This presentation will show an alternative to ‘traditional’ investment projects for agricultural development of inland valleys. The methodology is low-cost, participatory and easy to replicate. Presented at the Africa Rice Congress 2013 in Yaounde, Cameroon

1. A low-cost participatory
development approach for rice
cultivation in inland valleys
Sander Zwart, Worou Soklou
Africa Rice Center (Cotonou)
Felix Gbaguidi
Cellule Bas-Fond (Porto Novo)
Assimiou Adou Rahim Alimi
Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique (Lomé)

2. A low-cost participatory
development approach for rice
cultivation in inland valleys
Sander Zwart, Worou Soklou
Africa Rice Center (Cotonou)
Felix Gbaguidi
Cellule Bas-Fond (Porto Novo)
Assimiou Adou Rahim Alimi
Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique (Lomé)

3. This presentation will show an alternative
to ‘traditional’ investment projects for
agricultural development of inland valleys

4. ‘Traditional’ investments project
develop:
- Concrete structures including
canals, weirs, divers, etc.
- Stone dams
Bottlenecks
- Short project period
- Slow process (tenders)
- Low quality of works
- No ownership = no maintenance

5. Requirements for sustainable implementation:
- Strong farmers organization
- Continued support (from extension agencies)
- Land tenure arrangements
- Access to credits and markets

6. AfricaRice development methodology
• Participatory
• Low-cost
• Easy to replicate
5 steps approach in which farmers are
participating

7. 1. Sensitization of farmers
2. Land clearing
3. Design of the system
4. System implementation
5. Rice cultivation

8. WUR – AfricaRice workshop
Cotonou, Benin, February 1, 2013

9. WUR – AfricaRice workshop
Cotonou, Benin, February 1, 2013

10. WUR – AfricaRice workshop
Cotonou, Benin, February 1, 2013

11. WUR – AfricaRice workshop
Cotonou, Benin, February 1, 2013

12. WUR – AfricaRice workshop
Cotonou, Benin, February 1, 2013

13. SMART-IV project:
Countries: Benin and Togo
Partners: ITRA (Togo), Cellule Bas-fonds (Benin)
Ecology: inland valley rice production
Time:
2009-2014
Donor:
Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) in Japan
Target:
Establish demonstration sites
Facilitate adoption
Assess impact
Development of agricultural practices

14. 2011 – development and demonstration sites
Kara
Parakou
Notsé
Glazoué
Ouinhi
Kpalimé

15. 2012 – development and demonstration sites
Kara
Parakou
Notsé
Glazoué
Ouinhi
Kpalimé

16. 2013 – development and demonstration sites
Kara
Parakou
Notsé
Glazoué
Ouinhi
Kpalimé

17. 2013 – development and demonstration sites
Kara
Parakou
Notsé
Glazoué
GRED
farmers
Kpalimé
Ouinhi
farmers

18. The way forward
1. Long-term support and capacity building to
farmers, extension staff and NGOs
2. Slow, step-by-step introduction of new
agricultural practices and tools to farmers
(participatory evaluation)
3. Strengthening farmer organization and linking
them to the rice value chain
(Multi-Stakeholder Platforms)

19. The way forward
1. Long-term support and capacity building to
farmers, extension staff and NGOs
• Training package and discussion video being
developed
• Trainings organized for field technicians, on the
approach, but also sustainable introduction of
field machinery (powertillers, mechanic
weeders)

20. The way forward
2. Slow, step-by-step introduction of new
agricultural practices and tools to farmers
(participatory evaluation)
• Extension officer and field technicians are being
trained in good agricultural practices
• Farmers in demonstration sites are exposed to
GAP
• Farmers in demonstration sites participate in
evaluation of mechanic weeders & powertillers

21. The way forward
Ring hoe
Dry soil (n=22)
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Wet soil (n=11)
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Straight-spike
weeder
Cono weeder
Twisted-spike
weeder
Curved-spikefloating weeder
16
4
1
1
0
5
7
6
3
1
0
1
0
2
19
0
7
4
9
2
1
3
11
7
0
2
8
0
1
0
0
0
5
4
2
9
1
1
0
0
0
0
4
1
6
0
2
1
5
3
Participatory evaluation of
mechanic weeders
(Tanaka, 2013)

22. The way forward
3. Strengthening farmer organization and linking
them to the rice value chain
Multi-Stakeholder Platforms to link producers to
input dealers, rice buyers/millers, banks, extension
services