United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

Inter-Country Programme for the Development and Application of Integrated Pest Managetnent in

Vegetable Growing in South and South-East Asia

GCP/RAS/160/NET & GCP/RAS/168/AUL

MISSION MEMBERS: Representing ICP donor countries,

1. The Netherlands.· Dr Kees G. Eveleens, Wageningen University (Mission leader)

2. Australia: Dr Brian B. Scoullar, Rural Development Adviser, AusAID, Canberra

Representing FAO as executing agency, 3. Dr Masa Kato, Evaluation Service, FAO HQ 4. Dr Kevin D. Gallagher, Global !PM Facility, FAO HQ

FAO VEGETABLE IPM PROGRAMME EVALUATION MISSION REPORT

28 June - 15 July 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. MAIN CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. 1 Principal findings and conclusions

1.2 Recommendations

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

3. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1

4

8

3. 1 Purpose, composition and itinerary of the mission 9

3. 2 Project background 1 0

4. THE PROJECT APPROACH AND DESIGN

4. 1 Relevance to development priorities and needs, and problems 12 addressed

4.2 Immediate objectives and design 12

4.3 FAO as Executing Agency 14

5. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

5. 1 Overall status of implementation 16

5. 2 Budgetary status 19

5.3 Support of the participating countries 20

5. 4 Support of donors 21

6. APPRAISAL OF STATUS AND QUALITY OF PROJECT RESULTS

6. 1 Curriculum development for /PM training 22

6.2 Training of Trainers (TOT) 23

6.3 Farmer Field Schools (FFS) 25

6.4 Field Studies 26

6.5 Assistance to member countries in developing /PM policies and 27 their institutionalisation and implementation

6.6 Gender and Development (GAD) 28

7. SUSTAINABILITY OF RESULTS 31

8. ISSUES EMERGING FROM PROJECT

8.3 Need for systematic and scientifically sound impact analysis 35

8.4 Technical guidance in cottage-type and other production 35 schemes of biopesticides

8. 5 Considerations of furlher improvements in curricula development 35 and training materials

9. PROPOSED ACTIONS BY GOVERNMENTS, FAO AND DONORS

9. 1 Follow-up project supporl 37

9.2 Future management arrangements for /PM supporl including 38 analysis of merits and drawbacks of possible integration of the /CP Vegetable programme with other /PM programmes in the region. Potential advantages of integrated management

Drawbacks of an integrated management

9.3 Measures for improving the relevance and effectiveness of the 40 training

ANNEX I - Mission Terms of Reference 1

ANNEX II- Mission itinerary and key persons met 6

ANNEX Ill- Country Reports

A. Bangladesh 14

B. Cambodia 23

C. Laos 33

D. Vietnam 40

E. Note on Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand 4 7

ANNEXIV-ACRONYMS 52

Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Report 1

1. MAIN CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

i.) The general Project strategy of developing and promoting participatory IPM training of farmers according to the Training of Trainers/Farmer Field School (TOT/FFS) model is effective in fostering sustainable vegetable growing in general and tackling problems of abuse and overuse of pesticides in vegetable crop protection in particular. The Mission, in its visits to member countries of the Vegetable Intercountry Programme (ICP) encountered wide-spread appreciation of this strategy as well as of the Project's essential role in bringing about a turn to adoption of IPM in vegetables.

ii.) Such general endorsement and support at the national levels of ICP member countries, in conjunction with effective and capable management of the Project, has resulted in substantial progress towards attainment of major objectives such as:

establishment c.q. strengthening of national programmes; capacity development for implementation of farmers training; promotion of post-FFS activities at community levels; initiation of training-driven research; establishment of exchange and cooperation activities at the regional level.

iii.) While these general concepts and strategies of the project are fairly clear, the original project document did not provide a clear articulation of its precise objectives and design. As a basis for a major project, it suffers from some important weaknesses. Assuming that there would be a second phase of the project, its design should provide a coherent vision of the results to be achieved at the end of the phase as well as how the training capacity being established in countries is expected to contribute to the development objective. In this connection, it would be advisable to (a) formulate a balanced design for national support activities on one hand and regional activities on the other, and (b) start addressing an 'exit strategy' for the project, defining when and under what conditions should the project be considered to have realized it objectives.

iv.) Vegetable growing practices, prior to initiation of IPM training, are often characterized by over-reliance on chemical pesticides. In subsequent changes, prompted by implementation of TOT/FFS, two phases can be roughly distinguished:

1) Immediate and substantial reductions in pesticide use by trainees due to their being weaned away from mistaken and excessive riskavoidance behaviour which tends to be rooted in ignorance and

---:------------'s~usc~eptibilit~ to aggressive merchandizing of chemical pesticides;

crop protection are strengthened,

2 Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Report

dependency are achieved along more gradual lines, when in the course of further training alternatives to chemicals are identified, tested

··· · anaToltner·aevetcrpea.

Progress in phase (1) is more determined by attitudinal changes than new technological insights and perhaps best exemplified by the case of 'brinjal' (aubergine) in Bangladesh where excessive frequencies of insecticide applications (up to eighty or more sprays per growing season) were reported. Initiation of TOT/FFS resulted quickly in reduction of application rates by trained farmers, down to levels of twenty or less sprays.

In phase (2), entailing further development to self-reliance in designing and implementing proper IPM strategies, progress is mixed. This aspect is to be considered in the larger context of national I PM capacities in the participating countries which are summarily reported in the following section.

v.) In Bangladesh, a major effort in nation-wide development and implementation of IPM is underway through various training programmes with outside support (multilateral, bilateral, NGO's). In this larger constellation the Project, although a minor player in terms of budgetary input, is of vital importance in training trainers, establishing criteria for quality control and pointing directions for action research. A problem, which jeopardizes attainment of national sustainability on the longer term, is that the whole effort is still strongly donor-driven with little national input in meeting operational FFS expenses.

In Cambodia the Project, in its limited period of operation, has made substantial progress, building on technological and methodological knowledge obtained from the Rice ICP. Conspicuous elements are the active promotion of farmer-to-farmer training and formation of post-FFS groups as well as the broad-based coalition of projects and institutions engaged in IPM promotion (including, a.o., special programmes for schoolchildren and handicapped people). However, efforts are still very much in the initial phase and in need of continued outside support.

Indonesia is relatively advanced with a nationaiiPM vegetable programme in operation well before the start of the project. Still, intercountry support remains necessary for aspects of training quality control, exchange of trainers and support on development of certain component technologies such as cottage-type production of biopesticides.

In Laos the Project initially concentrated on Rice IPM to established broadbased national support and develop training methodology. This strategy made good sense under the given conditions and provided a sound operational foundation for vegetable IPM, but further development and

________ consolidation reguires continued outside surmort. ~~-------------~

predates the involvement of the Project. Here also, supportive inputs along


lines of technological underpinning of curricula and quality control remain necessary.

In Thailand, after a period of stagnation the cause of I PM has been given new impetus by the King's initiative on IPM promotion. Continued Project input is needed to take advantage of this new window of opportunity, especially since I PM-related developments in Thailand have impact across borders into Laos and Cambodia.

Vietnam is perhaps most advanced in development of a national capacity for sustaining IPM in vegetables. In this stage of implementation, there is need for a comprehensive impact assessment study. In addition, monitoring and quality control of training, and strengthening technological bases of curricula are issues for continued ICP support.

vi.) Contents of vegetable IPM training curricula extend well beyond crop protection to address many issues relating to vegetable agro-ecosystem management in general. Integrated Pest Management sensu stricto is therefore increasingly becoming a misnomer and other terms such as, for example, IPPM ('Integrated Production and Pest Management', now gaining acceptance in Africa) should be considered.

vii.) With regard to gender issues, the project is correct in pursuing an improved gender balance within the context of the situation in each participating country. Within this context, however, a more proactive and systematic strategy should be adopted in the future.

viii.) There is increasing interest in use of biopesticides as substitutes for chemical pesticides in I PM and the Project has been promoting such trends by supporting cottage-type production as, for example, in the 'Bioagent Posts' programme in West-Sumatra, Indonesia. Production procedures of biopesticides are of varying complexity, depending on the agent involved, but in general some knowledge and skills are required. It is important that the Project provides the needed technical guidance to prevent such initiatives from untimely collapse.

ix.) Effectiveness and efficiency of FAO as executing agency have to some extent been adversely affected by disruptive effects of the reorganization process of FAO during the project period, especially the devolution of authorities and responsibilities from Headquarters to the Regional Office. This has interfered at times with technical backstopping and led to ambiguities on areas of responsibility and lines of authority for the IPM programmes as a whole. FAO should review their management of the IPM programmes in the region as a matter of urgency to ensure the efficient and effective execution of the remainder of the vegetable programme. Should the Mission's recommendation of a second phase be accepted,

4 Vegetable !PM Evaluation Mission Report

x.) On the issue of merits vs. demerits of integration at the programme management level between the FAO Rice and Vegetable ICP's, the

··fV1is·s1un··ts··ofthe··opinion····that .. the··drawbacks·······outwe1gh tMe··petential advantages (for a listing of the arguments for and against, see section 9.2). More important is the need to foster integration between IPM programmes at the national level of each member country, a cause which does not necessarily require integrated management at the FAO ICP level, but does require coordination in activities between the two intercountry programmes involved. On this issue, the Mission noted some major deficiencies.

1.2 Recommendations

xi.) Measured by the criterion of installed or accessible capacity, member countries have made significant progress during the Project period towards developing viable national I PM programmes. However, gauged by basic components of national sustainability in IPM implementation (for a listing, see section 7 of the text), none of the countries have reached the point where they can sustain the momentum without external assistance. Moreover, a single four-year phase is too short to attain capacity for selfreliance of the member countries in getting I PM implemented by farming communities. The Mission thus recommends that support to the IPM Vegetables Project be continued into a second phase. The fundamental reason for this recommendation is that the Mission is convinced that:

1) the project has successfully assisted the member countries in fostering development towards a viable strategy for vegetable production which is profitable, environmentally sound, safe for producers and consumers, and, ultimately, sustainable;

2) the member countries concur with such positive assessment, as evidenced by substantial commitment and support at national levels.

xii.) While the specifics of such assistance should be worked out in a formulation for the next phase, the Mission recommends that this assistance should be for another four or five years, comprising both regional and national elements as follows:

A. The core regional grouping in the next Project phase would be the four Mekong River countries (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam) because of:

• Prevailing interests and commitments of national governments to turn vegetable crop protection away from over-reliance on chemical controls to IPM -based strategies.

~--~------"'•.......___.Sjrnil.arjfj.e_s in vegetable crop_growing_QatternsLQroblems and solutions.

regulation and use patterns.


• Need for concerted regional approach in dealing with acute problems ·.· coooc.o. O .. O~ ..

0

_. of~pesiiciaepoliUtionortneTv1ekong···F{jver·and·itS'···shore1·ands:

• Increasing interdependencies and complementarities in the economic sphere, as exemplified by cross-border movements of vegetable produce as well as agrochemicals.

• Potential synergistic interactions between countries in further defining contents and methodology of training according to the TOT/FFS model.

B. On the national level the three other countries in the current Vegetable ICP (Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines) all have a relatively long history of IPM training on vegetables and are in a stage where future project inputs should be more selectively targeted on specific priority needs in matters such as quality control of TOT curricula, strenghtening technologies, as well as actions in the IPM policy sphere. In Bangladesh, the successful TOT/FFS on 'brinjal' (aubergine) carried out in the District of Jessore would suggest further Project support to capitalize on this achievement and run a similar training exercise in the second major aubergine-growing area near Chittagong in eastern Bangladesh. In the same country, the FAO Vegetable IPM Project has assumed the role of providing qualified trainers for FFS run all over the country by other IPM projects with funding from DANIDA, UNDP and CARE, and some continued support along this line could be envisaged for a second Project phase. For the ongoing programmes in Indonesia and the Philippines some further Project assistance on certain technological aspects of biopesticide use in vegetable IPM may be necessary.

C. The project design should include an approach for creating an institutional framework for intercountry cooperation , aimed at sustaining the progress made both at the national and regional levels after termination of the project assistance. In this respect, the future form of such intercountry cooperation on various IPM programmes supported by FAO (rice, vegetables and also cotton) should be examined and proposed to the participating countries.

xiii.) The Mission recommends that a formulation of a Project phase 2, along lines indicated above in item xii A-C, be undertaken as soon as possible.

xiv.) Present status of budgetary spending (see section 5.2 of text) indicates that at the current expiration date of Project phase 1 (March 31, 2000) there may be a positive balance of rest funds. In the interest of alleviating anticipated time constraints in completing Project phase 1 and preparing for a possible follow-up, such rest funds should be allocated to an extension of the Project.

recommends that in the future a more systematic effort be made towards


comprehensive compilation of relevant quantitative national data on vegetable growing (areas, productivity, numbers of farmers involved) as well

· ··· ······· ·· ·.··· ···· · ·frs~·mairrprcrdu ctianpractices··and~canstraints (in .. crop·proteetion·as· well as other aspects, including marketing and production support services). This would help in targeting project assistance on key priority elements as well as in assessing the overall cost-benefit equation of the Project, a point of considerable concern to the donors and the international development community.

xvi.) If the Mission's recommendation of a second phase is accepted, a systematic gender analysis of the programmes of core countries should be conducted, drawing from it gender implications for each aspect such as recruitment, training, field operations, and monitoring and evaluation. The analysis should be undertaken as a major component of the phase 2 design exercise.

xvii.) Other items in need of special attention in a second phase include: closer involvement of local and regional expertise into the curricula development process, which will strengthen practical orientation and cooperation among the various stakeholders at the local and regional level; incorporation, in FFS training materials, of additional subjects of practical importance such as those identified in Table 2, section 6.2, of the text; reenforcement of the Project's multiplier effects through fostering postFFS follow-up activities, including farmer-to-farmer training; facilitation of those policy and institutional measures by governments which would create a more conducive environment for effective national programmes

xviii.) There is a need for systematic and scientifically sound impact analysis. Such studies are vital for a proper assessment of sustainability and multiplier effects of the training effort and should be undertaken. The Mission recommends that such impact studies be more systematically built into the next phase. Aspects to be addressed concern not only the extent and permanence of changes in farmers' practices following completion of the FFS, but also the validity of the often-heard but little-substantiated claims of more or less spontaneous spread of knowledge from trained to untrained farmers. Similarly, the observation of immediate and susbstantial reductions of pesticide use by FFS trainees should be analyzed against the pre-FFS benchmark information. Further, it is recommended that the Project should make more vigorous efforts in future in sharing the results of such impact studies widely among the member countries.

xix.) On the issue of possible integration at the management level of the Vegetable ICP with other ICP programmes, the Mission, as indicated under item x above, is of the opinion that under the present conditions drawbacks outweigh potential advantages. Since part of the argumentation (see section

and the


xx.) Regarding specific management arrangements for the Vegetable ICP, the Mission recommends that:

for the remainder of the current phase, the Project be continued to be managed from Manila under the former deputy - , presently acting - CTA;

for a second phase, if the proposed concentration on the four Mekong countries materializes, the Project HQ be transferred to Bangkok.


2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

· · - -··~rh-e~l\:llisston's~itinerary wasanambitiousone.lntheeourseof·amere ·two· weeks, five countries were visited (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam). Activities in all these countries entailed discussions with national and expatriate staff as well as visits to ongoing training activities and interviews with participating farmers. The remaining two member countries of the Project (Indonesia and the Philippines) were not visited, but representatives of the national programmes of these countries came to Thailand for discussions with the Mission.

Such a tight scheduling put considerable demands on numerous hosting institutions and people and it is no small accomplishment that the entire originally envisaged programme of activities could be accomplished without a major hitch. This wouldn't have been possible if all along the line we had not received the effective assistance of many persons whose help often extended into after-office hours and weekends and amply included elements of the traditional oriental hospitality. To all these individuals (too many to acknowledge by name) we want to express our gratitude.

We are also deeply obliged to the many farmers and farmers' wives with whom we could discuss issues of IPM and related topics in the course of our field visits. Their common sense as well as active engagement and lively interest in the subject matter of the Mission's review helped greatly in providing the proper perspective not only on status of project achievements so far, but also on needs and priorities for further project inputs.


3. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

············· ··. · 3:1·· ··f'urpose;composition····anditinerary·o'ltheMission

The document of the FAO Intercountry programme (ICP) for the development and application of integrated pest management in vegetable growing in Southeast Asia stipulates a mid-term review to be held in the third year of the four-year project period. The Mission was held from June 28 - July 15, 1999 with the following participants:

Representing ICP donor countries, • Australia: Dr Brian B. Scoullar, Rural Development Adviser, AusAID,

Canberra

• The Netherlands: Dr Kees G. Eveleens, Wageningen University (Mission leader)

Representing FAO as executing agency, • Dr Masa Kato, Evaluation Service, FAO HQ • Dr Kevin D. Gallagher, GlobaiiPM Facility.

(For terms of reference of the Mission, see Annex I)

Following the arrival of the Mission members in Bangkok, general briefing was carried out at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) on June 28 and 29 under the coordination of Dr Doris von Werner, Senior Country Project Officer (SCPO), and Dr Maxwell Whitten, CTA. Also on June 29, the Mission received a briefing on status of Project implementation in Indonesia by two national staff members from that country.

On June 30, the Mission, accompanied by Mr Whitten, traveled to Vientiane, Laos. After reviewing project activities in that country from June 30 - July 2, on July 3 the Mission and Mr Whitten continued to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where the Project was reviewed from July 3-5.

On July 6, the Mission split into two teams (A and B) going their separate ways. Team A, consisting of Messrs. Kato and Eveleens and accompanied by Mr Whitten, traveled to Bangladesh, team B, consisting of Messrs. Scoullar and Gallagher accompanied by Mr Jan Willem Ketelaar (IPM Country Officer) to Vietnam.

After reviewing the Project in both these countries, teams A and B rejoined on July 9 in Bangkok, where in the evening, a dinner meeting was held with representatives of the Non-Governmental Organisation 'World Education Asia' engaged in training activities in Vegetable IPM in Thailand.

with a National Vegetable IPM Expert from that country, who had been


temporarily assigned to the Thai programme as a master trainer. Concurrently, Messrs. Kato and Eveleens had further discussions at RAP about issues

···~·lJ~ertairring=tcrthe·reviewwith~ervonWerner:

On July 12, the Mission was received at RAP by the FAO Assistant Director General for Asia and the Pacific, Dr Prem Nath. On the same day, Mission members met with representatives of the Thai government institutions (Departments of Agricultural Extension and Non-formal Education) involved in IPM training.

After spending July 13 on report writing, discussion of the main findings and compilation of an indicative listing of main conclusions and recommendations, on July 14 the Mission presented this listing at a first debriefing session to staff of RAP as well as representatives of both donor countries (Australia and the Netherlands) who had been invited for this session. Before and after this meeting, some further discussions were held with both donor representatives. The remaning time on July 14 and 15 was spent on report writing, including incorporation of points brought forward at the first debriefing session.

For a more detailed presentation of itineraries, persons met and activities carried out, see Annex II.

3.2 Project background

The Project was formulated in 1990, but for various reasons did not become operational until April 1996 when the CTA assumed his assignment in Manila, the Project HQ. Initially the Project covered four countries (Bangladesh, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam) and was funded only by the Government of the Netherlands. Subsequently in 1997, the Government of Australia allocated additional funding to the Project which enabled inclusion of three more countries (Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia).

Conspicuous is the long period of six years elapsing between formulation of the Project and the start of its implementation. The drawback of an outdated project document, resulting from such delay, was largely but not completely remedied by a comprehensive inception report of the CTA. For a discussion of this aspect see below, Section 4.2.

The general aim of the Project was to promote sustainable, safe and economically and ecologically sound practices in vegetable growing, an objective to be addressed with considerable urgency in view of the extreme dependency on chemical pesticides which characterizes much of the region's vegetable growing. Redressing the ill effects of such dependency (hazards to humans, havoc to the environment, economic burdens to farming communites) provided strong rationale for initiating the Project. For a comprehensive presentation of project justification, reference is made to project documentation such as the

~~~-~__.'P__.r~ogress ReQort for the Qeriod April 1996- February 1999.

interrelation between the Rice and Vegetable ICP's. Successes during the 1980s


in promoting Rice IPM through participatory training as embodied in the so-called 'Training of Trainers/Farmer Field School' (TOT/FFS) model provided the main

· ·· ·····- ·.· ·······tnrosrfor~in'lttatlrrg~th·e '\te·g·etabtetef3alon·gsimilartines:·Ever-since;the Clttestien· ··· of potentialities and limitations in using the Rice ICP approach as a model for vegetables has been a popular issue for discussion. In 1998 a special monitoring mission of the Project, fielded by the Netherlands as one of the donors, had as its stated objective 'Identification of both possibilities and limitations of the application of evolving Rice IPM TOT/FFS as a model for Vegetable IPM training in methodology as well as contents.' Principal elements emerging from the various analyses are:

1) There are essential differences between rice and vegetable agroecosystems. The former concerns a crop which is typically indigenous in Southeast Asia with a highly diverse complex of naturally occurring biological control agents which usually keeps pests within economically acceptable bounds. Chemical pesticides applied in such an environment usually act in a disruptive rather than corrective manner. Consequenly, emphasis in farmers' training tends to be on 'informed non-intervention'. Vegetables on the other hand, especially the ones grown in highlands, are commonly of foreign origin, largely lack such complexes of beneficials, and are therefore more prone to injurious pest attacks. The focus in IPM training curricula is therefore more on 'informed intervention'.

2) Whereas rice farmers' IPM training involves exclusively cropping practices in the field, the scope in vegetables is wider. To be addressed are also aspects preceding the field cropping stage (choice of vegetables to be grown; seed selection and quality) as well as post-harvest problems (marketing; perishability of produce).

3) The upshot of (1) and (2) is that IPM training programmes for vegetables tend to be more demanding than those for rice in terms of technological underpinning of curricula which gives higher importance to effective feedback with research.

4) On the methodology side, characteristic elements of the FFS/TOT model such as participatory training, learning by discovery in problem-driven res each by farmers and empowerment towards self-reliance in I PM decision making, have proved as valuable for vegetables as for rice. Given this overall robustness of this approach, the essential strategy is the same, be it for rice, vegetables or other crops.

In summary: Effective promotion of IPM in vegetables is more demanding than in rice and requires more interaction with research for the development of training curricula combining relevancy with technological soundness. This, however, does not detract from the strength of the participatory FFS/TOT methodology, which transcends individual crops and has proved equally applicable to vegetables as

_____ __.to rice. ~--------------------~----------------~-~


4. THE PROJECT APPROACH AND DESIGN

~-- --~~~·~--·~···~-~·------- ~ -~:~-1c=~~---~~~-~=f?etevan~c~e~ to-----~~~~-deve1opm-ent~~"----"-prlorities-'---'-"---a-nd -n-e-eds-;--~-0"--------~a-nd-----'--"--p-ro-blems,

addressed

Vegetables are important crops in all the participating countries both for food security of their population, including the farmers themselves, and as a source of cash income for the farmers. In line with improved income and living standards in Project and neighbouring countries, the relative importance of vegetables is increasing. However, smallholder vegetable sector, which constitutes the majority of producers, is yet relatively unorganized without adequate access to improved technologies for crop production and protection or to institutional credits or marketing and distribution. At the same time, vegetables are generally highly perishable and vulnerable to plant pests and diseases with risk of losses. The recent development in the sector is marked with dramatic increases in use of pesticides and other chemicals with serious implications for the production cost, human health and environment.

The Project is intended to assist in bringing about a sound and efficient development of this sector, while at the same time satisfying the need for profitability, safe food, and environmental concerns. Its strategy is to enable farmers to learn to make knowledge-based decisions in managing the crops through training particularly on growing healthy crops with the minimal use of pesticides and other agrochemicals. The approach has been applied in the Intercountry Programme on IPM in rice in Asia and has demonstrated that farmers can learn to reduce the use of pesticides and to manage crops better, leading to reduced production costs and minimizing adverse environmental effects without losses in productivity. Thus, the project not only addresses pressing needs of the smallholder producers but also is aimed to meet their multiple requirements in a balanced manner. The concept and strategy guiding the project are both clear and sound, providing a highly relevant response to the need for human investment in enhancing the self-reliant capacity of the producer farmers in producing and marketing vegetables.

4.2 Immediate objectives and design

While the Project's broad approach is clear, objectives (for a listing, see Annex I) have not been always clearly and consistently articulated in the project documents:

• The assumed links between immediate and development objectives - given that immediate objectives concern primarily the development of training capacity, there is a great leap in logic from there to the development objective ('intensified vegetable production in a sustainable, safe, profitable and environmentally sound manner, through the development and implementation

example, follow-up to farmers training and farmers ability to access to sound


inputs and technologies as well as to market. Articulation of the underlying assumptions in these respects would have made the statement of objectives

c• c m-urffc•ccoherent,······· making more expticitadditionalcc actiorlscc•. neeclecl·· eeyend~ training.

• Within the immediate objectives given, some ambiguities and inconsistencies exist. As far as the first objective is concerned, it is questionable if the purpose of national programmes is to support " the development of curriculum and implementation of I PM in vegetables". A case for the reverse may be argued if training is seen as a means for achieving national goals and objectives. More importantly, the second objective (the capacity to educate 20,000 vegetable farmers per year) is not clear as to if it refers to each individual country or collectively for the seven countries. It appears that it refers to individual countries, and it is questionable if the same target can be applied uniformly to these countries with wide differences in the development of IPM training. In fact, this is contradicted in the sections dealing with outputs where somewhat differing targets are indicated for individual countries, and these do not add up to the targets given. In summary, the objectives statement appears to have too narrow a focus on training per se, and should have been more carefully and consistently formulated.

• The objectives and the project document as a whole do not give a coherent idea as to what the project is expected to achieve in different countries nor how much resources are to be allocated to individual countries. In this respect, the addendum project document for Australia is somewhat clearer.

• The project design in the documents is also ambiguous regarding the proposed deployment of project resources, especially in their allocation to different countries supported by the two donors. This together with the ambiguities in target setting detracts from transparency and accountability. It also makes it difficult to assess realism and feasibility of these important aspects of project design.

• Similarly, the analysis of risk factors is inadequate, without taking into account explicitly such predictable factors as the availability of adequate counterpart staff and resources as well as that of proven, cost-effective solutions against main pests and diseases in vegetables, support from the research and technology centres, and sufficient financial incentives for farmers to adopt the I PM practices.

The overall project design outlined in the project document provides only a broad outline of the project's general approach, but it is not always easy to grasp the logical consistency between the immediate objectives, outputs, activities and inputs (the latter is not shown in a way to facilitate such an analysis). However, these weaknesses were substantially corrected by the inception report by the CTA which outlined more clearly in the overall implementation plan how the

taken in this respect concerns the approach to build on the technical and


institutional basis laid by experience with the I PM in rice in the participating countries, which provided a realistic entry to integration of IPM in rice and

· ···· ·· ·------- ··vegetables at~~the ·eotJntry··level·anei··wfiieh · afse·· faeiHtatee·a eost-effeetive implementation. Nevertheless, some important ambiguities persist in the logic of numerical targets set for various training activities at the national levels.

Should there be a second phase to this project, the project design should not repeat the weaknesses noted here. In particular, it should provide a coherent vision of the results to be ac~ieved at its termination, including how the training capacity being established in countries is expected to contribute to the development objective. It should also provide a balanced design for national support activities as well as regional activities. It should further consider a strategy for how the project is expected to terminate, with a clear definition of when and under what conditions it should be considered to have realized its objectives.

4.3 FAO as Executing Agency

The rationale for FAO as executing agency at the time of initiation of the Project was quite logical:

• FAO has been at the forefront of the development of IPM since the 1980's, especially in Asia.

• The IPM vegetable programme was the logical next step on from the IPM rice programme, the latter potentially also acting in a support capacity to I PM vegetables.

• Strong technical capacity was available in the region. At headquarters, the operations division was also provided with strong technical support.

These advantages, however, have not always been realized during programme implementation. This can largely be attributed to three events that occurred around the time the Project was initiated.

• The decentralization of FAO functions on operational matters to the region, on balance has had a negative impact on the project. On one hand, technical capacity in the region has not developed to a level that can backstop the programme. On the other, through staff losses and outposting, technical capacity at headquarters has also been weakened.

• At about the same time, some of the key IPM technical staff in the Asia Pacific Region were transferred to headquarters to initiate the Global IPM Facility. The focus of the facility has been to expand the IPM approach in other regions, thus further reducing the availability of technical backstopping to the vegetable IPM programme.

Management. This international body of influential scientists in its heyday

Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Repott 15

implemented an effective 'peer review' in earlier FAO IPM projects on matters of general strategy, policies and orientation. Ideally, in the present

c ·--- · ·· -----CC~devolatedcc~et~up~such~a function in Asiac~hotrldbectaken~0vercl:>ytheAsiaA and Pacific Plant Protection Committee (APPPC) which is a statutory FAO body with a comprehensive regional plant protection mandate. However, so far the engagement of APPPC in I PM strategy and policy matters has been only marginal.

The consequence has been a weakened leadership and superv1s1on in IPM programmes in the region at the technical level. The inter-programme management issue, discussed later in this report (section 9.2), probably arose as a result of this leadership gap. The Mission further observed a residue of ambiguity on responsibility for technical backstopping and operational matters, following the devolution of authority from headquarters to the region. Such lack of clarity places undue pressure on the SCPO in the fulfilment of her task and the Mission strongly recommends an in-house review to establish clear delineation of authority between the parties involved.

In summary: Management issues concerning inadequate technical backstopping, areas of responsibility and lines of authority for the IPM programme as a whole at times have had a negative impact on the implementation of the I PM vegetable programme. FAO should review their management of the IPM programme as a matter of urgency to ensure the efficient and effective execution of the remainder of the vegetable programme. If the Mission's recommendation of a second phase are accepted, this should be conditional on FAO providing a clear management and supervision plan for the programme which is acceptable to the donors.


5. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

The project implementation has progressed largely in accordance with the project planning, particularly in terms of quantitative milestones. See the summary presentation in Table 1. The salient achievements can be summarized as follows:

• In all seven participating countries national IPM programmes, including vegetables, have been established or strengthened with core staff in the relevant government agencies, covering key functions in farmer training, coordination with other national and external partners, including NGOs, and to more varying degrees, on policy and regulatory measures on trade, manufacture and sale, and use of toxic pesticides and similar agrochemicals;

• Capacity for implementing farmer training has been strengthened directly or indirectly, especially in terms of carrying out the planned TOT/FFS programmes;

• Progress is also being made in varying degrees among the countries in (a) the formation of farmer trainers, (b) follow-up measures for group activities among the trained farmers, and (c) broadening partnership in farmer training;

• In all countries, again with varying degrees, series of field studies and participatory action research activities have been carried out, contributing to a better understanding of practical needs of farmers and testing practical options available (e.g., trials on biological control agents) for meeting their needs, thereby enhancing the training curriculum (Vietnam and Indonesia have perhaps gone furthest);

• At the regional level, the project has supported (a) sharing and dissemination of information, including several field guides prepared by consultants, {b) organization of regional workshops for training and technical knowledge sharing, primarily for trainers and researchers, and (c) exchange of resource persons and national staff in training activities and study tours.

The Mission's visits to the countries have confirmed (a) a wide-spread appreciation of the I PM/FFS approach in educating the trainers and farmers in vegetable production, (b) success of the project strategy to focus on reducing the amount and cost of pesticides used, and (c) the critical role of this regional project on IPM in vegetables, especially in providing the national programme staff and their external partners with technical and quality standards with respect to the curriculum development and training of trainers.

Laos

Phili

pummary table of member countries and accomplishments I, members: Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Philippines, and Vietnam J' I . $/160/NET

122.0 million 71.6 million




IPM trainers for I Farmers and FFS "veaetable" 2

300 (in oriainal members 3 planned in prodoc 1st TOT: 1997/ Mymensigh/ eggplant! 23 SMS + 4 CARE + 2 Proshika 2nd TOT: 1999/Jessore/ 3rd TOT: TBA?

2 planned in prodoc 1st TOT: 1997/ Salakham/ rice/ 31 trainers 2nd TOT: 1999/ Salakham/ rice/ 36 trainers

2 planned in prodoc Advise provided to nationally implemented TOTs

3 planned in prodoc 1st TOT: 1995-96/ 30 trainers 2nd TOT: 1996-97/ 35 trainers 3rd TOT: 1997/36 trainers 4th TOT: 1997-98/31 trainers

1st TOT: 5 DANIDA: 29 + 30

5 FFS in 1sL TOT 95 FFS (rice) 3 FFS (veg)

Advise provided to nationally implemented FFS

508 FFS since 1996 61 provincially funded veg. FFS.

Follow-up

IPM Workshop on Disease management. Field Studies

Field studies in veg. FT orientation

Field studies

Field Studies on parasites and pathogens (NPV) of DBM.

Notes

1 SL TOT: 2 Phil. trainers/Maes/various Significant support to DAN IDA, UNDP and CARE programmes provided in expectation of more veg. production on bunds. Analysis of vegetable production areas not undertaken - instead focus on eaaolant. IPM initiated with activities on rice to build training process, followed bY. vegetable developments. Cabbage, tomato, cucumber

Major source of advise in the ICP supported TOTs, workshops, planning meetings, and technologies. NationaiiPM programme carried out training on vegetables with own fundina. Cabbage, tomato, french bean, and 8 others. Various workshops and planning meetings undertaken.

1. 2.

3. 4.

m members: Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand 167/AUL

1 rice/veg. and 1 veg. 7 FFS (179) planned in prodoc 30FT 1st TOT: 97-98/ Siem Reap/ 75 FFS planned for 99-rice-veg/ 56 trainers 00. 2nd TOT: 2000

203.5 million None planned in prodoc 1 ,240 FFS under other 93.9 million programmes.

42 Bio-Agent posts 5 FFS byTP4

59.2 million I None planned 13 FFS 30.4 million 151 TOT: NFE trainers

I courses. Farmer to Farmer FFS conducted

Action research on BioAgent. Field Studies. IPM Facility in Bog or

I Field Studies NFE act1v1t1es with WEA.

Initial survey carried out. Programme strongly connected to the rice IPM programme through the same national staff, FAO staff and ministry steering committee. French bean, kale, bitter gourd, cabbaae. muna bean Farmer to Farmer, Field Studies, and research to support training. Funding raising with compost and seedlings.

Recent changes in the DAE have opened the possibility of 5 TOTs (3 rice, 2 veg) and will require significant backstopping from the ICP.

Ftatistics (1997). "'f~~et6bles" in most cases means cabbage, tomato, french bean, eggplant or onion. Some other crops included but vary from country to

vegetable IPM model exists. lrnuhlb+i\/a by end of year 4 of the project (see Output 2.3)

':lllf;r~:lirling of Trainers; FFS: Farmer Field School; FT: Farmer as Trainer; F·ll~c)~-!Formal Education in Min of Ed.; DAE: Dept of Ag. Ext. in Min. of Ag.; WEA: World Education Asia (consultant group)

!Diamond-backed moth - major pest of cabbage;

No


This appears to be due to a number of factors, particularly the quality of the project staff and the basic strategy to build the project's activities on the

-- - -- --- _o~institctiona+and~technieat basiso+aid~bythe-earHerf)f-ejeetso-on~tPM~riee~

However, some important issues deserve comments. Firstly, there are significant differences among the seven countries in the strength of national capacity being achieved, some countries like Vietnam and Indonesia being at the more advanced stage, including the development and use of bio-control agents, and others like Cambodia and Laos at an early stage of development. Furthermore, it is still difficult to assess the sustainability of the progress made so far in any of these countries without further external assistance (see section 7 below). Secondly, it is increasingly clear that there are still many challenges in developing low-cost and effective measures for controlling vegetable pests and diseases. Viable alternatives to using pesticides and other chemicals as well as the minimal/optimal levels of supplementary use of pesticides must be addressed, and some promising trials started under the current phase would deserve further exploration with appropriate external support.

5.2 Budgetary status

The budget-allocation from the Netherlands according to the original project document (project code GCP/RAS/160/NET) amounted to US $ 3,986,324, from Australia according to the Project Addendum of 1997 (project code GCP/RAS/168/AUL) US $ 970,670.

The following tables are based on the latest printouts of I PM training related expenditures categorized on the basis of the seven member countries as well as the two donor sources.

SUMMARY: GCP/RAS/160/NET Country 11996

I j1997 ~

11998 !

.§.9..Q.9~.9..9.~~b ................................................ ! ................................. !~ .. 1 .. !.9.9.9. .............. [.??..?.9.9.9.. ............. !?..~.!.?..9..9 ........... 1.?~.?..?.?..Q.Q ..................... . Laos ! !191 ,400 !100,000 !90,500 1381,900

:P6I!IP.P.I6.~~:::(i.~9I9:6.~IL:::::::::::r~:?.4:;:$~:9JI$.I;:$9:9:::::::J??.:$.:;:4.:9.:9:::::::::r$:~:;:?.99:::::::::J~~:~:;:9:~Q:::::::::::::::::::::: Vietnam ! !230,000 !150,000 !150,000 !530,000 ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo)oooooooooooooooooooHOOOHooooooooo},.oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.,)ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo{oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo .. o)oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooof•••••••••

T 0 TAL !324,930 !703,900 !581,400 !409,900 !2,020,130

SUMMARY: GCP/RAS/168/AUL

Country 11996 11997


It should be noted that there is some cross-charging of expenditures between the rice and vegetable training activities between the respective ICP's. For example,

-- --- -- - ---- ----···· a~substantiat ~part of"the~·\ieg·etabie ·I 6P-'s bud£)et·fer·Laos·was·sf)eflt·ofl·I·P·M training in rice (carried out prior to the start of vegetable I PM training for strategic reasons; see Laos country report), conversely in Vietnam much of the expenditures for IPM vegetable training activities before commencement of the Vegetable ICP and partly after, including salaries of experts, have been charged on the Rice ICP budget.

5.3 Support of the participating countries

Generally, the seven countries have contributed by providing the necessary counterpart staff and other material provisions. This has been especially true of the national agencies where the IPM programmes are located. In all countries, efforts have been made to mobilize support of other related governmental agencies working in this area, such as extension and, to a lesser degree, research. Furthermore, some countries have provided a considerable degree of policy support as well, such as Indonesia and Vietnam, by taking proactive steps towards controlling more systematically the trade and use of toxic pesticides and other agrochemicals through legislations and administrative decrees. However, such support has remained relatively limited regarding the mobilization of national and local resources to cover the cost of TOTs and FFSs. In fact, this resource question remains a basic concern in terms of ensuring the sustainability of the results being achieved under the project (see below -section 7).

The overall picture of project progress in relation to needs and resources of participating countries leads to the following conclusions and recommendations:

• Cambodia and Laos, both of which show commitment and initial progress, should be further supported by the regional Project so as to consolidate the progress so far and to develop further their capacity on wider fronts. It must be also stressed that they are both among the poorest of the participating countries with a relatively short period of external assistance.

• Other countries that have made a considerable progress and/or are supported sufficiently by other external sources may require only more selective and limited further support from the Project. Thus, future support of the Project should target those areas where its assistance through FAO would provide the best value added to the country concerned and where its assistance would contribute to synergy for effective intercountry cooperation.

• Future project support as a regional endeavor should increasingly focus on its regional contribution, including (a) the development of appropriate technologies and innovations, (b) promotion of networking with research

intercountry cooperation. These efforts should be broadly directed at


strengthening .... poJicies for .. tecbnicaJ .... changes,. sustaineibility ...... 9f benefits delivered and incorporation of environmental concerns for quality of

_c·cc~c~~~~stTcrred~watersappliHs;forexample"in"theMekong-:

• A future project should contain a system of incentives that rewards those countries that are making more efforts towards self-reliance in developing and using their national IPM programmes. This may particularly relate to such areas as mobilization of domestic resources in support of the training cost, active promotion cooperation among the related government agenqies, especially the research agencies, and support to follow-up measures among farmers.

5.4 Support of donors

Budgetary inputs from donors proceeded according to schedule and enabled adherence to time planning for the various activities. A donor contribution of a different nature was a Project monitoring mission, fielded by the Netherlands in June/July 1998 and aimed at an in-depth of assessment of the TOT/FFS approach for vegetable IPM training in Bangladesh and Vietnam.


6. APPRAISAL OF STATUS AND QUALITY OF PROJECT RESULTS

cc6.4---~~cCUFFicu/umcdeve/opm.ent"fOt:c/RMtrain.ing ....

In the project document, two stages were foreseen in the development of a training curriculum. The first (Output 1.1.) was a "status report for each country with recommendations for development of training curricula". The second step (Output 2.2.) was a "training curriculum for Training of Trainers programmes (TOTs)" that was to be supported by "field studies to be carried out in each new country" (Activity 2.2.1.).

Aside from Cambodia, no major status report containing major problem areas, level of pesticide application, or degree of potential improvement with training investment was produced. Several countries (e.g. Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh [through NGOs- e.g. Save The Children and CARE]) already had active IPM programmes which had, to a certain extent, already identified the vegetable crops on which those programmes could make significant impact - primarily cabbage and tomato. Bangladesh had decided to focus on "brinjal" (eggplant) as it is known to be a major crop with major abuse of pesticide over-use, mainly for the shoot and fruit borer. Laos followed the lead of Vietnam and Thailand, especially as these are major crops sharing pest1

problems across the Indochina-Thai region.

Field studies were carried out in all countries to support curricula development. This allowed an assessment of agronomic and pest problems, as well as an assessment of possible improvements in the vegetable I PM that could be focal points for the Training of Trainers and Farmer Field Schools. Further educational activities, including field studies, hands-on experiential learning projects (e.g. insect zoos), and other methods (e.g. collections) were developed primarily through adaptation of rice curricula to the problems of vegetables. This was possible because the rice curricula emphasises crop physiology (e.g. growth patterns, plant compensation), ecological relationships (e.g. pest biology, predation, parasitism, etc.), agro-ecological decision-making (e.g. agroecosystem analysis, economic analysis), and pesticide use issues (e.g. sprayer maintenance, exposure problems, toxicity levels and environmental impact). New activities were also developed with the assistance of CABI Bioscience and various consultants, especially on the diseases of vegetables.

This adaptation process took place more or less in all countries, but it was most pronounced in Vietnam and Laos. In Vietnam, the field studies and training of trainers were carried out by extensionists with rice IPM experience- the curricula were basically developed by these IPM training experts. In Laos, the first step was in fact to develop rice IPM trainers - due to political and food security necessity - then these I PM trainers moved onto vegetable I PM development. This is a good example of how previous investments from donors and the governments in the development of trainers has led to a strong core group within extension systems capable of extending their experience to new crops.

Although this adaptation process has in fact led to a limited vegetable curriculum for the Training of Trainers and Farmer Field Schools, it is unfortunate that

====~·=-~~~-==additional=as.~ents=of:~~~E:lR<:f~·§otuti()f1§=W~Fe=~~~t~~Qf~=·~-~.-~~ ...... -~-.... ··:_~~:~-==

1 "Pest" refers to insects, mites, slugs, snails, weeds, pathogens and vertebrates.


example, Jn many countries, curricula developrnent C)lso inclljdes a workshop in which major producers, extension staff, and researchers from government

" c• .·c ··.~ c·~-cc~·~~jnstittltiOITSCC~aiTd~""nOIT'"'goVefnment Ofganizatie>flS~C-are 1ftVited te f}f8Seflt~4Aeif

experiences. The output of such workshop is not a curriculum, but one basis for developing curricula. Such workshop also provides a greater national support system and consensus on curricula. Throughout the project, it was observed that such involvement with national and regional expertise was not cultivated. Greater emphasis was placed on the use of foreign experts from CABI and the Netherlands, while only one expert from the member countries (Philippines) was mobilized. While these sources do have strong technical backgrounds and experience in the region, they largely rely on published materials and not on longtime direct field experience within the participating countries. Greater effort should be made to bring local and regional expertise into the curricula development process, as well as developing a core of vegetable I PM expertise that is interacting with training programmes, and that will continue to interact beyond the period of the project implementation.

Another area to explore is a stock-taking of existing extension or commercially published materials in local languages to avoid re-writing. The evaluation team saw limited use of existing materials but suspects that previous investments in extension activities, workshops, etc. would have resulted in some basic informational materials.

The curricula cover not only traditional IPM areas but also "growing a healthy crop" through proper production methods (actually sometimes considered under "cultural controls" in some forms of I PM). While this is to be strongly encouraged and improved, this emphasis could also be reflected in the programme title by changing from IPM to IPPM (Integrated Production and Pest Management). Such a change would allow quicker understanding of the breadth of the programme, would encourage more participation from production related experts, and could even help to attract more national and local attention for support from the production oriented budgets, which in general are larger and more strategic to food security.

6.2 Training of Trainers (TOT)

According to the project document, "an estimated 300 trainers and about 13,000 vegetable farmers trained in each country by the end of year 4" (output 2.3.) was the goal of the project. This output was difficult to interpret - given that the budget available was very insufficient (training for 300 trainers in each country would require between 6-8 TOTs/country). Moreover, several countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines began the programme with a large training capacity because between the time of formulation and implementation many national IPM programmes had begun training activities on vegetable IPM. Bangladesh also had a large NGO-based capacity (e.g. CARE and Proshika) but these programmes are not integrated into government programmes, which wanted to have their own expertise within the block extension system.

··~~·~"~~-~·~"·~~~~~Etas:e:d=an=the=m:t~mb:er=of=T:cainin~=Qf~Irg~[~~~!!r~~~~~~L~§.!>!:IBL'Y~~··~~~"~===


1-\PPc:lr~ntly, trc:1ining inth~ Philippines has not been undertaken since the national programme will carry out training under its own funding, and difficulties between

~ccthe~f6~"8fldccthe~Philif)pirtegavernrnertt"t0werff~atttaf3f>F01JfiaterelatieRshitlS··-·8S discussed in the CTA's overall reporting on the Philippines.

It is necessary to point out that the Indonesia programme was expected to provide expert IPM training resources to the rest of the project- and this was a major rationale for including Indonesia in the programme (page 8, project document addendum), but in fact it was the Philippines provided a larger number of trainers. One reason may be the stronger English skills of Philippine trainers in comparison with other countries, and the relatively low level of local language skills among the ICP staff. It is likely that technical reasons are less important as the Indonesian programme, as presented to the evaluation team, was technically quite sound and obviously a solid programme.

In terms of the quality of the Training of Trainers, one must rely on the evidence seen in the field in terms of the development of local programmes - the primary objective of the Training of Trainers. In Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia; the team saw or were presented with cases of local or national government funding and ownership of programmes. Cambodia, and Vietnam in particular have programmes in which local NGOs (Cambodia) or local provincial governments (Vietnam) carried at least 50°/o of the programme and within which trainers played a major role in the programme development. Indonesia showed in one province support of the Food Crops Protection Laboratory. Thailand was still developing programmes, but it was quite clear during our meeting with Dr. Kla Somtrakool, Director of the Non Formal Education Department within the Ministry of Education, that he perceived better adult education programmes for production and I PM as a core activity. The potential of a ministry other than the Ministry of Agriculture engaging in the development of trainers opens exciting possibilities for future programme growth.

One area of concern, however, relates to a few technical issues. A short list compiled during the mission is given in Table 2 below. Many items in the list were seen or discussed in one country, but could be shared among countries. Other topics are basic to commercial vegetable production and would not be appropriate in all situations (e.g. home gardens).

Farmer Field School training does not include several important issues including some improved production methods for extended season production, or pesticide use. In most cases on vegetables, toxic pesticides will be required for fungal diseases, and some insect pests - especially on high valued crops until better means of protection are more widely available. Thus, it is important to alert extension and farmers to which pesticides are effective but with lowest toxicity, and proper maintenance of sprayer (e.g. a-rings and nozzles) and protection equipment. Discussion of these topics does not condone the continued use - as expressed by several trainers - but recognition of the reality that farmers are often using chemicals and equipment without a strong understanding of them.


• improved production tools (hand and power) • improved tillage practices • fruit tree and vegetable integration • improved soil mixes for transplants and solarisation • transplanting methods • compost crop production (high C, high calorie, high bulk crops) • new varieties and community testing of new varieties in FFS • local seed production and distribution to ensure quality seed on-time

where appropriate • soil fertility - especially micro-nutrients for specific crops (e.g. boron on

cabbage, calcium on tomato) • crop covers/extended season methods for off-season production • local and commercial bio-agent production and use guidelines • recommendations on pesticides with lowest impact products • improved farmer knowledge on pesticide performance, impact and

application • IPM labelling for IPM produce • consumer education materials • marketing/wholesaler education • association building for group marketing, group input purchase, etc.

6.3 Farmer Field Schools (FFS)

Farmer Field Schools have two basic objectives in many IPM programmes. First is to work with farmers to validate their ability to improve their own production and protection system with better technical and social knowledge and skills. The "system" should be understood to include local farmer associations and farmersas-trainers. Documentation of farmer's validations, improvements, and innovations are required for the second objective, which is to use these documented experiences to influence the overall policy environment within the agriculture sector.

From the observations of the evaluation mission, the countries within the ICP have thoroughly developed the first objective; the Farmer Field School processes are strong, farmers are testing and improving methods for production and pest management, and they are developing their own local associations and programmes. These are indications that the ICP has been successful in assisting farmers to improve their system. Both farmers met by the Mission and the data collected by the Project confirm that farmers graduating from IPM Farmer Field

~~·~~~~·~~~···~·~ ~.~h~~!§---if!!~F~Y~t~~ttl3f~!i~c:l~ili!Y.=~nd~that~they~are~also-active-in~sustaining-tbese--~········--~~·o ...... " ......... ~~ ................. -,".=""-~==.ccc-o"""'""='="="""'=~~·'='==-c,,,,-,-~ •• ==="'""'="~····· .......... "'·""''=·=-"''~~·~=.·.·, .,,.~"""""'·~.--.·~,··,~-,~~·---=.~===


For example, the Mission met with young (20-35 year old) men and women ~~~c~fal"rnel"slncafcweregraalJafes of55fffcF~frmefF1ela~Scnools--anacca~raYffrer;:as~

Trainer workshop in Cambodia. These farmers, all from the same district, had then formed their own association to assist other farmers learn about IPM through their own involvement as trainers. In Vietnam, farmers had formed study groups after the Farmer Field Schools to study specific technical improvements, including introductions of a parasitoid of diamond-backed moth and NPV virus for several pests of vegetables. The studies of these farmers will be useful to a wider group of farmers and these farmers were willing to consider themselves as trainers of their neighbours. Similar experiences were heard of groups in Indonesia and Philippines.

Some improvements (see Table 2 above) could be made in the Farmer Field Schools. It was also felt by the Mission that a greater emphasis should be given to the post-field school activities. In particular, it was felt that some type of contract be developed between the programme and farmer groups that would detail the technical and financial inputs to be provided by the programme and the obligations of the group. Obligations would include training other farmers (1 group trains 5 other groups was one suggestion) with technical support from IPM trainers and with financial support from the programme or local government/nongovernment sources. Funds would be transferred directly to the farmer groups based on competitive grants. Such "contracts" would provide great farmer control over the Farmer Field School as they would be the primary decision-makers in the process of developing the Farmer Field School.

The second major objective of Farmer Field Schools, that of changing policy, was less evident. This area should be strengthened so that gains made by existing groups will be available to all farmers through institutional policy changes. This is discussed in more detail below.

6.4 Field Studies

Field Studies are mentioned in the project document as an activity to support the development of curricula (activity 2.2.1.). However, in this project Field Studies have played a much wider role. In particular, they have been used to also validate I PM methods such as parasitoid introductions, use of nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV), and IPM on new crops. In one case in a group in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Field Study groups were assisted by an insect pathologist from the Plant Protection Research Institute, Dr. Viet. Her inputs had been provided over several seasons to the group to develop NPV studies on beans. The group had an impressive depth of experience, data, and enthusiasm. They felt that NPV used in connection with other pesticides could greatly increase their profits while maintaining quality standard and reduce overall pesticide use. In Bangladesh, farmers were testing various new methods for fruit and shoot borer management.

The role of Field Studies could be improved by creating some type of formal

policy and programmes. In the case of NPV, there is a need to adjust policies to


NPV commercial production or possibly import from large producers in

A final point of the Field Studies is that they are excellent ways to encourage the participation of the research community with farmers. Although sometimes referred to as Participatory Technology Development (PTD), this process of field school graduates working with research staff could allow more practical validation and generate more technical knowledge needed to reduce dependence on more toxic pesticide options.

6.5 Assistance to member countries in developing /PM policies and their institutionalisation and implementation

Although the objective of assistance to member countries in developing IPM policies and institutionalisation was not explicitly stated in the project document (Section 6.2), many of the activities of the programme should support this objective. Data collected from validation trials run during Training of Trainers, Farmer Field Schools and Field Studies should be sufficient to have an impact on the direction of plant protection and production policies in a country. In many respects, major institutional and policy change is the only way to address the large scale problems as stated in the project document (Section 8.1. Problems to be addressed) including increasing selection for resistance to pesticides, high pesticide residues in market vegetables, frequent occurrences of pesticide poisoning, damage to fauna and the environment, unreliable sources of information for farmers, and the rise in production costs.

It was not evident to the Mission that these issues were being addressed as few specific activities or materials were prepared. Field Days certainly inform policy makers of the accomplishments of field school graduates, and the potential impact if further change follows. Follow-up workshops to discuss policy implications, policy studies, recommendations, guidelines, and other policy discussion forums were not seen. Possibly the most important challenge to the programme is to ensure that the project efforts on the ground are translated into more general changes. Questions that need to be kept in the foreground are "Has the impact of agricultural pollutants decreased with increases in farmer profitability?" and "Will the current policy and institutional environment lead to national changes that will promote a trend towards less environmental and health impact while improving farmer profitability?".

Integration of the IPM programme with other on-going programmes could also assist in ensuring impact. In Vietnam, for example, there is a movement for production of "clean vegetables" by the Ministry of Agriculture. Specific guidelines have been prepared. It may be that the IPM programme could both support this programme, and benefit by the institutional broadening the collaboration would imply. Other such collaborations may be possible in the other member countries.


6.6 Gender And Development (GAD)

The general principle adopted by the project regarding GAD (Gender and Development) given the great variation on the issue between participating countries, is to pursue improvements within the context of the situation of rural women in each country. This position was endorsed when the project was expanded to seven countries with Australian support in 1997. The operational guideline is that the decision-maker in vegetable production should be the one from a production unit who should be the member in the FFS.

The Mission found that the availability of information for assessing this strategy was uneven in its quantity and quality between participating countries. The information that was available could be classified into two general types. The first is anecdotal from reports and the field visits of mission members that provide a snapshot of the present situation with regard to GAD issues. The second type indicates some developments through time by comparing the present situation with figures and observations contained in project reports and the monitoring mission of the Wageningen Agricultural University undertaken in 1998.

The anecdotal information below indicates some of the factors and the dynamics of behavioural change, which are determining who in the family attends FFSs. Some of the examples refer to rice rather than vegetable I PM.

• (M)I do not feel worried about my wife's attendance as I did before. It takes much of her time ..... but we can manage with the help of our children -our eldest is 14.

• (F)I am gaining knowledge, therefore confidence and consequently greater participation, more responsibility, more growth.

• (M)I have retired from government and want to create the conditions necessary for my wife to be involved.

• (F)I have a desire to join but am too busy to do so. • (F) We have no money to establish another FFS so we undertake IPM

activities through women's clubs. We do 80o/o of the work and we wish to learn.

• (F) I have the decision-making task (because .... husband has a job, is sick; I'm single, divorced).

• (M) I have the decision-making task and I would come even if the subject was livestock management (in which the husband has no operational role).

• (Husband and wife - young, no children) We both come because vegetable production is so important to us.

• (In Cambodia) Parent sends a child because the vegetable technology is difficult, it's the crop for the younger generation, the work is too heavy and, unlike rice production, it does not affect family food security.

• (M) Our wives are too busy weaving containers for sticky rice to be members of a FFS.


The comments demonstrate the wide range of responses from farm families to ······ -· · ······ ·- ···- ffie .. qUesHo·n~-·ar·wnTcn·me-m5ef snoura·anerra ·~rFFs: · Tne corrrrnents..also

demonstrate belief in traditional gender roles, the empowering factor in the IPM learning methodology, the intransigence of some men but also the attitudinal and behavioural shift in others towards greater participation of their wives.

What change has occurred over the period of the project in women's participation in FFSs? Data from the Field Guide on Gender and I PM, and the update on the National Vegetable IPM Programme in Vietnam provides the following comparison.

Region Total

South 58,646

Central 19,544

North 52,458

Total 130,648

Participation of Women in Farmer Field Schools, Vietnam

1992-96 (Rice) 1996-99 (Vegetables)

Females Females

Number % Total Number %

4,449 7.6 3,095 254 8.2

1,547 7.9 2,504 344 13.7

19,024 36.3 6,085 2,738 45.0

25,020 19.2 11,684 3,336 28.6

The data indicate the higher attendance of women at vegetable FFSs, reflecting their greater role in vegetable production than in rice. Other data, however, also show that, between 1992/94 and 1994/96, women's participation in rice FFSs increased by 19o/o and 29o/o in the North and Central regions of Vietnam. The Wageningen monitoring mission found that participation of women in vegetable FFSs nationally from 1996 to 1998 was less than 25%>. The 1996 to 1999 figure of 28.6°/o therefore indicate a quite significant rise in the Central and Northern Regions - the Southern Region is increasing quite slowly - in women's participation in vegetable FFSs. The indications are, therefore that, in Vietnam, the status quo of 1999 is different to that of 1996.

In Laos, average participation rates of women in TOTs and FFSs for rice cultivation are relatively static at 22°/o and 26°/o respectively. For the pilot vegetable FFS conducted in the 1998/99 dry season, 31% of the participants were women. Participation of women in Cambodia appears higher, to date, than in Laos. Under the rice programme, 49°/o of trainers and 37°/o of FFS participants are women. In the vegetable programme, it is expected that 36°/o of trainers will be female.

District still in general spend most of their time around the homestead.

30 Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Reporl

Es!c;l~lishing, with the perm1ss1on of the community, a FFS for women has increasealne ___ linl<ageoftnesecwom-entotfiewraersocietyaswelra~s:p:roviding improved techniques for eggplant production. The FFS has also become a bridge for the transfer of traditional crop protection techniques to the commercial production (under male management) as a substitute for chemical pesticides.

Two conclusions can be drawn from the available information on GAD. Firstly, the project is correct in pursuing improvements within the context of each participating country. Secondly, however, while acknowledging the context, project implementation should be more proactive in its outreach to women than it appears to have been. Decision-making can be shared and women are lagging behind the men in their level of self-confidence in vegetable management.

A proactive outreach strategy should take the form of removing constraints to women's membership of FFSs and supporting women's initiatives, rather than imposing rules such as quotas, which appear not to be successful. The chief mechanism by which the strategy should be implemented is through women trainers, gender training as a component of TOTs, gender issues incorporated into the field programme and a gender component in the refresher courses. In this regard, the project's Field Guide on Gender and IPM contains useful material and there is likely to be material in each country suited to the development of a gender component in TOT and refresher courses. The appropriate ratio of female to male trainers may differ between countries depending on the stage of development of the I PM programme, the availability of women for training and other factors.

While outreach to women should be proactive, it should not be aggressively so. As implied in the anecdotal information, there is no magical figure for the balance between females and males in a FFS. More importantly, community cohesion is fundamental to the success of the IPM approach to crop production and should not be put in jeopardy.

Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Reporl 31

7. SUSTAINABILITY OF RESULTS AT COUNTRY LEVEL

The components of sustainability2 for a National Programme in IPM vegetables include the following:

• A national commitment to crop protection strategies emphasizing nonchemical components, with only limited and selective use of agrochemicals at levels that are economically and environmentally sound, and applied in ways that are safe for both producer and consumer.

• An acceptance at the national level that I PM/FFS is a viable strategy for pursuing these ends.

• The allocation of suitable staff as trainers in TOTs and FFSs.

• Capacity to develop appropriate curricula in IPM vegetables for TOT courses.

• Appropriate knowledge and technology which is available to FFS facilitators and farmer trainers when it is needed, and the ability to respond effectively to new situations.

• A programme which includes the development of, and support for, a multifaceted post-FFS outreach strategy to producers.

• A national programme and the associated resources to guide and implement the IPM strategy.

• Effective use of a monitoring and evaluation system to guide the evolution of the programme in a way appropriate to the needs and resources of the country.

When measured against these criteria, none of the countries supported by the project has reached the point where their IPM programmes are sustainable. Sustainability however is an elusive goal and the ultimate responsibility for its attainment lies with the host country. The national capacity is the most realistic criterion for assessing the likelihood of programme continuity, and thus that of sustainability. Some of this capacity - for example qualified and experienced staff and physical infrastructure - is required in-country. Other requirements for national capacity ( eg inputs such as bioagents, new knowledge, specialist expertise) may reside outside the country. National capacity in the latter case means the ability to access these resources for the national programme. In the following, the results of the IPM vegetable programme to date are assessed within this framework for each of the member countries.


Laos has made a promising start. Through concentrating first on rice, a national COmmltmenttoTPrvrnasc6eenacnrevea~ErnafionaTcoorainatrnggroiTp~estaottsh13cd.C and a core group formed of 61 IPM trainers. Utilizing IPM rice, the concept of farmer-to-farmer training has been initiated. On the other hand, national staff is only now developing the curriculum for the first TOT vegetables course which will commence in November 1999. The timely availability to FFS facilitators of knowledge and technology has yet to be tested. Funding for the programme is almost entirely dependent on external sources. These and other realities indicate that the program has a long way to go before a capacity is in place to implement a nationaiiPM vegetable programme.

Cambodia represents a stage further on from Laos. The assistance received by Cambodia in IPM since 1992 combined with the complementary research programme provided through IRRI and Australian support has allowed the development of considerable experience in the development of rice-based farming systems through the IPM strategy. The IPM vegetable project has been able to build on this foundation. The structure within the Department of Agronomy to implement IPM rice and vegetables has gained strength during the project period and is receiving increased financial support - up to 1 0 sources in one province - for conducting FFSs. The active promotion of farmer-to-farmer training and the formation of post-FFS interest groups including an association of farmer trainers are concrete examples of a developing national capacity of farmer discovery learning in vegetable production. Policy support has been strengthened during the project period through legislation enacted on the quality of imported agricultural imports and in improved plant quarantine.

However, significant gaps in a systems-wide capacity exist. The quality and timeliness of technical knowledge available at the interface with farmers at times is a problem because its flow from the national research system and regional sources to farmers' fields is at an early stage of development. Developments in the production/accessing and distribution of bioagents are at an earlier stage than that of knowledge generation and dissemination. While the situation has improved during the project period, pesticide labels frequently are not written in Khmer. The lack of a monitoring and evaluation system inhibits the emergence of an IPM/FFS approach appropriate for Cambodia. The low level of Government funding for the recurrent costs of the programme is a cause for concern.

In Vietnam much of the capacity for the operation of a national I PM programme is in place and is receiving support. In 1998, provincial, district and village sources provided 45%> of the support required for training and follow-up activities at the community level- an increase from 30% in 1996. NGOs fund IPM activities and the Government of Vietnam allocated World Bank funds in 1996 for 1 ,841 FFSs. The gaps in capacity are in the areas of monitoring and evaluation (little is known of the spread and impact of the I PM programme beyond and behind the FFS), technology quality and dissemination, and in the broader areas of

Vegetable !PM Evaluation Mission Report 33

The Philippines and Indonesia (not visited by the Mission) both have IPM -systems"wnfcn~~are~ra~rgei}rinplace""~arfCJ7eceivEfsuostanliat·c·-fundinglrom~rrat1orral~--·---

sources. Aspects in need of attention are specialized technical inputs and the continuing need to exchange experiences with other countries in the region.

Bangladesh also has an established IPM vegetable programme, founded on FAO's rice programme which commenced in 1990. Four current programmes (FAO-ICP, FAO-UNDP, DANIDA and CARE) include IPM vegetables in their activities. DAN IDA plans to have completed 1,000 vegetable FFSs (and 3,000 in rice) by the end of next year and is negotiating a further five-year project containing an IPM component. CARE's programme includes components on fish and agroforestry and they are also developing an in-house capacity for technical backstopping. An important role of FAO-ICP has been to train staff of DANIDA, UNDP and CARE as trainers. Impact studies by DANIDA, while not conclusive, indicate reductions of up to 88°/o in pesticide use by farmers in the season following the FFS and some increase in yield, in comparison with farmers who were not trained.

A feature somewhat unique to Bangladesh and disturbing from the viewpoint of national sustainability is that much of the national capacity is provided by the donor community. For example, with the exception of staff salaries, virtually no government funds are allocated to the IPM programme. Linkages to sources of technical knowledge also are weak as demonstrated by CARE's development of its own backstopping capacity. The issue of developing a national capacity, including commitment of funds for training, for achieving sustainability should be seriously addressed in the national programme.

Thailand recently entered a new stage in I PM implementation by an initiative of the King calling for strengthening I PM in agricultural crops. This had followed years of relative stagnation in acceptance of IPM according to the tenets of the project's TOT/FFS approach. A couple of years ago, matters had started moving when grass-root level training activities were initiated in the context of a cooperative project between the Department of Non-formal Education and NGO's, specially World Education Asia. Indications are that the King's initiative will lead to a more prominent role of the Department of Agricultural Extension as lead agency for I PM implementation. As to sustainability, Thailand is in a relatively favourable position with respect to national funding of training activities. However, in other aspects such as technological underpinning of training curricula, creation of national awareness and a change of prevailing 'laissez faire' attitudes on matters of pesticide legislation and regulation there is still some way to go. Progress on these issues assumes a regional significance because of extensive and unhampered movements of agrochemicals across the Thai borders into neighbouring countries.


8. ISSUES EMERGING FROM THE PROJECT

In the course of the Mission's review, some matters came forward which, although not explicitly included in the TOR, merit consideration in future Project policies and strategies. The main issues are:

8.1 Ensuring sustainability of Project results

As noted above, sustainability is an essential goal, but it is also elusive and difficult to achieve. Given the very positive achievements to date and the

. widespread interest and support the project enjoys in the member countries, it would be logical to continue the effort. However, such external support is finite, and to ensure cost-effectiveness of any future support it seems vital to give further thoughts to this issue in formulating any follow-up project support. In particular, it would be important to clarify the minimum level of results to be achieved by the project both at the national and regional level. This would need to focus on the essential conditions for attaining a reasonable basis for sustainability in terms of (i) national capacity for IPM training, (ii) institutional measures for promoting and strengthening concerted efforts to achieve the objectives of the IPM strategy, including policy and other actions, (iii) the results of the IPM training among the farmers and other key actors in the vegetable sector and (iv) a conceptually sound and well resourced IPM monitoring and evaluation capacity linked closely to programme operation. Such needs for national self-reliance must be complemented by considerations for strengthening cooperation among the member countries across the main issues important to achieving the IPM goal."

8.2 Baseline studies

In the report of the Project Monitoring Mission of 1998 the discrepancy was noted between the rather ambitious scope of country status reports, as outlined in Output 1 of the project document, and the reality of baseline data compiled, which falls rather short of such comprehensiveness. The Mission agrees with this observation, but at the same time realizes that the Project staff, given limitations in time and available expertise, may have found it more important to 'get on with the job' and develop and implement urgently needed IPM training programmes rather than spend much effort on preliminary baseline survey work. Nevertheless, compilation of relevant quantitative national data on vegetable growing (areas, productivity, numbers of farmers engaged, etc.) as well as on main production practices and constraints, particularly in the area of crop protection, would help in a better assessment of the overall cost-benefit equation of the Project which in its turn may help in generating continued donor interest. In this context the observation of the Mission, throughout its itinerary, that initiation of TOT/FFS tends to result almost immediately in substantial reductions in pesticide use by trainees should be noted. This is primarily a matter of substitution of common

rooted in and

the sizeable benefits, from viewpoints of human health, environment as well as


economics, associated with the Project. Comprehensive sets of baseline data in -- ~cC>nji.Tncfio~n~wiln foflow=upsfLraiesTn lnercolirseofTOT7FFS_ccexecaticrn·~rs~wetrc~rsc

subsequent impact analysis studies afterwards (see following item) would help to quantify such benefits.

8.3 Need for systematic and scientifically sound impact analysis studies.

Such studies are vital for a proper assessment of sustainability and multiplier effects of the training effort and should be undertaken. Aspects to be addressed concern not only the extent and permanence of changes in farmers' practices following completion of the FFS, but also the validity of the often-heard but littlesubstantiated claims of more or less spontaneous spread of knowledge from trained to untrained farmers.

8.4 Technical guidance in cottage-type and other production schemes of biopesticides.

All over the Project area there is increasing interest in using so-called 'biopesticides' as substitutes for synthetic chemicals. Biopesticides are loosely defined as biological agents which kill pests by pathogenic action or suppress infections by fungi due to antagonistic action. A wide array of agents may be used for this purpose, including bacteria, viruses, nematodes and fungi. Production ranges from small-scale ('cottage' type) to sizeable commercial operations. Biopesticides, because of their potential for providing less toxic and environmentally friendlier alternatives to chemical compounds, are justifiably receiving much attention in vegetable IPM. Production procedures of biopesticides are of varying complexity, but in general some knowledge and skills are required. The Mission stresses the need to pay sufficient attention to proper technical guidance in case farmer-based production units are supported by the Project as, for example, in the 'Bio-agent Posts' programme in West Sumatra, Indonesia. A reported finding that analysis of some alleged Bt cultures from these posts showed that they contained no Bt but only saprophytic bacteria, gave rise to some concern on this aspect.

8.5 Considerations of further improvements in curricula development and training materials

While the Mission had generally favourable impressions on the initial achievements in this regard in the countries it visited, it also recognizes that the Project represents a first organized attempt at initiating a vegetable IPM programme, covering a wide range of subjects in production and protection of vegetables, thus requiring progressive refinements in its training approaches. In particular, it would be essential to ensure that the training under the Project address effectively practical needs faced by the farmers. The Mission's observation in the field indicates there are several areas to which greater

-~-~att~ntior:l~could~be~de~loted~in~future~(s_e~e~s~e~ctioo~6~ab_Q~Le). These include the~~~-~---~~


a) Systematic assessment and use of practical problems and possible solutions c···c·c~~~~~~~~~~as~identified~in~the~fietd~~studies~and~work:shops"""""""~""altMou~h~"stteM~"fiele .. "werlt~"

done in the curricula development yielded rich materials, often they have not been exploited fully through further analysis to the extent that they have become part of practical, problem-oriented training materials. Participation of local institutions and expertise in the process could be promoted further ;

b) Additional subject areas to be addressed in training - given the relatively unorganized nature of vegetable production in the countries with serious gaps in local research and extension services, farmers pointed out a number of areas which could be addressed under the theme of growing healthy vegetable crops. Several of such priority concerns are listed in Table 2 in section 6 of this report. Beside production aspects, the training could usefully cover aspects related to enhancing farmer knowledge on various pesticides (their performance and impact), including appropriate handling and application. This, together with the observation in a), implies the need for broadening the local partnerships, involving national institutions and other agents engaged in research, extension and marketing;

c) More emphasis on follow-up measures by farmers - while some countries have successfully initiated measures aimed at promoting farmer to farmer training and building cooperation among the trained farmers, the experience of the rice IPM programme indicates that such developments among the farmers are essential to creating a solid basis for self-reliant development of the programme (Project's catalytic impact). Similarly, so far only a modest beginning has been made in addressing wider policy and institutional issues with a view to creating an enabling and supporting environment (including control of particularly harmful chemicals) for sustaining vegetable IPM programmes in the countries.

·~~i

---~-~~~·--~-~~ .. --~--~---~~----~·~-----,--~--~-~~-----~--------~~~~--~--~-----~--~---~ .. -----~~~ .. ~-~-~-~.-----~-~~~-----~-~·--~---~------~-·------------ - ~--~-----~.-- .. --~---~------~----~---~---.... --~~

-~=~- -----------J


9. PROPOSED ACTIONS BY GOVERNMENTS, FAO AND DONORS

9. 1 Follow-up Project support

The recommendation of the Mission is that support to the IPM vegetable programme should continue into a second phase. The fundamental reason for this recommendation is that the Mission is convinced by what it has seen and been told that a viable strategy for vegetable production is being developed which is profitable, environmentally sound, safe for producers and consumers and sustainable. At the same time, the ultimate objective of self-reliance in growing vegetables in accordance with the tenets of IPM requires further assistance. The form of this assistance should have both regional and national elements:

A. The core regional grouping in the next Project phase would be the four Mekong River countries (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam) because of

• Prevailing interests and commitments of national governments to turn vegetable crop protection away from over-reliance on chemical controls to IPM -based strategies.

• Similarities in vegetable crop growing patterns, problems and solutions. • Interdependence of countries in matters of pesticide legislation, regulation

and use patterns. • Need for concerted regional approach in dealing with pesticide pollution of

the Mekong River and its shorelands. • Increasing interdependencies and complementarities in the economic

sphere, as exemplified by cross-border movements of vegetable produce as well as agrochemicals.

• Potential synergetic interactions between countries in further defining contents and methodology of training according to the TOT/FFS model.

B. On the national level the three other countries in the grouping (Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines) all have a relatively long history of IPM training on vegetables and are in a stage where future project inputs should be specified on a need base. In Bangladesh, the successful TOT/FFS on 'brinjal' (eggplant) carried out in the District of Jessore would suggest further Project support to run a similar training exercise in a second major eggplant area near Chittagong in Eastern Bangladesh. In the same country, the FAO Vegetable IPM Project has assumed the role of providing qualified trainers for FFS run all over the country by other IPM projects with funding from DANIDA, UNDP and CARE some continued support along this line could be envisaged for a second Project phase. For the ongoing programmes in Indonesia and the Philippines some further Project assistance on certain technological aspects of biopesticide use in vegetable I PM may be necessary.

C. The project design should include an approach for creating an institutional


on various IPM programmes supported by FAO (rice, vegetables and also · ~"~~~~~cottorrtsnuald~b=e=examin~e-d~and~propnsed""tO"the~articipating~countries"~~~cc·c

9.2 Future management arrangements for /PM support, including analysis of merits and drawbacks of possible integration of the /CP Vegetable Programme with other /PM programmes in the region.

Since the onset of the Vegetable ICP the idea of introducing some level of integration with the Rice ICP (now called Community IPM) has been brought up at several occasions. Additional impetus to discussions of this matter was given recently by the approval of a E.U. funded regional project on Cotton IPM in Asia, to be started later in 1999 with FAO also acting as executing agency.

The Mission was asked to look into this matter and discuss merits and demerits of management integration with the various stakeholders involved. Unfortunately not included in these discussions was the management of the Community IPM Project, because the tight traveling schedule precluded a visit to Jakarta. The following presents a short overview of principal advantages and drawbacks of an integrated management as well as the contours of a suggested structure.

Potential advantages of integrated management

Argumentation in favour of a more integrated management structure revolves mainly around four perceived advantages:

1. Greater flexibility and coherence in responding to individual countries' needs by interchangeability of training expertise under the umbrella of a common management structure.

2. Better possibilities for sharing of knowledge and experiences on IPM in the different crops, resulting in synergistic interactions to the benefit of all.

3. More effective coordination of ICP's efforts to strengthen national IPM programmes.

4. Economy of scale in case of, for example, combined use of administrative support services (this advantage may, however, be lost when the joint size of the projects becomes too big).

Drawbacks of an integrated management

1. Insufficient recognition of essential differences in the cropping systems involved. Aspects to be considered in this context are:

• Vegetable growing is intensive and often deals with high value/high

like choice of crops and seed quality, and in the post-harvest sphere


matters such as marketing and perishability of the produce need

• Core element in rice IPM, especially regarding insect pests, is 'informed non-intervention'. In the highly diversified rice agroecosystem there is an effective operation of natural biological control which, if not disrupted by outside agents, usually keeps plant-feeding species within economically insignificant bounds. Such homeostatic mechanisms are less developed in vegetable ecosystems, which dictates the need for more interventionist strategies in vegetable IPM including, when other options are lacking, use of chemical pesticides.

• In view of the foregoing, development of TOT/FFS vegetable production methods and curricula is more demanding in terms of technological underpinning than in rice.

2. Disregard of divergence in state of development of IPM in vegetable as compared to rice. The Rice ICP, in the course of its fifteen-odd years of operation, has moved from the introductory via the consolidation and expansion (TOT/FFS) phase into the post-FFS phase of community development. This is reflected in the new name 'Community IPM' and corresponding shift towards representation of more non-formal education expertise in the project management. Vegetable IPM is still at the beginning and much remains to be done in the area of basic improved production methods and TOT/FFS curriculum development. 'Leapfrogging' of vegetable ICP orientation into post-TOT/FFS community activities prior to development and consolidation of technologically sound training curricula would be counterproductive.

3. Risk of creating a too large and cumbersome project management structure together with inadequate transparency to donors on budgetary spending in the event of a combined financial management of the various components in an integrated rice/vegetable/(and later) cotton ICP programme.

The Mission, considering all these factors in the light of current trends in ICP implementation, is of the opinion that the drawbacks outweigh the potential advantages of an integration of the projects and recommends separate management.

The Mission also believes that integration of IPM programmes should be first and foremost promoted at the national level of member countries. Often a single FAO Field Officer manages both rice and vegetable IPM activities in any given country .

. ~ ___ _________,Sjmilarl¥-,~i[L_ma_s_t_memhHLc~ountrifts~tbe~go_v_e_rnmental counterparts implement ~

integration. The essential role of FAO is to support


level, this objective is better served by strengthening coordination between project~ihan~by~introducing4ntegration~of~managemeMt':~Me~Missien~netiees~cwithc regret that in recent years there has not been much progress in this respect between the two FAO Regional Projects. The Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting of the Community IPM Programme (July 16-18, 1999) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, provides an example of the deleterious effects of such lack of coordination. Although the delegates were explicitly invited to an all-inclusive reporting on IPM progress in their countries, covering not only rice but other crops as well, the CTA of the Vegetable ICP was excluded from the list of invitees. Such omission is confusing to member countries and strains the Organization's credibility. The Mission feels that this is a matter requiring urgent attention of FAO in the interest of establishing an effective coordination system. The following aspects are to be addressed:

• at country levels, strengthening effectiveness of support to national I PM programmes and capacity development on an integrated basis;

• at the regional level, increasing capability of relevant intercountry forums such as the PAC or the Asian and Pacific Plant Protection Committee (APPPC) to engage proactively in discussions about major issues of overall Project strategy.

9.3 Measures for improving the relevance and effectiveness of the training

If the Mission's recommendation for a second phase is accepted, the Project should be designed and implemented with particular attention to the various priority issues identified in sections 8.2 - 8.5 above. This would entail a more systematic and explicit project formulation than the one made for the present phase, with the project approach and training components containing concrete references to such key issues.

~-~~-~~ ··~'"'~'~~

·~~~·~-·~~~~~~~·~~~···~·~~-·~~··~··~~~··~·~~······~··~~~··~---~·-~-~~-··~-~--~-·~··-~·-~----~-~--~·-~---·-~---·--~··~~---~----··~·-·---~-·----~

Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Report- Annexes 1

ANNEX I

Terms of Reference: Evaluation Mission

1. Background

The FAO Inter-country Programme for the Development and Application of Integrated Pest Management in Vegetable Growing in South and South East Asia started in 1996 with funds from the Netherlands Government, covering activities in four countries, namely Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Philippines and Vietnam.

The project (under the Netherlands funding) officially commenced upon recruitment of its CTA in April 1996 and is expected to finish in April 2000. It has a total budget of US$3,986,324. An Addendum with a duration of 2.5 years enabled three more countries- Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia- to join the Programme. The Addendum started in August 1998 with infusion of funds totaling US$970,670 from the Australian Government.

The Project was formulated to support intensification of vegetable production in a sustainable, safe, profitable and environmentally sound manner. It is expected to reduce the current dependency on pesticides in vegetable growing and to minimize the associated hazards for human health and the environment. The project aims to assist the National IPM Programmes implement IPM in vegetables through the development of curricula for training of trainers and developing Farmer Field Schools. Regional co-operation, strengthening TCDC among participating countries and access to information, are important instruments to further enhance national capabilities in the seven member countries.

The IPM vegetable project has three immediate objectives. They are indicated below with their corresponding planned major outputs:

a) Immediate Objective 1: National programmes to support the development of curriculum and implementation of IPM in vegetables in each of the countries.

Output 1: Status reports for each country with recommendations for development of training curricula and a proposed scenario on the implementation of I PM in vegetables.

Output 2: Technical reports on specific subjects which are of importance to the National IPM Programmes.

b) Immediate Objective 2: Capacity to educate 20,000 farmers per year in understanding the vegetable ecosystem, economics of vegetable production, good agronomic practices and better decision-making in pest management.

2 Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Report- Annexes

Output 2: Training curriculum for Training-of-Trainers (TOT) programmes.

Output 3: An estimated 300 trainers and about 13,000 vegetable farmers trained in each country by the end of year 4.

c) Immediate Objective 3: Regional co-operation among governments, research institutes, relevant projects, extension services and farmers organisations of the participating countries and improved access of all parties to information from inside and outside the project area.

Output 1: Report on the adoption of IPM in vegetable production. The report will contain a world-wide inventory of relevant I PM experiences in vegetable growing and an overview of important ongoing research and project activities.

Output 2: Database of information relevant to IPM in vegetable growing to service the project and the NationaiiPM Programmes.

Output 3: At least 8 selected persons from each country gained new experience by participating in information exchange activities.

Major activities and outputs, including major problems encountered, to date are described in detail in a separate progress report provided for this review mission.

2. Purpose of the Evaluation

This evaluation is intended, as the project draws to a close, to assess achievements to date, including key factors that have facilitated or impeded project progress, identify actions and modifications to the project design and implementation approach which may be necessary to consolidate progress, and provide recommendations to the Governments, FAO and the donor to ensure achievement of objectives. Any further need for external assistance or possible project extension will be identified.

3. Scope of the Evaluation

The Evaluation Mission (Mission) will assess the:

a) Relevance of the project to development priorities and needs.

b) Clarity, and realism of the project's development and immediate objectives, including specification of targets and identification of beneficiaries and prospects for sustainability.

c) Quality, clarity and adequacy of project design including:

-ciEilr:ity::;:and·logical:consistency between,.inputS:, .•.• actbtities, .... outputs.and.progress-- -_ .. ····"···· --"·------ -- .~---


e) realism and clarity in the specification of prior obligations and prerequisites (assumptions and risks);

f) realism and clarity of external institutional relationships, and in the managerial and institutional framework for implementation and the work plan;

g) likely cost-effectiveness of the project design.

h) Efficiency and adequacy of project implementation including: availability of funds as compared with budget for both the donor and national component; the quality and timeliness of input delivery by both FAO and the Government; managerial and work efficiency; implementation difficulties; adequacy of monitoring and reporting; the extent of national support and commitment and the quality and quantity of administrative and technical support by FAO.

i) Project results, including a full and systematic assessment of outputs produced to date (quantity and quality as compared with workplan and progress towards achieving the immediate objectives). The Mission will especially review, the status and quality of work on:

j) curriculum development for IPM training

k) Training of Trainers (TOTs) courses

I) Farmer Field Schools (FFSs)

m) field studies to support the above

n) assistance to Member Countries in developing IPM policies and their institutionalization and implementation

o) gender aspects.

p) The prospects for sustaining the project's results by the beneficiaries and the host institutions after the termination of the project. The Mission should examine in particular:

q) the case for continuation of the Vegetable IPM Programme and possible funding sources

r) integration of the programme with other IPM programmes (e.g. Rice and Cotton I PM-I CPs);

s) The cost-effectiveness of the project.

ensure sustainable development, including any need for additional assistance an


activities of the project prior to its completion. The Mission will draw attention to any lessons of general interest.

a) Advice and recommendations concerning formulation of a follow-up project on Vegetable IPM in the South and Southeast Asian Region

b) Advice on the merits of integration of future vegetable IPM activities in other Regional IPM programmes such as the rice (now called Community IPM) and cotton IPM programmes

4. Composition of the Evaluation Mission Team

The Mission will have four members as follows:

a) A Team Leader nominated by the Netherlands Government, and with the agreement of the Government of Australia. This person should have an international reputation and at least 15 years of experience in agricultural policy-making and/or the management of agricultural development programmes and must have extensive experience in IPM, training, and evaluation.

b) Team Member nominated by FAO with extensive evaluation experience, including the evaluation of regional projects, and familiar with IPM concepts. This person should look into the design and management of the project, as well as the socio-economic relevance of the project to the farming population concerned.

c) Team Member nominated by FAO with extensive experience in IPM development at the field level

d) Team Member nominated by the Australian Government, preferably with expertise in the development of IPM programmes, and IPM training.

The Terms of Reference for the Team Leader are appended as Annex A.

5. Timetable and Itinerary of the Evaluation Mission

The Mission is scheduled to take place from 28 June to 15 July 1999.

It would not be practicable for the members of the Mission to visit all 7 countries that are involved in the Intercountry Vegetable IPM Project. Consequently, it is proposed that the mission will focus on four countries which represent different levels of IPM development. The countries proposed are: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. Representatives from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand will meet the Mission in Bangkok, Thailand.

~ ...... ········~······Biiefing ... ;.and .. debriefingfQrlbe ... MJ§§iQnwill.!?e.QQJJ.e .... Jn .... e~ng~gt<~ .... Erggre~~ .. r~P9.t1~ ...... .

Vegetable !PM Evaluation Mission Report- Annexes 5

6. Consultations

The Mission will maintain close liaison with the Representatives of the donors and FAO, the concerned national agencies, and national and international project staff. Although the Mission should feel free to discuss with the authorities concerned anything relevant to its assignment, it is not authorized to make any commitments on behalf of the Government, the donors, or FAO. Wherever possible, the mission will contact project collaborators as well as persons and institutions external to the project that are relevant to the development and implementation of vegetable IPM programmes.

7. Reporting

The Mission is fully responsible for its independent report which may not necessarily reflect the views of the Governments, the donors or FAO. The specific report will be completed, to the extent possible, in the country visited and the findings and recommendations fully discussed with all concerned parties and wherever possible consensus achieved.

The Team Leader bears responsibility for ensuring that a draft report is produced for submission to FAO at the debriefing in Bangkok. He will also be responsible for finalization of the report and ensuring its submission to FAO within two weeks of mission completion. FAO will submit the report to Governments and donors together with its comments .

The Mission will also complete the FAO Project Evaluation Questionnaire.


ANNEX II

II MISSION ITINERARY AND KEY PERSONS MET

Members Review Mission:

Mr Masa Kato (MK) Mr Kevin Gallagher (KG) Mr Brian Scoullar (BS) Mr Kees Eveleens (KE)

Resource persons accompanying the Mission:

Mr Max Whitten, Project CTA (MW) Mr Jan Willem Ketelaar, IPM Expert/ IPM Country Officer Laos (JWK)

ITINERARY

June 28 Arrival Bangkok, Thailand First briefing at FAO - RAP

June 29 Continuation briefing Presentation country status report on Indonesia by national programme representatives Meeting with CT A

June 30 Travel to Vientiane, Laos Meetings at

Directorate Agricultural Extension - Agriculture and Forestry Service, Vientiane

Province Office of the FAO Representative National I PM Programme Office

- Au sAl D Laos

July 1 Travel to Sikhot, Vientiane Municipality, discussion with vegetable FFS graduates

Group I (MK, KG, MW): Cucumber FFS in Naxaythong, Vientiane Municipality Meetings in Vientiane Visits to Hatdokeo Research Center, vegetable farms Hatdonchane Island, Vientiane Overnight in Vientiane

Group II (BS, KE, JWK): Chinese kale field studies in Saythani, Vientiane Municipality Travel to Thakek, Khammouan Province


July2 Group I

Group II

and FAOR

Ju/y3

July4

July 5

Ju/y6

Rice FFS in Ban Paylom, Vientiane Municipality Meeting in Vientiane with Deputy Director General, Directorate of Agricultural Extension

Rice FFS in Ban Houadane, Khammouan Province Return travel to Vientiane, rejoin with group I.

Dinner meeting with Nationale IPM Programme staff

Breakfast meeting with Lao-I RRI project staff Travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia Briefing with country I PM officer

Visit Dey Eth Vegetable FFS, discussion with farmer trainers River cruise with National IPM team and FAO representative

Visit Kohbal Koh Vegetable Research Station, survey of ongoing field research Presentations by three provincial IPM coordinators on I PM vegetable implementation (from Svay Rieng, Kampong Thorn and Kandal) Meetings with staff of:

Department of Agronomy, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fishery Ministry of Environment NGO's World Education and Handicap International

- AUSAID Cambodia Cambodia-! RRI-Australia Project

Debriefing with FAO Representative Dinner with national and project officials and staff

Team A (MK, KE, MW) to Bangladesh Team B (BS, KG, JWK) to Vietnam

Team A: July 6 Arrival in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Meeting at Plant Protection Wing, Department of Agricultural Extension Meeting at Office FAO Representative Dinner at residence FAO Representative

Secretary of Agriculture

8

JulyB

July 9

Team 8: July6

July 7

JulyB

July9

Vegetable !PM Evaluation Mission Report- Annexes

Director General and staff of Department of Agricultural Extension CARE International

- Staff DAN IDA project 'Strengthening Plant Protection Services' UNDP Integrated Pest Management Project

Travel to Jessore Discussion and dinner at project office, Jessore TOT/FFS

Meeting with Additional Director and staff DAE, Jessore Region, Visit to NGO 'Banchte Shekta' Visit to FFS (run by farmers) at Bada Hoibatpur, Jess ore

Visit to Vijoynagar FFS and Satintola Homestead female IPM club. Travel to Dhaka and on to Bangkok Rejoin with Team B

Travel to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and onward by road to Dalat

Field visits in villages around Dalat: FFS in cabbage Field studies on biological control of diamond back moth in cabbage with the parasite Diadegma sp. IPM club (graduates of FFS)

Meeting with Plant Protection officials, Province of Lamdong Return to Ho Chi Minh City

Travel to Hanoi Meeting with NPV (nuclear polyhedrosis virus) study group in Song Phuong Village Meetings in Hanoi with

DG, Plant Protection Department (PPD) - staff Australian and Danish embassies Dinner with Director General, PPD and FAO Representative

Debriefing at FAO I PM office Meeting with National Expert, ADDA Vegetable IPM project at ADDA office

····~····· +raveltoBan .. kok···


Teams A & B: July 9

July 10 Team B

Team A

July 11 Team B

Team A

July 12

July 13

July 14

July 15

Dinner meeting with representatives of NGO 'World Education'

Travel by air to Chiangrai (North Thailand) and on by road to Maesuay to visit vegetable TOT/FFS and meet Vegetable IPM National Expert from the Philippines (master trainer in ongoing TOT/FFS) Night in Chiangrai

FAO-RAP for discussions with CPO and report writing Night in Bangkok

Travel by road to Chiangsaen IPM Vegetable training actvities Return travel to Chiangrai and on to Bangkok Rejoin with Team A

Report writing Rejoin with Team B.

Breakfast meeting with Director lnst. For Biological Agriculture and Farmers Field Schools I DOAE Meetings at the Departments of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) and Non-Formal Education (DNFE) Meeting with FAO Assistant Director General and staff

Discussions with CTA and SCPO, report writing, compilation handout for debriefing session (July 14) Dinner at residence SCPO

Debriefing session with staff RAP and representatives from donors (Australia and the Netherlands) Discussions with donor representatives Lunch with FAO ADG Report writing

Report writing Departure Mission members

10

LAOS

Mr Viravanh Phannourath

Mr. Latsanivong

Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Report- Annexes

KEY PERSONS MET

Deputy Director General Dep. of Agricultural Extension Director, National Food Security Programme

Mr Boun Oum Douangphrachanh Director, Agriculture and Forestry Service, Vientiane Municipality

Mr. Bounliep Director, Agricultural Extension Agency

Mr Thongsavan Thaipangnavong National IPM Coordinator

Ms Bouvanh

Mr. Tiengkhan Vongsabouth

Mr Sivixay Soukkharath

Mr. Michael Munt

Dr John M. Schiller

Mr Peer Hijmans

Mr Jan Willem Ketelaar

Ms Annemarie Westendorp

CAMBODIA

Mr To Gary

Mr Nuth Sakhan

Mr Try Hong

Mr Yech Polo

Deputy Director Agricultural Extension Agency

IPM Training Coordinator (Rice)

IPM Training Coordinator (Vegetable)

Director Khammouane Province Agriculture and Forestry Service

AusAID Laos

Team leader, LAO-I RRI Project

FAO Representative

FAO IPM Expert/IPM Country Officer

FAO I PM Associate Professional Officer

Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment

Director, Department of Agronomy

I PM Master Trainer

I PM Master Trainer and Acting I PM Coordinator


Mr Nuth Sokhorn

Mr Bill Costello

Mr Richard Geeves

Mr Marc Bonnet

Dr Gary C. Jahn

Mr Ad Spijkers

Mr Robert Nugent

BANGLADESH

Dr A.M.M. Shawkat Ali

Mr M. Enamul Hoque

Mr Delwar Hossain

Mr Tim Robertson

Mr Thomas Lewinsky

Mr Marco Barzmann

Mr Hiroyuki Konuma

Ms Begum Nurun Naher

DrS. Ramaswamy

Dr P. Pachagounder

Mr Serajul Haque

Mr Prabhat Kumar

Director, Kohbal Koh Research Station

AusAID, Cambodia

World Education

HANDICAP, International

Cambodia-! RRI-Australia Project

FAO Representative

FAO IPM Country Officer

Secretary of Agriculture

Director General, Department of Agricultural Extension

Director, Plant Protection W·ing

Coordinator, CARE Bangladesh

CARE Bangladesh (INTERFISH Project)

CARE Bangladesh (NOPEST Project)

FAO Representative

FAO Programme Officer

CTA, DANIDA Project 'Strengthening Plant Protection Services'

CTA, UNDP/FAO Integrated Pest Management Project

Additional Director Agricultural Extension. Jessore Region, and NationaiiPM Vegetable Coordinator

FAO Consultant for Vegetable IPM

12

VIETNAM

Mr Tran Quy Hung

Ms Fernanda Guerrieri

Ms. Pham Thi Nhat

Mr. Ngo Tien Dung

Dr Patricia Matteson

Ms Dada Morales

THAILAND

Mr Lakchai Meenakanit

Mr Marut Jatiket

Mr Randall Arnst

Dr Prem Nath

Mr Dong Qingsong

Mr Sunil Bhargava

Dr Doris von Werner

Dr Chong-Yao Shen

Ms Julianne Lilley

Mr Jan Willem Cools


Director General Plant Protection Department

FAO Representative

Technical Advisor, ADDA IPM Farmers Training Project

NationaiiPM Coordinator

IPM Country Officer, FAO

IPM Training Expert, FAO

Director, Institute for Biological Agriculture and FFS/DOAE

NGO 'World Education Asia'

Consultant, NGO 'World Education Asia'

FAO Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific

FAO Deputy Regional Representative

Acting Chief FAO-RAPR Field Operations Branch

SCPO for Regional I PM Projects

FAO Regional Plant Protection Officer and Executive Officer, Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission

AusAID Programme Officer Asia Regional Section


INDONESIA (met in THAILAND)

Mr Widyastama Cahyana

Mr Joni

FAO-ICP National Coordinator for Indonesian Vegetable IPM Programme

Head of Food Crop Protection Centre Region II, West Sumatra

PHILIPPINES (met in THAILAND)

Ms Valeriana Justo FAO National Expert Vegetable IPM


ANNEX Ill

Ill COUNTRY REPORTS

A. BANGLADESH

1. Summary

i) I PM training activities in the Project have been concentrated on eggplant as the most problematic (from the viewpoint of crop protection) of the economically important vegetable crops. It was demonstrated that farmers substantially reduced their pesticide applications, once some familiarity with life cycle and ecology of the main pest involved (shoot and fruit borer) enabled them to get away from excessive risk avoidance behaviour, rooted in ignorance and aggressive merchandizing of chemical pesticides, and instead approach the problem with more self confidence and common sense.

ii) So far, two TOT/FFSs have been conducted, in the vegetable growing areas of Mymensingh and Jessore respectively. The broad distinction in vegetable growing between homestead and commercial production with labour division along gender lines (women in homestead farming, men in commercial vegetable growing) made it expedient to organize the FFS part of the Jessore TOT/FFS accordingly: half of the FFSs in homestead situations for female participants, the other half in commercial fields for male participants.

iii) In the large field of projects engaged in IPM training in Bangladesh, the Vegetable ICP is a relatively small player in terms of budget and scope. However, it plays an essential role in (1 ), procuring TOT graduates to run the nation-wide vegetable IPM training programme of those larger projects (UNDP, DANIDA, CARE), (2), providing quality standards for the training, and (3), executing participatory action research to strengthen training curricula.

iv) National institutional embedding of the Vegetable ICP is in the Plant Protection Wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension. In view of the present wide range of IPM-related activities in the country, this basis for institutionalization is rather narrow and weak. More and more, IPM moves beyond the confines of crop protection into sustainable cropping practices in general and it is also instrumental in bringing about a substitution of outdated, top-down extension methodologies by more participatory practices. In this latter aspect, the IPM training programmes could have synergistic interactions with other projects operating in related areas, such as the World Bank funded "New Agricultural Extension Policy", but such interactions are hampered by the very compartmentalized structure of the different DAE Wings which adversely affects


v) At the national policy level, IPM appears to be widely accepted and endorsed as the most appropriate crop protection strategy and in line with this consensus Bangladesh has opened its doors widely for all the international technical cooperation projects on I PM now operating in the country. However, the whole effort is rather donor-driven. At this stage, the aspect of national ownership needs strengthening. Elements to be considered in this context are: (1 ), establishment of a multi-sectoral National IPM Steering Committee, to deal with policy and strategy aspects and (2), allocation of national budget to operational expenses of FFSs. So far, national contribution has merely consisted of government staff availability as trainers and trainees. Allocating budget for additional items appears to be a touchy subject because the country is very much strapped for financial means. Nevertheless, sooner or later the issue is to be addressed if the need of weaning IPM training activities away from the current state of donor dependency is to be taken seriously.

2. National IPM Programme

2.1 General

I PM activities on vegetables in Bangladesh are closely related with those on rice. On that crop, momentum towards IPM started in the late nineteeneighties in the context of the FAO Rice Intercountry Programme. Cooperating national institution was the Plant Protection Wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) through its IPM Unit. The FAO Rice ICP effectively contributed to building of awareness of the need for re-orientation of plant protection practices from over-reliance on chemicals to I PM, which resulted in the launching of two large projects to serve such purpose:

UNDP Integrated Pest Management Project, started in 1995 with the twofold objective of (1 ), building the capacity of the Department of Agricultural Extension and NGO's to undertake IPM training, and (2), to develop a national IPM policy and a national IPM programme. The technical assistance component in this project was provided by the FAO ICP Rice Programme.

DAN IDA- funded Project 'Strengthening Plant Protection Services' which was started in 1997.

Both these projects have a large IPM-training component. The same applies to two sub-projects of the NGO 'CARE' relating to rice-IPM, namely 'NOPEST' (= New Options Pest Control) and 'INTERFISH' (=Integrated Rice-Fish).

Although all these activities were initially concentrated on rice, steps towards inclusion of vegetables were taken well before the FAO Vegetable ICP became formally operational in Bangladesh because of urgency to tackle pesticide-

'brinjal' (eggplant) in response to problems of alarmingly high pesticide use on


that crop.

UNDP and CARE/NOPEST included vegetables grown as dike crops in rice areas in their activities in view of the high potential for expansion of this type of vegetable cropping (reportedly more than 200,000 hectares).

In 1996 CARE commissioned a survey of pesticide use on vegetables and fruits in Bangladesh (carried out by ODA) which revealed:

extreme pesticide dependency;

- wide use of compounds which are hazardous for human health or have bad environmental side effects because of persistence (organochlorines);

little adherence to recommended waiting periods between last application and harvest, resulting in risks of toxic residues to consumers;

dominant role of pesticide dealers as source of information on crop protection.

Also the aforementioned DANIDA project from its onset had a vegetable IPM training component and a recent mid-term review mission of this project recommended increased emphasis on implementation of vegetable FFS training in the remaining project period.

2.2 Status and role of FAO Vegetable ICP

Against the backdrop of all these earlier initiated IPM vegetable activities, the FAO Vegetable ICP commenced in 1997 with a TOT on egg-plant in the important vegetable-growing area of Mymensingh, north of Dhaka, which was held from June to October. Prior to the implementation of this TOT , a workshop of ten days duration was held to convene a curriculum for this training. In the TOT there were 29 trainees. Twenty three of these were subject matter officers of the Department of Agricultural Extension from districts with extensive eggplant cultivation. The remaining 6 trainees were from NGO's. In conjunction with this TOT, five FFSs were conducted by the TOT participants. In follow-up action to the Mymensingh TOT, it was agreed with the management of the DAN IDA project that:

- the DAE graduates would be recruited to run across the country vegetable FFS which were to be organized and financed by DAN IDA

- the FAO Vegetable ICP would further assist in curriculum development and technical assistance.

Mymensingh TOT graduates acting as facilitators.


In the course of the first TOT, various aspects of eggplant crop production and protection in need of further study had been identified and a programme of pertinent vegetable IPM field studies to this purpose was carried out in 1998 in Jessore Region (West Bangladesh), which is also a major vegetable growing area. Jessore was also selected as a site for the second TOT, which was held from January to June, 1999, with 34 participants from DAE, 5 from NGO's Selection of trainers and participants proceeded in a similar manner as for the first TOT, that is, in consultation with DAE, DANIDA, UNDP and CARE, with the prospect that the trainees upon completion of the TOT would be engaged to conduct follow-up vegetable FFS in their own respective programmes. The number of FFSs conducted in conjunction with this TOT was 12, with the novel feature that these were equally divided between the two categories of homestead vegetable gardens and commercial plantings. In line with prevailing division of labour, trainees in the FFSs for homesteads were women, for commercial plantings men; for further details see Section 2.3, Gender aspects.

The Jessore programme also involved design and testing on a pilot-basis of FFSs to be conducted by trained farmers, which was started in May 1999

In summary, the FAO Vegetable ICP, in the larger context of IPM promotion and implementation in Bangladesh, has come to fulfill and essential role in:

procuring TOT graduates to run the nation-wide IPM training programme of larger projects such as UNDP, DAN IDA and CARE (together with donor contributions in excess of$ 20 million);

exerting quality control of such I PM training programmes;

- taking the lead in execution of field studies aimed at strengthening training curricula.

2.3 Institutional arrangements

As indicated above, at the national level the FAO Vegetable ICP, as other IPM programmes, is adjoined to the Plant Protection Wing of DAE through the socalled IPM unit. In view of the present scope and status of IPM activities in the country the basis of such institutionalization is rather narrow and weak. Overhaul is needed in view of the following considerations:

- the joint impact of the mutiplicity of projects operating in the I PM sphere extends beyond the confines of crop protection to sustainable cropping practices in general and is also instrumental in bringing about a substitution of outdated, top-down extension methodologies by more participatory practices;


such interactions are hampered by the very compartmentalized structure of the different DAE 'Wings', adversely affecting establishment of horizontal linkages.

2.4 National policy

I PM appears to be widely accepted and endorsed as the most appropriate crop protection strategy for Bangladesh. This is reflected, among other, in the chapter on agriculture of the official government document 'The Fifth Five Year Plan, 1997 -2002" and in the recently issued (April 1999) 'National Agriculture Policy' paper. In line with this consensus among policy makers, Bangladesh has opened its doors for the variety of international technical cooperation projects on IPM now operating in the country.

However, for all these projects to be fully effective, development and implementation of an coordinating mechanism would be recommendable. The recently established National I PM Steering Committee at the policy level with broadly based membership could also help in overcoming the ill effects of compartmentalization which, as discussed in the preceding section, hampers linkages between different related projects. For the translation of IPM policy guidelines from the Steering Committee into actual planning and implemtation arrangements, an IPM Working Group could be established. Also, the earlier mentioned abuses and excesses in chemical pest control at the farmers' level give urgency to formulation of pesticide legislation and establishment of regulating and controlling agencies.

The need for action on all these points, in follow up to mere statements of support, was already noted in the report of the 1996 FAO Rice ICP mid-term review, but now, as then, the initiatives are largely still on the drawing board only.

A related issue in the national policy sphere concerns contribution to the operational expenses of running the FFS. So far,the national contribution has merely consisted of making staff available as trainers and trainees and all further expenses for expertise and operational matters are covered by donor contributions. Proposals to go beyond the present national share tend to hit touchy ground because of the financial consequences in a country which is very much strapped for budgetary means. However, sooner or later the issue is to be addressed if the need of weaning IPM training activities away from the present state of extreme donor dependency is to be taken seriously.

2.4 Highlights of the vegetable IPM programme

2.4.1 Technical aspects


crop protection) of the economically important vegetable crops. Aggravation of pest problems came in the wake of change of growing pattern from seasonal (only in winter) to year-round, leading to continuous presence of host plant. Eggplant has a relatively long growing-period of about six months duration and numbers of pesticide sprays applied in the course of one growing season have reportedly increased in some areas to the extreme level of eighty or more. These were directed mostly against the eggplant fruit and shoot borer. Such strong addiction to chemical pest control was based on excessive risk avoidance behaviour of farmers rooted in ignorance and susceptibility to aggressive merchandizing of chemical pesticides. After initiation of the first IPM training in eggplant it soon became obvious that farmers could substantially reduce pesticide applications once they had been made familiar with basic aspects of shoot and fruit borer life cycle and ecology. Such knowledge enabled them to approach the problem with more self-confidence and common sense. This demonstrated the potential of the TOT/FFS methodology to achieve with relatively simple means sizeable benefits in terms of:

lessening of hazards to humans,

adverse effects on environment, and

expenses for purchase of chemical pesticides.

However, further progress on the road to IPM is more difficult to achieve. This requires strengthening of the supporting research basis on matters such as more effective utilization of natural biological control and substitution of conventional chemical pesticides with biopesticides. Important gaps in knowledge also exist on management of other pests and diseases than fruit and shoot borer as well as on sustainable cropping practices in general. To address all these issues a programme of participatory action research is being carried out in conjunction with the TOT/FFS training.

2.5 Extension and research liaison.

Trainees of the two eggplant TOT's conducted sofar consisted of (1 ),DAE agricultural extension officers of the SMO (subject matter officer) category, and (2), NGO field staff engaged in extendion activities. Subsequently,these trained officers were assigned to conduct FFS in their home districts. This set-up enables familiarization of both governmental and non-governmental agricultural extension with concepts and methodology of Vegetable IPM training in accordance with the TOT/FFS model and is expected to lead to eventual incorporation of this model in formal and non-formal extension.

More tenuous are linkages between the Project and institutionalized research. Under preparation is a UNDP/FAO contract with technical support from Vegetable ICP with a group of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute


2.6 Gender aspects

In the course of the eggplant IPM training programme a gender-related role pattern in vegetable growing became apparent. Homestead vegetable growing is typically a women's affair, whereas commercial vegetable growing tends to the domain of men.

To enable fine-tuning of curricular contents to the specific needs ot these two categories, the 1999 training in Jessore was conducted with a two-track system in the FFS component: of the twelve FFS held, six were on homestead vegetable growing with female trainees, the other six on commercial growing with male trainees.

A system of rotating trainers along these two categories was introduced to ensure development of training capability in both types of vegetable IPM. Typical curricular elements of homestead IPM training included aspects on composting and pit formation, introduction of hand pollination, and raising seedlings in plastic bags.

In another initiative to promote engagement of women in vegetable IPM, the Project has entered consultations with a Jessore-based NGO for women ('Banchte Shekhta') on assistance in cottage-type production of the antagonistic fungus Trichoderma sp. and possibly insect-killing nematodes.

2. 7 Follow-up to FFS and quality control

The vegetable IPM training in Bangladesh is still in the initial phase and current emphasis is more on TOT/FFS curriculum development and execution of pertinent action research than on post-FFS activities for further spread of the IPM message at the farmers level and aspects of quality control in future training activities. To assess the possibilities of using trained farmers in FFS training at community levels, two pilot FFS programmes, run by farmer trainers, were initiated in Jessore in May 1999.

Formulation and implementation of criteria for quality control would appear a matter of some urgency in view of the earlier (section 1.2) discussed role of the Project as a source for training expertise and learning curricula for the extensive programme of vegetable FFSs conducted by other projects and programmes. In this push for large-scale coverage, quality may suffer if no mechanism for effective monitoring of training curricula is developed and applied.

2.7 Future activities

Major activity planned for the remaining project period (till March


running of a third eggplant TOT/FFS, also in Jessore and starting around October 1999, to meet the demand for more trainers in the nation-wide vegetable IPM training programme executed by DANIDA, UNDP and CARE. Other envisaged activities include:

- technical backstopping of FFSs,

- field studies on biopesticides,

- development of curricula for refresher courses,

pilot homestead FFS run by female farmer trainers.

2. 7.2 Beyond project expiration.

The successive eggplant TOT/FFSs constitute a learning experience for all parties involved. By trial and error and in feedback with farmers in the participatory action research, organizational set-up and curricular contents are gradually improved. Capitalizing on this momentum and in view of the urgency of remedying excessive pesticide dependency in eggplant growing , one would suggest further TOT/FFSs to be held in the Chittagong area in the southeast of Bangladesh, which, alongside with Mymensingh and Jessore, is also a main production centre for eggplant.

Another need area for further assistance concerns continuation of the essential support by the Project to other, larger projects and programmes active in IPM training. As outlined above in Section 1.2, this would entail procurement of qualified TOT graduates to run the nation-wide IPM training programmes of other projects (both governmental and NGO), attention to quality control of such IPM training programmes, and engagement in participatory action research in support of training curricula.

2.8 Outstanding issues and recommendations

2.8.1 Baseline studies

Altogether basic quantitative information on vegetable growing in Bangladesh on general aspects (areas, productivity, numbers of farmers involved) as well as main practices and contraints (in crop protection and production) is rather scanty and falls short of the comprehensive data sets needed according to Output 1 of the Project Document. This deficiency hampers an assessment of the overall cost-benefit picture of Project activities. For example, the observation of immediate and substantial reduction of pesticide use by FFS trainees (see Section 2.1 above) could be used more effectively in promotion c.q. justification of the Project if present against a benchmark of good quantitative pre-FFS baseline information.


2.8.2 Impact analysis

There is a need for Project assessment in terms of sustainability and multiplier effects of the training effort. Aspects to be addressed in such impact analysis concern not only the extent and permanence of changes in farmers' practices following completion of the FFS, but also the validity of often-heard but littlesubstantiated claims of more or less spontaneous spread of knowledge from trained to untrained farmers.


B. CAMBODIA

1. Summary

i) The Government of Cambodia, with assistance from both the rice and the vegetable IPM projects, has made considerable progress in developing policy, an institutional framework and a strengthened field programme in the I PM approach to crop production and protection. MAFF has adopted IPM as the standard approach to the management of rice, vegetables, fruit and field crops. In recognition of the need to control the type and quality of agrochemicals entering the country, Government has passed The Agriculture Material Bill and created The Office of Agricultural Material Standards as the agency for monitoring compliance with the law. The provincial structure for implementing IPM activities is gaining strength in terms of numbers of trainers, of farmer trainers under training, in experience and in broadening the programme's funding base. The development strategy adopted is for Provincial Trainers to be competent in both vegetable and rice I PM technology and to move towards a facilitating role with farmer-to-farmer training operating on a district basis.

ii) While substantial developments have occurred in establishing I PM in Cambodia, there is much that needs to be done. Current challenges can be grouped under three headings; IPM as an extension/learning methodology, technical issues in vegetable pest management and institutional development.

iii) The I PM methodology involves a process of at least three steps; the TOT course, the FFS and post-FFS outreach including re-enforcing the progress made by the farmers who were trained. Little is known about the effectiveness of post-FFS outreach. This should be assessed as a priority because it is at this step that the greatest number of farmers should be contacted. At the same time, developing the capacity to reach vegetable farmers should be increased through accelerating the training of facilitators, providing more IPM services to donors and encouraging Government to contribute more local funds to the programme.

iv) The availability of timely, accurate knowledge and of the correct bioagents is a current problem which will increase commensurate with farmers' increasing experience. A technical backstopping network through printed material, linkages to the national research system and to regional institutions for specialist services should be developed in cooperation with other countries in the region. While legislation to regulate the type and quality of agricultural materials has been passed, the necessary monitoring capacity needs to be developed.

v) Development of the IPM programme, in the Department of Agronomy, and of the national Extension system, in the Department of Techniques, Economics

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developing field experience and increasing their outreach to communities from small bases, institutional issues should not be addressed immediately, however opportunities for cooperation between the programmes should be fostered and utilised.

2. National IPM Programme

2.1 Structure and Geographic Scope

IPM in vegetables and in rice is implemented as a single programme under the leadership of the Director of the Department of Agronomy within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. A National IPM Coordinator who is appointed from within the Department of Agronomy assists the Director. Activities are coordinated from a central National IPM team consisting of the IPM National Coordinator and several master trainers. In all the main food producing provinces trainers are developing the capacity to conduct farmer field schools in both vegetable and rice production. In addition to training producers, provincial trainers have the responsibility to train selected farmers to a level where they will be able to facilitate field schools as specialists in either vegetables or rice within the district in which they reside. At the time of the evaluation 25 farmers were under training to become FFS vegetable facilitators. Building the number and capacity of farmer trainers in the vegetable I PM programme will be a major activity in the coming 12 months.

Vegetables are the second largest crop, next to rice, produced in Cambodia. The harvested area of vegetables in 1995 was 41 ,600 Ha with a production of 193,000 tones. Assuming a holding of 0.1 Ha, over 400,000 families are cultivating vegetables. The IPM programme is active in the 13 provinces 1 of Cambodia where rice and/or vegetables are the major crops. In 1995, these provinces accounted for approximately 91% of national vegetable production. As vegetables are dominantly a cash crop, production areas are located to service the large urban markets of Phnom Penh, Battambang and Siem Reap.

2.2 Activities

The first specifically vegetables-based activity in an on-going IPM programme was a literature review of vegetable production in Cambodia, which was released in June 1997. This valuable study brought together from 153 publications information on distribution and annual production, pest management and production practices, socio-economic aspects and other factors affecting the production and economics of vegetables. Detailed appendices include the vegetable varieties grown, pests and diseases reported in the country, recommended pesticides and fungicides, the analysis of pesticide formulations, and related information. In terms of the vegetable IPM programme, the study identified priority issues as;


• the need for increased production to meet a growing demand for nutritious food,

• heavy pesticide abuse by vegetable farmers,

• widespread ignorance about ways to reduce pesticide dependency,

• no legislation regarding the import, sale, use or disposal of chemical pesticides in Cambodia.

The second major activity was a regional workshop in February 1998 held to develop the basis for planning the implementation of the vegetable IPM programme. The workshop was opened by the Director of the Department of Agronomy and was attended by 12 Provincial Directors of Agriculture, national and international specialists and observers from nine countries. The workshop established a strategy for the vegetable programme which, in summary form, is as follows.

• Utilise rice I PM trainers to start the training with farmers in vegetable I PM.

• Initiate vegetable field studies and pilot FFSs to develop an understanding of the vegetable ecosystem, to define priority problems and appropriate solutions, and to develop and test FFS curricula.

• Develop the TOT curriculum with the information gained from the field studies.

• Conduct TOT course.

• Establish FFSs.

• Conduct follow-up and refresher training.

• Initiate the farmer-to-farmer training programme through farmer trainer orientation courses.

Two TOT courses have been conducted where vegetables were a component of the curriculum. The first, conducted for five months from December 1997 was targeted at those areas having a rice/vegetable cropping system. Fiftysix trainers (18 females, 38 males) were trained. The second course, with provincial rice trainers as participants, was dedicated to vegetable production and was held from December 1998 to March 1999. A total of 32 trainers (1 0 females, 22 males) graduated and are conducting 12 vegetable FFSs over 3 provinces during the 1999 June - October growing season. The second

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In conjunction with the core activities described above the project is assisting to involve handicapped people in the programme. This is being done through training selected handicapped people as IPM farmer trainers. In addition, the viability of establishing micro-enterprises such as the production of parasites, seedlings and compost, and a range of post-harvest processing activities is being assessed.

2.3 Policy

The regional workshop referred to above provided the occasion for the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to release a policy statement on IPM. In the statement the Cambodia Government recognised that Integrated Crop and Pest Management:

• promotes food security and sustainable agriculture, • improves the standard of living of Cambodia people, • reduces dependence on agricultural chemicals, • reduces hazards to the environment and health, • improves ability to make crop management decisions, • assists community cooperation, • promotes farmer empowerment.

In recognition of these benefits, IPM is the standard approach of MAFF to crop management in Cambodia with emphasis on rice, vegetables, fruit and field crops. In addition, MAFF will continue to create teams of IPM trainers, will promote research and development that supports the IPM approach and will promote supporting links with neighbouring countries.

The Government of Cambodia is aware of the need to control the type and quality of pesticides entering Cambodia. At present, class 1 a insecticides are frequently used, many are below or well below acceptable levels of active ingredients, 70°/o are beyond the use-by date and most labels are not written in Khmer. In response, the Government has passed The Agriculture Material Bill and created The Office of Agricultural Material Standards, however staff and funding constraints have prevented the office from becoming operational.

2.4 The Role of IPM vegetables

There is little to separate the roles of I PM vegetable and I PM rice in promoting IPM as an extension/learning methodology. The core task is to further develop the methodology consistent with the policy statement, in a manner that the Government can sustain, and not only with respect to impact (as

demonstrated at FFSs) but also to the of that impact


• An evaluation of IPM practices in their spread through communities subsequent to farmer field schools, and the role and effectiveness of farmer-to-farmer training through trainers, group meetings, associations and similar community organisations.

• An acceleration of the training of facilitators including the training of selected farmers.

• Increased outreach to donors to promote I PM in order to increase the spread and acceptance of the method, and to broaden the funding base of the programme.

• Encourage Government to provide increased local funding to the programme as part of the drive to achieve sustainability.

The .technical component of IPM vegetables is as important as the educational. At this early stage, the programme more or less is in a honeymoon period with its clients. Farmers quickly appreciate that 50%> or more of their spray applications serve no useful purpose. They also quickly learn improved fertiliser management practices. The net effect is a significant reduction in the cost of production and farmers are grateful. Subsequent issues, however - the use of bioagents, late season spraying leading to pest residue problems, more complex technical problems, provision of monitoring capacity to support legislation on agricultural materials - will be more difficult to address. Preparing now for this next stage is important. The priorities appear to be the following. ·

• Facilitators need to be supported with accurate and timely technical knowledge. Printed material in Khmer on production ( eg nutrient deficiency symptoms) and pest and disease problems is a start. Interpersonal technical backstopping however is also required and, as recommended in the TCP terminal statement, the Provincial Trainer could fulfil this role. The Provincial Trainer however also requires backstopping. This should be achievable through establishing a knowledge network with the Cambodia Agricultural Research system (see also Section 3.1) and regionaiiPM centres in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and The Philippines.

• Access to bioagents. Bioagents could be produced locally as cottage industries or in bulk by specialised institutions on a regional basis. The form of production would depend on the complexity of the process, quality control issues and the characteristics of the pest problem. Regional cooperation between member countries is needed to address this issue.

• Marketing, safety and quality are interacting issues in the vegetable industry and are rapidly increasing in importance. Legislation establishing

and criteria Jor the use of chemicals and the import of

possibly in a second phase, to assist the Government, if requested, to

28 Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Reporl- Annexes

address this and related issues.

2.5 Technical Scope

Vegetable growing zones in Cambodia are defined according to their proximity to rivers and lakes. Three different types of topography are found in riverbank areas; fore banks, the bank top and the inner bank. These are managed in different ways as water levels recede. For those with the necessary resources, small pumps can provide supplementary irrigation. The non-river bank vegetable growing zones are homesteads, elevated areas in the lowlands and lowland production after the rice crop. While no current figures are available on vegetable areas cultivated in each zone, the review of vegetable growing noted that Kandal and Kompong Cham have the highest areas under riverbank vegetable production and are the largest suppliers of vegetables to the Phnom Penh market. It is therefore likely that most vegetable production occurs along the banks of rivers and lakes.

Farmers usually choose only chemical control measures against insects. Most available pesticides are class 1 a (methyl parathion is used in 45°/o of insecticide applications), they frequently have a low active ingredient content, are often beyond their use by date and do not have labels written in Khmer. Most vegetable growers do not own knapsack sprays. They apply pesticides using a homemade plunger-type applicator or a brush to flick the chemical onto the plant. Farmers generally use no safety precautions. They are aware of the effect of pesticides on their health but continue to use them because of a perceived lack of alternatives and an assumption that the crop should be sprayed whenever any insects are observed.

The combination of the location of vegetable production, the toxicity of the chemicals used and the rudimentary and unsafe mode of application used by farmers highlights the deleterious environmental and health repercussions associated with vegetable production. Pest management is only one of a number of serious interacting issues that the developing vegetable industry of Cambodia should deal with.

2.6 Extension, Training and Research Liaison

2.6.1 Agricultural Research and Extension Policy

The Government of Cambodia adopted a national Agricultural Research and Extension policy in October 1998. Under it, the Extension system within the Department of Techniques, Economics and Extension will be based on district offices coordinated and managed by provincial directors. A district office will be staffed by a chief, one or two generalist extension agents and two specialists whose subject areas are determined by the nature of the farming system of the

training and other means and cost recovery will be adopted. District offices


be supported by subject matter specialists (rice, other field crops, vegetables, livestock etc.) at the provincial level. The technical departments of MAFF will provide the specialists.

Research functions are being transferred from line departments to semiautonomous research institutes under an Agricultural Research and Development Council. The first of the institutes, established in 1998, is the Cambodia Agricultural Research and Development Institute which has responsibility for ricebased systems, livestock, other field crops, vegetables, fruit, small-scale aquaculture, agro-forestry and socio-economics.

Coordination and liaison between clients, extension and research is to be established through;

• provincial subject matter specialists, • District and Provincial Advisory Committees, • membership of the Boards of Directors of research institutes, • membership of the Agricultural Research and Development Council.

2.6.2 Extension Development and IPM

The Government is receiving significant assistance from Australia in the development of its agriculture sector. The most relevant component of the assistance with respect to the IPM programme is the Cambodia Australia Agricultural Extension Project which was initiated in 1996. Currently operating in six provinces (all of which are also included in the IPM programme), the project's main focus is to develop extension staff capacities at district and provincial levels. The foundation of the approach is a participative, district-level Agro-Ecosystems Analysis to identify extension and research priorities. A recent mission to the project observed that extension agents were conducting farmer field schools across the six provinces and were developing, among others, group-based and farmer-to-farmer extension methods. The impact of the extension programme, as indicated by increases in agricultural productivity and improving standards of living, was judged to be significant in all target areas. Target areas, however, are small and, like the IPM vegetables programme, field implementation is at an early stage. High farmer: extension agent ratios will remain a constant challenge to raising the effectiveness of the extension system.

A comparison between the development of I PM and of the extension system shows substantial similarities and some useful synergies. Both are decentralised to provincial and district levels. Both base their programmes on an agroecological analysis of the system and both require strong links to Cambodia's research network. Provincial IPM trainers are increasing their expertise in rice and vegetables, which could be made available to the wider extension programme if some were given the positions of subject matter specialists in those crops - particularly in vegetables. An income stream for MAFF could be

30 Vegetable /PM Evaluation Mission Reporl- Annexes

These hoWever are early days as both Extension and IPM need to increase their capacities and geographic spread. In addition, the institutional issue in which the programmes reside in different departments of MAFF needs consideration. The role of the I PM vegetable programme at this stage should be to maintain close contact with developments in Extension with a view to increased cooperation between the programmes.

3 Quality in the IPM Vegetables Programme

Extensive field studies were undertaken as preparation for the development of both the FFS and TOT vegetable curricula. The TOT curriculum was tested further through conducting the TOT for the rice/vegetables cropping system prior to the vegetable course.

Implementation of the FFS programme following the TOT course commenced shortly before the arrival of the Mission so it was too early to obtain a programme wide perspective on FFS quality. The quality of FFSs visited, however, was high. Participants were fully involved in field observations, in the collection of the 'players' in the vegetable ecosystem, in representing 'player' interactions on paper and in joining discussions. The facilitators' main concern was the need for more technical information.

Trainee farmer trainers, usually two per FFS, participated well. They expressed confidence that, with two or three seasons of experience after the orientation course, they would be ready to facilitate FFS courses generally within the districts in which they reside.

4 Follow-up to FFSs

Farmers who attend a FFS are usually grateful for the benefits they have gained during the season and the desire of the group to extend their new knowledge and skills to others was raised quite frequently to the Mission. At present there is nothing institutionalised within the IPM process to assist groups to do this.

While the idea of group-to-group extension is appealing, one can think of a number of reasons why the strategy may not be successful. Farmers, for whatever reason, may not want to attend a FFS led by other farmers. Farmers are not innately facilitators and, furthermore, they would be attempting to transfer knowledge that they had only recently learned themselves. They would be unfamiliar with the logistics of conducting a FFS and may not be able to commit the time on a weekly schedule for the whole season. Questions may be asked which they are unable answer or, worse, which they reply to incorrectly. From the perspective of the I PM programme, the activity would be difficult to monitor.

On the other hand, FFS results indicate that farmers have learned the lessons

on vegetables serve no useful purpose, and returns to fertiliser applications can


be increased at no extra cost by understanding a little about the crop's nutrient requirements. Limiting the outreach of one group to no more than three other groups may reduce the problem of farmers' capacity to facilitate. This would allow the provider group to select the most able and for them to work as a group of two or three facilitators with each receiving group.

The concept deserves further consideration because of its potential to increase the rate of adoption of highly beneficial and easy to learn management practices among vegetable producers. This could be done in association with the evaluation of the post-FFS spread of vegetable IPM practices referred to in Section 1.4.

5. Women in IPM Vegetables

Very little research has been done in Cambodia on gender issues in vegetable production and marketing. There is some evidence that in swidden agriculture women decide the dates of field activities and are responsible for implementing all activities from harvesting through to selling the final product. Observations and discussion by Mission members indicated that decisions concerning riverbank cultivation are shared between family members.

Membership of the FFSs visited by the Mission mainly comprised young adults ranging in age from 18 to the late 20's of which 31 o/o were female. The parents had registered for the FFS but then sent their children. Citing their inability to read and write, their declining memory and the high technical content of the messages, they claimed that they would forget the information. The parent (sometimes the mother, sometimes the father) was not however relinquishing her/his decision-making role. The child was to report back and the decisionmaker would either authorise the child to implement the decision (which was the most frequent response) or would not approve the action. Marketing the crop remained the adult's responsibility. Usually it was the wife. Interestingly, if the activity were a FFS on rice, one of the parents (usually the father) would attend. Reasons cited by the children were that parents were familiar with the crop, the technology was easier to understand and remember, and the work was not as heavy. There were indications however that the issue of food security was also a factor. Rice management (but not vegetable production) directly affects family food security and acquiring knowledge and skills concerning its production should not be delegated to children.

6. Outstanding Issues and Suggestions

Priorities have been discussed under each Section heading. They are summarised briefly here as follows.

1. An evaluation is necessary of the post-FFS spread of vegetable I PM UVI.IV'-'•v through producer communities.

3. Increase service delivery to donors to promote the IPM/FFS approach.


4. Encourage Government to increase local funding to the programme.

5. Improve the delivery of accurate, timely technical knowledge to facilitators.

6. Develop a policy and programme in cooperation with countries of the region for the production of bioagents.

7. Assist the Government to develop monitoring capacity in support of its legislative programme on agro chemicals and pesticide residues.

8. Maintain contact with DTEE to promote cooperation in the development of their respective programmes.

9. Assess the viability of group-to-group extension in the IPM vegetable programme.


C. LAOS

The National IPM Programme of the Lao PDR

1. National context

The history of I PM is relatively recent in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) with the country joining the FAO assisted regional programmes for IPMrice and I PM-vegetable in 1994 and 1996, respectively. However, it was only after 1996 when the FAO expert under the regional IPM-vegetable programme arrived at his post in Vientiane that the national programme took a concrete shape and major IPM farmer training activities were started.

Rice is by far the major staple crop for the population, and as such it has strategic importance for food security in the context of largely subsistence-oriented agriculture which accounts for over one-half of the GOP. Self-sufficiency in rice has been the top priority in the national policy for agricultural sector, and the government began an ambitious programme to increase the area under irrigation from 18,000 ha to 100,000 between 1996 and 2000 in the low lands along the Mekong river. Similarly, farmers are encouraged to grow new high yielding varieties with increased inputs of chemical fertilizers. At the same time, vegetable production is also gaining in importance both for nutrition and as cash crops in line with the economic development, especially around the urban areas: area under vegetable (harvested) is estimated to have grown from some 7,000 ha in 1990 to 26,000 ha in 1997 and the production from 64,000t to 1 OO,OOOt during the same period.

Pesticides and other agro-chemicals are all imported or smuggled from Thailand or Vietnam, and their sales and uses are not effectively regulated. While the use of pesticides is yet limited for rice, the situation is changing more rapidly for vegetables where farmers receive little informed advice on their proper use and handling.

In this context there is an increasing concern with the rising cost of more intensive production with greater use of fertizers and agrochemicals for pest and disease control as well as its implications on human health and environment. In particular, the government policy requires the development of effective agricultural extension support, which is as yet lacking. The IPM/ FFS approach is considered a most promising means for assisting farmers in increasing their productivity, while at the same time keeping the production cost as low as possible and minimizing the likely adverse effects of more input-intensive production technologies.

2. The Structure of national IPM programme

The nationaiiPM programme was introduced in 1996 with the aim of empowering ==~:~~::~~=~~-~~~~~~~~~=~f~fmer~--~in~--ric~~-ar:~c:k~ .. -Vegetabl.e.:--production-·~.through~_Jhe~~-EES~~±rai.nlng .. Jn=~tha~--~~· -~~- ~·~-~ .. - ··· · · ·· ..... · · · ·- -·· .. ·· · ···· ············ .. ~ .. · ·········· · · · ..... ~m~Gts: ~Fa"EHi'E"'6e~r-~a'f':;te~·. ·.~ .. ~-~-~


vegetables, although the programme implementation has been supported by the regional programme for IPM-vegetable. The initial focus on rice was decided because: (a) the programme was to support the policy of intensifying rice production by educating the farmers in the use of improved technologies with high yielding varieties; (b) the IPM training methodologies in rice had been well developed in many countries in Asia, providing an excellent basis for adapting them to the Lao conditions and needs; and (c) rice represented a convenient entry point for initiating an IPM programme in vegetable, which not only enhanced the legitimacy of the programme in its support to the national priority but also provided a good preparatory work for more complex task of developing I PM work in vegetable.

3. Geographical coverage

The immediate objective of the national for the period 1996 - 1999 has been to develop a core group of trainers at the national, provincial and district levels who are capable of planning, implementing and evaluating rice-based IPM farmer training activities. Given the limited manpower and other resources, the effort focused on the seven provinces in the Central Region where the bulk of the rice intensification programme through expanded irrigation systems has initially concentrated ( Vientiane Municipality and Province, Bolikhamsay, Khammouane, Savannakhet, Saravane and Champassack): more recently, the province of Luang Prabang has been added, thus making a total of eight priority provinces.

Since its inception in 1996 the I PM programme has evolved rapidly into one of the major national agricultural programmes. The programme is managed by the National Agricultural Extension Agency (AEA) of the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The AEA provides technical knowledge and information for field structure of agricultural extension at the provincial and district levels. The core I PM programme staff are located in the Plant Protection unit of the AEA and its professional staff has trebled to nine (including two part-time staff) since January 1999. The nationaiiPM unit has the special responsibility for training of the trainers in IPM as well as the curriculum development for FFS, while the responsibility for implementing FFS and refresher training activities are gradually being transferred to the provincial extension staff. As part of this move, in 1999 provincial IPM coordinators have been designated in the eight provinces with the responsibility for planning, coordinating and supervising FFS and other farmer training activities at the provincial level. Thus, to date TOTs and FFSs have focused on the extension staff of these priority provinces, although TOTs have also included a few participants from Agricultural Colleges in Luang Prabang and Pakse.

4. Main Activities and Achievements during 1996 and mid-1999

As noted earlier, the focus of the programme has been primarily on I PM in rice in support of the national rice production programme with some pilot activities

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at the national and particularly provincial levels.


Training of Trainers (TOT). To date two season-long TOTs have been organized to build a core group of trainers at the provincial and district levels, the first in 1997 (January-May) and the second in 1999 (January- May), producing a total of 61 trainers. The first group trained comprised 31 provincial and district government extension staff, including 3 teachers from the Agricultural Colleges in Luang Prabang and Pakse. The second group consisted of 35 provincial and district extension staff from the eight priority provinces, including 6 staff from the AEA. The total number of trainers (66) included 16 women.

In addition, the second TOT included for the first time 5 farmers on a part-time basis - these farmers represent the first group of would-be farmer trainers, having been selected from the earlier graduates of FFSs who had been assisting the I PM trainers in FFSs. This reflects the strategy of the national programme to enlarge the pool of trainers by training selected farmers: they receive additional training over a few weeks and work initially with government trainers as novice trainers before assuming their role as full FFS trainers. This is already under implementation with the first five farmer trainers in Vientiane Municipality during 1999.

Farmers Field Schools (FFSs). A total of 97 season-long FFSs have been organized by the TOT graduated trainers over the four rice crop seasons to date, including the 5 pilot FFSs conducted during the first TOT course. These comprised 19 for the 1997 wet season, 22 for the 1997/98 dry season, 24 for the 1998 wet season and 27 for the 1998/99 dry season. These training activities resulted in a total of 2,916 farmers graduating from IPM courses in rice, including 789 women (27 °/o). Further 45 FFSs are being implemented for the 1999 wet season with a total of 1 ,358 farmers participating.

The FFSs have proved to be very popular among both the participating farmers and the trainers, and those met by the mission expressed their appreciation of the FFS methods based on learning by experience as well as knowledge they gained about the insect ecology and particularly on improved rice cultivation techniques. Studies of 44 FFSs in the 1998 wet and dry seasons indicated that for the improved variety of rice grown I PM plots had a significantly higher yield (an average of some 25°/o) than the farmer-practice plots: gross margins were also higher for the IPM plots (an average of over 30°/o). The higher yield performance in the I PM plots seemed largely due to better management, especially in more balanced and timely application of fertilizer. The findings are in line with those under the Lao-IRRI project underlying the generally poor understanding of plant nutrition among the farmers.

FFS Follow-up Activities. While the farmers graduating from the FFS training are encouraged to undertake cooperative activities among them and they often express interest in so doing, such post-FFS follow-up activities have been limited so far. Several factors account for this. The national programme is yet at an early

organizing and supporting FFSs. The programme now intends to develop during


1999 practicalapproaches and guidelines on the subject to help the IPM trainers and farmers. Similarly, the programme has been under pressure from provincial and district authorities to expand its training coverage into new areas rather than following up the FFS trained farmers. Further, after years of centrally planned economy the farmers appear generally reluctant to form any formal associations, like cooperatives. However, there have been some isolated cases of FFSgraduate farmers getting together, e.g. weekly, for group discussions on such issues of common interest as fertilizer applications and performance of other rice varieties. In one case, a group of farmers in Saravane province organized themselves into certified seed producers with assistance of the IPM trained provincial staff.

Farmer to farmer training. This is another area where progress has been yet limited. As noted above, given the constraints on available manpower both under the programme, especially the provincial agricultural extension services, farmerto-farmer training has become a key element in the programme's strategy in rapidly expanding the FFS training coverage. After the modest start with the first group of 5 FFS graduate farmers during 1999, this strategy will be expanded by co-opting promising farmers graduating from FFSs.

Programme planning. monitoring and technical support. The programme has incorporated many of the best practices from experience of other countries participating in the IPM rice regional programme. These include (a) selfmonitoring by the FFS trainers of their performance (through FFS diary and peer discussions) as well as their monitoring and review of FFSs, (b) evaluation and planning workshops for trainers at the end of each FFS season, and (c) national workshops on planning the future of the programme ( a monitoring and evaluation workshop for provincial IPM coordinators in August 1998 to build the capacity for monitoring and evaluating FFS training activities at the provincial and district levels, and a national IPM programme planning workshop in November 1998 which reviewed the programme activities during the period 1996-98 and plans for 1999 with the senior provincial staff responsible for extension and IPM work). With the recent strengthening of the core national staff and gradual delegation of responsibilities for operating training activities to the provincial staff, there is an enhanced capacity at the centre to make planning and management of the programme into a more systematic footing with an increasingly strategic perspective and efforts for qualitative improvements.

Field Studies. These form an important element of the national programme with the aim of learning more about the current farmer practices in crop management and pest/disease control as well as problems faced by farmers in these respects - such knowledge is a key source of information in developing the IPM training curriculum. Several such studies and field trials as participatory action research have been conducted for I PM in rice, and to a lesser extent for vegetables. These have been done in association with TOTs and FFSs with farmers participation and have covered such subjects as integrated crop management, crop

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Vegetable I PM. Although the IPM programme has focused on rice to date, some preliminary work on IPM vegetable have been carried out from the beginning. During the first TOT in 1997, field studies were carried out on cabbage, followed subsequently by a series of further field studies and a few pilot FFSs in Vientiane Municipality. Some 90 farmers participated in these pilot FFSs. These exercises served as a useful preparatory basis for developing IPM training curriculum on vegetables, particularly on such main crops as cabbages, tomato and cucumber. These also facilitated testing of control options for major pest problems, including DBM for cabbage and bacterial wilt for tomato. The experiments included testing of the feasibility of growing tomato and other vegetables during the off-season periods when prices are higher. A group of vegetable farmers (they attended one of these pilot FFSs on vegetables) confirmed the usefulness of knowledge they gained, particularly about agro-eccology and insect, plant nutrition management and pest control, but they also stressed difficulties in knowing the quality and use of pesticides due to the lack of proper labeling and the importance of marketing problems. They were convinced that the IPM methods would produce substantial savings in their production cost.

Lessons emerging from these pre-training activities are being incorporated into the training curriculum for IPM in vegetable which is under preparation. The first full season TOT on IPM in vegetable is being planned for November 1999, to be followed by some 20 FFSs during the 1999/2000 dry season.

5. Role of the Project (ICP for IPM in vegetable)

The project, together with that for I PM in rice, has played a key catalytic role in initiating the national programme on IPM in rice and vegetable. The projects have been the only source of international technical assistance in this field ( after the initial support under the rice IPM project, the project in vegetable have become the main source since 1996, the major funding source being the Netherlands for 1996-2000 and Norway for 1999-2002 , GCP/RAS/160/NET and GCP/RAS/172/NOR). In particular, the two projects brought a firm technical foundations for IPM in rice and now increasingly in vegetable, and have made a strategic impact on the national approach to agricultural extension. Given the paucity of systematic information knowledge on vegetable production in the country, various field studies and participatory action research activities have been playing a particularly important role in shaping the training curriculum and building knowledge on the sector more generally. Similarly, as a regional endeavor, the IPM in vegetable project has facilitated learning from the experience of other countries in Southeast Asia, particularly from Cambodia, Philippines and Vietnam, regarding both technical options available in I PM and best practices in managing a national IPM programme, including the resource persons to assist in the preparation of the training curriculum.

While the national programme is making a rapid progress in establishing itself, it is still at an early stage, requiring further efforts in systemizing the programme,

substantial level, including the possibility of a resident expert for another two


years or so, to help consolidate and build on the good basis established so far.

6. Main Issues for Future

The following issues and concerns have been identified for attention in the near future - as such they represent some of the priority areas that a future project extension (in addition to the on-going support with funding from Norway) could focus:

a). consolidation of the national programme on a more systematic footing -although a good effort has been made to initiate the programme in a short time, it would be necessary to plan and organize the programme from a longer-term (medium-term) perspective, including more focused programme objectives and phased expansion of the programme implementation, both quantitatively and qualitatively. With the strengthened is effort would need to address many of the points raised below;

b). ensuring the quality of the IPM trainers and FFSs - partly due to its rapid expansion and partly due to the limited availability of well qualified field extension staff, there reportedly have been cases of unsatisfactory performance of these staff as IPM trainers. The problem is recognized by the programme management and it would be important to maintain a strict monitoring of their performance as well as to provide them periodically with refresher training. Perhaps, the use of farmers as trainers would provide an alternative source for expanding the IPM trainer cadre in future, but here again it would be important to closely monitor their performance to ensure their quality performance;

c). importance and need for technical back-up to the IPM training- while this is a truism for any extension related activities, for vegetable IPM there is a particular need for ensuring the regular flow of improved technical know-haws and knowledge. To date, in the absence of such a flow from and with national agricultural research systems, the project has served directly and indirectly as the primary source for this technical back-up, including exchanges with other countries in the region. In future, however, it would be increasingly necessary to for the country to become more self-reliant in this respect, and the recent reorganization of the national agricultural research system is an important step forward. This, however, would require a longer-term effort and a concerted effort by the government. In the meantime, the assistance from the project could be well supplemented by well considered practical trial and research on the pressing needs of vegetable growers, such as through participatory action research. This would be an area the project could place high priority in terms of developing local capacity in technology development and transfer;

d). promotion of follow-up among the farmers to FFS training - there is as yet only very limited incidents of this, but as recognized by the programme


both the national programmme management and the project reinforce their efforts in this matter, including through the programme planning, and this could be closely coupled with the strategy of promoting the use of farmer trainers;

e). strengthening the monitoring and evaluation practices - as part of improving the training curriculum and related programme planning, a simple system of monitoring and evaluation should be further developed with a clear focus on the ability of farmers to apply and innovate on the IPM practices develop. This would also include assessing the real benefits accruing to the farmers in financial profit and overall farm management. This is another area where the project could strengthen its assistance in future.


D VIETNAM

1. National IPM Programme Structure

The National IPM Programme is based within the Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Protection Department. At the field level, activities are primarily implemented through provincial Plant Protection Department offices of the provincial governments. The vegetable project is embedded within the National IPM Programme that began on rice. After two successful years of rice-based FFSs ( 1992-94 ), farmers, trainers, and government officials began to request training in vegetable I PM in order to reduce excessive pesticide use. Partly because many vegetable crops were only recently introduced to Vietnam, much less IPM information was available for vegetables, and key natural enemies of some vegetable pests are depauperate. Therefore, in 1994 the National IPM Programme, supported by project GCP/RAS/146/AUL, decided to address vegetable IPM. Thus, Vegetable IPM activities emerged out of the rice IPM movement.

The need for expansion to vegetables had been recognised as far back as 1990 when the Dutch Government first commenced project formulation during the Lim Guan Soon Mission. A comprehensive review of the IPM origins was done by M.J. Whitten for FAO in November/December 1994 and is covered in his report "The National Rice IPM Program; Vietnam 1993-1995 - A Mid-Term Assessment". The Dutch decision to finance vegetable IPM was reinforced by the Vietnamese anticipation of this need by the conduct of field studies by master I PM (rice) trainers in 1994 and the subsequent running of two TOTs on vegetables in Vietnam during that period. In May 1996, the Vegetable IPM-ICP became operational under project GCP/RAS/160/NET, and the FAO Vietnam Rice IPM office led by Ms. Marjon Fredrix continued to coordinate and implement vegetable IPM activities under its aegis. To date the project has been administered in-country by the same set of FAO staff and Vietnamese national counterparts for rice I PM.

2. Technical Scope

The strategic objectives of the Vegetable IPM programme were:

• Farmer empowerment • Reduction of unnecessary pesticide use • Women taking an appropriate role • Enhancement of national Programme capabilities • Sustainability.

The flow of activities and technical scope of the project are shown in the following flow chart.

Development of vegetable IPM program in Vietnam

1994-1999

IPM farmer group Diadegma

ecological studies

998-1 "''"''--

387

Economic Impact

Social Impact

Health & Enviromental

Impact

Production Impact


3. Extension and Training

Principle area Accomplishments addressed 1. FFS/TOT 1994/95: Rice ICP staff organized and facilitated curriculum workshops on 1) vegetable I PM information gathering development and 2) field study planning for two select groups of rice

IPM master trainers (one to be the technical team responsible for lowland vegetables, the other for highland vegetables) and the PPD IPM Group.

After carrying out baseline studies of farmer vegetable production, and an inventory of vegetable production and I PM information available from Vietnamese research institutes, the technical teams designed and carried out two seasons of cabbage and tomato field studies in order to address perceived problems and to gain a better understanding of crop ecology and IPM possibilities. The ICP provided technical support.

Besides practical problem-solving research, the technical teams performed regular ecosystem analysis, experimentation with exercises that can be done by farmers, and further consultation with farmers about vegetable growing. The findings and experience provided guidance for improving vegetable production practices and reducing pesticide use, as well as other ingredients for FFS/TOT curriculum.

After the field study season, the ICP organised and facilitated a third workshop, on vegetable I PM curriculum development. FAO staff edited the resulting curriculum and commissioned ecological field guides on the vegetable crops.

Technical reference materials now available include:

• Field Guide: Exercises for IPM in Vegetables (Part I)

• Field Guide: Exercises for IPM in Cabbage (Part II)

• Field Guide: Exercises for IPM in Tomatoes (Part II)

• Field Guide: Exercises for IPM in French Beans (Part II)

• Ecological Guide for Cabbage I PM

• Ecological Guide for Tomato IPM

2. Vegetable IPM Late 1995: Five trainers from the vegetable technical TOTs teams and several resource persons organised and ran

the first vegetable IPM TOT. The TOT, held near Hanoi for experienced rice I PM trainers, covered tomato and cabbage but also included simultaneous field studies

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• Winter/Spring 95/96: 30 participants • Winter/Spring 96/97: 35 • Spring/Summer 1997: 36 • Winter/Spring 97/98: 31

Each Vietnamese province now has a small core group of vegetable I PM trainers.

A Vietnamese trainer travelled to Cambodia in 1998 to give technical support for a vegetable IPM TOT that was organised in Seam Reap.

3. Vegetable FFS 508 vegetable FFS have been conducted in Vietnam since 1996, training approximately 12,700 farmers:

•Winter-Spring 96-97: 36 FFS •Summer 97: 64 FFS • Winter-Spring 97-98: 98 FFS •Summer 98: 107 FFS •Winter 98: 103 FFS •Spring 99: 1 00 FFS

The ICP has supported this effort with regional planning workshops and monitoring.

4. Field Studies Vegetable technical team members who had learned how to set up local field studies for developing training curricula used those skills for other vegetable crops that are important in their regions. A TOTal of 27 field studies have been conducted on long bean, cucumber, potato, and other crops. In some areas, FFS were conducted on these crops.

4. Follow-up to Farmer Field Schools

Giving farmers more and better IPM tools

a) Classical biological control of diamondback moth (Piutella) in crucifers

1996: A Letter of Agreement established collaboration between the Vegetable ICP and CAB International. CAB I is to supply vegetable IPM technical assistance, including for classical biological control of vegetable pests. The Rice IPM staff are coordinating, facilitating, and providing technical backstopping for these activites in Vietnam.

1996: Two DBM parasitoids (Diadegma semiclausem, Diadromus collaris) were introduced into Vietnam. In preparation, the ICP funded a May study trip to Malaysia for three IPM trainers so that they could learn how to rear, release, and monitor the parasitoids. By

43

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44

b) Classical biological control of cabbage butterfly (Pieris) on crucifers

c) IPM and classical biological control of leafminers

d) Biopesticides


lowlands.

Both parasitoids, which have provided effective DBM control in highland areas of other countries, were reared and established in the field successfully in Dalat. D. semiclausem will continue to be reared at Hung Yen until April 1999, but has failed to become established in the lowlands, presumably because of an inhospitable climate. CABI and the ICP are currently exploring possibilities for further parasitoid introductions that should provide good DBM control under lowland conditions.

1997: The parasitoid Cotesia glomerata was imported to Hung Yen, where cabbage butterfly is a serious pest. In addition, 500 cocoons were brought to Dalat and released. There are unverified reports of C. glomerata observations in Dalat, but rearing and release in the lowlands failed. The Hung Yen center could not rear Pieris successfully, and the C. glomerata culture has been lost.

1999: Since 1995, leafminer damage in Vietnam and other Asian countries has been growing. The invasion and spread of exotic leafminer species is suspected to be causing these outbreaks. CABI and the ICP are supporting the development of a collaborative regional workplan for IPM of leafminers, including assessment of the desirability of, and opportunities for, introducing leafminer parasitoids into Vietnam. A Regional Workshop was run in Cameron Highlands (February 1999) to draw up a regional strategy for biological control of the leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis. Vietnam will collaborate in this venture (see Workshop Report in "Regional Activities").

The use of Bacillus thuringiensis was always included in vegetable IPM training. With a view to expanding biopesticide use, a Dalat regional workshop on biocontrol agents for vegetable I PM was held in September 1998. The objectives and outputs of this workshop are covered under the Heading "Regional Activities".

October 1998: A vegetable FFS-graduate farmer study group in Ha Tay village, near Hanoi, started experimenting with the use of NPV against Heliothis and Spodoptera on cabbage and tomato. As a result, they have adopted NPV as an IPM tool, and are planning to extend the experiment to other farmers. A

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the National Institute for Plant Protection (the source of


e) Composting, lime, Trichoderma, and other tools for controlling soil-borne pathogens

Generating local government support for farmer-led activities.

the virus).

January 1999: A workshop on Participatory Action Research for disease management was held for IPM trainers from three provinces, with the participation of a CAB I plant pathologist, Dr. Janny Vas. This activity is identified in the workplan of CAB I Biosciences under an LoA (Letter of Agreement) between CAB I and the Vegetable IPM-ICP. (See Regional Activities.)

February-May 1999: Follow-up PAR by IPM farmer groups beginning at six sites, facilitated by the technical teams produced by the workshop and with backstopping from the National Institute of Plant Protection (the source of Trichoderma), CAB I, and FAO IPM.

Fifty-four of the 61 provinces have responded to a survey of local support to post-FFS activities. The survey found that 23 field studies have been completed with local funding in seven provinces, covering a range of topics including: • management of DBM on cabbage, • long bean fruit miner management, • management of fruitflies on cucumbers, • bacterial diseases of lettuce, • soft rot management in cabbage, and • tomato wilt management. In addition, a total of 61 FFS covering 11 vegetables were run with local funds in ten provinces in 1997 and 1998.

5. Involvement of women in IPM

Gender and I PM activities

1994: The Center for Family and Women Studies conducted a case study on women's participation in I PM, and recommended that gender issues be included in TOTs.

A Field Guide on Exercises on Gender in IPM was developed in 1995, and field-tested in 1996 in the first vegetable TOT and in the last TOTs in rice. The guide has been used to incorporate gender issues into the curriculum of all subsequent vegetable TOTs, and in field schools which were conducted as part of the TOTs.

Extensive data on women's involvement in the field schools has been collected and presented in other

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45

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a man's occupation, although some of the peri-urban


areas are more strongly women cultivated, and this is usually reflected in the participation in the field schools.

6. Outstanding Issues and Suggestions

Issues of a general nature are covered in other parts of this report. Below are Vietnam specific issues and suggestions to the programme.

• Mr. Hung, Director of the Plant Protection Department, specifically requested the programme staff by continued beyond the current support provided by the Community IPM Programme to ensure that vegetable IPM programme development continue. He stated that consumer demand for clean vegetables and fruit was growing and the existence of the FAO team would promote this development. He also stated that the FAO programme office facilitates networking with international institutions and national organisations. He requested broad-based long term funding for the development of the vegetable programme and support of the IPM programme staff. In general, the evaluation mission agrees that the vegetable IPM activities should continue to be funded in Vietnam.

• The national programme should consider the development of commercial production of no or low toxic plant protection products as well as consider importation of bio-agents from China, Thailand or other international suppliers. Taxes and other negative incentives on toxic pesticides should be considered as well.

• Expanding the name of the programme from IPM to IPPM (integrated production and pest management) may assist local extension programmes to more quickly absorb the programmes.

• Greater efforts towards policy change should be made in a programme as large, and with as much data as this project has compiled. Some areas of collaboration could be with the "Clean Vegetable" campaign of the Ministry, and on changes in plant protection product availability as discussed above.

• Finally, self-funding mechanisms such as "polluter-pays" taxes on pesticides, group cost recovery, and association building block grants should be explored to generate long-term fund raising for I PM/I PPM programmes.


E. NOTES ON INDONESIA, PHILIPPINES AND THAILAND

Preamble

The Mission's itinerary entailed on-site field assessments and discussions with authorities in the four countries reported on in the preceding sections. Review of activities in the three other member countries (Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand) was limited to briefing by representatives who had travelled for the purpose to Bangkok. In addition, vegetable IPM training activities in North Thailand were subject of a short field visit by two Mission members.

In the following paragraphs, brief accounts of the situation reported in these countries are given ..

Indonesia

Indonesia became member of the Vegetable ICP in 1997 with funding from the Australian Addendum. At that time, Vegetable IPM training according to the TOT/FFS model was already in full progress, with budget from the National Indonesian Vegetable IPM Programme. According to figures presented by the Indonesian delegates to the Mission in Bangkok, to date around 37, 000 farmers have participated in vegetable I PM FFSs.

In the context of this ongoing programme, the envisaged role of the Project was twofold:

1. Support on components which are at the 'cutting edge' of IPM technology development in vegetables with emphasis on promoting the utilization of natural enemies of insect pests and biopathogens.

2. Strengthening Indonesia's regional role. Taking into account the relatively long period of involvement in vegetabe IPM, the country was to serve as a source of training expertise and learning aids (field guides, technical papers , case studies) and also as host for study visits by interested parties from other countries in the region.

State of progress encountered on both these aspects is summarily presented in the following sections.

1. Technical support

Project's inputs were targeted at activities at four locations:

(1 ), West Sumatra ( high- and lowland, mixed vegetables) - socialization of biopesticides through a network of so-called bio-agent posts;

(2), Brebes, Central Java (lowland, mostly shallot onion and chilli-pepper) -

(3), Pengalengan, West Java (highland, potato and cabbage) - farmer's action


research, field studies pertaining to biological control of the accidentally introduced leafminer Liriomyza sp. as a pest of potato;

(4) Bogar, West Java - Central IPM laboratory, support on imlementation of some studies on parasitoids and microbial insect pathogens.

Reports on this range of activities, presented to the Mission and discussed with the Indonesian delegates, elicit comments on two aspects.

a. The programme on establishment of bio-agent posts in West Sumatra represents a novel, interesting activity in the region. However, first indications are that maintenance of quality, especially of bacterial preparations, may be an issue in such 'cottage-type' production schemes. This would suggest that more technical support may be needed in the launching of this pioneering activity than is currently provided.

b. In his written report on the Vegetable IPM Programme, the Programme Coordinator for the Indonesian FAO - ICP questioned the current focus on technical support in use of biopesticides as a component of vegetable IPM and argued, instead, a shift towards community development/farmers empowerment issues. While respecting this opinion, the Mission was somehat puzzled with this rather emphatic rejection of a strategy which the Programme Coordinator, by virtue of his function, should have helped formulating.

2. Regional role

On the aforementioned aspect of Indonesia's national IPM vegetable programme as a source of teaching aids, some relevant materials are available. Contents of a training manual seemed to be rather strongly based on utilization of economic injury levels, a concept which was much emphasized in the early days of IPM but far less so in currenly prevailing participatory training appoaches.

There have been less study tours to Indonesian vegetable IPM activities by groups and individuals from other member countries than planned because of political unrest in the country. Also, the engagement of Indonesian Vegetable IPM trainers in running TOT's in other countries has lagged behind expectations

The Philippines

[Note: Due to the limited number of activities implemented in the Philippines, this section is a summary of activities, problems noted and observations on possible directions.]

According to the planning for Vegetable ICP activities in Philippines, there were to be two TOTs on vegetables, advice and collaboration provided to nationally

studies. These activities were to be carried out in

that KASAKALIKASAN is a national umbrella that has developed extensive

Vegetable !PM Evaluation Mission Reporl- Annexes 49

connections to local governments throughout the country, although current political changes has reduced the impact of this programme for the time being.

However, actual implementation of programme activities has not been as expected. The programme has not supported directly any Training of Trainers, but has supported expertise to nationally implemented training. Numerous field studies have been or are being supported, but not in full co-operation with the National IPM Programme. The reason that the foreseen project activities have not been implemented fully as provided by ICP CTA is that the National IPM Working Group failed to create an agreed upon Technical Committee that would have been the clearinghouse for all field and adaptive research on vegetable IPM (p. 63, Vegetable ICP Progress Report for the Period April 1996 to February 1999). However, discussions held in Indonesia at the Community IPM Programme Advisory Meeting in July 1999 with Dr. Jesse Binamira, one of the current leaders in the National IPM Programme is that co-operation has been slowed by lack of common views on implementation and lack of acceptance of National IPM Programme strategies and advice within the ICP.

More notably, the National Expert does not seem to have been able to integrate or bridge the national and ICP activities significantly, but has been instrumental in development of vegetable I PM methodologies both national and regionally. It is difficult to evaluate this current situation without knowing the Terms of Reference of the National Expert, but one would hope that facilitating national communication and encouraging national implementation of ICP activities would be core duties of a National Expert, even if not explicitly stated.

More positively, the ICP has supported various workshops and field studies to improve the scientific basis of vegetable I PM. Also, the National IPM Programme vegetable I PM trainers, and one national expert have been released by local and national authorities and have been important sources of expertise in the development of training in other ICP member countries. While this expertise has obviously been helpful, there are also numerous language and cultural barriers that need to be considered and efforts taken to reduce these barriers.

It is felt that any future activities should be carried out under stronger collaboration of the National IPM Programme, with or without the Technical Committee. More open communication and control of national activities by the national programmes needs to be developed to allow for national integration and decision making. The role and selection of the National Expert needs to be evaluated. Some structure for integration of national programmes into ICP decision making needs to be considered. Furthermore, the activities of the National IPM Programme are still strong and one may question whether ICP activities will provide a significant capacity building function that the national programme does not already provide. Rather, the role of the Philippines in a future programme - as in the case of the strong national Indonesian IPM programme - could be better seen as one of participating in regional workshops to share their national experience and as providing inputs to younger programmes.


Thailand

Thailand joined the IPM vegetable programme in August 1997 together with Indonesia and Cambodia. It was recognised that it would be difficult to develop a sustainable vegetable I PM programme in Laos and Cambodia without acknowledging the extensive links in agriculture, trade and commerce between Thailand and the other two countries. The major role the project was expected to play was curriculum development for TOTs, technical and non-formal education support for TOTs and FFSs, and in facilitating field studies. A concern expressed in the lead-up to Thailand joining the IPM vegetable programme was· the limited impact of the Rice IPM-ICP because of the persistent influence of the pesticide industry.

While recognising the importance of reducing pesticide abuse, the Thai government sees education and people development as the wider and more significant impact of the IPM methodology. Consequently, although the Plant Protection Service of the Department of Agricultural Extension, until recently, had the leadership of the I PM programme, the Department of Non-Formal Education was involved from the beginning of IPM vegetables. This made sense since DNFE's objective is to educate the people who are out of the formal system and the IPM programme does this in a manner consistent with their education strategy. In addition, the network of DNFE field staff, which reaches to village level, exceeds in numbers that of the Department of Agricultural Extension. The combined efforts of both departments potentially provide a strong national outreach to rural communities on the IPM approach to agricultural production and pest management.

Mobilising this potential however was somewhat problematic during the first half of the programme period. No IPM country programme officer was appointed. In the absence of such an officer the NGO, World Education Asia (WEA), in partnership with DNFE to some extent played the coordinating role, whereas leadership was formally located in the Plant Protection Division of DOAE. WEA was contracted to plan and implement the first TOT vegetable course without having full understanding of the technical and programme development issues involved in vegetable IPM training. DOAE contributed six staff as trainees, and teaching staff as requested. Twenty-six staff attended as trainees from the Education Sector.

Subsequent field studies (undertaken in preparation for the vegetable season) and the FFSs highlighted problems which are bedded in the training and experience of the TOT trainees. Staff from DNFE, while readily accepting discovery-based learning methodologies, were constrained by their lack of training in agriculture. DOAE staff, on the other hand, was familiar with technical aspects but found discovery learning more difficult to accept given their experience in the technology transfer approach in agricultural extension. This lesson highlights the need for a reappraisal of the strategy that should be adopted in training field staff with differing backgrounds for the role of facilitating


In early 1999, at the initiative of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the IPM programme (rice and vegetables) was incorporated within the royal initiative project, with a budget of Baht 1.5 million. The role of the Institute for Biocontrol was widened to include Farmer Field Schools, and leadership of the programme was transferred from Plant Protection to the Institute within DOAE. The plan is to conduct a pilot program in eight provinces spread over the Northern, Highlands and Lowlands regions. It is anticipated that five TOTs, three on rice and two on vegetables, will be conducted before the end of 1999. DNFE and the Primary Education Commission are supporting the program and it is expected that NGOs will assist in disseminating the approach. The assistance being requested from IPM-ICP is for trainers and technical information, exchanges with other participating countries and some equipment items that do not come under the Thai budget. On their part, Thailand has the capacity to supply biocontrol agents and related equipment to other countries.

The royal initiative has given the programme a national status, clarified the leadership issue, and provided national funds and a strategic imperative for action. As such, both IPM programmes should support the initiative to ensure a successful outcome.

52

AEA

APPPC

BAR I

CAB I

CTA

DAN IDA

DNFE

DOAE/DAE

FFS

GAD

ICP

INTERFISH

IPM

I PPM

MAFF

NGO

NO PEST

NPV

PPD

PTD

RAP SCPO

TOT

UNDP

WEA

Vegetable !PM Evaluation Mission Report- Annexes

ANNEX IV

ACRONYMS

- Agricultural Extension Agency

- Asian and Pacific Plant Protection Committee

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute

Center for Agriculture and Biosciences International Chief Technical Adviser

Danish International Development Assistance

Department of Non Formal Education

Department of Agricultural Extension

Farmers Field School

Gender and Development

Intercountry Programme

Integrated Rice-Fish

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest and Production Management

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry

Non-Government Organization

New Options Pest Control

Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus

Plant Protection Department

Participatory Technology Development

Regional office for Asia and the Pacific

Senior Country Program Officer

Training of Trainers

United Nations Development Programme

- World Education Asia

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

Documents

Transcript of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization