Transcript Document 7299077

Improving Agricultural Support
Services for Farmers in Traditional
Rainfed Farming Areas
PRESENTED TO THE MDTF OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
MONDAY AUG 28TH, 2006
Characteristics of Traditional
Rainfed Farming
The traditional rainfed farming system
includes nomadic pastoralists, agropastoralist and small-scale sedentary
farmers who also keep a significant
number of livestock.
Farms are characterized by entirely rainfed
production, largely subsistence, and the
use of family labour and hand tools
No modern equipment and inputs such as
fertilizers or improved seeds are used#.
Performance of Traditional
Rainfed Farming.
The average productivity of
traditional farming systems has
declined steadily over the past
twenty years.
The capacity of farmers and
pastoralists to produce food in an
efficient and sustainable manner is
severely limited by technological
constraints among which the most
significant are the small size of farms
(typically less than 15 feddans)…..
Certified seeds are scarce and
expensive.
marketing systems are inaccessible.
Limited access to credit.
Climatic changes have resulted in a
degraded natural resource base.
No opportunities for earning
sustained off-farm income except
mechanized farming areas or to
cities#.
Research and Extension
The Agricultural Research
Corporation (ARC) responsible for
crops, forestry, and pastures, is
under the Ministry of Sciences and
Technology.
Aside from funding and institutional
constraints, the research work
conducted by ARC is not focused on
small-scale farmers…
In 2001, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests
recognized that extension is a critical factor in
improving agricultural production and food
security.
Extension department was upgraded into a
Technology Transfer and Extension administration
(TTE).
The main objective was bridging the gap between
research and farmers.
15 TTE administrations have been established at
state level, with extension staff based in
localities.
Though State TTEs are part of the State
Ministries of Agriculture, Animal Resources and
Irrigation, they work under the technical
supervision of the TTE administration in
Khartoum#.
Generating Income and
Reducing Poverty
In order to increase incomes, reduce
poverty and improve rural welfare the
traditional rain-fed farming areas must
develop substantially.
It will be necessary to introduce and
disseminate improved production
technologies such as improved varieties,
improved cultivation practices (integrated
crop rotations), animal husbandry
practices, agro-processing and storage
technology…
Such activities should be supported
by a program of agricultural research
aimed at developing technologies
useful to small-scale farmers.
Establishing financial services for
small-scale farmers is another key
element of the solution to low-levels
productivity#.
Project Objective
To achieve rapid and sustainable
improvements in incomes,
employment, poverty reduction and
food security in traditional rainfed
farming areas in North Sudan which
have been subject to economic and
social disruption because of the civil
war and degraded natural
resources#.
The focus of assistance in the
proposed intervention is to support
the use of improved technologies in
agricultural production, animal
husbandry, and agro-processing by
rural communities through access to
enhanced support services by public,
private and community service
providers.
The project would support vulnerable
small-scale farmers in areas of previous
conflict such as Blue Nile, South Kordofan,
North Kordofan, White Nile, Blue Nile,
Kassala and Red Sea States which are still
prone to conflict and also vulnerable to
drought.
Blue Nile and South Kordofan will be given
priority and their particular status recognized in the CPA through specific
protocols - will be integrated when
defining final project implementation
modalities.
Implementation of the programme’s
components would rest at State level
while the central level would have a
coordination role#.
Project methodology
The transfer of improved technology
through extension services will be the
object of interventions.
GNU MAF Technology Transfer and
Extension administration has identified
successful approaches applied recently in
Sudan which have inspired the design of
this project:
– Sennar technology transfer pilot project,
– Abdel Hakem (Gezira Scheme) pilot project,
– Special food security programme in North
Kordofan.
Many lessons have been learnt during the
implementation of these interventions:
Localities, communities and
individuals have to prove
their willingness to receive
support.
Selection should be on
competitive basis.
Community or farmer
organizations need to be
trained and empowered.
loans need to be delivered
through community
organizations
Provision of inputs should
be done through the
private sector#.
Project Components
The project would be implemented through
the following activities:
I.
Building capacities of farmers,
communities and public and private
sector service providers
II. Accelerated access of technology to
small-scale farmers
III. Longer-term transfer and adoption of
improved production and technologies
IV. Rural Finance Funds#.
I.
Building capacities of farmers,
communities and public and private
sector service providers
A.Formation of farmer groups;
B.Identification of Community Extension Workers
(CEWs)
C.Training of extension network
D.Identification of rural Community Based
Organizations (CBOs) at village / locality level
E. Ensuring gender awareness;
F. Formation of State Fund Committees; and
G.Training of CBOs and State Fund Committees in
project preparation, evaluation, administration
and management, marketing and credit
management.
II.
Accelerated access of technology
to small-scale farmers
A. Establishment of trial plots for onfarm demonstrations by Community
Extension Workers;
B. Based on surveys of needs and
farmer participation, relevant,
known, and proven technologies
rapidly disseminated.
C. Provision of inputs by the private
suppliers.
III.
Longer-term transfer and
adoption of improved
production and technologies
A.Support to Research,
B.Organization of on-farm research
and transfer of improved production
technologies using farmer groups
supported by public and private
providers of support services; and
C.Training in improved on-farm agroprocessing and storage techniques
through community-based
organizations (CBOs).
IV. Rural Finance Funds
A. Rural Finance Funds would be established
and administered by autonomous State
Fund Committees;
B. Inputs and services required by farmer
groups are paid by State Fund Committees,
delivered by the private sector, and repaid
in cash or in kind by farmer groups;
C. Trained individuals or groups of individuals
can access loans based on plans/proposals
approved by CBOs, the latter would also
monitor repayment and collect instalments.
Project Costs
The total project cost envisaged is US$ 30
million.
Expenditure items can be summarised as
follows:
– GoNU (66%)
MDTF(33%)
Capacity building
Technology transfer
Rural Innovation Funds
Contingencies
Grand total
4
15
10
1
30
Project Institutional
Arrangements
Implementation: State Ministries of Agriculture,
Animal Resources and Irrigation (SMAARI), and
the Technology Transfer and Extension
administration of the GNU Ministry of Agriculture
and Forests.
It is expected that while selected State would be
directly responsible for implementation, TTE
would have a coordinating role.
The Project Steering Committee would be chaired
by the Under-Secretary of MAF
The State MAARIs would implement this project
through autonomous Project Implementation
Units (PIUs)
State Steering Committees (SSC) would be
established at the state level to guide PIUs in
their planning and monitoring work#.
Potential Risks and Issues
The success of improved technology
transfer activities depends on the
relevance the transfer methodology and
structure defined.
Transfer methodology developed under
this project will have to take into
consideration the particularities of
targeted communities and integrate
lessons learnt from other interventions.
There is limited capacity and limited
experience at the state and central levels.
Technical assistance is needed to
implement these interventions.
Preparation Of The Full Project
Proposal
MAF GNU Technology Transfer and
Extension administration has requested
technical assistance from the MDTF
Technical Assistance Facility (TAF).
This technical assistance would help the
TTE and States develop the necessary
capacity to prepare the full project
proposal.
The request for assistance was approved
by the TAF Steering Committee
Work on preparation of TOR and tender
arrangement had almost finished.
THANK YOU
Key Development Issues and
Rationale for MDTF Involvement
Two thirds of the population in Northern
Sudan lives in rural areas.
More than 80 % of the rural population
depends on rainfed traditional farming for
their livelihoods, a system prevalent in
Western, Central and Eastern Sudan.
The estimated levels of rural poverty
(predominantly in the traditional rainfed
farming areas) in North Sudan are in the
range of 65 to 90 %#.