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more for intervened farmers and 4.6% more for control farmers. The yield was 54%
more than the yield of maize in the lowland areas in 1984. The yield potential of
improved maize varieties under well-managed conditions exceeds 5 t/ha . Given this
potential, the average yield of improved maize varieties obtained by the control
farmers (4.8 t/ha) was acceptable. In the case of wheat, there was no difference. In
mustard, the difference in productivity was very small. A comparison between the
two groups was not possible for the other crops because each group was growing
either the recommended varieties or local varieties.
In the upland area, improved varieties performed better than local varieties.
The average yield of the local variety of maize was higher than that of the
recommended variety. The yield difference between the two varieties of mustard
was not substantial.
The differences in productivity were not reflected in the overall productivity
of intervened farms compared with control farms. The reasons for this lack of
difference appeared to be the partial adoption of improved practices by control
farmers and the natural variation between the farms in each category.
Adoption of crop varieties
Both intervened and control farmers adopted improved crop varieties (Table 8).
Intervened farmers adopted three different improved rice varieties (Khumal-3,
Khumal-4, and Khumal-2); whereas, control farmers adopted two improved
varieties of rice (Khumal-3 and Khumal-2). Intervened farmers cultivated Khumal-2
on a 0.38 ha land, Khumal-3 on a 0.13 ha, and Khumal4 on 0.20 ha. The control
farmers planted Khumal-2 on 0170 ha and Khumal-3 on 0.40 ha.
The dominant improved maize varieties the farmers used were Khumal
Panhelo, Manakamana-1, and Arun-2. Intervened farmers planted Khumal Panhelo
on a 0.25 ha land, Manakamana-1 on 0.30 ha, and Arun-2 on 0.10 11a. The control
farmers planted Khumal Panhelo on 0.23 ha, Manakamana-l on 0.13 ha, Arun-2 on
0.03 ha, and Ganesh-2 on 0.03 ha. In the case of wheat, both intervened and control
farmers adopted only RR 21, which was cultivated on 0.7 ha and 0.4 ha, respectively.
Two varieties of improved mustard, Thulo Tori and Chitwan local, were each
planted on 0.13 ha by intervened farmers; whereas, only Chitwan local was planted
by the control farmers on 0.03 ha. The intervened farmers obtained seeds of
different crop varieties from the Pumdi Bhumdi FSR site while the control farmers
obtained improved seed varieties from their neighbors (intervened farmers), friends,
and relatives.
Despite the better performance of improved varieties under well-managed
conditions, the farmers in Pumdi Bhumdi did not extend their areas under improved
varieties for two main reasons: the higher risk of crop loss because of hailstorms
(improved varieties require more inputs, therefore losses would be higher); and