Objectives/Challenges:
Although rice was an established crop in the Northern Region, yields were low. There is substantial surface runoff during the rainy season, and bunds that capture this runoff can significantly increase yields of this predominantly cash crop, particularly if the practice is combined with increased fertiliser use. The central idea was therefore to alleviate farmer poverty by using bunds to make better use of high surface runoff.
Lessons Learned:
The lessons learned from this experience are typical of many rural development interventions. First, farmers have been quick to respond to market opportunities, and are ready to invest large amounts of hard labour in the construction of the bunds that make such a response possible. Secondly, water conservation in these conditions can make a major difference to rice yields. Thirdly, however, there are important environmental constraints. The two identified during this brief visit were declining soil fertility as rice is grown for several successive years on the same land, and the availability of fuel wood for the processing that adds so much value to the product. As is so often the case, the complexity and implications of land tenure were underestimated. This cost the project and the people substantial amounts of money and goodwill. Typically, too, the project initially underestimated the socio-economic and institutional challenges of building efficient and equitable producer co-operatives and linking them with the efficient operation of credit systems and agencies. The smooth delivery and repayment of seasonal credit to and by rice producers have not yet been fully achieved although FSRPOP is making good progress in that direction.
Policy Options:
The primary goal has been to increase farmer income by increasing rice yields. These increases are achieved by the construction of bunds that trap runoff and partially inundate rice fields.
Summary:
A donor-funded project constructed bunds on farmers’ fields to conserve water and increase their rice production. Since the end of the project, many farmers have built more bunds. Despite problems with credit, land rights and declining soil fertility, bund construction and water conservation are widely seen as profitable.
