5.1 Expectations from IIA
research
- Research and extension activities
- Ensure stronger research-extension linkages.
- Promote Integrated Pest Management and IIA Farmer Field Schools.
- Develop IIA extension packages.
- Increase demand-driven research.
- Improve dissemination of best farmers' technology (IIA) to less advanced
farmers.
- Increase the use of local resources to improve living conditions and
to lower risks.
- Systems research activities
- Increase the use of rapid diagnostic systems (e.g. DIARPA 2000).
- Increase cross-type R&D comparisons.
- Expand socio-economic studies to be undertaken before IIA implementation.
- Utilize needs assessment for IIA.
- Analyse interactions and define appropriate technologies.
- Focus research better on those aspects of IIA attributable to lower-than-expected
adoption by farmers.
- Maximize limited financial resources through more effective, efficient
and applicable research.
5.2 Expectations from IIA
development
- Extension and training activities
- Organize and finance training sessions for technicians and farmers.
- Develop best extension practices.
- Include extension services where IIA is concerned.
- Establish contact-farmer training to support farmer-to-farmer extension.
- Sensitize decision-makers and farmers.
- Use participatory approaches such as PRA.
- Elaborate adapted training programmes for extension staff and farmers.
- Form farmers' associations to act as service providers.
- Information/communication network activities
- Improve communications/information.
- Develop communication channels.
- Foster more active information exchanges on IIA.
- Establish a strong network secretariat with sufficient financial resources.
- Create an information and training network on IIA.
- Design and produce a regional bulletin to enhance the diffusion of
information.
- National and regional coordination network activities
- Organize coordination of IIA activities at national level.
- Facilitate collaboration between institutions interested in IIA.
- Improve coordination of activities at national and regional levels.
- Technical development activities
- Identify or create reliable sources of good quality seed fish for farmers.
- Develop aquaculture in irrigation drains.
- Develop suitable irrigation systems which small-scale farmers can adopt
for both irrigated crops and fish farming without heavy investments.
- Develop optimal sustainable IIA options geared towards uplifting the
stakeholders' standard of living affordably.
- Ensure that IIA provides a sustainable basis for improved food security
and income generation.
- Research activities
- Develop a salt-resistant rice variety for brackish water aquaculture
in irrigation systems.
- Define fish species, which can breed or grow well in IIA farming systems.
- Improve water management in rice-fish culture.
- Develop IIA technologies for other crops beside rice.
- Invest capital in IIA.
