IRRI - International Rice Research Institute

The NOA is used to identify and address farmers' real problems and needs and/or to disseminate technologies that meet farmers' needs. This means that we can find suitable areas for dissemination of available technologies or identify other opportunities in crop management that can impact the livelihood of farmers.

The NOA has been well developed and field-tested in eight countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). Initially, the NOA trainees were mostly national researchers (with a few extension staff) because it is important to change their mindset and prepare them to work with extension and development staff and farmers in participatory technology development and dissemination. The national trainers translated the NOA materials into local language for wider training of extension staff and farmers. The national staff, not IRRI, is conducting the NOA training for development professionals and farmers to minimize the language problems. By December 2001, national researchers have trained 24 extension staff in Indonesia, 30 in Vietnam, 15 in India, and 20 in the Philippines. They all feel that the NOA is a powerful tool for FP technology development and evaluation. Both national research and extension staff bring in all relevant stakeholders (NGOs, private sector input/service providers, credit agencies, etc.) while conducting NOA in pilot villages.

The Table below shows how the thematic work groups modified their plan of action based on the results of NOAs.

Thematic group	NOA sites	Problems identified through NOA	Focus before NOA	Change after NOA
RTOP	Thanjavur, India	Water & labor scarcity, poor plant protection, severe weeds, poor seed quality and nursery management, delayed planting due to uncertain arrival of water	Improved site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) only	Along with SSNM, improved water management, use of quality seed and better nursery practices, timely planting are emphasized. In water scarce areas, new crop rotation with one rice crop and another non-rice crop is being evaluated.
RTOP	Dinh Mon, Vietnam	Lack of power tiller, rice diseases due to poor farmer knowledge, little extension contact and poor farmer training, poor quality seed and dense sowing, ineffective herbicide for direct-seeded rice	Improved site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) only	Plant need-based N use with LCC (SSNM) has helped reduce the diseases. SSNM is now combined with reduced seed rate with quality seed, drum seeding in rows (less dense canopy), and IPM for reducing cost and/or improving profit to farmers. Extension staff are being trained and motivated to promote the new options to farmers.
Water saving	Tarlac, Philippines	Extensions policy, poor training of farmers, nutrient imbalance, diseases, water deficit.	Use of controlled irrigation as water-saving technology	Controlled irrigation is combined with direct seeding, improved N management with LCC, and IPM. Other partners (irrigation engineers, NGOs) are being trained and motivated to promote the technologies.

	Search:

Accomplishments