systems research - the IDRC Digital Library - International ...
systems research - the IDRC Digital Library - International ...
systems research - the IDRC Digital Library - International ...
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IRlPACT OF FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH ON SELECTED FARMERS IN<br />
MIDHILLS OF NEPAL: A CASE STUDY OF PURlDI BHUMDI<br />
S. B. h.la<strong>the</strong>mal, K. D. ~oshi~, and J. KC'<br />
The Phumdi Bhumdi farming <strong>systems</strong> <strong>research</strong> site has been in<br />
operation for a number of years and has developed significant<br />
technologies for <strong>the</strong> farmers in <strong>the</strong> area. Extensive use of <strong>the</strong><br />
technology has been documented during <strong>the</strong> last 15 yr. The study to<br />
measure <strong>the</strong> impact of <strong>the</strong> farming <strong>systems</strong> program on <strong>the</strong><br />
productivity of different farm enterprises and farmers' income at <strong>the</strong><br />
site revealed that intervening farmers adopted recommendations both<br />
in <strong>the</strong> upland as well as <strong>the</strong> lowland areas and overall <strong>the</strong>re has been a<br />
positive impact, particularly in relation to nutrition aspects. The<br />
educational profile of <strong>the</strong> children at <strong>the</strong> site is also encouraging.<br />
To implement a <strong>systems</strong> approach, <strong>the</strong> Department of Agriculture (DOA) initiated<br />
a cropping <strong>systems</strong> program (CSP) in 1977 with support from <strong>the</strong> Integrated Cereals<br />
Project (ICP) funded by <strong>the</strong> United States Agency for <strong>International</strong> Development<br />
(USAID). The objective of <strong>the</strong> CSP was to evaluate station-generated technologies<br />
in terms of agronomic and socioeconomic performance and to develop<br />
modifications under specific production <strong>systems</strong> used by fdarmers in <strong>the</strong> hills and<br />
terai.<br />
To integrate different components of Nepalese farming <strong>systems</strong> into on-farm<br />
<strong>research</strong>, <strong>the</strong> Farming Systems Research and Development Division (FSRDD) was<br />
established in 1985 under <strong>the</strong> National Agricultural Research and Services Centre<br />
(NARSC). To give emphasis to hill agriculture, hill CSP sites (including Pumdi<br />
Bhumdi) were retained by <strong>the</strong> FSRDD and farming <strong>systems</strong> <strong>research</strong> (FSR) was<br />
carried out at <strong>the</strong>se sites. In 1990, <strong>the</strong> FSRDD was renamed <strong>the</strong> Central Farming<br />
Systems and Outreach Research Division (CFSORD) and given <strong>the</strong> mandate to<br />
coordinate station-managed outreach <strong>research</strong>.<br />
Little attention had previously been given to measuring <strong>the</strong> in~pact of<br />
<strong>research</strong> programs (including FSR) on agricultural development. This study<br />
attempted to determine <strong>the</strong> impact of FSR on selected hill farmers. The <strong>research</strong><br />
was conducted at <strong>the</strong> Pumdi Bhumdi FSR site by <strong>the</strong> Central Socio-Economic<br />
Research Division (CSERD) in collaboratiol~ with <strong>the</strong> CFSORD.<br />
'central Socio-Economic Research Division, Nepal.<br />
2~entral Farming Systems and Outreach Research Division, Nepal.