Rwanda - Integrated Management of Critical Ecosystems Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 2 of 2) : Integrated production and pest management farmers field schools component

Rwanda: Rural Sector Support Project (RSSP) E804 Volume 2 The Integrated Production and Pest Ma-nagement Farmers Field Schools(IPPM/FFS)Component of the Rural Sector Support Project. Prepared by Anthony Youdeowei and Athanase Kayijamahe August 2000  Contents 1 Background 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Terms of Reference * Overall objectives of the IPPM/FFS component mission * Issues to be addressed by implementation of the proposed IPPM/FFS component 1.3 Methodology 2 Project strategy 2.1 The Integrated Production and Pest Management Farmers Field Schools, IPPM/FFS, approach 2.2 Integration with national extension service 2.3 Linkages with other components of the RSSP 2.3.1 Agronomic issues-promoting ecologically sound agricultural production 2.3.2 Economic issues- cost-benefit of various farming systems in marshlands 2.3.3 Environmental issues- safe use of production inputs 2.3.4 Social issues- group interactions promoting community development 3 Institutional framework for the IPPM/FFS component 3.1 Policy Framework 3.2 MINAGRI, Capacities, weaknesses, strengths of existing national extension delivery 4 Project beneficiaries * Small-holder farming families * Rural and urban communities * Agricultural research system * National Government 5 Imptementation strategy 6 Description of Main Project activities 6.1 Components of project activities 2  * Study tours * National workshops * Curriculum development and training planning workshops * Training of Trainers * Farmers Field Schools * Farmer to Farmer training and exit strategy 6.2 Phasing plan 6.3 Provisional funding requirements 7 Implementation coordination arrangements * Appointment of a National IPPM/FFS coordinator * National IPPM/FFS Oversight Committee- policy and general guidance, coordination at national level with RSSP project * IPPM/FFS Coordinating Committee at each Prefecture - coordination at prefecture level * IPPM/FFS action committee at Communes- planning, implementation and evaluation of FFS activities; follow up of FFS activities 8 Follow up Actions 9 Annex 1 Notes on Technical Field Visits by the RSSP-IPPM Team 1 Background 1 .1 Introduction 3  The Rwanda Rural Sector Support Project(RSSP) Concept Document deveLoped after the national project identification workshop which took place in Kigali from 21 to 23 February 2000 outlined program overviews for phase I of the RSSP project. The initial phase of the project will concentrate on strengthening the technical and institutional capacities of primary target groups and institutions that wiLL actively participate in the implementation of program activities especially at the field level. Two major objectives identified for the Support to Agricultural Services Delivery Systems are: (a) to substantially strengthen the capacity of the national agricultural research and extension systems to develop and effectively disseminate agricultural technologies to farming communities and (b) to empower farmer groups and associations as well as to reinforce the skills of SLOs to strengthen their abilities and competences to participate in the delivery of agricultural technology messages and agricultural extension services. Incorporation of Integrated Production and Pest Management Farmers Field Schools approach into the RSSP program activities offers considerable opportunities for establishing effective collaboration with and reinforcing the efficiency of delivery patterns of the extension service that will facititate the achievement of these objectives. An IPPM/FFS team was therefore included in the RSSP World Bank/FAO Pre-appraisal mission to formulate an Integrated Production and Pest Management Farmers Field Schools component for implementation of the RSSP project. The team comprised Anthony Youdeowei, Consultant Senior IPM Specialist, FAQ/Global IPM Facility and Athanase Kayijamahe, Agriculture Team Leader CRS Rwanda and national counterpart This report describes the recommended framework and details of the IPPM/FFS component for the RSSP. 1.2 Terms of Reference Overall objective of the IPPM/FFS component of the mission to identify the Farmers Field Schools application areas as an agricultural extension training methodology and decision making tool for farmers. Using data collected and taking into account actuat human resources in both the private and public sectors define a detailed and costed IPPM Farmers Field Schools program Issues to be addressed through implementation of the proposed IPPM/IFFS component of the RSSP project In order to achieve the objective of the TOR, implementation of the recommended IPPM Farmers Field Schools program will address the following issues: 4  1 National policies to promote the adoption of IPPM/FFS training methodology in agricultural extension delivery 2 Institutional framework for the operation of an IPPM/FFS program; concept/structure of national agricultural extension service; farming communities and farmer organizations. 3 Periodic review of current practices, strengths and weaknesses of the IPPM extension services as well as the opportunities and implications of IPPM/FFS approach for the RSSP Project 4 Development of an efficient mechanism for identification and characterization of the target beneficiaries of the IPPM/FFS approach to extension delivery and establishment of criteria and selection of pilot training sites as well as community IPPM/FFS training locations. 5 Regular review of the technical capacities of the potential program partners to undertake participatory extension delivery functions with particular focus on the IPPM/FFS approach; such partners will include FASDOs (Farmer Agricultural Services Delivery Organizations)and PASDOs(Private Agricultural Services Delivery Organizations) 6 Identification of the current skill gaps in the institutional capacities of potential project partners to deliver extension services; propose activities and the support required to overcome this performance constraint 7 Identification of existing constraints to efficient conduct of IPPM/FFS training and the support of agricultural research to IPPM/FFS delivery. 8 Development and application of a Rapid Impact Program(RIP) and how available production and processing technologies can be successfully incorporated into the proposed IPPM/FFS program. 9 Design a model for beneficiaries participation in IPPM/FFS activities 10 Identification of specific and relevant cross-cutting issues that will achieve complementarity with the proposed IPPM/FFS program; incorporating critical issues, for example, involving environmental conservation, soil fertility, crop/livestock combination, rice/fish/vegetables, rural community development; public health topics, HIV/AIDS awareness and impact on agricultural production. 1.3 Methodology The assignment was undertaken in close consultation with other members of the World Bank/FAO pre-appraisal mission to Rwanda. It involved extensive meetings and consultations with officials of the World Bank and FAO as well as with relevant officials in the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Resources and Forestry, NGOs and national research institutions. Tecihnical field visits were made to selected marshlands including discussions with relevant administrators 5  and farmers in various Prefectures and Communes. The team participated in alt the regular review meetings of the pre-appraisal mission supplemented with one-to-one consultations with individual members of the mission. Our observations and comments on the field visits are given in Annex 1. 2 Project Strategy The strategy recommended to be adopted for this component consists of the Farmers Field Schools approach, fully integrated with the national agricultural extension service and appropriate linkages with other relevant components of the RSSP program. Some details of this project strategy are summarized below. 2.1 The Integrated Production and Pest Management Farmers Field Schools, IPPM/FFS, approach Farmers Field Schools ,as an extension training methodology, was developed by FAO in south and south-east Asia to provide an environment where farmers are empowered, through field-based participatory education and training and access to skilled and knowledgeable specialists, with the capacity to make well informed crop management decisions, reflecting their own particular resource endowment in their fields. Through this training, farmers are able to make detailed observations on crop performance, adapt technologies to their specific needs and choose the best option of doing things from amongst a variety of av,ailable alternatives. The Farmers Field School is a "school without walls", organized in actual field plots where groups of farmers meet regularly to learn and discuss crop production and related issues. The FFS offers farmers opportunities to learn by hands-on doing, by being involved in simple experimentation and innovation, discussion and collective decision making about appropriate interventions. FFS provide farmers with the tools that enable them to analyze their own production practices, identify the variety of production constraints, as well as possible location and situation specific solutions to problems. Activities in the FFS are supervised by trained agricultural extension agents who play only a facilitation role white researches provide technical inputs. Through this system, a strong farmer/extension agent/researcher partnership is developed to support and promote cost-effective, environmentatly sound and sustainable agricultural production. FFS is an activity that is fully controlled by farmer groups to build cohesion, confidence, co-operation and effectiveness of community groups. The groups analyze complex problems such as integrated production and pest management in their fields, rice/fish/vegetable production, crop/livestock production systems, soil fertility/water management and organic farming, according to their preferred farming practices. Related subjects such as nutrition, family health, inctuding HIV/AIDS awareness and gender issues are also discussed by the groups. The IPPM/FFS approach takes into consideration various levels of 6   decision making that occur in farm viltages and these are correlated with various types of capital development used in the framework of the sustainable rural livelihoods approach. In 1995, FAO through the Global IPM Facility, successfully introduced Farmers Field Schools into sub-Saharan Africa where there are now on-going IPPM/FFS programs in several countries including Ghana, Cote d'lvoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda,Tanzania-mainland and Tanzania- Zanzibar. New IPPM/FFS projects are underway in Cameroon, Senegal and Nigeria. Wherever farmers have adopted the IPPM approach, they have consistently obtained significantly higher crop yields than farmers who maintain their standard practices. In Ghana for example, beneficiaries of the IPPM/FFS training increased crop yields by over 50 per cent, raised farm incomes by 30 per cent while reducing pesticide use by nearly 90 per cent. Compared to a reference group of farmers who had not been trained and continued to adopt conventional farmer practices, trained farmers realized average net returns of 138 per cent higher than untrained farmers. It is anticipated that similar results can be obtained by small-holder farmers adopting IPPM practices for agricultural production in Rwanda This project will establish collaboration and linkages with and thereby benefit from IPPM/FFS programs in other countries in east and southern Africa. 2.2 Integration with national extension system The facilitators involved in FFS are national agricultural extension agents who work directly with farming communities. The project wilt conduct FFS activities in the context of the current decentralized extension system. In collaboration with the national extension service at prefecture and commune levels, the project will identify field extension agents for training as IPPM/FFS Trainers/Facilitators, decide on locations for conducting pilot Training of Trainers courses and farmers field schools as well as the farming communities that will be participate in FFS activities. Field extension agents from NGOs and other related partners will also be identified for training as IPPM/FFS Trainers/ Facilitators. 2.3 Linkages with other components of RSSP. The third component of the project strategy is the establishment of linkages with other components of RSSP. Specific issues in other RSSP components that have bearing on integrated production and pest management will be identified so that these issues will be appropriately addressed through programming of activities. Four major areas are identified as follows: 7  Agronomic issues - these relate to activities that promote ecologicaltly sound agricultural production; for example, selection of crops for appropriate ecologies, soil fertility management including the use of organic manure, composting, crop mixtures and crop rotations, and water management practices. Economic issues: these include profitability analysis of agricultural production systems in marshlands and cost-benefit of adopting IPPM practices in different cropping systems by small-holder farmers. Environmental issues: increase in the use of agricultural inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers for crop and animal production in marshlands have a major negative impact on the quality of the environment. For example, pesticides applied for protecting crops against pests and diseases tend to accumulate in and pollute the water and the soil in marshlands. Furthermore, pesticides eliminate natural enemies of crop pests and thereby upset the natural ecological balance and biodiversity of the farming environment. In collaboration with the Environmental component of RSSP, activities will be designed to minimize the negative effects of agricultural inputs in the environment. Social issues: Farmers form groups and associations that will be the basis of organizing Farmers Field Schools. The social component of RSSP will analyze how interactions within the farmer groups promote individual and overall community development and the direct social benefits that are derived by farmers participating in field schools. These benefits may include the use of farmer groups for addressing overall community development, gender contributions to farming and community development and the how improved financial status realized by farmers through adopting the IPPM/FFS approach influence household socio-economic security and the quality of rural livelihoods. 3 Institutional Framework for the IPPWFFS project component 3.1 Policy Framework Given the size and complexity of the Rural Sector Support Project, and drawing from experiences in other African countries where integrated production and pest management programs are being successfully implemented, it is vitally important to address certain crucial policy issues that will provide the political framework for implementation of IPPM/FFS activities. Three major policy issues are recognized as follows: National IPPM/FFS Policy: Planning and implementation of IPPM/FFS activities involves a multidisciplinary approach with contributions from the Ministry of Agriculture extension service, agricultural research, NGOs and other community development agencies, and adult non-formal education. Therefore successful incorporation of IPPM/FFS activities into all agricultural development programs can be facilitated by a national policy of the adoption 8  of the IPPM/FFS approach as an extension training methodotogy in agricultural production. Integrated production and pest management farmers field schools becomes an extension option that is adopted where it is relevant and applicable. National Pesticides Policy: Increased agriculturat input use, particularly pesticides, are commonly associated with major concerns and risks for human health and environmental contamination. For example, an environmental assessment of the main sources of potential negative effects of increased pesticide use in the on-going Rwanda Agricultural and Rural Market Development project,ARMD, revealed that the major concerns are farmer intoxication, sustainability as profitability of pesticide use and environmental contamination. Efficient management of pesticide in the country therefore becomes important for minimizing risks and protecting the environment and community. Pesticide management is best organized within the framework of a national pesticides policy that will provide the framework for the national pesticides law, including a pesticides registration and control scheme. Adopting such a policy will conform with the international integrated chemicals management program established by the UNCED conference in Rio. The "Polluter Pays" Policy: Closely associated with the national pesticides policy is the "Polluter Pays " policy which will enable government to have access to funds, thorough special taxes on pesticide imports, to support the colts of pesticides registration, control and monitoring. The project will assist the Rwanda government, through relevant international agencies such as the FAO, to formulate these policies, including the mechanisms for their implementation. 3.2 MINAGRI: The National Agricultural Extension Service. Capacities, constraints, weaknesses and strengths within the national extension services of MINAGRI for extension delivery The Extension Service at MINAGRI is currently undergoing major re-organization to transform its extension delivery system from the traditional top-down approach to a farmer-oriented, field-based and participatory approach involving decision- making by farmers and rural communities. However, the evidence is that the national extension service as it is currently established, particularly the acute shortage of trained and experienced staff,  offers a very weak institutional framework for the proposed IPPM/FFS component of the RSSP. The major constraints relevant to the IPPM/FFS approach are identified in the existing agricultural extension service include the following: DrasticalLy reduced number of staff in the service from over 2000 in 1973 to 700 in 2000. Certain categories of field staff have been eliminated while only about 3 extension staff are retained at the commune level to provide extension services to up to 5000 farming families and even sometimes 10,000 households. For example, in the Ruhengeri Prefecture, there are 32 field technicians to provide extension services to 168,000 farming families. This small size of the extension agents cadre poses a serious challenge to MINAGRI on how best to utilize this condensed service. The project will contribute to meeting this challenge by strengthening the knowledge, skills and technical capacity of field extension agents to deliver quality extension services. Furthermore, to minimize the negative effects of this small size, this component of the RSSP project will include extension staff from project partners, namely NGOs, in IPPM/FFS Training of Trainers courses in order to increase the critical mass of IPPM/FFS Trainers/Facilitators that will be required to effectively conduct IPPM training of farmers in FFS. An earlier assessment of the skills, knowledge and capacities of FASDOs and PASDOs ,including NGOs, to deliver IPM extension services revealed major deficiencies that will be corrected by their participation in IPPM/FFS Training of Trainers courses. * There is very timited interaction and poor linkages between research and extension and therefore the extension service does not seem to benefit directty and sufficiently from the results of research. Agricultural research that is targeted to local agricultural production problems are vitally important for enriching the technical inputs into IPPM training in FFS. Current efforts at mass teaching of farmers (about 400 at a time) and extension staff clearly have very limited impact because of obvious inefficiencies in handling such large numbers in training sessions. The IPPM/FFS activities in this project wiLL establish strong farmer/extension agent/researcher partnerships in the field in order to promote better and sustainable research/extension linkages. * Lack of farmer participation in planning of field extension activities and ownership of extension. Farmer participation in problem identification and decision making on intervention methods form the basic concept of the IPPM/FFS approach to environmentally sound sustainable agricultural production. This project will exploit the principle of decentralization and beneficiary participation adopted in the national extension service by transferring responsibility for actuat planning and implementation of 10  IPPM/FFS field activities to farmer groups and associations at the commune level. * Inadequate funding of extension services is a chronic constraint that continues to hamper the field operations of the service. Through the project, funds wilL become available to communes to plan and implement IPPM training in FFS. Furthermore beneficiaries will be facilitated to mobilize funds from local sources to co-finance extension activities. * Field technicians lack of sufficient knowledge and skills about IPM and non-chemical methods of crop pest and disease management and therefore rety only on chemical pesticides for crop pest and disease control. Pest and disease control advise to farmers therefore tends to be confined to the use of chemical pesticides. Training in IPPM in FFS approach will expose field extension agents to a holistic and ecologically-based farmer-oriented pest management and to farmer empowerment for rurat community development. The Rwanda national extension strategy currently under serious consideration conforms with the new international concepts of the general framework for agricultural extension. The strategy drastically departs from the top-down approach to decentralization, promotion of commercialization of agriculturat production, greater involvement of farmer associations and groups, promotion of farmer to farmer extension and a participatory mode of consultation and beneficiary ownership and privatization of extension services. The proposed IPPM/FFS project has been designed on the basis of this approach and will build on the potential strength of this system in the implementation of field IPPM activities. 4 Beneficiaries * Small-holder farming families The primary beneficiaries of this project are the small-holder and medium scale farming families who cultivate the marshlands and constitute the most vulnerable members of the rural population. Through training them on integrated production and pest management practices, they will be able to increase agriculturat production, farm incomes and achieve household balance of food requirements , education and health for the family and community. Participation in Farmers Field Schools will provide these farmers with opportunities for self realization, to establish ownership of community development programs and thus significantly contribute to and make a positive impact on sustainable rural livelihoods. * Rural and urban communities The second group of beneficiaries will be the rural farm families who will develop the capacity to better manage their resources, achieve improved tocal governance through a decentralized , skilled extension service .Rural  communities as welt as urban populations will also have access to more food produced under ecologically safe conditions. * Agricultural research system National agricultural researchers will benefit from the closer farmer/extension/researcher partnership and develop and fine tune their research towards a field-based farmer participatory research approach that will be targeted to the real agricultural production problems of the marshlands. * National Government Finally, the third beneficiary will be the Government of Rwanda through increased agricultural production and an enhanced rural household economy that will lead to improvements in the standard of life of the rural population as well as reduction in poverty. 5 Implementation strategy Two phases are envisaged in the recommended project implementation strategy as follows: An initial pilot short-term phase, lasting one cropping season, to provide field practical exposure to the concepts and methodology of integrated production and pest management and farmers field schools and to rapidly build local IPPM/FFS training capacities that will become the foundation for a second and more extensive main implementation phase. The initial pilot phase will be restricted to a season-long IPPM training of trainers course, incorporating farmers field schools, in irrigated rice production at one site, preferably at Cyili. The main phase will follow immediately the initial phase is completed and evaluated. For effective administration, supervision and monitoring, the project will establish project implementation structures by appointing a National IPPM/FFS Project Coordinator, a National IPPM/FFS Oversight Committee, prefecture IPPM/FFS Coordinating Committees as well as Commune IPPM/FFS Action Committees. Study tours to African countries with on-going and successful IPPM/FFS programs will be organized for key policy makers, technical leaders from MINAGRI, ISAR, NGOs, the Prefectures and selected communes. On their return from the study tours, a national IPPM Policy workshop will be organized to share experiences gained during the study tour and to formulate and adopt a national IPPM policy for agricultural development in the country. After the national workshop, IPPM/FFS training of trainers courses will be planned and organized for national and NGOs field extension agents selected from various communes. Graduates from the TOT courses will later conduct IPPM Training for farmers in Farmers Field Schools in their communes. As many more farmers are trained, the project will move towards farmer to farmer training in Farmers Field Schools. From the third year, an Exit Strategy will be initiated involving the facilitation of farmer groups and associations to mobilize funds from local sources to 12  implement FFS activities and thereby achieve sustainability of farmers field schools as a normal training methodology for environmentally sound and economically beneficial agricultural production. 6 Description of Main Project Activities 6.1 Components of project activities Project activities will consist of the following aspects: Study Tours : Study tours to on-going IPPM/FFS programs in other east and southern African countries(e.g. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar) will be organized for policy makers, technical leaders, researchers and farmer groups to expose them to the organization and government support for national IPPM/FFS programs and the benefits that small-holder farmers derive from adopting IPPM practices in agricultural production. Such study tours will also provide opportunities for establishing linkages and sub-regional collaboration in farmers field schools programs. Indicative costs of study tours estimated at USS 10,000. National workshops: A series of national workshops will be organized to facilitate national coordination efforts in the implementation of IPPM/FFS activities. One national IPPM/FFS policy workshop will formulate a national policy to adopt IPPM/FFS as an extension training methodology in the national extension service. At the end of year 3, a national workshop will be organized to review and evaluate the results of IPPM/FFS activities in the communes, compare and document the achievements of adopting IPPM practices and plan for future orientation of FFS programs. At least 35 persons are proposed to participate at each workshop is estimated at USS 2,500 per workshop. Curriculum development and training planning workshop: Before initiating training of trainers and farmers field schools activities, a curriculum development and training planning workshop will be organized to design the training content and patterns of field training , programming details of research inputs and to prepare the training budgets. This workshop will last, about 2 weeks and will involve the national IPPM Project coordinator and DRSA directors, NGO field staff and ISAR scientists and experienced IPPM Master Trainers from Kenya, Tanzania or Uganda and a workshop facilitator from FAO/Global iPM Facility. Costs of the first planning workshop is estimated at USS 12,000. Training of Trainers(TOT) : During the pilot phase,1 season-long residential training of trainers courses will be organized to build national capacities within the national extension service and in the NGOs on the organization of IPPM training of farmers in FFS. The TOT activity will involve 30 field extension agents selected from communes in at least 3 prefectures where pilot FFS will be conducted. The duration of training will correspond with the cropping cycle 13  of the target training crop, irrigated rice at Cyili. Through season-long training, the extension agents will gain first hand practical experience in working with an example of a crop grown by farmers and thereby develop a fuller understanding not only of the field problems encountered by farmers at the different growth stages of the crop but also the economics of the crop production system. Training will consist of baseline studies of FFS sites and the farming environment, technical aspects of crop growth and production, adutt non-formal education exercises on group interaction and dynamics, and interaction with farmers through the conduct of 3 farmers field schools. Training wilt be conducted with assistance of experienced IPPM Trainers from other African countries, such as Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania-Zanzibar with technical advice and backstopping from FAO Global IPM Facility. It is estimated that 30 extension agents will graduate from the TOT course and immediately return to their communes to conduct IPPM training of farmers in Farmers Field Schools. The expected output from this initial TOT, is 30 extension agents trained as IPPM Trainers/Facilitators and 75 farmers trained on IPPM practices in 3 FFS.A second TOT will be organized for another 30 extension agents during the second year. Estimated cost of this season-long residential TOTIFFS training is about US$120,000. Farmers Field Schools: Immediately after training, the graduates from the pilot TOT course will conduct IPPM training of farmers in Farmers Field Schools in their communes during year 2. Teams of 2 trainers will work together to codnduct at least 4 FFS, each involving 25 farmers every year. Thus 60 FFS will be conducted each cropping season thus involving 120 FFS to train a total of 3000 farmers each year. During year 3, 60 IPPM trainers will be available to run 240 FFS in 2 seasons each year for 6000 farmers, thus making a totat of about 9075 farmers trained during 3 years of the project The training curriculum for each FFS will be designed after a baseline study of the major constraints of agricultural production in the selected FFS location and the general cropping environment. The list of topics to be discussed during the FFS sessions will be related to the needs and cropping patterns of the farmers. Topics will include land selection and preparation, seed selection, crop management, crop rotation, soil fertility management, water management, crop/livestock production, agro-forestry, post-harvest handling and processing, marketing, record keeping, nutrition, HIV/AIDS awareness, environmental conservation, interpersonal interaction using adult non-formal education exercises, group dynamics, Leadership and community organization. Each FFS will atso include one Field Day when local community leaders, farmers, donors, religious leaders, and the general public will be invited to be exposed to the activities of the FFS and how activities in the field schools benefit farmers. Each FFS is estimated at USS 450, including the costs of organizing the field day. 14  Farmer to Farmer Training and Exit strategy: From year 3, farmers who have received IPPM training in FFS wilt be facilitated to organize FFS for neighboring farmers and farming communities. Field visits and discussions with farmers during this mission informed that farmers in Rwanda have established viable farmers groups and associations. These groups can be used to promote farmer to farmer FFS activities including cross visits to other farming communities where FFS activities are being conducted. Furthermore, farmer groups and farmer associations will be encouraged to mobilize funds locally to support FFS programs in the communes. Farmers will be facilitated to develop skills in preparing FFS projects for submission to local donors and in financial management of resources and accountability. In this way an exit strategy will be put in place to guarantee sustainability of FFS activities after the life of the RSSP. 6.2 Phasing plan The Pilot phase (year 1) will consist of the following activities: i. Organize a 1.5 day IPPM/FFS sensitization workshop and establish an IPPM/FFS Oversight Committee ii. Prepare plans for pilot IPPM/FFS training iii. Select irrigated rice marshland location for training iv. Organize study tour to neighboring Africa country with successful on-going IPPM programs v. Conduct curriculum development workshop immediately followed by season-long IPPM/FFS training of Trainers(TOT) in irrigated rice at one tocation(Cyiti) vi. Prepare plans for main phase of IPPM/FFS project implementation. Main phase (years 2 - 3) i. Establish IPPM/FFS coordinating and action committees at the Prefecture and Communes respectively. ii. Conduct baseline studies in the selected training locations iii. Prepare IPPM/FFS training curricutum for TOT/FFS for the different locations iv. Conduct IPPM training of Farmers in FFS in commune marshtands. v. Organize an IPPM/FFS project review workshop vi. Prepare plans for scaling up to national IPPM/FFS program 6.3 Proposed -funding requirement Provisionat funding requirement estimated for pilot and main phase, (years 1-3) Activity Estimates USS 15  Study Tours 10,000 National Workshops(2 @$ 2500) 5000 Curriculum Dev.& Planning workshop 12,000 TOT training (1) 120,000 FFS (120 @ $450) 54,000 Project coordination costs 15,000 Technical backstopping 30,000 Nationat consultants 10,000 International consultants 1.5 mm 22,500 Reporting 1500 Supervisory costs (1 3%)STS 36,400 Total US$ 316,400 7 Implementation coordination arrangements The proposed IPPM/FFS program is intensive, decentralized and demands effective co-ordination at the national level, prefecture and commune levels. The entire project will be coordinated within the context of the overall co- ordination arrangements of the RSSP program. A national IPPM/FFS Project coordinator will be appointed to undertake the day to day management of the project. A National IPPMWFFS Oversight Committee will be formed to provide policy guidance and co-ordination at national level. Membership of this committee will be drawn from MINAGRI Extension Service, Ministry of Environment, MINITERE,, Ministry of Local Government MINALOC, ISAR, NGOs, National Farmers Association, and Faculty of Agronomy of the National University of Butare. 16  The National IPPM/FFS Project coordinator will serve as secretary to this committee. At each prefecture, an IPPMWFFS Coordinating Committee will be responsible for coordinating all the IPPM/FFS activities within the communes of the prefecture. The members of this committee will include DRSA, ISAR, representative of farmers associations, and NGOs working at the prefecture. Program planning, budgeting, implementation, evaluation and follow up of field IPPM/FFS activities within the communes will be supervised by an IPPWFFS Action Committee in each commune. Membership of this committee wilt be drawn from RSAC, ISAR, Farmers Association and NGOs working in the commune. This implementation coordination plan is illustrated in figure 1. The plans for IPPM/FFS activities of the communes, including budget estimates, will be reviewed and approved by the IPPM/FFS Coordinating Committee at the prefecture level. After approval, the IPPM/FFS Action committee will submit a funding request with the approved proposal to RSSP. Funds will be released directly to the action committee that will be accountable for implementing the field FFS activities and financiat management. NGOs operating at the commune level will also adopt a similar procedure for obtaining funds for FFS activities. RSSP will sign contracts with the IPPM/FFS Action committees before funds will be disbursed. 8 Follow up Action The WorLd Bank and FAO may wish to seriously consider initiating the reCommended pilot season-long IPPM/FFS Training of Trainers course and Farmers Field Schools in irrigated rice production at Cyili, before the start of the main project activities of the RSSP project. World Bank could mobilize separate project start-up funds to support this activity as preparatory to the full RSSP activities. FAO through the Global IPM Facility will provide technical assistance, technical backstopping and organize for sub-regional collaboration an linkages between the IPPM/FFS project and similar projects in countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Figure 1 Project implementation arrangements Policy, general National IPPM/FFS Oversight guice, crnat . <l I ~~~~guidance, coordination Committee w P t | ~~with RSSP Approval and . ~~~~~~coordination of FF5 CPrefecture IPPM/FFS Coordinating Committee activities at prefecture level  Commune IPPM/FFS Action Commune IPPM/FFS Committee 4 program planning, budgeting, implementation, evaluation and follow UD3 9. Annex 1 NOTES ON TECHNICAL FIELD VISITS BY THE RSSP-IPPMWFFS TEAM During the RSSP Project pre-appraisal mission, the IPPM/FFS team visited sites where farmers' associations are exploiting the marshlands, to assess the suitability of the IPPM/FFS training methodology in agricultural extension delivery. The team contacted public services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Forestry (MINAGRI) at national and regional levels, and relevant organizations involved in agricultural research and/or education, and with NGOs or other private organizations working in agricultural development. The objective of those visits was to study the technical capacities of the potential 18  program partners to contribute to the participatory extension delivery program with particular focus on the IPPM/FFS approach. These notes outline the observations and comments made during the field visits. I. SITES VISITED The sites to be visited by the IPPM/FFS team were selected after detailed consultation with the other teams of the RSSP Pre-appraisal mission. Selected sites included marshlands developed by different donors and those being farmed according the traditional system. Sites visited are KAJEVUBA, RUGENDE, MULINDI, CYILI and RUSULI-RWAMUGINGA. Brief descriptions of these sites now follow. 1. KAJEVUBA Marshland 1.1 Location Kajevuba marshland is located in Gikomero Commune in KIGALI RURAL Prefecture. An area of 85 hectares of this marais is improved and is used for agriculture,mainly for food crop and vegetation production. Part of the marshland is also under used for rearing livestock, especially for cattle. 1.2 Beneficiaries The project beneficiaries are 600 farming families, each cultivating an area of 5 ares. 1.3 Crops cultivated The major crops grown in the Kajevuba marshland are food crops, namely bean, maize, sorghum, and vegetables including cabbage, green pepper, and aubergine. 1.4 Livestock reared Before the civil war, almost all the farming families kept cattle and/or small ruminants that also provided manure needed for the improvement of soil fertility in the marshland. All the cattle and the other livestock were destroyed during the civil war, and livestock production has not recovered. To assist in re-establishing livestock farming, the FAO provided the local farmers with 290 piglets but farmers would also like to obtain other animals, particularly cow, sheep and goats. - 1.5 Farming Community One are is equal to 1/100 hectare. 19  The 600 farming families in the improved land are organized into 19 farmers associations of 15 members per association; women make up 43% of the total number of farmers and the men 57%. Only 4 associations are officially registered in the commune. 1.6 Activities Farming activities in the marshland are conducted under the supervision of an agronomist from the MINAGRI in charge of the extension. From 1970, the farmers engaged in intensive production of vegetables for export until 1985 when they were compelled to stop because of lack of reliable markets. 1.7 Crop protection practices The farmers use pesticides that they regularty purchase from Kigali or in the Local market. No protective clothing worn during handting and application of pesticides. The good location and short distance of this site from the KIGALI-BYUMBA road makes it a potentially suitable site for estabtishing IPPM/FFS activities. 2.RUGENDE Marshland 2.t Location: GIKORO, BICUMBI and KANOMBE communes in KIGALI Rural Prefecture, about 25-30 km from Kigati City. 2.2 Crops cultivated - Food crops: sweet potato, sorghum - Cash crops: vegetables 2.3 Livestock reared Many of the farmers Lost their cattle during the civil war in 1994. They would now like to re-stock with goats, sheep and rabbits. 2.4 Farming Community RUGENDE marais is exploited by 7 farmers' associations of about 70 members. One of these associations, ABAKUNDAKURIMA is composed of 12 members with only woman member. Many of the farmers' association are not registered in the Commune. 2.5 Activities 20  In the area visited, the farmers cultivate the land only during the dry season; they do not benefit from any support from MINAGRI or any rural development agencies. 2.6 Crop protection practices Some pesticides, in particular Dithane and Thiodan, are commonly used by the farmers on tomato and other vegetables. No measures are taken to protect farmers against the harmful effects of these chemicals. 2.7 Suitability for IPPM/FFS training activities The site is potentially suitable for IPPM/FFS activities because of its proximity to the main road KIGALI-KIBUNGO. Since the marshland is only used during the dry season ,IPPM training would be limited to one season. 3. MULINDI MARSHLAND 3.1 Location The Mulindi marshland is located in Mbogo Commune of Kigali Rural Prefecture about 30 Km from Kigali. The totat area is 94 hectares but only 50 hectares are farmed during 2 to 3 planting seasons. 3.2 Crops cultivated - Foods crops: sweet potatoes, irish potatoes, peas, soja, sorghum, and maize. - Vegetables: cabbage, green pepper, cetery, beet root, etc. - Flowers : Roses, lys, "c oeillet >, marguerite oxeye, daisy) etc. Most of these crops are produced for sale at the Kigati market. 3.3 Livestock reared Before 1994, each family kept at least 3 cows but all the cows were killed during the war in 1994. DUHAMIC-ADRI, a national NGO has supported the farmers to restock with small ruminants through a credit scheme. 3.4 Farming community 21  By the end of 1999, 14 farmers associations were formed in this marshland and most of them are officially registered in the commune. There are 277 members in the associations, made up of 43% women and 57 % men. The members hold regular meetings to discuss production and marketing issues or water use that is crucial for all the farmers of this marshland, especially because of the poor development of the drainage (irrigation structures) there. They also discuss the best approaches for managing the agricultural inputs shop. The farmers associations and their members are strongly committed to market oriented crops particularly vegetables and flowers. Some of them have been growing these crops for more than 15 years and during this period they acquired very high levels of skills in vegetable production and technology dissemination. The major constraints faced are marketing problems, the main market (Kigali) where they sell their production is located 30 km away and farmers have to transport everything themselves through this distance. low and unstable market prices. Insufficient amounts of available water for irrigation during the dry season 4.CYILI Marshland 4.1 Location CYILI marshland is located between MUGUSA, NTONGWE and MUYAGA Communes of BUTARE Prefecture. The total area is 300 hectares of which 100 hectares are improved and intensively cultivated. Marshland improvement activities for lowland rice production were implemented from 1967 until 1975 by Chinese Cooperation and resumed in 1988 by the French Cooperation PROJET RIZICOLE DE BUTARE (PRB) that carried out drainage and irrigation of new lands. It set up a factory for paddy processing and organized product marketing. These activities were again suspended in April 1994 and then resumed in 1995 but only for processing and marketing operations. 4.2 Crops cultivated Irrigated rice cultivation was introduced in this area in 60's by the Chinese technicians; irrigated rice is the major crop grown twice a year. 4.3 Farming Community 22  The improved land is farmed by 1500 families who own an average of 0.20 hectares (20 ares)each. In an area of 3-4 hectares, the beneficiaries are organized into maille hydraulique for water management and for maintenance of the drainage/irrigation structures; 4-5 mailles hydrauliques form a quartier d'irrigation with the size equal to 15-20 hectares. All the improved land is divided into 60 mailles hydrauliques and 19 quartiers d'irrigation. 4.4 Major constraints experienced by the farmers The three major constraints as prioritized by the farmers are: * Insufficient water for irrigation during the dry season * Marketing the rice paddy * Agricultural input supply * Environmental degradation 4.5 Crop Protection practices The most important diseases and pests of the rice crop are PYRICULARIOSE and the stalked-eyed fly, Biopsis. Crop losses due to these pests and diseases are sometimes as high as 30-70% of the expected production. Methods of control these pests are the use of healthy seed varieties and crop treatment with pesticides such as SUMICOMBI which is also used for the other crop diseases. The farmers would like to cultivate all the available areas of the marshland and they are progressively and rapidly encroaching into the papyrus zone to obtain more farm land. This has had serious consequences of over-exploitation of the marshland environment. 4.6 Suitability for IPPM/FFS training activities The Cyili marshland is a potentially suitable site for the IPPM/FFS training in irrigated rice production. It is conveniently located close to the main Kigali-Butare road and the farmer groups there are already well organized to facilitate the introduction of farmers field schools. Furthermore, the local authorities at the Prefecture expressed interest in supporting the proposed IPPM/FFS project activities. 5. RUSULI-RWAMUGINGA MARSHLAND 5.1 Location This marshland of more than 200 hectares is located in RUHASHYA and MBAZI communes of BUTARE Prefecture, and is approximately 15-20 km from Butare near the headquarters of ISAR at RUBONA. 23  5.2_Crops cultivated The major crops grown are food crops namely sweet potatoes, potatoes, field beans and soya bean, maize, sorghum, rice and vegetables. 5.3 Livestock reared According to a socio-economic survey conducted in December 1998, by the "TAP/Pilot Marais Development Project" supporting the improvement and development of this towland, tocal farmers are familiar with rearing Livestock, mainly cattle, small ruminants (goats and sheep), and swine. But these activities are now reduced because of the civil war in 1994. 5.4 Farming community The beneficiaries of the marshland are 5000 families cultivating 250 hectares of the total area divided into 5 ares (0.05 hectares) per family. The farmers are organized into 63 associations of 637 members comprising 61% women and 39% men. For more efficient maintenance of drainage and irrigation structures, the beneficiaries are organized into 150 " sous groupements - (one for 20 farmers) 7 < groupements - composed of the - sous groupements -> of each administrative Sector (in total there are 2 sectors) and 1 < intergroupement composed of the representatives of different < groupements , and in charge of the management of the whole marais. Each of these farmers structures is headed by a committee of 4 and 8 persons for the first two structures while a committee of 15 persons heads the - intergroupement -. These representatives are elected by the farmers themselves except for those coming from other institutions such as, the Commune or the Project. 5.5 Activities Before August 1998,farming activities were traditionally conducted by farmers themselves under the supervision of their associations and in collaboration with the commune's agricultural officer. After the TAP/Pilot Marais Development Project which was implemented for 2 years, the CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agricutture, Livestock and Forestry, and with funding from USAID initiated activities to develop this marshland in order to improve land management and increase agricutturat production. The project includes other components such as - Soil and water conservation; - Livestock (restocking of 1200 goats); - Road Rehabititation; 24  - Animation and training. The farming activities in the marshland are supervised by the project staff consisting of: - 1 agricultural engineer; - 1 civil engineer; - 1 sociologist; - 1 social assistant; - 2 agricultural technicians. In addition, one agricultural officer was appointed by the Regional Directorate of Agricultural Services (DRSA) of Butare Prefecture to assist farmers in this marshland. 5.6 Crop Protection practices Different crop pests are often observed and the farmers associations run an agricultural inputs shop where pesticides and other agricultural inputs are sold. Although some training sessions are often organized on the use of agricultural inputs, farmers do not yet keep any forms of protective clothing for safe use of chemical pesticides. 5.7 Suitability for IPPM/FFS training activities CRS has decided to extend the activities of this project to the neighboring communes of BUTARE Prefecture and to other prefectures (GITARAMA and KIBUYE). The Farmers Field School training methodology has been selected for agricultural extension delivery. This site also has characteristics similar to those of Cyili marshland, therefore it demonstrates potential as a suitable site for conducting integrated production and pest management training in farmers fietd schools. IL.VISITS TO SOME ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN AGRICULTURE To explore opportunities for relevant institutions and organizations to collaborate with the RSSP and particularly for IPPM/FFS activities, the IPPM/FSS team visited some organizations related to the agricultural sector. These included the headquarters' departments of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Forestry ( MINAGRI) and its Regional Directorates in KIGALI, GITARAMA, BUTARE and GIKONGORO Prefectures; the national Institute of Agricultural Research, ISAR("institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda) and the Faculty of Agriculture of the National University of Rwanda (UNR). 25  1. DEPARTMENTS OF MINAGRI 1.1 Directorate of Extension and Marketing It includes three major departments in charge of: - Extension and Training; - Appropriate Technologies; - Marketing, Savings and Credit. The totat number of technical staff of this directorate is 10 persons including 8 agricultural engineers. The main tasks currently undertaken in the departments are to revise the agricultural extension system and to transform it from a top-down approach to a more participatory system involving the process of decision making by farmers and local communities as well as different NGOs working in agriculture. The directorate expressed interest in the adoption of the IPPM/FFS approach; collaboration with and full support for the proposed IPPM/FFS component of the RSSP is therefore expected to be very good. 1.2 Directorate of Agriculture Its main departments are: Food Crops, Plant Protection, Horticulture, and Industry Crops, with a staff of only 9 persons including 5 agricultural engineers. Because of the involvement of the Food Crops Department in the agricultural extension system, and the specific tasks of the Plant Protection department, they expressed interest in collaborating with the RSSP project particularly the IPPM/FFS component. During the visit of the IPPM/FFS team, a meeting was held with the Head of Plant Protection department and the Coordinator of the Agricultural and Rural Market Development Project,ARMD,to plan for a national sensitization workshop in August with the objective of promoting awareness on better use of pesticides. 1.3 CNIA (CENTRE NATIONAL D'INSEMINATION ARTIFICIELLE) The National Center for Artificial Insemination is a specialized department of MINAGRI's Directorate of Animal Resources carrying out activities in: * Genetic improvement by artificial insemination * Training of trainers * Training of farmers representatives (600 farmers per year). 26  * Training of commune's veterinary technicians * Follow up of genetic improvement These activities are carried out in 69 communes of the country. 1.4 MINAGRI REGIONAL DIRECTORATES OF AGRICULTURAL SERVICES (DRSA) Four Regional directorates were visited in KIGALI, GITARAMA, BUTARE and GIKONGORO prefectures to study how they are organized and explore how they could play a role in promoting the IPPM/FFS approach in their respective areas. Regional directorates of DRSA are responsible for coordinating agricultural activities at the prefecture level. These organizations generally have the same structure based on 4 or 5 technical departments representing the same central services of the ministry ( agriculture, livestock, forestry, etc.). They also include a department of Extension and Training and some of them have an additional department of Research/Development. These services are of particular interest for field implementation of the proposed IPPM/FFS component of the RSSP project. 1.4.1. DRSA/KigaIi The different structures of DRSA/KIGALI are the departments of: 1) Training and Extension, 2) Research/Development, 3) Monitoring a evaluation, 3) Forestry, and 4) Soil Conservation. The total number of technical staff available at the prefecture level is 6 persons including the regional director. At commune level, i.e in the 19 communes of the City Prefecture and Kigali- Rural Prefecture there are 24 agronomes, 21 veterinary technicians and 6 forestry technicians. 1.4.2. DRSAIGitarama This DRSA includes the following services: department of Agriculture, department of livestock, department of monitoring a evaluation, department of forestry and department of rural engineering and soil conservation. The available technical personnel comprises 6 including the director. Agricultural staff working in the 17 communes of Gitarama prefecture are 19 agricultural technicians, 20 veterinarians and 2 forestry technicians. 1.4.3 DRSA/Butare. In this regional directorate, there are 4 technical departments: livestock, monitoring Et evaluation, lowland development, training and extension, and forestry. Staff includes 8 technical personnel at DRSA level and 27  22 agricultural technicians and 16 veterinarians working in the agricultural services of 20 communes of Butare. 1.4.4 DRSAIGikongoro The different services of DRSA/Gikongoro are: 1) Training and extension, 2) Milieu Organization, 3) Research/Development, and 4) Monitoring & evaluation. The total number of technical staff available at the prefecture Level is 15 persons including the regional director. At the commune level,( i.e in the 13 communes of Gikongoro) there are 20 agricultural technicians, and 14 veterinarians. 2. RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS 2.1. ISAR The national Institute for agricultural research, ISAR (Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda) has its headquarters at Rubona in Butare Prefecture and 11 research stations established in different regions of the country. 2. .1 Staffing The total number of the Institute's researchers of 36 is expected to increase to 50 by the end of 2000. 2.1.2. Field stations The 11 stations are located as foltows: - Rubona, Songa and Ruhande in BUTARE Prefecture; - Ntendezi in CYANGUGU Prefecture; - Gakuta in KIBUYE Prefecture); - Nyagatare in UMUTARA Prefecture, - Karama in KIGALI RURAL Prefecture; - Kibungo in KIBUNGO Prefecture; - Rwerere GISENYI); - Ruhengeri and Tamira in RUHENGERI Prefecture. 2.1.3 Research programs The research programs currently conducted in ISAR stations are: 1) Soil conservation, 2) Agro-forestry, 3) Forestry, 4) Bean, 5) Rice, 6) Maize 7) Sorghum, 8) Wheat, 9) Irish potato, 10) Banana, 11) 28  Horticulture, 12) Sweet potato, 13) Cassava, 14) Cattle, 15) Small ruminants, 16) Socio-economy; 17) Plant protection, 18)Microbiology, and 19) Food processing. 2.1.4 Participation in proposed IPPM/FFS project As a research organization working in agriculture, ISAR will be fully involved in the proposed IPPM/FFS project to provide technical inputs based on the tangible results that will be obtained from applied research. 2.2.UNIVERSITE NATIONALE (UNR)/Faculty of Agriculture The National University of Rwanda is located in Butare Prefecture. Its Faculty of Agriculture is composed of 3 departments, namely - Soil Conservation and Rural Engineering - Animal Husbandry; - Plant production In addition to the traditional role of education and training ,this Faculty is invotved in: - -Agricultural research, - Support to agricultural extension, - Collaboration with NGOs involved in Agriculture The total number of the permanent professors is 10 including 4 with particular interest in agricultural extension programs and wishing to collaborate with the proposed IPPM/FFS project. 3.VISITS TO OTHER AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS 3.1 INADES-FORMATION Rwanda This Rwandese non-governmental organization was created in 1976 as a member of INADES Internationat (Institut International de DeveLoppement Economique et Social), an international NGO with headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d'lvoire. 3.1.1 .Technical staff: The Training Department is composed of 8 trainers. 3.1.2. Activities: 29  The activities of INADES Formation are usually conducted in 5 prefectures, namely Kigali Rural, Byumba, Gitai-ama, Kibuye and Butare. For the remaining zone of the Country, the interventions are made on the basis of requests. 3.1.3 Activities The main activities of INADES-Formation Rwanda cover the following areas: - Training, - Intensive support to 10 farmers associations, - Farmers associations training - a la demande, - for other prefectures, - Support to farmers associations to prepare small projects, - Training and follow up on financial management by the Farmers Associations, - Production of training materials, - Publication of a newsletter - DUHUGURANE - on and for farmers associations. 3.1.4 Potential for collaboration with the IPPM/FFS project INADES-Formation Rwanda is very interested in collaborating with the proposed IPPM/FFS project especially in field training activities for farmers associations' representatives and agricuttural technicians. The team was advised of the following training rates applicable in most INADES-Formation training in Rwanda. - the training sessions are organized at INADES office in Kigali or in the field. - a 3-days session for 20 persons costs estimated at US$ 2500-3000, - the cost of an INADES trainer is US$ 100 per day. 3.2. GAKO Farmers Association This organization, which is tocated at kilometer 20 in the Kanombe Commune of Kigali Rural Prefecture, was recently created by 30 young farmers to carry out activities related to cattle breeding and introduction of new technologies in agro-forestry and fodder production/conservation. 3.3 DUHAMIC-ADRI ( DUHARANIRE AMAJYAMBERE Y'ICYARO-ASSOCIATION LE DEVELOPPEMENT RURAL INTEGRE) 3.3.1 Staffing This nationat NGO is very active in rurat areas and particularly in the agricultural sector. Its staff includes 8 persons consisting of 5 technicians: 2 agronomists, 1 forester, 1 specialist in rural development and 1 sociologist. 3.3.2. Activities Field activities are conducted in Mbogo and Tare communes of Kigali Rural Prefecture; Musambira, Rutobwe, Nyakabanda of Gitarama Prefecture and 30  Kicukiro Commune in Kigali-Ville Prefecture where are being undertaken the processing activities. The major interventions in agriculture are: Support to 140 farmers associations with credit for agricultural inputs; Seed multiplication, Livestock, Food processing and production of a mixed flour "< SOSOMA >, from soja, sorghum and maize; and Training of farmers associations members. 3. 4. Centre des Services aux Cooperatives This organization is a national NGO) created in July 1985. It is working in 17 communes in GITARAMA Prefecture 3.4.1 Technical staff - 1 Coordinator - 1 Head of Programming Department - 2 Researchers/ trainers for Farming Cooperatives - 2 Researchers in Saving/Credit - 1 Researcher Business Cooperative - 1 Researcher in Handicraft Cooperatives 3.4.2 Activities - Training of farming inter-groups imembers in cooperatives - Training of commercial cooperatives - Training of handicraft cooperatives - Support a women saving credit association - Cooperative education - Organization of reflection days and study trips 3.5. INGABO This is a nationat farmers - trade-union - created in October 1991. Its members are individuals and not farmers associations. 3.5.1 Activities This organization supports the farrners of GITARAMA Prefecture and has structures at different levels from the prefecture to the Cell level. - Prefecture levet ,< INTARA , (region) - Commune level :AKARERE (Sector) - Grassroots Level GACACA This NGO provides support to farmers in order to assist them to - increase their production - promote community activities to devetop the rural area. 31  - establish income generating projects and - capacity building through short term field training of the farmers 3.6. ARDI (Association Rwandaise pour [a promotion du D6veloppement Int6gr6) 3.6.1 Coverage and activities ARDI is a national NGO created in .June 1983. It is working in 6 prefectures of the Country (BUTARE,BYUMBA, CYANGUGU, GIKONGORO ,GISENYI, RUHENGERI). ARDI's program targets interventions related to agriculture and livestock, beekeeping and appropriate technology and organizes the following activities: - Training of the farmers - Training of farmers associations - Supply of agricultural inputs (fert:ilizer, pesticides) - Goat re-stoking credit - Seed multiptication - Promotion of mushroom culture - Dissemination of beekeeping materiel - Promotion of - tractation animale 3.6.3 Technical staff Its technical personnet includes: an Executive Secretary, a Head of Projects Department, 5 project officers ancl 3 assistant-project officers 3.7. IMBARAGA This organization is a farmers "trade-union " created in March 1992. 3.7.1 Coverage: 6 prefectures: Bul-are, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, and Ruhengeri. 3.7.2 Activities The main activities carried out are: - Mobitization and support to farmers groups; - Protection of farmers interests; - Representation of farmers in national and international forums; - Organization of training sessions for farmers to improve their livetihood; - Facilitation of farmers-donors relations. 32  3.7.3 Staff Technical staff is composed of a coordinator, a development adviser and 11 regional agricultural technicians. 3.8. CENTRE DE FORMATION ET DE RECHERCHE COOPERATIVES IWACU This NGO founded in May 1984 is cne of the well established major national organizations in cooperatives research and training. 3.8.1 Coverage: 6 Prefectures ( Byumba, Umutara, Ruhengeri, Gisenyi, Butare,and Gikongoro. 3.8.2 Activities The major activities undertaken are: - Research - Documentation - Publication - Training in * Co-op6ratives and group organization and management * Controt, decision-making, planning and management * Basic accounting techniques - Organization of technical sessions on different productive sectors of cooperatives associations - Organization of training sessiions for farmers' leaders, projects technicians and NGO'S personnel. - Training in rural economy, preparation of a small projects, cooperatives ethics 3.8.3 Staffing IWACU has 15 permanent researchers-trainers with a variety of technical and professional skills in management, economy, sociology, education science, and agriculture. 3.8.4 INTEREST FOR IPPM/FFS IWACU will be a very good partner for the IPPM/FFS project especially for training sessions to be organized for technicians and farmers. CONCLUSION The field visits by the IPPM/FFS team were extremely useful for exploring opportunities of potential partner organizations for the field implementation of IPPM/FFS component of RSSP, especially during the first phase. 33  From the information collected during the visits, three sites are suitable for IPPM/FFS field activities: these are CYILI, KAJEVUBA (KIGALI Prefecture), and RUSULI-RWAMUGINGA (BUTARE Prefecture). In addition, information obtained during the visit to Regional Directorate of Agricultural Services of GIKONGORO Prefecture, suggests that the Mushishito marshland would be suitable for organizing IPPM/FFS training. This site was developed with the support of the MINAGRI/IFAD "Projet de Developpement Agricole de Gikongoro, PDAG" and on-going farming activities are now being planned and managed by the farmers associations. It is recommended that all the regional directorates of agricultural services should participate in the imptementation of the IPPM/FFS component of the RSSP project. Two public organiza[tions, ISAR and the Faculty of Agriculture of the National University are recommended to be involved in the field implementation of IPPM/FFS project activities. Two private partners are suggested to participate in the training/research activities of the project: INADES Formation-Rwanda and CENTRE IWACU. In the long term, additional organizations working in agricultural extension are recommended as future project collaborators; these organizations include ARDI, ADRI, CRS, and CNIA. Patterns of collaboration should be worked out with these organizations at appropriate times. 34  35