ICRISAT IPM project 11: Ensuring the sustainability of an integrated crop management approach to chickpea production for poor farmers through up-scaling and far-reaching adoption in Nepal

Duration: 3 years (2003 –2006)

Purpose: Promotion of pro-poor strategies to reduce the impact of key pests and diseases, improve yield and reduce pesticide hazards in production systems.

Background/description: Chickpea is a highly versatile and valuable crop in Nepal, and is a potential source of income for poor farmers. An integrated crop management (ICM) strategy to increase productivity and reliability of production through participatory trials on small-holdings in Nepal has been validated earlier. This approach involved an improved cultivar “Avarodhi” (high yielding with some resistance to BGM) along with fungal (BGM) and insect (pod borer) control measures using low cost pesticides. In addition, Rhizobium treatment of seeds in deficient areas and management of fertilizer inputs and water was also employed. The present phase of the project is evaluating the lessons learned from the first phase of the project through meetings and a workshop. A policy document will be written that identifies strategies by which the outputs of the first phase can be adopted country-wide through government, non-government, community based, and private organizations. It aims to provide stewardship for country wide adoption of the recommendations for increasing chickpea production in Nepal.

Agroecozone(s) and location(s): Hillsides in Nepal.

Expected outputs: (a) Policy for improved management of chickpea in Nepal, (b) Capacity building to support and scale-up the adoption and implementation of integrated crop management strategies for chickpea production; (c) Private sector initiatives by raising awareness of improved technologies for chickpea production among small and medium enterprises, and community seed production networks, and increase the sustainability of improved chickpea production.

Potential impact and beneficiaries: The primary beneficiaries are small-scale farmers, who will benefit from a production environment with minimum pesticide use. Increased technical capacity within farming communities will allow proper harnessing and integration of IPM technologies. The project will result in lower production costs and less harmful production systems, while maintaining high quality of produce for consumers.

Partners: a) International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) b) Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC); c) Directorate of Agriculture, Nepal, d) Natural Resources Institute (NRI), UK e) Non-government organisations (NGOs) ; f) Farmers’ self-help groups.

Development investor(s): Department for International Development (DFID), UK.

ICRISAT contact person(s)/principal investigator(s): Suresh Pande; s.pande@cgiar.org