RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT CSIR–CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE In-House Review, 2012 G.K. Acheampong

Rice Sector Support Project (RSSP)

Project Region/District RegionNumber of districtsRice area (ha) to be developed No. of Farmers No. of FBOs Northern Upper East41300 Upper West41000 Volta Total226000

Goal To contribute to reduce poverty in the project regions To contribute to national food security To strengthen the stakeholders of the rice sector

Specific objectives 1.Strengthening of the rice value chain in the project regions through;  Land development – allowing the development of semi-intensive small scale rice production  Capacity building of farmer-based organizations (FBOs) and processors organizations  Extension support to producers  Access to annual credit

Objectives cont’d 2.Strengthening of the rice sector at the national level through support to GRIB 3. Research of improved techniques of production, allowing to increase productivity and to reduce risks.

Research Team Scientists: G. K. Acheampong LEADER, Agronomy/PLAR-IRM/Soil and water management R. K. Bam Variety/Seed quality evaluation/Agronomy/Soil and water management P. K. A. Dartey Varietal evaluation E. Annan-Afful Soil fertility studies/Agronomy/Soil and water management E. Moses Base-line data on Diseases/yield loss estimate/dissemination of control strategies B. Mochia Base-line data on Insect Pests/yield loss estimate/dissemination of control strategies B. O. Asante/J. Osei-Adu.. Monitoring of outcomes/adoption and impact studies/socio- economic analysis Technicians: Rice/Protection/socio-economics

summary Total duration of the action 21 months, subject to revision Objectives of the actionOverall objective: Improved production techniques adaptable to the natural conditions to increase rice productivity Specific objective: Enhanced adaptive research responsive to productive and environmental needs Partner(s)CIRAD, MOFA, FRI, SARI, Target group(s)FBOs, MOFA Final beneficiariesMOFA, farm households Estimated resultsAppropriate rice varieties meeting both consumer and market needs Appropriate rice cropping systems adaptable to natural conditions Main activities  Rice varietal selection  Seed production  Conduct on-farm adaptive trials on improved cropping systems Budget (€73,728)  €44,728 (Project activities)  €29,000 (Vehicle, computers/accessaries) “Target groups” are the groups/entities who will be directly/positively affected by the project at the Project Purpose level “Final beneficiaries” are those who will benefit from the project in the long term at the level of the society or sector at large

Activities Breeder seed production0.4 ha Foundation seed production2.0 ha Certified seed production-Train selected farmers in seed production (3 farmers per district/year for the 3 project districts) -Give technical backstopping to seed growers Rice varietal selection - using Mother and Baby trials: Sikamo, Gbewa rice (aromatic), Amankwatia (aromatic), Bodia, Sakai, Wakatsuki) -PVS nursery (30 var) Training on trial protocols and implementation-17 MoFA Field Staff (12 AEA's, 3 DAO.s and 2 RAO.s) -24 FBOs staff Training of trainers in PLAR-17 MoFA field staff - FBO representatives (75-150) Pest and disease monitoring- baseline surveys - yield loss determination Socio-economic-baseline survey on the outcomes -socio-economic analysis of intervention New cropping systems programme with CIRAD-baseline survey on rice-based cropping system -At least two cropping systems adaptable to agro-ecological region developed and introduced to farmers

Meetings with RADU/DADU to discuss planned activities

Seed Production BREEDER SEED 1 acre – Amankwatia (aromatic) ½ acre – Gbewa rice (aromatic) ¼ acre – sakai ¼ acre – Bodia ¼ acre Wakatsuki ¼ acre Sikamo  Produce similar acreages as in 2012 A 2 ½ acres breeder seed plot established at Sokwai in Ashanti for the 6 varieties used in the PVS Mother and Baby trials

FOUNDATION SEED 3 ½ acre – Amankwatia (aromatic)  ½ acre – Gbewa rice (aromatic)  ¼ acre – sakai  ¼ acre – Bodia  ¼ acre Wakatsuki  ¼ acre Sikamo  Produce similar acreages as in 2012 Foundation seed established at Aframso near Ejura

Community Seed production TRAINING  Train selected farmers in seed production (3 farmers per district/year for the 3 project districts)  Each seed growers to cultivate a maximum of 0.8 ha.  Train 6 farmers/district for the 3 project districts (including MoFA and NGO staffs)  Technical backstopping for the production of certified Seed (4x/season)

On-farm evaluation of suitable lowland rice varieties Trial protocols developed Trained on trial protocols and trial implementation 18 MoFA Field Staff 24 FBOs 4 NGO staff Participants at the PVS training on trial protocols and implementation

SUMMARY OF TRIALS ESTABLISHMENT/DISTRICT Trial No.Baby Trial FREQUENCY TOTAL KadjebiJasikanHohoeRESERVE 1.Sakai/Amankwatia Gbewa rice/Amankwatia Bodia/Amankwatia Wakatsuki/Amankwatia Sikamo/Amankwatia Sakai/Gbewa rice Bodia/Gbewa rice Wakatsuki/ Gbewa rice Sikamo/Gbewa rice00011 Total Mother Trial PVS (30 var.)10102 GRAND TOTAL

Land preparation

Nursery establishment

Participatory Evaluation Farm walks Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) Household-level Questionnaires (HLQs)  Yield

Field monitoring at tillering stage Wrap up meeting after a day’s field monitoring A well established mother trial

Field monitoring at seeding/maturity The evaluation team planning for the day’s activity before going to the field Evaluators admiring a good crop

Some fields were affected by terminal drought

Cattle grazed a Mother trial established by a lady farmerSome farmers harvested before Evaluators got to the field

WMCI members participated in the PVS nursery trial

Criteria for selection -Earliness -Plant height -Tillering ability -Heading -Panicle weight -Long grain -Aroma* Initial selection -PVS Nursery: 6 varieties -Mother/Baby Trials:  Amankwatia*  Seed Production  MT/BT= Amankwatia + farmer’s choice Evaluation at end of monitoring

OTHER EVALUATION 1.Processing 2. Storage 3. Cooking 4. Palatability 5. Market acceptability

Adaptive research, Pest and diseases surveys and socioeconomic and impact studies  Soil fertility studies - Site Specific Fertilizer Recommendation -Economic analysis of fertilizer recommendations  Cropping Systems - Rice-okra; Rice-cowpea  Pest and disease Monitoring - Base-line data on pests and diseases – (questionnaires, field visits and sensitization) - Yield loss estimate -Dissemination of control strategies - (Field days, training, backstopping, manuals, fact sheets)  Socio economic analysis of intervention

PLAR-IRM training  2-3 weeks Training of trainers *2 trainers/FBO *17 AEAs + 4 NGO staff

ACTIVITY JFMAMJJASOND 1. Seed production Breeder seed xxxxxx Foundation seed production (FS) xxxxxxxxxxxx Training for community seed production xx Technical backstopping for the production of certified Seed (4x/season) xxxxxxxx 2. PLAR-IRM training xx Monitoring of PLAR-IRM activities (every 2 weeks) xxxxxxxxx 3. On-farm evaluation of suitable lowland rice varieties PVS Extension 6 varieties will be evaluated across the project districts using the Mother & baby evaluation approach xxxxxx MoFA & FBO staff trained on trial protocols and trial implementation xx 5.0 Cropping systems research program using rice-okra; rice- cowpea/SSNM xxxxxxxx 6.0 Monitoring of research activities /diseases and pests/socio- economics xxxxxxxxxxxx Work Plan 2012

Publications 1.Van Mele P., J.W. Bentley, R.M. Dacko, K. Yattara and G.K. Acheampong (2011). Attitude counts: engaging with rice farmers in West Africa. Development in Practice 21 (6): 806 – Acheampong, G.K., R.K. Bam, E. Annan-Afful, and T. Wakatsuki (2011). Weed Management and Rice Productivity in Traditional and ‘Sawah’ rice production systems in inland valleys in Ghana. Paper presented at the 1 st International Workshop on Sawah Eco- technology and Rice Farming in Sub-Saharan Africa; Kumasi, Ghana, 22 nd – 24 th November, 2011.

Thank You