farming communities. This has been a weakness for setting the research agenda and in deveoping a greater focus on the poverty issues. This need is particuary important to foster uptake of the RCTs and to diversify the farming enterprises. A hoistic approach to understanding the environment of IGP wi aso be of hep in deveoping the MTP and the business pan for the RWC. The Pane is peased to earn that some of the recenty approved projects incude work on socioeconomic issues and recommends that IARC and NARS members of the Consortium shoud make attempts to poo their resources and expertise to deveop a stronger and hoistic research program on socio-economic aspects, wherever possibe inking their on-going work with the RWC activities. The objective shoud be to deveop a good understanding based on systems anaysis, constraints, tradeoffs,

50 The Way Forward for the RWC 39 equity, institutiona and poicy issues since each aspect has an important roe in IGP. 5.6 The research agenda Poicy anaysis and priority setting The RWC has attempted to deveop its research agenda and set its priorities in ine with the constraints identified through diagnostic surveys at the fied eve. As indicated earier that this process has acked guidance from poicy anaysis and on market-driven changes as the RWC moves to undertake research on issues reated to diversification of the system. There is a gap in poicy anaysis and ceary scope for using more refined methods of priority setting and resource aocation to guide the research agenda. The Pane, therefore, recommends that the RTCC/CU shoud: (a) initiate appropriate poicy anaysis work to guide the technica component of the research agenda, (b) provide a forma anaysis of priority setting in ine with the approach of Pa et a. (2003) after it has been further refined, (c) the RWC through the RSC define the roe of the RWC/CU and NARS in impementing the agreed agenda and d) the RSC ony endorses projects that are in ine with the agreed priorities The research program for technoogy deveopment The constraints and opportunities for technoogy deveopment for the RWSs have been outined in severa sources and gaps in the current system identified by the stakehoders are summarized in section The critica need for more poicy anaysis to guide the technoogy deveopment has been highighted above. The Pane makes the foowing observations with respect to the main custers of research activities for technoogy deveopment in the context of the poicy anaysis work recommended above Deveopment of resource conserving technoogies With regard to the RCTs, the Pane recommends that: The RWC continues RCT deveopment recognizing: (a) the different pathways for impact between the West and the East transects of the IGP, and (b) the different roes of the RWC with more focus now by the RWC on the East, eaving country-member institutes to continue and expend the work in the West. The RWC undertakes research to determine the feasibiity of changing the cuture of rice to the benefit of the RWS in terms of productivity, diversity and sustainabiity (particuary regarding water use) and determine under what circumstances (incuding nationa poicies) such changes are appropriate. The RWC continues the documentation of the change in water productivity at the fied eve. The Pane notes that the CGIAR Chaenge Program on Water provides an opportunity to examine the water reated issues at the basin eve and therefore recommends that the RWC provide the entry point for the coordination and coaboration of the RWC members with the CGIAR water chaenge program Diversifying the rice-wheat system The RWC recognizes that additiona demands for basic cereas must be met argey through increased yieds, aowing some and (and other resources) for diversification for greater income generation. Ceary, market forces and nationa and state poicies wi drive the pace and form of the diversification. An additiona factor infuencing the diversification of RWSs woud be the new patform made possibe by the RCTs, which presents the RWC with its most important strategic decision how, as a imited suppier of research, can it best bring about

51 40 The Rice-Wheat Consortium diversification of the RWS for income generation (particuary in the East) and for income and sustainabiity in the West? The RWC has payed an important roe in feeding back information to commodity programs to deveop components for the system, e.g., appropriate eary maturing varieties. Now with the changes in tiage and and and water practice, and with an understanding of market driven diversification there is a need for adjusting a the component technoogy for the new systems. This wi invove examination of such issues as to which rice based ecoogy to diversify, in which season and how best to address the mutidimensiona nature of poverty, incuding consideration of issues reated to risk management, improved iveihoods, food security and nutrition. In the Pane s view this work needs to continue in a new tiage and water management systems but is best done by the component institutes. Thus, the Pane recommends that: The RCW: provides an anaysis of poicy at state and nationa eve that guide the diversification in the region earning from farm-eve changes that have aready taken pace, especiay in Bangadesh; and a fied-to-pate market system anaysis that wi set the appropriate research agenda for the component crops/varieties for a diversified system; The RWC faciitates the feedback of information on the crop management by tiage and water use system interaction, eaving the commodity programs to conduct the research for adjusting the components Maintaining the resiience and sustainabiity of the RWS and monitoring the fux of goba warming gases under a tiage and panting systems The RWC has used resuts from the ong-term trias, set up at the beginning of the GR, to understand nutrient mining in the system and to deveop nutrient management strategies. Appropriate ongterm monitoring must continue, and be reevant to the changes in tiage and water management. In addition, the benefits of changes in the tiage system and stubbe management to the soi ecosystem need to be understood. The RWC has undertaken some work on IPM for the system with the main contribution in the contro of P. minor. However, the new tiage system with a heavy reiance on herbicide wi change the weed species and expose the system to more herbicide resistance. Gaps remain in the IPM agenda for the systems of today and there is a need for anticipatory IPM research (e.g., integrated weed management, the emerging roe of nematodes in a more diversified and aerated system) in the context of the new RCT systems. The changes in the RWS may change the baance in goba warming gases. Reduced tiage increases carbon accumuation in the soi and reduces fue-based emissions. Soi submergence is the dominant feature of present rice cutivation in the IGP and eads to unique biogeochemica processes that infuence methane and nitrogen gas emissions and nutrient avaiabiity. Changes in rice cuture to a more aerated system coud change the baance of those gases for the better. The Pane recommends that: The RWC responds to both its achievements as we as gaps and emerging issues in this custer of research investment by: co-coordinating and strengthening the commitment of nationa systems to maintain and strengthen the ong-term monitoring (incuding appropriate farm monitoring) of the productivity and sustainabiity of the RWS as they undergo change; coordinating research at the farm eve on nutrient mining with a focus on K and some macro nutrients;

52 The Way Forward for the RWC 41 initiating research to understand the pathosystems (incuding weeds) eading to better IPM practice; and initiating research to understand changes in the soi ecosystem and use new knowedge to design appropriate intervention for sustainabiity. The RWC seeks externa partners with a capacity to measure and monitor the environmenta services of the RWS, with a focus on understanding the effects of the new RCTs on the baance of goba warming gases. 5.7 Attracting new (and maintaining od) investors Whie the RWC in recent years has attracted donor support for sma individua projects, harnessing of medium-term resources for system-based research for deveopment woud require energetic efforts by a its members whie maintaining strategic focus of the research on agreed priorities. The Pane recommends that a members of the Consortium shoud increase commitment to funding issues by: (a) moving to an equitabe cost-sharing arrangement in ine with their size, degree of invovement and capacity to ensure sustainabe funding for the CU as a membership fee; and (b) deveop more comprehensive program proposas of reated projects covering biophysica, socioeconomic and communications aspects, which can then be presented to potentia donors either as a whoe or as individua projects. The need for expansion of successfu RCTs, potentia for system diversification and water management research present an attractive window of opportunity for adoption of such a strategy and for exporing different options for securing medium-term funding.

53 42 The Rice-Wheat Consortium References Byeree, D., and R. Murgai Sense and sustainabiity revisited: The imits of tota factor productivity measures of sustainabe agricutura systems. Agricutura Economics 26, CGIAR Secretariat Recommendations for decisions by CDC on aocation of strategic funds to systemwide programs in CGIAR Secretariat, Washington DC. Dobermann, A., and P. F. White Strategies for nutrient management in irrigated and rainfed owand rice systems. Nutrient Cycing in Agroecosystems 53, Finn, J.C., and B.B. Khokhar Tempora determinants of the productivity of rice-wheat cropping systems. Agricutura Systems 30, Fujisaka, S., L. W. Harrington, and P. R. Hobbs Rice-wheat in South Asia: System and ong-term priorities Estabished through diagnostic research. Agricutura Systems 46, Gi, M. A., M.A. Chaudhary, M. Ahmed, and A. Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Water management, cutura practices and mechanization 10 pp. In M. S. Akhtar and G. Nabi (ed.), Nationa Workshop on Rice-Wheat Cropping System Management, Isamabad, Dec Pakistan Agricutura Research Counci, Isamabad, Pakistan. Harrington, L.W., P.R. Hobbs, D.B. Tamang, C. Adhikari, B.K. Gyawai, G. Pradhan, B.K. Batsa, J.D. Ranjit, M. Ruckstuh, Y.G. Khadka, and M.L. Baidya Wheat and rice in the his: Farming systems, production techniques and research issues fro ricewheat cropping pattern in the mid-his of Nepa. Report on an exporatory survey conducted in Kabhre district. Nepa Agricutura Research Counci, and CIMMYT. Hossain, M.I Farm-eve changes of the resource conservation technoogies in the rice-wheat system in Bangadesh. Tober Crop Research Center, Bangadesh Agricutura Research Institute, Joydebpur, Gazipur. Study undertaken for the Rice- Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. IFPRI Sound choices for deveopment: The impact of pubic investments in rura India and China, Internationa Food Poicy Research Institute, Washington, DC. IPCC Cimate Change 1995: The Science of Cimate Change. Contribution to the Second Assessment Report of the Intergovernmenta Pane on Cimate Change, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Khan, M.A., and N.I. Hashmi Impact of No- Ti farming on wheat production and resource conservation in the rice-wheat zone of Pakistan s Punjab. In R. La, P. Hobbs, N. Uphoff and D.O. Hansen (eds.). Sustainabe Agricuture and the Rice- Wheat System. Ohio State University Coumbus, Ohio, USA (To be pubished in 2003). Kumar, P., D. Jha, A. Kumar, M.K. Chaudhary, R.K. Grover, R.K. Singh, R.K.P. Singh, A. Mitra, P.K. Joshi, A. Singh, P.S. Bada, S. Mitta, and J. Ai Economic anaysis of tota factor productivity of crop sector in the Indo-Gangetic Pain of India by district and region. Agricutura Economics Research Report 2002 (2), Nationa Agricutura Technoogy Project on Irrigated Agro-Ecosystem Production System Research. Indian Agricutura Research Institute, New Dehi, India. Ladha, J.K., D. Dawe, H. Pathak, A.T. Padre, R.L. Yadav, Bijay Singh, Yadvinder Singh, Y. Singh, P. Singh, A.L. Kundu, R. Saka, N. Rame, A.P. Regmi, S.K. Gami, A.L. Bhandari, R. Amin, C.R. Yadav, E.M. Bhattarai, S. Das, H.P. Aggarwa, R.K. Gupta, P. R. Hobbs How extensive are yied decines in ong-term rice-wheat experiments in Asia? Fied Crops Research 81 (2-3): Ladha, J.K., J. Hi, J.M. Duxbury, R.K. Gupta, and R.J. Buresh (ed) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: issues and impacts. ASA Specia Pubication No. 65, ASA/ CSSA/SSSA, Madison, Wis., USA. 211p. Pa, S., A. K. Jha, R. Goe, and P.K. Guia Poughing against traditiona wisdom: Impact of

54 Reference 43 Resource Conservation Technoogies for the Ricewheat system. Nationa Centre for Agricutura Economics and Poicy Research, New Dehi, India. Paroda, R.S., T. Woodhead, R.B. Singh (ed.) Sustainabiity of rice-wheat production systems in Asia. Rapa Pubication 1994/11. Rosegrant, M.W., M.S. Paisner, S. Meijer, and J. Witcover Goba food projections to Emerging trends and aternative futures. Internationa Food Poicy Research Institute, Washington DC, USA. TAC Secretariat First review of system wide programs with ecoregiona approach. Avaiabe at documents/ecoregiona/ ER_document.htm (verified 31 May 2003). TAC Secretariat Review of the systemwide programmes with an ecoregiona approach. TAC Secretariat of the CGIAR, FAO, Rome, June Timsina, J. and D. J. Connor Productivity and management of rice-wheat cropping systems: issues and chaenges. Fied Crops Research 69: Wassman, R., R.S. Lantin, and H.U. Neue (ed) Methane emissions from major rice ecosystems in Asia. Deveopments in Pant and Soi Sciences, Vo. 91. Dordrecht: Kuwer Academic Pubishers. 416 pp.

55 Annexure 1 Members of the review team The Pane members Dr Ashok Seth (Team Leader), Director, Agricuture and Rura Deveopment Consutants Ltd., UK. Dr Jock Anderson, Consutant, Agricuture and Rura Deveopment Department, Word Bank, Washington DC, USA. Prof D Jha, Ex-IFPRI scientist and currenty Nationa Professor, Nationa Center for Agricutura Economics and Poicy Research, ICAR, New Dehi, India. Dr Ken Fischer, Adjunct Professor, Schoo of Land and Food Sciences, University of Queensand, Austraia. Nominations from NARS country partners Dr Ismai Hossain, Chief Scientific Officer and Head, Economic Division, Bangadesh Agricutura Research Institute, Bangadesh. Dr M Ashraf, Senior Director (Crops), Pakistan Agricutura Research Counci, P.O. Box 1031, Pot 20, G-5/1, Isamabad, Pakistan. Dr Ramesh Chand, Principa Scientist, Marketing and Poicies. Nationa Center for Agricutura Economics and Poicy Research, Pusa, New Dehi, ICAR, India. Dr Suresh Pa, Senior Scientist, Priority Setting & Project Monitoring and Evauations. Nationa Center for Agricutura Economics and Poicy Research, Pusa, New Dehi, ICAR, India. Mr Hari Krishna Shrestha, Scientist-3, Socio- Economist, Nationa Rice Research Program, Nepa Agricutura Research Counci, Hardinath, Dhanusa, Janakpur, Nepa or Mr Naresh Singh Thakur, Scientist-3, Socio-Economist, Outreach Division, Nepa Agricutura Research Counci, Khumatar, Kathmandu, Nepa. Resource persons from the participating centers Dr JK Ladha, IRRI, Phiippines. Dr Suresh Pande, ICRISAT, India. Dr S Iangantieke, CIP, India. Dr Hammond Murray-Rust, IWMI, Pakistan. Dr Peter R Hobbs, Corne University; Craig Meisner, CIMMYT, Bangadesh; and Scott Justice, CIMMYT, Nepa.

56 Annexure 2 Terms of reference for the review of RWC Introduction The Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains (RWC) was founded in 1994 as an Ecoregiona program of the CGIAR in response to concerns about the sustainabiity of the RW systems of South Asia. These systems are the cornerstone of cerea food security in the region. The IGP occupies neary one-sixth of the tota geographica area of the South Asian sub-continent, produces more than 45% of the tota food and hods neary 42% of the tota popuation of 1.3 biion. This region is aso home to more than 400 miion poor peope. The popuation of this region is increasing at about 2.0% per year meaning that neary 24 miion more mouths need to be fed each year. The rice-wheat (RW) system is grown on neary 13.5 miion ha (Ladha et a. 2000) and provides food security and iveihoods for tens of miions of farmers and workers. Demand for rice and wheat wi grow at 2.5% per year in the next 20 years. At the same time, the per capita RW growing area has shrunk from 1200 m 2 in 1961 to ess than 700 m 2 in Future food production growth wi require efficient utiization of natura resources through sustainabe yied growth within the RW systems of the IGP. The Rice-Wheat Consortium As an ecoregiona program, the Consortium addresses natura resource management issues and probems of agricutura productivity and production within geographicay defined areas of the IGP. The Consortium performs its work within defined socioeconomic and poicy environments to deveop technoogies that enhance productivity and sustainabiity of the resources devoted to rice-wheat systems. The present membership of the RWC consists of the four Nationa Agricutura Research Systems in the IGP (Bangadesh, India, Nepa and Pakistan), five Internationa Centers of the CGIAR (CIMMYT, CIP, ICRISAT, IRRI and IWMI), and various advanced researched institutions in deveoped countries, among them Corne University (USA), CABI (UK), IAC Wageningen (Netherands), IACR Rothamsted (UK), CIRAD (France), CSIRO (Austraia), Massey University (New Zeaand), University of Adeaide (Austraia), Michigan and Ohio State Universities (USA), IAEA, (Vienna) and donor communities (DFID, Netherands, ADB, ACIAR, IFAD, The Word Bank, USAID). The RWC is a muti-tiered organization with the RSC (Regiona Steering Committee) the pinnace management group for setting guideines and approving work pans and budgets. It consists of the Directors Genera of the four participating NARS, the Directors Genera of CIMMYT and IRRI and a donor representative. Regiona technica issues are deiberated at the RTCC (Regiona Technica Coordination Committee) made up of senior partner scientists. Simiar hierarchies are found at the nationa eve and site eves. The activities of the Consortium are coordinated through the RWC Coordination Unit (previousy caed the Faciitation Unit) headed by a Regiona Coordinator and a Cocoordinator (previousy caed Faciitator and Co- Faciitator) and housed at New Dehi. TAC (Technica Advisory Committee of CGIAR) reviewed severa CG Ecoregiona Programs in Apri One of these was the RWC. The

57 46 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Report of the TAC Review Pane was positive. It assigned the success of the RWC to: It being a NARS driven initiative with other partners having defined roes A commitment of partners to make it successfu The fostering of improved system based panning Crop estabishment techniques providing a center stage for improving soi and crop management A sharpening of the focus on a systems perspective, and Its infuence on how WB funding is used to strengthen nationa programs. Recent accompishments incude substantia adoption of RCTs by farmers in the IGP especiay zero and reduced tiage for wheat after rice. These innovations produce more food at ess cost and provide substantia environmenta benefits incuding immense savings in water and other resources and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. For this success, the RWC was awarded in 2000 the CGIAR Chairman s Award for Best Partnership. Resource poor farmers and women farmers (who hire in tiage and estabishment services) have been major beneficiaries of this tiage revoution. The goa of the Consortium is to: Strengthen existing inkages and partnerships with nationa research programs (NARSs), other internationa centers, advanced institutions and the private sector working in the region to deveop and depoy more efficient, productive and sustainabe technoogies for the diverse RW production systems of the IGP so as to produce more food at ess cost and improve iveihoods of those invoved with agricuture and as a consequence decrease poverty. Rationae for the review Despite good progress, farm eve impact is sti imited. A number of questions have surfaced that point to a need for a fresh ook at the future roe, strategy and priorities for the work program of the RWC. There is a need for greater carity in the roe and responsibiities of NARS, ARIs and Internationa Centers. Donors have reframed their strategies for funding research to have greater impact on poverty aeviation, sustainabiity and the environment. In addition, given the rapid advances in proprietary science, it is becoming increasingy cear that some objectives of the RWC can be best achieved through strategic partnership/cooperation with the private sector. Given these wide-ranging considerations and a gap of amost three years since the TAC review of Ecoregiona Programs, the seventh meeting of the Regiona Steering Committee (meeting in Dhaka on February 17-18, 2001) recommended a forward-ooking review of the RWC. Scope and coverage of the review The review has the foowing goa: To determine the changes in research priorities, organization and methods that wi be required for the RWC to continue to make a significant impact on the iveihoods of those empoyed in agricuture, on the sustainabe management of natura resources in the IGP-Gangetic Pains, and on regiona food security. The expected outputs from the review incude: Research priorities Recommendations on the scope of the research agenda of the RWC (too broad? too narrow?) An examination of the reevance of the current research themes being pursued by the RWC An assessment of the extent to which equity issues, incuding gender issues, merit increased attention in the RWC research agenda A definition of important gaps in the research program for each of the five transects 1 within the IGP as identified by the RWC 1 The RWC has deineated the IGP into five distinct transects based on physiographic, and bio-cimatic factors to faciitate easier extrapoation of resuts within transects with simiar probems (Fig. 1).

58 Annexure 2 47 A cear statement of what the NARS partners of RWC expect it to achieve in the short, medium and ong-term and whether a stakehoders and partners have a simiar vision A guide to suitabe mechanisms for research priority setting that invove a parties and recognize the dynamic nature of the program Research organization and partnership Guideines for suitabe invovement of China, Afghanistan, Iran or other countries in Consortium activities, and possibe impications for eves of membership An assessment of the vaue-added roe of the Coordination Unit for the efficient functioning of the Consortium An assessment of the funding strategy of the RWC and the Coordination Unit aong with recommendations on how this can be improved. This assessment shoud take account of changing roes for partners and the on-going changes affecting the CGIAR system An examination of the roe of the RWC and its partners reative to other factors in fostering farmer uptake and encouraging impact assessment of new technoogies for increasing and sustaining system productivity and profitabiity Identification of those functions of its internationa partners that add vaue to NARS programs taking into account the diverse nature of the RWC partners Research methods Recommendations on methods or approaches for assessing the interactions between the RW system and environmenta issues such as goba warming and pot- and basin-eve water savings Recommendations on how the RWC can more systematicay take account of the roe of poicy for enhancing the benefits of research in the ecoregion; this incudes: How poicy decisions can be used to encourage adoption of new technoogy options whie discouraging possibe undesirabe consequences The importance of poicy on environmenta impacts and sustainabiity of the system How poicy decisions in the IGP affect the interests of the poor. An examination of Farmer Participatory Research (FPR) and socia science approaches for on-farm strategies of technoogy generation and vaidation currenty pursued by the Consortium. Are they sufficient for technoogy diffusion on a arge scae? Examination of strategies for scaing-out agricutura and natura resource innovations to provide quicky more equitabe and quaity benefits to more peope. Review methodoogy It is proposed that this review be conducted in eary October 2002 and finished over a period of four to six weeks. The fina report shoud be avaiabe within two months of the competion of the review. The preiminary report shoud be circuated to stakehoders for comments before fina pubication. Review team wi finaize its own methodoogy to be foowed. Preiminary suggestions on the review methodoogy are: A desk review of seected past work and outputs Interviews of key stakehoders in the NARS/ IARCs/ ARIs Fied visits to each partner country and a few seected research sites by a member of the team to see activities on the ground Visits to seected donors and research oriented private industry to ascertain their feedback Meetings with the Internationa partners to seek their inputs

59 48 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Seecting one or two case studies, maybe one in the west and one in the east, a cear timetabe which shows the evoution of the system with changing roes for the partners, gradua reduction of the roe of the CGIAR and targeted deveopmenta and technica objectives. To highight progress to date and understand what further improvements are needed The Coordination Unit of the RWC wi be responsibe for arranging the ogistics for the review. They wi aso inform partners about the schedue of the visit of the Review Team and hep to assembe the materias needed for the desk and case studies. The Unit wi provide secretaria assistance for preparation of drafts and the fina report. Funds wi be provided to the Unit to enabe this support. The Unit wi be responsibe for the pubication of the fina report and distribution to RWC members, donors and other interested parties. Reference: Ladha, J.K., K.S. Fischer, M. Hossain, P.R. Hobbs, and B. Hardy Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems of the Indo- Gangetic Pains: A synthesis of NARS-IRRI partnership research. Discussion Paper No. 40. IRRI, Phiippines.

60 Annexure 3 List of seected past work and outputs of RWC made avaiabe to the pane RWC research paper series Narang, R.S., and S.M. Virmani Rice-wheat cropping systems of the Indo-Gangetic Pain of India. RWC Paper Series 11. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Pandey, S.P., S. Pande, C. Johansen, and S.M. Virmani Rice-wheat cropping system of Nepa. RWC Paper Series 12. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Madan, P.P., B. Khadga, Shrestha, and N.H. Dhaka Baseine study on agricutura mechanization needs in Nepa. RWC Paper Series 13. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Abro, I.P., K.F. Bronson, J.M. Duxbury, and R.K. Gupta Long-term soi fertiity experiments in rice-wheat cropping systems. RWC Paper Series 6. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Sharma, S.B., Pankaj, S. Pande, and C. Johansen Nematode pests in rice-wheat-egume cropping systems. Proc. of Review and Panning Meeting and Training Workshop. RWC Paper Series 7. RWC, New Dehi, India. Meha, R.S., J.K. Verma, R.K. Gupta, and P.R. Hobbs Stagnation in the productivity of wheat in the Indo-Gangetic Pains: Zero-ti-seed-cum-fertiizer dri as an integrated soution. RWC Paper Series 8. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Hobbs, P.R., and R.K. Gupta Soi and crop management practices for enhanced productivity of the rice-wheat cropping system in the Sichuan province of China. RWC Paper Series 9. Rice- Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Aggarwa, P.K., K.K. Taukdar, and R.K. Maik Potentia yieds of rice-wheat system in the Indo- Gangetic Pains of India. RWC Paper Series 10. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Pingai, P.L Sustaining rice-wheat production systems: Socio-economic and poicy issues. RWC Paper Series 5. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Hobbs, P.R., G.S. Giri, and P. Grace Reduced and zero tiage options for the estabishment of wheat after rice in South Asia. RWC Paper Series 2. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Maik, R.K., G. Gi, and P.R. Hobbs Herbicide resistance A major issue for sustaining wheat productivity in rice-wheat cropping systems in the Indo-Gangetic Pains. RWC Paper Series 3. Rice- Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Sharma. S.B., C. Johansen, and S.K. Midha Nematode pests in rice-wheat-egume cropping systems. Proc. of a Regiona Training Course. RWC Paper Series 4. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. RWC traveing seminar report series Gupta, R.K., A.K. Shuka, M. Ashraf, Z.U. Ahmed, R.K.P. Sinha, and P.R. Hobbs Options for estabishment of rice and issues constraining its productivity and sustainabiity in Eastern Gangetic pains of Bihar, Nepa and Bangadesh. RWC

61 50 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Traveing Seminar Report Series 4. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Gupta, R.K., and J. Rickman Design improvements in existing zero-ti machines for residue conditions. RWC Traveing Seminar Report Series 3. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo- Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Gupta, R.K., P.R. Hobbs, M. Saim, R.K. Maik, M.R. Varma, T.P. Pokhare, T.C. Thakur, and J. Tripathi Research and extension issues for farm-eve impact on the productivity of the rice-wheat systems in the Indo-Gangetic Pains of India and Pakistan. RWC Traveing Seminar Report Series 1. Rice- Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Gupta, R.K., P.R. Hobbs, M. Saim, N.H. Chowdhary, and S.I. Bhuiyan Study of research and extension issues in the Sichuan province of china for farm-eve impact on the productivity of the rice-wheat system. RWC Traveing Seminar Report Series 2. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo- Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. RWC technica buetin series Ashok, Y., R.K. Maik, N.K. Bansa, R.K. Gupta, S. Singh, and P.R. Hobbs Manua for using zero-ti seed-cum-fertiizer dri and zero-ti dricum-bed panter. RWC Technica Buetin Series 1. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Rickman, J.F Laser eveing training manua. RWC Technica Buetin Series 2. RWC, New Dehi, India. Mier, A., and R. Beinder Herbicide appication using a knapsack sprayer. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Mier, A., and R. Beinder Herbicide appication using a knapsack sprayer. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India (Hindi version). RWC-PRISM User manua for data entry & updating and foca point management. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Newsetters RWC Rice-Wheat Information Sheet. Vo. 43. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains, New Dehi, India. Other specia pubications and seected reports RWC-CIMMYT Addressing resource conservation issues in rice-wheat systems of south Asia: A resource book. Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains and CIMMYT, New Dehi, India. Ladha, J.K., J.E. Hi, J.M. Duxbury, R.K. Gupta, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impacts. ASA Specia Pubication No. 65, ASA/CSSA/SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. Kataki, P.K (ed.) The rice-wheat cropping systems of South Asia: Efficient production management. Food Products Press, New York. Kataki, P.K (ed.) The rice-wheat cropping systems of South Asia: Trends, constraints, productivity and poicy. Food Products Press, New York. Ladha, J.K., K.S. Fischer, M. Hossain, P.R. Hobbs, and B. Hardy Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems of the Indo- Gangetic Pains: A synthesis of NARS-IRRI partnership research. Discussion Paper no. 40. IRRI, Phiippines. Hobbs, P.R., and M. Morris Meeting south Asia s future food requirements from rice-wheat cropping systems: Priority issues facing researchers in the post-green revoution era. NRG Paper CIMMYT, Mexico D.F. Harrington, L.W., P.R. Hobbs, D.B. Tamang, C. Adhikari, B.K. Gyawai, G. Pradhan, B.K. Batsa, J.D. Ranjit, M. Ruckstuh, Y.G. Khadka, and M.L. Baidya Wheat and rice in the his: Farming systems, production techniques and research issues fro ricewheat cropping pattern in the mid-his of Nepa. Report on an exporatory survey conducted in Kabhre district. Nepa Agricutura Research Counci, and CIMMYT.

62 Annexure 3 51 Harrington, L.W., S. Fujisaka, M.L. Morris, P.R. Hobbs, H.C. Sharma, R.P. Singh, M.K. Chaudhary, and S.D. Dhiman Wheat and rice in Karna and Kurukshetra districts, Haryana, India: Farmers practices, probems and an agenda for action. Exporatory Surveys, CIMMYT, Haryana Agricutura University, Indian Counci of Agricutura Research and IRRI. Savary, S., F.A. Eazegui, H.O. Pinnschmidt, N.P. Castia, P.S. Teng A new approach to quantify crop osses due to rice pests in varying production situations. IRRI Discussion Paper Series No. 20. IRRI, Mania, Phiippines. 53 p. Savary, S., R.K. Srivastava, H.M. Singh, F.A. Eazegui A characterization of rice pests and quantification of yied osses in the rice-wheat system of India. Crop Protect. 16: Woodhead, T., R. Huke, E. Huke, and L. Baababa Rice-wheat atas of India. IRRI/CIMMTY/ ICAR pubication, Los Baños, Phiippines. p Seected rice-wheat research works Referred journa pubications Ladha, J.K., D. Dawe, H. Pathak, A.T. Padre, R.L. Yadav, B. Singh, Y. Singh, Y. Singh, P. Singh, A.L. Kundu, R. Saka, N. Ram, A.P. Regmi, S.K. Gami, A.L. Bhandari, R. Amin, C.R. Yadav, E.M. Bhattarai, S. Das, H.P. Aggarwa, R.K. Gupta, and P.R. Hobbs How extensive are yied decines in ong-term rice-wheat experiments in Asia? Fied Crops Res. 81: Pathak, H., J.K. Ladha, P.K. Aggarwa, S. Peng, S. Das, Y. Singh, B. Singh, S.K. Kamra, B. Mishra, S.R.A.S. Asastri, H.P. Aggarwa, D.K. Das, R.K. Gupta Trends of cimatic potentia and on-farm yied of rice and wheat in the Indo-Gangetic Pains. Fied Crops Res. 80: Sharma, P.K., J.K. Ladha, T.S. Verma, R.M. Bhagat, A.T. Padre Rice-wheat productivity and nutrient status in a antana (Lantana spp.) amended soi. Bio. Ferti. Sois 37: Bhandari, A.L., J.K. Ladha, H. Pathak, A.T. Padre, D. Dawe and R.K. Gupta Yied and soi nutrient changes in a ong-term rice-wheat rotation in the Indo-Gangetic Pains of India. Soi Sci. Soc.Am. J. 66: Regmi, A.P., J.K. Ladha, E.M. Pasuquin, H. Pathak, P.R. Hobbs, L. Shrestha, D.B. Gharti, and E. Duveier The roe of potassium in sustaining yieds in a ong-term rice-wheat experiment in the Indo-Gangetic Pains of Nepa. Bio. Ferti. Sois 36: Regmi, A.P., J.K. Ladha, H. Pathak, E. Pasuquin, C. Bueno, D. Dawe, P.R. Hobbs, D. Joshy, S.L. Maskey, and S.P. Pandey Yied and soi fertiity trends in a 20-year rice-rice-wheat experiment in Nepa. Soi Sci. Soc. Am. J. 66: Singh, B., Y. Singh, J.K. Ladha, K.F. Bronson, V. Baasubramanian, J. Singh, and C.S. Khind Chorophy meter and eaf coor chart-based nitrogen management for rice and wheat in Northwestern India. Agron. J. 94: Gami, S.K., J.K. Ladha, H. Pathak, M.P. Shah, E. Pasuquin, S.P. Pandey, P.R. Hobbs, D. Joshy, and R. Mishra Long-term changes in yied and soi fertiity in a twenty-year rice-wheat experiment in Nepa. Bio. Ferti. Sois 34: Timsina, J., and D.J. Connor Productivity and management of rice-wheat cropping systems: issues and chaenges. Fied Crop Res. 69: Yadav R.L On farm experiments on integrated nutrient management in rice-wheat cropping systems. Exp. Agric. 37: Gupta, R.K., and I. P. Abro Sainity buid-up and changes in the rice-wheat system of the Indo- Gangetic Pains. Exp. Agric. 36: Sevarajan, S., P.K. Aggarwa, S. Pandey, F.P. Lansigan, and S.K. Bandyopadhyay Systems approach for anayzing tradeoffs between income, risk and water production in Northern India. Fied Crop Res. 51:

63 52 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Chapters in books/proceedings and presentations Baasubramanian V, J.K. Ladha, R.K. Gupta, R.K. Naresh, R.S. Meha, B. Singh, Y. Singh Technoogy options for rice in rice-wheat systems in Asia. p In J.K. Ladha, J. Hi, R.K. Gupta, J. Duxbury, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impact. ASA Specia Pubication 65, Madison, WI, USA. Bronson, K.F., K.G. Cassman, R. Wassman, D.C. Ok, M. van Noorwijk, and D.P. Garrity Soi carbon dynamics in different cropping systems in principa ecoregions of Asia. In Management of carbon sequestration in soi. R. La, J.M. Kimbe, R.F. Foett and B. A. Stewart, eds. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. p Byeree, D, M. Ai, and A. Siddiq Sustainabiity of rice-wheat system in Pakistan Punjab: How arge is the probem? p In J.K. Ladha, J. Hi, R.K. Gupta, J. Duxbury, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impact. ASA Specia Pubication 65. Madison, WI, USA. Gupta, R.K., R.K. Naresh, P.R. Hobbs, J. Jiaguo, and J.K. Ladha Sustainabiity of Post-green Revoution agricuture: The rice-wheat cropping systems of the Indo-Gangetic Pains and China. p In J.K. Ladha, J. Hi, R.K. Gupta, J. Duxbury, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impact. ASA Specia Pubication 65. Madison, WI, USA. Gupta, R.K., R.K.Naresh, P.R. Hobbs, and J.K. Ladha Adopting conservation agricuture in the ricewheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Pains: New opportunities for saving water. p In B.A.M. Bouman, H. Hengsdijk, B. Hardy, P.S. Bindraban, T.P. Tuong, and J.K. Ladha (ed.) Waterwise rice production. Internationa Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Phiippines. Hobbs,P.R. and R.K. Gupta Resource conserving technoogies for wheat in rice-wheat systems. p In J.K. Ladha, J. Hi, R.K. Gupta, J. Duxbury, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impact. ASA Specia Pubication 65, Madison, WI, USA. Ladha, J.K., H. Pathak, A.T. Padre, D. Dawe, and R.K. Gupta Productivity trends in intensive ricewheat cropping systems in Asia. p In J.K. Ladha, J. Hi, R.K. Gupta, J. Duxbury, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impact. ASA Specia Pubication 65. Madison, WI, USA. Samra, J.S., B. Singh, and K. Kumar Managing rice residues in rice-wheat system of the Indo- Gangetic Pains. p In J.K. Ladha, J. Hi, R.K. Gupta, J. Duxbury, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impact. ASA Specia Pubication 65. Madison, WI, USA. Sharma, P.K., J.K. Ladha, and L. Bhushan Soi physica effects of pudding in rice-wheat cropping system. p In J.K. Ladha, J. Hi, R.K. Gupta, J. Duxbury, and R.J. Buresh (ed.) Improving the productivity and sustainabiity of rice-wheat systems: Issues and impact. ASA Specia Pubication 65. Madison, WI, USA. Gupta, R.K., R.K. Naresh, P.R. Hobbs, and J.K. Ladha Adopting conservation agricuture in the ricewheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Pains: new opportunities for saving water. p In B.A.M. Bouman, H. Hengsdijk, B. Hardy, P.S. Bindraban, T.P. Tuong, and J.K. Ladha (ed.) Waterwise rice production. Internationa Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Phiippines. Sharma, P.K., L. Bhushan, J.K. Ladha, R.K. Naresh, R.K. Gupta, B.V. Baasubramanian, and B.A.M. Bouman Crop-water reations in rice-wheat cropping under different tiage systems and watermanagement practices in a marginay sodic, medium-textured soi. In. B.A.M. Bouman, H. Hengsdijk, B. Hardy, P.S. Bindraban, T.P. Tuong, and J.K. Ladha (ed.) Water-wise rice production. Internationa Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Phiippines. Hobbs, P.R., R.K. Gupta, and L. Harrington Sustaining the Green Revoution by resource conserving technoogies: The exampe set by the Rice-Wheat Consortium. ILEIA Newsetter Dec p

64 Annexure 4 Fied visits by the Pane members to partner countries and seected research sites Date Particuars Pane India 3 October 2002 Visit viages in Karna and meet farmers, Department of Dr. Jha Agricuture, Govt. of Haryana and aso meet HAU staff Dr. Seth Reach PAU, Ludhiana and meet University functionaries 4 October 2002 Visit manufacturers in Ludhiana. See experiment and diversification Dr. Jha work 6 October 2002 Visit with APN workshop participants to viage Dasna, Kaoogarhi, Dr. Jha Matiaa and Duhai to see farmer participatory work. Farmer interactions at Duhai and aso visit Modipuram to see core experiment site 15 October 2002 Trave to Varanasi Dr. Seth Visit BHU Experiment site and meet scientists Dr. Anderson Dr. Jha 16 October 2002 Visit Farmer fieds in Pindhara, Kaithoi and Maritar in Baia district to Dr. Seth Technoogy targeting work in different rice eco-systems and aso have Dr. Anderson interaction with farmers at viage Pindhara Dr. Jha 17 October 2002 Visit zero-ti sites in Ghazipur Return to Dehi Dr. Seth Dr. Anderson Dr. Jha Bangadesh 26 February 2003 Orientation at CIMMYT Bangadesh Dr. Fischer Meeting with Mr. Noe Magor, Dr. Jha IRRI at his office 27 February 2003 Visit RARS Jessore and eave for ADB site at BRRI, Chuadanga Dr. Fischer Dr. Jha 28 February 2003 Visit farmers fieds showing spread over activities of RWS other than Dr. Fischer Chuadanga and Dinajpur Dr. Jha 1 March 2003 Discussion meeting on Rice-wheat activities at WRC, Dinajpur with: Dr. Fischer Site Coordinator, BRRI, Chuadanga Dr. Jha Site Coordinator, BARI, Dinajpur PSO, BSPC, BARI, Debiganj 2 March 2003 Visit fied activities at Birganj Dr. Fischer Meeting with Co-faciitator, RWC & NRG Agronomist CIMMYT and Dr. Jha other scientists at CIMMYT office 3 March 2003 Meeting with Dr. H. Miah, Affiiate Liaison Scientist, IRRI at Dr. Fischer his office Dr. Jha Nepa 6 March 2003 Trave to Bhairawan and visit fieds and wheat research station Dr. Seth 7 March 2003 Visit sites in Bhairawan and return to Kathmandu Dr. Seth

65 Annexure 5 Stakehoder survey approach and summary of findings Objectives The objectives of the stakehoder consutation woud be to seek views of the partner organizations on the current performance and future direction of RWC activities so that the research findings bring about significant improvements in the management of natura resources, iveihood of the farming communities and contribute to food security in the region. The stakehoders It is panned to consut a wide range of stakehoders who are either directy or indirecty invoved in supporting RWC activities. These woud incude: NARS, IARCs/ARIs and donors undertaking/ supporting rice-wheat research CGIAR Secretariat and other CG bodies such as TAC (Research Counci), CGIAR CDC Committee, CGIAR Private Sector Committee and interested individuas providing manageria and technica guidance and support Private Foundations and Associations reated to ife science industry interested in the rice-wheat research Farmers, who are the utimate users of RWC supported technoogies The consutation process The consutation process woud invove a twopronged strategy. First, the key stakehoders woud be requested to compete questionnaires incuding question reated to the RWC governance, research, funding and future strategies. Second, the information obtained through this process woud be suppemented by face-to-face interviews of key stakehoders and fied visits to a the four partners countries (India, Pakistan, Bangadesh and Nepa) of the Consortium. The consutation process with the farming communities woud invove interviews of farmers (adopters and non-adopters) in viages participating in rice-wheat cropping systems research. Given the differences in the roe of stakehoders, it is intended to use sighty different questions for NARS, IARC/ARI and other stakehoders. Feed back from the NARS partners A tota of 22 out of a possibe 26 institutes responded to the questionnaire. The responses to the questions on satisfaction eves are specific and reevant to the question they provide a usefu assessment of the satisfaction eve of the RWC and the CU. The responses to questions on suggested changes in the 4 subject areas were not aways reevant to the particuar issue. The pane attempted to capture a comments and reassign them to reevant section of the questionnaire. In this process, the respondent number (n) sometimes exceeds or is ess than the number of institutes that have responded to the questionnaire. The Pane has viewed the respondent number (n) as a measure of the importance of the particuar issue and thus has provided this information in the summary. The Pane has taken into consideration the information provided from the questionnaire, and expicity, the information which is highighted in bue in the foowing summary.

66 CK Annexure 5 55 The summary of the questions and the responses Governance 1. How satisfied are you with the current research partnerships in reation to the overa objectives and mandate of RWC? Response %* Very satisfied 50 Satisfied 45 Not satisfied 5 No. of responses (n) = 20; * percentage based on the responses 2. What changes woud you recommend for improvement? Response %* Extend the research partnership to cover increased dimensions (socio-economics and bioogica components, impact assessment, etc.) 36 Add resources for training and physica faciities 29 Adopt a more comprehensive on-farm oriented system based research approach 21 Broaden the research agenda (to incude other crops and untapped area) 14 and new emerging issues No. of respondents who addressed the question (n) = 14; * percentage based on the responses to the question Faciitation/Coordination 1. In your view how effective are the current coordination arrangements for the RWC? Response %* Effective 60 Very effective 40 Not effective 0 n= 20; * percentage based on the responses 2. Trans-boundary faciitation Response %* Transboundary and overseas training, visit etc. shoud be organized. 67 Co-faciitators shoud be appointed to hep augment co-ordination. 50 Quick fow of knowedge and other materias such as iterature, spare parts, etc. 33 shoud be faciitated n = 6; * percentage based on the responses CK

67 56 The Rice-Wheat Consortium CK 3. What do you think are the main contributions of your institution that have added vaue to Consortium and its work program? Response %* Faciitating the technoogy deveopment, testing, dissemination and evauation 29 Sharing information and experience through the traveing workshops 17 Promoting farmer participatory research 14 Overa co-ordination 14 Fostering the diagnostic and preiminary survey approaches 11 Suppying manpower 9 Faciitating the suppy of physica faciities, trave etc across countries 6 n = 35; * percentage based on the responses to the question 4. What recommendations woud you make for further improvement in coordination with regards to organizationa arrangement? Response %* Deveop and co-ordinate mutidiscipinary teams at each site as in the ADB project 33 Institutionaize the R-W system structure within NARS 33 Strengthening the inkage between nationa and site co-ordinators 11 Sustain the farmer participatory research approach in the RWC member Institutes. 11 Increase the staff to hande the increasing dimensions of the work pan. 11 Appoint co-faciitators to hep augment co-ordination.(in some countries) 2 n = 9; * percentage based on the responses to the question Research agenda 1. In your view which of RWC research themes provided important changes to your Institutes programs? Response %* The awareness and adoption of RCTs woud not have taken pace without the RWC 69 The integration and coaboration among the scientists and organizations woud not 31 have taken pace without the RWC n = 16; * percentage based on the responses to the question 2. In your view are there important gaps (bioogica, economic, environmenta and socia) in the research coverage of the RWC? Response %* Yes 78 No 22 n = 18; * percentage based on the responses to the question CK

68 CK Annexure What are the gaps in research coverage? Response % * Understanding technoogy uptake, dissemination and socio-economic impact. 24 Inadequate coverage of market issues 12 Consideration of aied activities such as ivestock and agro-forestry, etc. 12 Consideration of hi/mountain farming system, and food prone areas as specia targets 12 Understanding of environmenta issues 12 Understanding of soi heath and water quaity management 8 Inadequate work on insect pest and post harvest osses 8 Inadequate work on residue management 8 Inadequate work on RCT s and genotype interaction 4 n = 25; * percentage based on the responses to the question 4. How can these gaps be bridged? Response % * Initiating research on socio-economic impacts of technoogy. 30 Sustaining a system based research approach at the Institute 45 Focusing on untapped areas ike water ogged and food-prone areas, 10 hi farming system, etc. Focusing on ocation specific rather than area-genera recommendations. 10 Deveoping sma and cost effective equipment 5 n = 20; * percentage based on the responses to the question 5. What recommendations woud you make for further improvement in the deveopment and dissemination of new technoogies/knowedge reated to the rice-wheat systems? Response % * Hep document impact assessment and extrapoation of technoogy. 20 Use mass media such as video fims, radio & TV programs, farmer feasts, iterature 20 in oca anguages Promote more sharing and exchange of scientists and scientific materias among 15 different centers and partner countries Hep infuence the government poicies towards new technoogy, oans to the 15 manufacturers, subsidy to the farmers, custom duty, etc. Promote and sustain farmers participatory approach to research 15 Increase training, visits seminars, conferences, etc 15 n = 20; * percentage based on the responses to the question CK

69 58 The Rice-Wheat Consortium CK 6. In your view what are the key attributes that make the RWC an effective eco-regiona program and which of these are repicabe in other situations? Response %* Proactive roe of RWC 28 Strong focus on importing and disseminating suitabe RCTs. 17 The deveopment of mutidiscipinary teams incuding nationa and regiona scientists. 14 The focus on scae neutra (commercia- non-commercia) technoogy adoption. 10 The consideration of regiona and goba environmenta concerns 10 (straw burning, fue saving, etc) The private sector participation in technoogy deveopment 10 Farmer participatory approach to research 7 Faciitating the deveopment of improved farm impement prototypes. 3 n = 29; * percentage based on the responses to the question 7. What mechanisms woud you recommend to be used to prioritize RWC research to ensure effective invovement of a partners, and to adequatey take account of the dynamic nature of the program? Response %* Participatory needs assessment and priority setting by a partners 32 Integration of RWC themes with the nationa research and extension priorities 20 Coser interaction among a the stakehoders and stronger commitment on their 20 own core resources to the RWC More targeting of domains for the appropriate technoogy 16 Augment private and NGO partnerships 8 Transboundary faciitation 4 n = 25; *percentage based on the responses to the question Funding 1. In your view how can the ong-term funding for this ecoregiona program and its Coordination Unit be made more stabe and sustainabe? Any quantification of contributions from your own or other sources (time or resources) you can attempt woud be greaty appreciated. Response %* More donation/aid from abroad, NGO s, INGO s, etc. 38 Increase the contribution of in kind manpower and physica faciities from 19 member institutions Initiate direct contributions from the participating countries/members 19 Create a revoving fund scheme 6 Tax the R-W industries 6 Match the goas with other NGO s and INGO s goas etc for new donor aiances 6 Create an endowment fund 6 n = 16; * percentage based on the responses to the question CK

70 CK Annexure 5 59 Future Direction 1. How can the current review of RWC be made more usefu to the nationa system? Response %* Hoding seminars, interaction sessions and review of the progress 28 Estabishing inkages with nationa systems. 17 Updating and effective dissemination of the technoogies 11 Aocating resources for extrapoation 11 Prioritizing the research based on the nationa interests. 11 Addressing the food security issues 11 Ensuring the participation of the poicy makers and providing support at the poicy eve. 6 Cose coordination and cooperation among a the stakehoders 6 n = 18; * percentage based on the responses to the question 2. Shoud RWC have a future? If so, what directions woud you ike to see it take? 2a. Shoud RWC have a future? Response %* Yes 65 No 0 No comments 35 N=20 2b. What directions woud you ike to see it take? Response %* Integrated farming system approach shoud be empoyed 38 Focus shoud be given on socio-economic impacts of technoogies 25 Crop diversification shoud be taken into account 25 Effort shoud be put on evauation of technoogies 19 Aim at sustainabiity of the system 13 Incusion of non-tapped areas ike ow and, his etc. 6 n = 16; * percentage based on the responses Any other comment/suggestion Response %* Hep proper dissemination and adoption of technoogies 29 Give more emphasis to the diversification of the cropping systems 12 Vaidate and integrate the outcomes in the nationa systems 12 More effort on dissemination and adoption of the technoogies 12 (video fims, iterature in oca anguage) More opportunities for overseas training and studies 12 More resources (personne, physica faciities, etc.) 6 More emphasis on the deveopment of ight equipment (anima drawn, 2 wheeed tractor) 6 More emphasis on sustainabe management of natura resources 6 Try to incorporate the Farmers Fied Schoo 6 n = 17; * percentage based on the responses to the question CK

71 60 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Feed back from the IARC (No response was received from ARI partners). The foowing summarizes the feedback from written comments by four IARC (CIP, ICRISAT, IRRI AND IWMI), and from discussions with CIMMYT and AVRDC. The summary attempts to capture the main points made by the respondents. Because of the sma sampe size the Pane makes no attempt to assess the reative importance of the issues by the IARC partners. Use the current ADB project as a mode for an effective mechanism to engage more partners / diversity at the system operationa eve. Continue the traveing seminars and exchange of information as important activities of the FU. Use the RCW and the CU as an effective patform for the impement of IARC joint activities. Provide more staff and better coordination among centers. Governance There is a divergence of view on membership for poicy decisions (i.e. The Steering Committee) ranging from a desire to keep the numbers manageabe and maintain a NARS majority on the steering committee to a need for more open and participatory management to engage more members. There is a need for a better priority -setting process for identifying RWC research and stronger governance in ensuring that speciaproject funding pursued by members for the RWC is in keeping with agreed priorities. More focus of the approved research agenda on generating new knowedge and internationa (regiona) pubic goods. Faciitation Maintain the strong faciitator/ coordinator roe for NRM and RW system research. Expore means to sustain a system approach at the NARS eve. Future research Conduct socio-economic anaysis at farm and oca eves to understand constraints to adoption of new RCT s. Conduct appropriate poicy anaysis at state country eve to better understand principes that infuence adoption. Estabish and support ong-term studies on the sustainabiity of the system with the new emerging NRM / crop systems. Faciitate more invovement of other crops to diversify the system for income generation. Provide more attention to water use and quaity at the basin eve through the Water Chaenge Program. Financing A members to contribute to the FU (as investors of ast resort!). More cohesion among centers in project deveopment and approach to donors. Link the RWC to the appropriate CGIAR Chaenge Programs.

72 MYK Annexure 6 Roes and responsibiities of RWC Coordination Unit The roes of the Coordination Unit of the Rice- Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Pains (RWC) housed in the iaison office, CIMMYT- India can broady be categorized into under RWC core activities and those reated with specia projects. CU performs roes in specia projects that encompass technica, administrative, and finance matters. S RWC core programs RW-specia projects No. 1 Organize annua meetings of the Regiona Steering Hep NARS and Centers and other stakehoders Committee and Regiona Technica Coordination conduct RW workshops, panning meetings, Committee and work on the recommendations trainings, fied visits, and seminars as stipuated in the project and participate in them 2. Organize regiona traveing seminars and faciitate Hep identify, nominate, and provide ogistics in country traveing seminars for a stakehoders support to NARS participants in various as a strategy for technoogy dissemination and internationa training programs adoption of RCTs 3. Interact with the donors, provide new eads and Hep engaging personne and organize project hep deveop project proposas for externa reated fied activities in India and work through funding. Do technica back-stopping by providing regiona CIMMYT and IWMI offices in other requisite information to nationa partners for countries interna funding 4. Gateway function for new partners to hep them Manage and maintain specia project budgets pan and invest in projects needed in IGP region 5. Organize and participate in RW seminars, Coate, prepare and submit technica and financia workshops and conferences and encourage reports to the donor agencies participation of nationa scientists in them 6. Provide need base ogistic support to the Nationa Organize fied visits of the visitors and dignitaries Coordinators (RW) and maintain active inks with as promotiona activities them and other nationa partners. 7. Exchange information/ technica know-how, Coordinate between centers and NARs on project bioogica materias and equipments among based activities member states 8. Pubish technica information of expert Promote inter-center/ NARs coaborations consutations in RWC Technica Paper/ TS / Manua / poster series / RWIS 9 Manage the rice-wheat reated information through Export and import of seeds, research materias PRISM, a sub-set of WISARD and impements 10 Faciitate transfer of skis in knowedge Provide inputs into annua technica program management to NARS scientists and technicians, meetings and hep in panning and impementing and acts as connecting ink between NARS new initiatives and IARCs 11. Meet statutory requirements of the federa bank for RWC operations within India MYK

73 Annexure 7 List of RWC research partner nationa research systems Bangadesh India Bangadesh Agricutura Research Counci Bangadesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur Bangadesh Agricutura Research Institute Breeding and Seed Production Center, Debiganj, Panchagarh Wheat Research Center, Dinajpur Tuber Crop Research Center, Bangadesh Indian Counci of Agricutura Research, New Dehi Centra Potato Research Institute, Patna Centra Rice Research Institute, Cuttack Centra Soi Sainity Research Institute, Karna Directorate of Maize Research, New Dehi Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad Directorate of Wheat Research, Karna ICAR Research Compex for Eastern Region, Wami Compex, Patna Indian Agricutura Research Institute, New Dehi Indian Grassand and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi Nationa Bureau of Pant Genetic Resources, New Dehi Nationa Bureau of Soi Survey and Land Use Panning, Nagpur Nationa Research Center for Integrated Pest Management, New Dehi Project Directorate of Cropping Systems Research, Meerut VPKAS, Amorah, Uttrancha State Government Agricutura Research System Chandra Shekar Azad University of Agricuture & Technoogy, Uttar Pradesh Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricutura University, Haryana Govind Baabh Pant University of Agricuture and Technoogy (GBPUA&T), Uttrancha KVKs and State Agricuture Departments of: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & West Benga Narendra Deva University of Agricuture and Technoogy, Uttar Pradesh Punjab Agricutura University, Ludhiana, Punjab Rajendra Agricutura Research University, Bihar Sardar Vaab Bhai Pate University of Agricuture and Technoogy, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh Department of Agricutura Cooperation (DAC), GOI, New Dehi Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh Center for Advanced Technoogy (CAT), (Laser Technoogy), Indore, Madhya Pradesh Indian Institute of Technoogy, New Dehi Remote sensing Appication Center, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Independent/Department of Science and Technoogy/NGOs Centre for Advancement of Sustainabe Agricuture (CASA), New Dehi Indian Institute of Technoogy, New Dehi

74 Annexure 7 63 Institute of Himaayan Environmenta Research and Education, (INHERE) Uttarancha Managa Innovation Center, Bhaoniodh, Jhansi Uttar Pradesh Tata Energy Research Institute, New Dehi VEETEE Rice mis, Sonepat, Haryana Nepa Agricutura Impement Research Station, Ranighat Institute of Agricuture and Anima Science, Rampur Nationa Wheat Research Program, Bhairhawa Nepa Agricutura Research Counci (NARC), Kathmandu Regiona Rice Research Station, Parwanipur NGOs Loca Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Deveopment, LIBIRD Mahendrapoo, Pokhara Pakistan Land Resources Research Institute, Isamabad Nationa Agricutura Research Center, and sister Institutions, Isamabad On-Farm Water Management, Directorate Genera of Water Management, OFWM, Lahore Pakistan Agricutura Research Counci, Isamabad University of Agricuture, Faisabad NGOs Farmers associations inked to RCTs in Pakistan Internationa research systems Asian Vegetabe Research and Deveopment Center, Taiwan Wis. Internationa, Wageningen, Netherands CGIAR Future Harvest Centers Internationa Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India Internationa Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico Internationa Potato Center, Peru Internationa Rice Research Institute, Phiippines Internationa Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka Advanced Research Institutions and Networks Asia-Pacific Network on Cimate Change, Japan Austraian Center of Internationa Agricutura Research, Austraia Center for Agricuture and Bioogy Internationa, UK Centre for Internationa Co-operation in Agricutura Research for Deveopment, France Commonweath Scientific and Industria Research Organization, Austraia Corne University, USA CSIRO, Austraia Food and Agricutura Organization, Rome Goba Change and Terrestria Ecosystems, Austraia Goba Environmenta Change and Food Systems, UK Institute of Arabe Crops Research, Rothamsted, UK Internationa Atomic Energy Research Institute, Vienna Long Ashton Research Station, UK Massey University, New Zeaand Ohio State University, Coumbus The University of Adeaide, Austraia United Nations System of Organizations University of Mebourne, Austraia Private Industry Akza Nobe Chemicas Ltd. Mumbai, India & the Netherands American Spray Equipment Company, Mumbai Kissan Beej, Patna Mayhico Monsanto Oswa Sugar Mis, Mukerian, Punjab, India Private entrepreneurs in agricutura Impements (Nepa, Bangadesh, Pakistan and India) Syngenta, New Dehi Uttam Sugar Mis, Roorkee, Uttrancha, India

75 64 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Annexure 7 (continued). Existing organizationa responsibiities for various thematic activities in the Consortium Thematic areas and organizationa Activities within thematic areas responsibiities NARS CIMMYT IRRI IWMI ICRISAT CIP IAC/Wis. Int. Corne Univ IACR IAEA CABI Massey Univ ACIAR/CSIRO/ QU, MU CIRAD/DMC AVRDC GCTE/ GECAFS/ APN 1. Tiage and crop estabishment 1. Tiage and crop estabishment X X X X X X X 2. Residue management X X X X X X 3. Machinery deveopment X X X X X 2. Crop improvement and management 4. Germpasm screening and GxE, GxT X X X X X X X interactions, cutivar choices 5. Legumes in RW systems X X X X X 6. System diversification and intensification X X X 7. Modeing and cimate change X X X X X X X 8. Seed quaity, priming and storage X X 3. Integrated pest & disease management 9. Crop protection IPM, IDM X X X X X 10. Weed management X X X X X 4. Nutrient management (IRRI) 11. Integrated nutrient management X X X X X X X X 12. SOM, ong term fertiizer trias, nutrient X X X X X enrichments 5. Water management (IWMI) 13. Water use efficiency X X X X X X 14. Water (fied, farm and system eve) X X 15. Water quaity, sainity/sodicity issues X 6. Knowedge management 16. GIS/ country amanacs X X X X X X X 17. Database management- RWC-PRISM, X X X X RWIS and webpage 18. RWC paper series, other pubications X X X X X X 19. Annua meetings in regiona and Internationa X X X X X X X X X X X X X research fora 20. Muti-stake hoder meeting events- traveing X X X X X X X seminars, workshops and conferences 21. Technoogy dissemination./ adaptive research X x X X X X 7. Socia-Economics 22. Impact anaysis X X X X X X 23. Poicy issues X X 24. PR&GA X X 25. Community group working X X X X 8. Human resources deveopment and 26. Speciaized trainings in advanced institutions X X X X X X X X X X X capacity buiding for scientists and farmers Other organizations to incude or integrate are Adeaide Univ. (weeds), Long Ashton (weeds), NGO s (eg. Libird in Nepa, Catayst Management Services in India) and Monsanto. Source: CU, RWC, New Dehi.

76 CMYK Annexure 8 Pubic-private partnership for acceerated deveopment and manufacture of the muti-crop zero-ti dri-cum-bed panter Fig. 1. Newy deveoped zero-ti dri which is capabe of seeding into oose residues avoiding burning residues consideraby (Inset: Manufacturers, scientists and farmers worked together in deveoping and testing the prototype of new zero-ti dri) What were the objectives of the partnership? Deveop and refine no-ti machine as a mutiutiity dri to sow crops such wheat and puses etc. after harvest of rice crop as an aternative to conventiona tiage Add features to the machine for panting onto raised beds to serve as bed panter as we Be abe to pant crops into oose residues with out burning / partia burning them in fats and /or the raised-bed system of panting Who were the partners? Agricutura engineers and agricutura research scientists from IARCs (CIMMYT and IRRI), nationa research institutions and state agricutura universities in India, Bangadesh and Pakistan CMYK

77 66 The Rice-Wheat Consortium Private sector companies in India Cooperating farmers What were the compeing circumstances that ed to the formation of pubic-private partnership? A common feature of the rice-wheat cropping systems is the short turn around time between harvest of rice and panting of wheat when using time consuming conventiona tiage system. As a resut ate panting is common which after 14 th November eads to reduction in wheat yied at the rate of about 35 kg/ha/day in northwest and more than 50 kg/ha/day in eastern Gangetic pains. Zero tiage was seen as a soution to this constraint but no-ti dri suited to oca conditions was needed to aow rapid turn around between two crops and to improve yieds through timey panting. In addition, no-tiage combined with crop residue management was aso seen as a possibe soution to concerns reated to decining soi organic carbon and environmenta poution from burning of rice straw. Farmers were aso concerned about the increasing costs of cutivation and zero tiage provided opportunity for cost reduction. Increasing mechanization of agricuture in north-western part of IGP had created an important market for farm machinery for the private sector. Partnership with companies invoved with manufacturing of farm impements was seen by both the pubic research institutions and the private sector as a mutuay beneficia partnership to quicky deveop and manufacture a suitabe zero-ti dri. What were the key features of this partnership? The work on deveopment of zero-ti seed-cumfertiizer dri started in 1988 with import of an inverted T-Opener from New Zeaand by CIMMYT. After sow initia progress the first prototype was deveoped at the G.B. Pant University of Agricuture and Technoogy, Pantnagar, UP. A coaborative program for further deveopment and commerciaisation of zero-ti was initiated in with the sma scae industries, primariy invoving M/s Nationa Agro-Industries, Ludhiana and M/s. A.S.S. Foundry, Jandiaaguru, Amritsar, Punjab. Foowing consideration investment of resources and severa considerabe design changes this coaborative program within 12 months produced the first zero-ti seed dri for fied testing with nine tines openers and a side whee drive. By 1997, after further refinements based on feed-back received from scientists and farmers, these two manufacturers had suppied over 150 improved machines to state agricutura universities and ICAR institutions ocated in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and aso to NAFED for use by farmers/contractors. During wheat sowing season the manufacturers spent a ot of their time in the fieds with farmers and scientists to better understand the probems in machine operations which ed to rapid improvement of subsequent modes. At the same time the manufacturers fet encouraged to participate in Internationa Trade Fair at New Dehi and Farm Festivas in different states to demonstrate their machines. Jointy with farmers who had used the dri the manufacturers organized interactions with senior engineers of Dept. of Farm Power Machinery (PAU) and officias of the Dept. of Agricuture (Engineering), Government of Haryana and Punjab to share experiences and seek their support in promoting zero-ti. A the officias were surprised to see such rapid progress and came back impressed by these interactions. In year 2000, a team of 23 scientists, farmers and manufacturers comprising participants from Nepa. Bangadesh, China, Mexico, India and Pakistan visited North-west parts of IGP in India and Pakistan. This team met many farmers in viage Panjoui Kaan, Patiaa, and discussions provided us with many very usefu tips for

78 Annexure 8 67 improvement of the dri. Manmohan Singh in NAI workshop in Ludhiana incorporated a these suggestions. Further cose interactions between the manufacturers, farmers and the University staff in Punjab and Hayana heped in overcoming Not invented here (NIH) syndrome and gave private sector ot of confidence to move forward with greater zea. The dri sti needed ots of improvements to meet the internationa standards. To achieve this goa in 2001 Nationa Agro-industries attended Farm Exhibitions in Itay and RWC / CIMMYT, IRRI and ACIAR sponsored a 15-day traveing seminar to Austraia for bringing about improvement in the design of ZTD and bed panter. This visit provided many insights which ed to severa changes in the dri design and the workshop foor management arrangements. Work for deveopment of the bed panter was initiated immediatey after Dr. SS Dhion and scientists from Directorate of Wheat Research were trained with Dr. Ken Sayre in CIMMYT, Mexico. A.S.S. Foundry took the ead and provided prototypes deveoped with support from these scientists. Subsequenty, with continuing support from the RWC scientists (Ken Sayre, Raj Gupta and Joseph Rickman), a muti-seeder metering device and shapers were attached to the existing zero-ti dri to make it suitabe for panting of rice, mustard and assorted sizes pf different seeds. M/s Beri Industries deveoped a zero-ti seed fertiizer dricum-cutivator in 2002 with vertica shock absorbing system. What has been the farm-eve impact of the muti-purpose dris deveoped as a resut of this partnership? To-date Nationa Agro-Industries aone has produced and sod more than 3000 zero-ti seed dri to farmers and many research organizations in India and abroad under the aegis of UNDP projects, CIMMYT /RWC in Nepa, Pakistan, Bangadesh and to IRRI Phiippines, Burkina Faso. As a recognition of its efforts, Nationa Agro-Industries was invited to serve on the committee for dri specifications constituted by Bureau of Indian Standards and was presented a Commendation Award by Punjab Chapter of the Indian Society of Agricutura Engineers. Over the ast three to four years, farmers in IGP countries have rapidy adopted zero tiage for panting wheat after rice. It is estimated (by RWC) that more than dris are in operation and during the season in over 500,000 ha of and wheat was panted using the zero-ti system. Survey shows that even resource poor sma hoders have started to benefit from this technoogy by using contractors to dri their fieds What were the main reasons for this rapid success? The initiative was responding to a strong farmer demand where the private sector coud see substantia market opportunities for their products. RWC payed a crucia cataytic roe in promoting the pubic-private partnership, nurtured it through its formative stages and faciitated technoogy transfer from internationa and nationa sources. In addition, RWC estabished a sma revoving fund to faciitate deivery of machines at districts points. Cose inkages of scientists and farmers with the private manufacturers incuding pacement of machines in viages for farmer experimentation aowed rapid feedback and refinement of impements. Invovement of severa manufacturers ensured competitive prices, good quaity, easy access to dris by farmers aong with guarantee for repairs and servicing. Strong support from State and Loca government officias heped with dissemination.

79 CMYK Annexure 9 A case study on changing tiage and crop estabishment methods in IGP The rice-wheat system in the northwestern part of the Indo-Gangetic Pains is highy mechanized; the eastern system is argey abor-intensive. Expansion and intensification of the rice-wheat sys-tem in South Asia during the Green Revoution (GR) ed to increased production of critica cerea crops. However, further intensification of GR technoogies in recent years has resuted in ower margina returns and, at times, sainization, overexpoitation of groundwater, physica and chemica deterioration of the soi, and pest probems. This case study describes eary resuts of a sustainabe agricuture program that is showing higher yieds, ower water consumption, and other key benefits. Introduction In South Asia, Bangadesh, India, Nepa, and Pakistan have devoted neary haf of their tota and area of miion ha to feed and provide iveihoods for 1.8 biion peope. 1 Rice and wheat are the stape food crops and contribute more than 80% of the tota cerea production in these countries. This system is fundamenta to empoyment, income, and iveihoods for hundreds of miions of rura and urban poor of South Asia. 3 Suitabe therma regimes for rice and wheat cutivation, deveopment of short-duration nitrogenresponsive cutivars, expansion of irrigation, and the ever-increasing demand for food from rising Fig. 2. Zero-ti dri sowing wheat in the untied rice fieds. Inset: A cose-up of the seeder CMYK

80 CMYK Annexure 9 69 popuation were the driving force for increased production through area expansion and intensification of the rice-wheat system during the Green Revoution (GR) period starting in eary 1960s. In the ast few decades, high growth rates for food grain production (wheat 3.0%, rice 2.3%) in Rice-Wheat Consortium (RWC) countries have kept pace with popuation growth. Over the years the rice-wheat system in the northwestern part of the Indo-Gangetic Pains (IGP) has become argey mechanized, input-intensive, and dependent on the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater. In contrast, the rice-wheat system of the eastern IGP has remained argey abour-intensive and ess mechanized. Farmers use ow inputs because of socio-economic constraints and serious probems of drainage congestion aong with rainwater management. In a parts of the IGP farmers rey on tube-we irrigation. Evidence is now appearing that further intensification of input use since the adoption of GR technoogies has provided ower margina returns, 4 and the continued intensification of cropping has sometimes caused degradation of the resource base in the form of sainization, overexpoitation of groundwater, physica and chemica deterioration of the soi, and pest probems. 5 Consequenty, there is now great concern about the potentia for productivity growth in irrigated rice-wheat systems of the IGP and their sustainabiity over the ongterm. Thus, the major chaenge for South Asia countries is to continue to ook for technoogica innovations, socio-economic adjustments, and poicy reforms for sustained increases in productivity and production of the rice-wheat systems. Objectives Since the inception of the RWC, member countries have been invoved in a arge research program with the foowing objectives: Deveop technoogies for sustainabe intensification and diversification of the ricewheat system, incuding tiage and crop estabishment options for growing rice and wheat in sequence in a systems perspective Assist with capacity buiding of the nationa research organizations Disseminate promising technoogies for scaeup among different regions of the IGP Agro-ecoogica conditions The IGP is a reativey homogeneous ecoogica region. However, based on physiography, biocimate, and socia factors, the region can be subdivided into five broad transects. The trans-gangetic pains Fig. 3A. Zero-ti sown wheat after three weeks of seeding (This image shows the controed traffic enabing movement of farm equipment in the (fied) Fig. 3B. A heathy wheat crop after five weeks of sowing. Stubbes can be ceary seen aong side the crop CMYK