(TCP PROJECT EXAMPLE)

I. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

The severe impact of the 1991/92 drought demonstrated the vulnerability of XXX's current cropping patterns, in particular in the communal areas located in the more arid agro-ecological zones (II, IV and V). Some 74% of the communal land is semi-arid. Frequent drought and low asset holdings in these regions make farmers particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. In these areas, increased population and livestock pressures have resulted in continuous sub-division of communal area landholdings into smaller plots. The cultivation of marginal and environmentally fragile lands is a response to farmers' inability to practice shifting cultivation and land fallowing. Due to the above, land productivity is adversely effected by low soil nutrient reserves and organic content, high acidity and poor physical structure which impede efficient nutrient uptake and soil moisture retention capacity. In these areas, there is, therefore, a need to intensify crop production to meet demand for food using Integrated Plant Nutrition Systems (IPNS). IPNS involves the adjustment and maintenance of soil fertility and promote plant nutrient supply to sustain higher levels of crop productivity. Farmers will optimize the benefits from all possible sources of plant nutrients mobilized on farm and acquired off farm through adoption of appropriate nutrient management practices.

IPNS programmes elsewhere demonstrated that IPNS practices lead to suitable management of natural resources. In XXX, a range of integrated nutrient management practices has been developed by an African Centre for Fertilizer Development. These practices are particularly designed for the drought prone areas of XXX and commensurate with the limited farmers' resource endowment. The technology developed includes conservation tillage (that leaves at least 30 per cent of the previous crop residue on the surface after planting), planting of varieties that do not require tillage, nutrient recycling through crop rotation and inter-cropping of species of different root depths and vegetative contour planting to reduce nutrient losses. Most of the results and experience of research on IPNS have not yet been adopted by the majority of communal farmers. Many farmers are even not aware of basic agronomic techniques to increase yields through rational plant nutrient management.

This TCP project will start pilot activities to create a core training capacity on IPNS within the country (15 trained IPNS Teacher Farmers). The project will develop an IPNS training curriculum to strengthen the on-going IPM extension activities that are supported by FAO through TCP/XXX/…. "Implementation of Integrated Pest Management in Cotton-Based Cropping Systems". The Strategy to be developed for INPS and IPM will use a participatory approach which will be included in the training programme. The sustainable intensification of crop production should include adoption of short-term practices for the fertilization of crop rotations and longer-term interventions promoting the accumulation of plant nutrients on the farm and therefore improving soil fertility. The activities of the present TCP project aim at the impoverished and food insecure communal farmers, and in particular women farmers, of which some 20% are dependent on cotton-maize based cropping systems for their livelihood. This project will lay the foundation and provide the training process for the Special Programme for Food Security which is currently being formulated and the Soil Fertility Initiative recently initiated. The TCP project will use the Farmer Field Schools established for IPM training in the Communal Areas. Beneficiary farmers' skills will be upgraded to produce more with better agronomic practices. More efficient use of external plant nutrient inputs and a subsequent reduction in nutrient losses should be achieved in the short/medium term. The Government of XXX wishes that farmers use for IPNS practices those savings coming from more rational plant protection systems (e.g. IPM).

In addition to the benefits for the most destitute farmers, the project also fulfills obligations of the Government of XXX and FAO to support farmer-based nutrient management programmes as agreed under Agenda 21, and the Food Security Action Plan of the World Food Summit. These agreements call for enhanced farmers' participation in improving their agricultural systems through better management of inputs and establishment of various farmer fora. Aware of the importance of a broad use of IPNS techniques, the Government of XXX has therefore requested FAO/TCP assistance in this respect.

II. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSISTANCE AND EXPECTED RESULTS

Objectives

The objective of the project is to upgrade farmers' skills in IPNS in the cotton and maize-based cropping systems of the Communal Areas.

Outputs

• an IPNS curriculum developed suitable for maize/cotton farmers in XXX;
  
• Teacher Farmers (15) trained in IPNS techniques and able to establish and operate IPNS Farmer Field Schools in the Communal areas and to lead Training of Trainer courses.

III. WORK PLAN

The project will complement pilot IPM Farmers Field Schools already established with INPS training curricula. It will be implemented under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the ACFD, NGOs, the Government's Seeds Pack Programme, Cotton Company of XXX and related projects in the field (e.g. "Farm Level Applied Research Methods in East and Southern Africa", TCP/XXX/…. "Implementation of Integrated Pest Management in Cotton Based Cropping Systems").

• Recruitment of national consultant. The national consultant will develop the IPNS curriculum and implement the training programme.
  
• Curriculum development workshop to assemble the knowledge available on natural resources in cotton and maize based cropping systems.
  
• Season-long (approximately 180 days) residential Training of 15 selected Teacher Farmers. The training will cover planting to harvest production practices for cotton and maize-based cropping systems;
  - Soil preparation
  - Evaluation of on-farm available plant nutrient sources and their economic use
  - Livestock issues and fodder planting (including import / export of plant nutrients by livestock)
  - Organic recycling
  - Simple book keeping of plant nutrients flow per cropping system
  - Local language curriculum development
  
• Evaluation and report writing.

IV. CAPACITY BUILDING

This project will result directly in building the capacity in XXX to undertake a larger IPNS programme in communal areas based on the training of 15 XXX Teacher Farmers.

IV. INPUTS TO BE PROVIDED BY FAO

Personnel (TOR in Annex)

• One National Consultant on cotton/maize for Training of Teacher Farmers Curriculum Development and implementation of the training programme (10 p/m -WAE not extendible)
  
• Two technical backstopping missions of two weeks each.

Official Travel - up to US$5 000.

General Operating Expenses - Up to US$12 070 including tractor/project vehicle hiring when required

Materials and Supplies - Up to US$20 000

• Materials needed for field (US$10 000) and laboratory (US$10 000) work as agricultural tools, fertilizers and seeds, laboratory stationery (reagents, disposable material) documentation.

Equipment - up to US$5 000

• Personal computer, printer and modem, communication equipment, subscription to local E-mail provider.

Training (for details see Annex I) - up to US$58 500

• Travel and daily subsistence of 15 Teacher Farmers in the Curriculum Development Workshop at ACFD for two weeks (US$15 000).
  
• 15 Teacher Farmers' instructors fee in the season long (6 months) residential training of Teacher Farmers Course; and field costs for 2 ha. training field. (US$43 500).

Additional resources

Additional extra budgetary resources (not charged to this TCP project) will complement resources for the implementation of this project, as follows:

• FAO AGL will contribute with the outputs of the ACFD study on fertilizer use adoption and intensity of fertilizer use among small holders as well as technical staff time in the preparation of the project and its implementation.
  
• An Associate Professional Officer will be assigned to the project (subject to availability).

V. REPORTING

The national consultant in Curriculum Development for Training of Teacher Farmers in IPNS will prepare a report on the National Curriculum Development Workshop, synthesizing the available information on crop production systems in XXX. He/she will also produce the draft curriculum for the training of Teacher Farmers course and prepare a final report at the end of the course, highlighting the successes or otherwise of the course, the newly acquired capabilities of the trainees, the advantages of the IPNS programme over farmer practices. The national consultant, in collaboration with the ACFD, will prepare the draft terminal statement, which will be finalized at FAO HQ by AGLN for official submission to the Government.

VI. GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION AND SUPPORTING ARRANGEMENTS

The project would be under the responsibility of the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture.

ACFD would operate the project in collaboration with the Ministry. As ACFD receives grant aid from the Government of XXX for seed multiplication and physical development (annual core funding in 1998 for the ACFD is provided by the OAU - $200,000), the ACFD will also ensure project activities follow-up. During the life of the project, ACFD will contact representatives of the Government Seed Pack Programme, the Cotton Research Institute, Cotton Training Centre, University of XXX, FAO, and a representative of NGOs doing sound agricultural fieldwork. The ACFD, in collaboration with the relevant national authorities, will have overall responsibility for the timely implementation of the work plan. In particular the ACFD will act as an advisory body to XXX for all matters related to IPNS and fertilizer policy and their follow up.

The Government will select the farmers to be trained in accordance with criteria established at the beginning of the project by the project team. In general, the trainees will be literate farmers who have proven local reputation for innovative farming in the communal areas where rain-fed cotton and maize are major crops. They must not exceed age 35 years. The trainees will be nominated by the local agriculture administration. Trainees will agree to participate in the training of Teacher Farmers course for the full duration and will return afterwards to cotton/maize farming communal areas in order to carry out FFS in the vicinity of their farms. The gender composition of the trainees will be commensurate with the prevailing gender distribution of labor for local plant nutrient husbandry practices.

PROJECT BUDGET COVERING FAO INPUTS

(U.S. Dollars)

ANNEX I

TRAINING ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES FOR TRAINING

Curriculum development workshop (US$15 000)

To assemble the knowledge base for sustainable intensification of cotton and maize-based cropping systems.

• One national consultant will conduct the curriculum development workshop, April - May 1998
  
• 15 Teacher Farmers (Travel, 45 US$ each, + DSA for 14 days, at 65 US$/day, total 15 000 US$)
  
• Technical support from FAO Headquarters

Training of Teacher Farmers (US$43 500)

Residential training of 15 Teacher Farmers. The training will cover planting to harvest production and protection practices for cotton, maize, groundnuts and paprika. The training will be held at their own farms.

• One National Consultant will assist in the organization and conduction of training of Teacher Farmers plus technical support will be provided by the ACFD and FAO HQ staff.
  
• 15 participants (fee for 180 days, at 15 US$/day. Total cost for participants: US$40 500)
  
• Field costs: US$3 000

Open Field Days (OFD)

Field meetings organized to show/share field activities and results of IPNS training with invited guests (policy-makers, farmers organizations, staff of research institutes, NGOs, other projects, etc.). About 20 OFD will be organized during the project duration. Provisions for this purpose have been made within the framework of project TCP/XXX/… "Implementation of Integrated Pest Management in Cotton Based Cropping Systems ".

ANNEX II

TERMS OF REFERENCE

National IPNS Expert Curriculum Development and Training

The consultant will work in close collaboration with staff of the ACFD and AGL/FAO-HQ, and with Governmental staff in XXX, to:

• organize a two-week national curriculum development workshop;
  
• develop a strategy for IPNS for cotton and maize-based cropping systems in XXX and prepare a training programme/curriculum, in collaboration with workshop participants;
  
• finalize the training programme and curriculum with reference to the experience gained by IFFCO;
  
• implement the IPNS training programme for Teacher Farmers as scheduled by the IPM programme;
  
• prepare a report with findings, conclusions and recommendations on training of Teacher Farmers;
  
• collaborating with the AFCD in the preparation of the draft project terminal report.

Qualifications:

Degree in IPNS related field. Direct working experience in cotton and maize based Integrated Plant Nutrition Management development and implementation in Africa. Language: English.

Duration: 10 months (WAE)

Duty Station: Capital and Project Area

ANNEX III

TERMS OF REFERENCE

TECHNICAL BACKSTOPPING MISSIONS

The Technical Officer (AGL) will undertake two visits of two weeks each during both the workshop on curriculum development and the training of Teacher Farmers, to backstop project activities. The Officer will in particular:

1st visit ( ):

• participate and act as resource person/facilitator in the national curriculum development workshop and gives lectures and practical demonstrations on selected topics;
  
• assist in the planning and orientation sessions during the first week of the training of Teacher Farmers;

2nd visit (  ):

• participate in the training of Teacher Farmers and give lectures on selected topics;
  
• prepare the monitoring and evaluation exercises of the training activities.