ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK · APSA - Asia-Pacific Seed Association ARBN - Asian Rice Biotechnology Network BLSB - banded leaf and sheath blight BMS - benchmark site CAAS - Chinese Academy

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK TAR: RES 35037

PROPOSED

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

FOR THE

SIXTH AGRICULTURE

AND NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH

AT CGIAR CENTERS

October 2001

ABBREVIATIONS

ADB - Asian Development BankAMBIONET - Asian Maize Biotechnology NetworkANRR - agriculture and natural resources researchAPSA - Asia-Pacific Seed AssociationARBN - Asian Rice Biotechnology NetworkBLSB - banded leaf and sheath blightBMS - benchmark siteCAAS - Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesCASREN - Crop Animal Systems Research NetworkCBO - community-based organizationCGIAR - Consultative Group on International Agricultural ResearchCIAT - Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical

(International Center for Tropical Agriculture)CIMMYT - Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo

(International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)CIP - Centro International de la Papa (International Potato Center)DFID - Department for International DevelopmentDMC - developing member countryFAO - Food and Agriculture OrganizationGDP - gross domestic productIARC - international agricultural research centerICLARM - International Center for Living Aquatic Resources ManagementICRISAT - International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid TropicsIDRC - International Development Research CentreIFAD - International Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentIFPRI - International Food Policy Research InstituteILRI - International Livestock Research InstituteIPGRI - International Plant Genetic Resources InstituteIRRI - International Rice Research InstituteIWMI - International Water Management InstituteMAS - marker-aided selectionMNBL - multinutrient block lickNARS - national agricultural research systemNGO - nongovernment organizationOED - Operations Evaluation DepartmentPNG - Papua New GuineaPRC - People’s Republic of ChinaQTL - quantitative trail lociR & D - research and developmentTA - technical assistance

NOTE

In this report, "$" refers to US dollars.

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Policy on Agriculture and Natural ResourcesResearch (ANRR),1 approved in 1995, identified intensified research as an importantintervention requiring ADB support to address the three critical issues of (i) reducing poverty,(ii) sustainable management of agriculture and natural resources, and (iii) increasing theproductivity of agriculture in the Asian and Pacific region. Under the ANRR policy, an annualpackage of regional technical assistance (TA) through the Consultative Group on InternationalAgricultural Research (CGIAR) centers of excellence was supported as a cost-effective meansto channel ADB’s support. The Operations Evaluation Department (OED) conducted themandatory five-year review of the policy in 20002 and found that (i) the present policy on ANRRremained consistent with ADB’s development objectives, (ii) the assistance to CGIAR and otherinternational agricultural research centers (IARCs) has yielded high economic rates of return,and (iii) the current funding modality should be essentially maintained.

2. In this context, ADB received requests for financing of 15 proposals from the IARCsfinanced by CGIAR. ADB staff critically reviewed the proposals and prioritized them based on (i)the potential impact on reducing poverty, promoting sustainable management of agriculture andnatural resources, and increasing agricultural productivity; (ii) relevance to ADB operations inthe agriculture and natural resources sector; and (iii) high commitment of the participatingcountries. Proposals considered high priority were discussed extensively with the centers tostrengthen the potential development impacts and linkages to national agricultural researchsystems (NARSs). The proposed umbrella technical assistance (TA), which is the sixthpackaged assistance to CGIAR centers, will support four research projects in ADB’s developingmember countries (DMCs) that were submitted by the following CGIAR centers: (i) theInternational Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico City, Mexico, through itsproject office based at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Baños, Philippines;(ii) the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, through its officebased at IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines; (iii) the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute(IPGRI), through its regional office in Serdang, Malaysia; and (iv) IRRI, through its headquartersat Los Baños, Philippines.3

II. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

3. The ADB Rural Asia Study4 highlighted developing Asia’s remarkable progress in foodsecurity, poverty reduction, and per capita income, driven by the green revolution. Between1970 and 1995, the Asian rural and general economy benefited from an almost doubling ofcereal production, due to doubling of crop yields, while the cereal area harvested barelychanged, increasing only 4 percent. Per capita income nearly tripled, while calorie consumptionincreased by 24 percent. Increased local purchasing power drove local demand, spurring theoverall economy. Poverty declined from about 60 percent in 1975 to about 30 percent in 1995.The threat of famine, which loomed in the early 1960s over the region, disappeared. However,despite the remarkable growth, poverty remained high. About 900 million or 68 percent of theworld’s poor live in Asia: about 500 million in South Asia, 300 million in East Asia, and 100million in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.5

1 R 253-95: The Bank’s Policy on Agriculture and Natural Resources Research, 29 November 1995.2 IN.307-00: Special Evaluation Study on the Policy Implementation and Impact on Agriculture and Natural

Resources Research, December 2000.3 The proposed TA first appeared in ADB Business Opportunities on 13 March 2001.4 Asian Development Bank. 2000. Rural Asia: Beyond the Green Revolution, Manila.5 IFPRI. 1995. A 2020 Vision for Food, Agriculture and the Environment, October 1995.

2

4. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) forecasts that population inAsia will grow from 2.8 billion in 1990 to 4.2 billion in 2020. IFPRI also forecasts that the annualdemand for rice in Asia will increase from 307 metric tons (t) in 1990 to 495 million t in 2020; formaize, from 123 million t to 238 million t; and for meat, from 38 million t to 111 million t. Foodproduction will have to increase by another 260 million t or 40 percent more from the currentlevel of 650 million t, and this under conditions of increasing land and water scarcity. Thus, thereis an urgent need to raise agricultural productivity dramatically using technology driven byANRR.

5. Recognizing the key role of agricultural research in increasing agricultural productivityand farm incomes, ADB has supported IARCs over the past three decades. ADB’s priorities tofund agricultural research became more focused in 1995 when its policy on ANRR wasapproved. The policy was in line with ADB’s Medium-term Strategic Framework (1995-1998)6 atthe time and remains consistent with its new Long-term Strategic Framework (2001-2005).7

Under the ANRR policy, ADB supported five TA umbrella projects involving 14 CGIAR centersand 24 research projects between 1996 and 2000, amounting to $28.6 million. At the sametime, it also provided about $3.7 million for five research projects to three non-CGIAR centers(Appendix 1).

6. Continued public support for ANRR is needed since the private sector has shown limitedinterest in supporting research agenda targeting the needs of poor farmers. ADB’s assistance toANRR through the CGIAR and non-CGIAR centers is justified since past research collaborationhas produced global and regional public goods that have significantly contributed to agriculturalproductivity increases and poverty reduction. ADB should continue to channel assistance to theCGIAR centers because they have comparative advantage in conducting agricultural research.These centers have highly qualified, multidisciplinary research teams who are in the forefront ofscience and technology research. ADB's collaboration with these centers also gives manyvalue-added benefits. For example, ADB, which provides on the average about 30-35 percent ofthe total cost of the TA, is able to catalyze additional funds equivalent to about 65-70 percent ofthe TA cost from the combined contributions of the CGIAR or non-CGIAR centers, NARSs, andaid agencies. By financing collaborative research projects, ADB can be highly selective inchoosing the research proposal to support and, at the same time, have a say in finalizing the TAobjectives and scope, which is not possible if ADB merely contributes to the core budgets ofthese centers. ADB has been able to strengthen the capability of NARSs from the DMCs inconducting research, including cutting-edge science and technology research such asbiotechnology, through technical backstopping provided by CGIAR scientists during TAimplementation. ADB is also able to promote regional cooperation on major research topics ofinterest to the DMCS, particularly in increasing productivity of crops, fish, and livestock.

7. The proposed TA will assist the DMCs in increasing crop and livestock productivity,increasing farm incomes, improving the status of women, and attaining food security in theAsian and Pacific region. The proposed TA is consistent with ADB’s policy on ANRR and fullymeets the three strategic development agenda in the policy paper: poverty reduction,sustainable management of agriculture and natural resources, and increasing agriculturalproductivity.

6 The Bank’s Medium-Term Strategic Framework (1995-1998), March 1995.7 M17-01: Long-Term Strategic Framework of the ADB (2001-2015), 14 March 2001.

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III. THE PROPOSED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A. Objective

8. The main objective of the proposed umbrella TA is to develop environmentallysustainable farming systems, policies, improved crop varieties, and appropriate crop-livestocktechnologies that will increase agricultural productivity and farm incomes, and protect theenvironment. The umbrella TA is consistent with ADB’s overarching objective of povertyreduction. The umbrella TA will contribute to the DMCs goals of reducing poverty, protecting theenvironment, improving the status of women, and promoting human resources development.

B. Scope

9. The umbrella TA comprises four independent, but mutually supportive research projectssince they share common goals and objectives. A brief synopsis of the economic importance ofeach project is in paras. 10-13. The detailed description of each project, including the TAframework, is in Appendixes 2-5.

10. CIMMYT’s research project entitled Developing New Maize Germplasm ThroughBiotechnology for Resource-Poor Farmers in Asia will address the ANRR strategic agenda ofraising agricultural productivity. Maize is the third most important crop in Asia, where more than900 million poor and malnourished people, or 68 percent of the world’s poor live. The project willbuild on the achievements of the phase 1 project,8 which succeeded in strengthening thecapacity of NARSs to apply biotechnology tools to improve maize, establishing fully operationalbiotechnology laboratories, and identifying maize germplasm resistant to major diseases andtolerant of drought and low nitrogen fertility. The major problem affecting smallholder maizeproduction in Asia is the fact that maize is grown in marginal, rainfed environments, withunreliable rainfall, poor soils, and unsuitable terrain. Insect pests and diseases also causeserious yield losses. The challenge, which this research project aims to meet, is to develop newmaize varieties suited to such marginal areas (Appendix 2).

11. ILRI’s research project entitled Improving Crop-Livestock Production Systems in RainfedAreas of Southeast Asia will address the ANRR strategic agenda of sustainable management ofagriculture and natural resources (Appendix 3). The proposed project will focus on livestock,which contributes up to 20 percent of the agricultural gross domestic product in Southeast Asiancountries. Since new arable land is limited and there are about 99 million hectares of rainfedland in Southeast Asia, further increases in food production must come from sustainablesystems developed for these agroecological areas. The project will build on the considerableprogress made in phase 1.9 New profitable technology for increasing fodder production andovercoming nutrient deficiencies in livestock has been found and policy options to givesmallholder farmers equal opportunities in marketing of animals and animal products have beenidentified. The project will benefit poor farmers because it will help them overcome the twinproblems of shortages of feed resources and poor nutrition, and engage more effectively in themarketing of animals and animal products.

8 TA 5766-REG: Second Agriculture and Natural Resources Research at CGIAR Centers - Application of

Biotechnology to Maize Improvement in Asia, for $1.4 million, approved on 29 December 1997. The project will becompleted on 31 December 2001.

9 TA 5812-REG: Third ANRR at CGIAR Centers - Increasing Productivity of Crop-Livestock Systems in Asia, for $1.0million, approved on 22 October 1998. The project will be completed on 31 December 2001.

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12. IPGRI’s research project entitled Developing Sustainable Coconut-Based Income-Generating Technologies in Poor Rural Communities will address the ANRR strategic agenda ofreducing poverty (Appendix 4). About 90 percent of the world’s coconut production comes fromthe Asian and Pacific region. Coconut provides livelihood to about 50 million poor farmers in theworld, whose income is way below the poverty level. The research project was based on theresults of two ADB research projects and one project financed by the International Fund forAgricultural Development (IFAD),10 which identified coconut germplasm that can outyield thetraditional varieties 3-6 times, and which possesses traits required in developing high-valuecoconut by-products. They also identified opportunities for coconut-based farming systemstechnologies that could increase incomes 5-10 times. The proposed project will promote theproduction and marketing of high-value coconut products and quality planting materials, andintercropping and livestock/fodder production.

13. IRRI’s research project entitled Sustaining Food Security in Asia Through theDevelopment of Hybrid Rice Technology will address the ANRR strategic agenda of reducingpoverty through increased rice production using hybrid rice (Appendix 5). Rice is the staple foodof about three billion people in Asia—the region where population is increasing by about 80million -100 million a year. Rice is critical to the region’s poor people since about 90 percent ofthe world’s rice is consumed by those who produce it. Since the yields of many high-yieldingvarieties (HYVs) have already reached a plateau, the proposed project is focusing on hybridrice, which NARSs under phase 1 found to have a 15-20 percent yield advantage over popularHYVs. The proposed project will intensify research by nine DMCs to raise production throughthe use of hybrid rice to sustain food security.

C. Cost Estimates and Financing Plan

14. The total cost of the umbrella TA is estimated at $12.1 million equivalent (Appendix 6).ADB will finance $4.0 million (33 percent of the total cost) on a grant basis from the ADB-fundedTA Program. The CGIAR centers will finance $2.8 million (23 percent) from their core budgets,NARSs will contribute $3.6 million equivalent (30 percent), and other external funding agencieswill contribute $1.7 million equivalent (14 percent).

D. Implementation Arrangements

15. ADB will enter into an individual TA agreement with the CGIAR center concerned foreach research project. Each center will be the Executing Agency for its project. The participatingNARSs will be designated as Implementing Agencies (IAs). NARSs are qualified to serve as IAsbased on their experience as well as their capacity and commitment to undertake the work.Each center will appoint a team leader who will coordinate, supervise, and monitor the activities.Similarly, each IA will appoint a national team leader for overall control of the work and toestablish research networks to promote regional cooperation and foster synergy in researchactivities through exchange of germplasm, information, and research findings. The CGIARcenters will help NARSs establish partnerships with the private sector, nongovernmentorganizations, and other community-based organizations in undertaking the research project sothat the latter’s views can be incorporated in the design and implementation of the projects.IARCs and NARSs will disseminate the research results to small farmers through field tests of

10 TA 5590-REG: Coconut Genetic Resources Network in Asia and the Pacific Region, for $800,000, approved on 29

July 1994; TA 5766-REG: Second ANRR at CGIAR Centers - Coconut Genetic Resources Network and HumanResources Strengthening in Asia and the Pacific (Phase II), for $1.2 million, approved on 29 December 1997; andIFAD TA, for $900,000, approved on 5 August 1998.

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improved germplasm on farmers’ fields, field days, workshops, extension services, publications,and web sites.

16. Each center will submit to ADB (i) a semiannual progress report, (ii) a semiannualfinancial statement accounting for the use of project funds, and (iii) an audited annual financialstatement. Funds will be drawn down in semiannual installments based on each center’sestimate of forthcoming expenditures and subject to satisfactory liquidation of expenditures forpreviously disbursed funds. Each project will commence on 1 January 2002 and will beimplemented over three years. All studies will be completed by 31 December 2004, and the TAaccount will be closed by 30 June 2005. Each center will submit a comprehensive completionreport to ADB within three months of the end of its project.

17. The concerned centers will procure goods and services according to the ADB’sGuidelines for Procurement. The centers will engage short-term specialists in accordance withADB’s Guidelines on the Use of Consultants and other arrangements satisfactory to ADB, usingthe biodata format. Before engaging the resource specialists, the centers will submit thespecialists’ curricula vitae to ADB for approval. At ADB, a project officer with suitable technicalexpertise will be assigned to administer each project, monitor the progress of the work, andconduct at least one supervision mission per year. The office of the Director, Agriculture andSocial Sectors Department (East), in close consultation with the office of the Director,Agriculture and Social Sectors Department (West), will be responsible for overall administrationof the proposed umbrella TA, maintenance of the central accounts, and preparation of statusreports.

IV. THE PRESIDENT’S RECOMMENDATION

18. The President recommends that the Board approve the provision of technical assistance,on a grant basis, to four CGIAR centers—the International Maize and Wheat ImprovementCenter, the International Livestock Research Institute, the International Plant GeneticResources Institute, and the International Rice Research Institute—in an amount not exceedingthe equivalent of $4,000,000 for the purpose of the Sixth Agriculture and Natural ResourcesResearch at CGIAR Centers.

6

APPENDIXES

Number Title Page Cited on(page, para.)

1 Relevant Information on the Consultative Group onInternational Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Centers

7 2,5

2 Developing New Maize Germplasm ThroughBiotechnology for Resource-Poor Farmers in Asia(International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)

16 3,10

3 Improving Crop-Livestock Production Systems inRainfed Areas of Southeast Asia (InternationalLivestock Research Institute)

25 3,11

4 Developing Sustainable Coconut-Based Income-Generating Technologies in Poor Rural Communities(International Plant Genetic Resources Institute)

35 4,12

5 Sustaining Food Security in Asia Through theDevelopment of Hybrid Rice Technology(International Rice Research Institute)

45 4,13

6 Cost Estimates and Financing Plan 55 4,14

Appendix 1, page 17

RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE CONSULTATIVE GROUPON INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH (CGIAR) CENTERS

Table A1.1: Asian Development Bank Support forInternational Agricultural Research Centers and Organizations, 1975-2000 a

($’000)

Center 1975-1980 1981-1985 1986-1990 1991-1995 1996-2000 b TotalTotal No.

ofProjects

A. CGIAR1. IRRI 1,500 (3) 1,210 (4) 5,830 (7) 2,000 (2) 4,850 (4) 15,390 (20)2. ICRISAT 325 (1) 750 (2) 3,370 (6) 950 (2) 3,050 (3) 8,445 (14)3. IWMI

(IIMI)1,200 (4) 1,830 (6) 1,610 (2) 2,250 (2) 6,890 (14)

4. ICLARM 70 (1) 825 (2) 700 (2) 3,800 (3) 5,395 (8)5. CIMMYT 2,600 (2) 2,600 (2)6. CIP 433 (1) 600 (1) 1,033 (2)7. IFPRI 748 (2) 598 (1) 2,500c (2) 3,846 (5)8. ISNAR 555 (2) 800 (1) 1,355 (3)9. IPGRI 800 (1) 2,400 (2) 3,200 (3)10. ICRAF 1,200 (1) 1,200 (1)11. ILRI 1,000 (1) 1,000 (1)12. CIFOR 1,100 (1) 1,100 (1)13. CIAT 1,200 (1) 1,200 (1)14. ICARDA 1,200 (1) 1,200 (1)

Subtotal (A) 1,895 (5) 3,908 (12) 12,410 (23) 7,091 (11) 28,550 (25) 53,854 (76)

B. Non-CGIAR Centers and Organizations

1. AVRDC 390 (1) 650 (2) 1,425 (4) 1,294 (3) 1,750 (3) 5,509 (13)2. CABI 130 (1) 1,630 (3) 1,630 (3)3. IBSRAM 652 (3) 1,300 (1) 1,952 (4)4. ICIMOD 540 (1) 1,200 (2) 600 (1) 2,340 (4)5. IJO 950 (2) 950 (2)6. CIRDAP 180 (1) 180 (1)7. FAO/EPA 250 (1) 250 (1)8. Fisheries

Agencies249 (2) 540 (4) 1,064 (3) 1,095 (2) 2,948 (11)

9. LivestockAgencies

130 (1) 150 (1) 220 (1) 500 (3)

10. ForestryAgencies

90 (1) 1,850 (2) 1,200 (2) 3,140 (5)

Subtotal (B) 729 (4) 1,320 (7) 7,241 (19) 6,639 (13) 3,650 (5) 19,579 (48)

Total 2,624 (9) 5,228 (19) 19,651 (42) 13,730 (24) 32,200 (30) 73,433 (124)

AVRDC = Asian Vegetable Research Development Center, CABI = Centre for Applied Bioscience International, CGIAR = Consultative Group onInternational Agricultural Research, CIAT = Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (International Center for Tropical Agriculture), CIFOR =Center for International Forestry Research, CIMMYT = Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo (International Maize and WheatImprovement Center), CIP = Centro International de la Papa (International Potato Center), CIRDAP = Centre for Integrated Rural Development forAsia and the Pacific, EPA = Environmental Protection Agency, FAO = Food and Agriculture Organization, IBSRAM = International Board for SoilResearch and Management, ICARDA = International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, ICIMOD = International Centre for IntegratedMountain Development, ICLARM = International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, ICRAF = International Centre for Research inAgroforestry, ICRISAT = International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, IFPRI = International Food Policy Research Institute, IIMI =International Irrigation Management Institute, IJO = International Jute Organization, ILRI = International Livestock Research Institute, IPGRI =International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, ISNAR = International Service for National Agricultural Research, IWMI = International WaterManagement Institute.a Numbers in parentheses refer to the number of TA projects.b Five regional TAs were approved between 1996 and 2000.c IFPRI and IRRI collaborated on one regional TA for $1.3 million.Source: IN. 307-00: Special Evaluation Study on the Policy Implementation and Impact on Agriculture and Natural Resources Research,

December 2000.

Appendix 1, page 2

Year Established Research Mandate/CGIAR Center/Location (Year of CGIAR Commodities/ Geographic

Membership) Subjects Covered Coverage

1. International Maize and Wheat 1966 Wheat, maize, barley, triticale, Worldwide, with specialImprovement Center (CIMMYT) (1971) and wheat-based farming emphasis on developing

systems countries

2. International Livestock 1995a Increase productivity of livestock Worldwide with priority on AsiaResearch Institute (ILRI) (1992) and develop sustainable crop-

livestock systems, and conserveanimal genetic diversity

3. International Plant Genetic 1974 Strengthen the conservation and Worldwide with emphasisResources Institute (IPGRI) (1974) use of plant genetic resources, on developing countries

including research, training, information dissemination, andtechnology development

4. International Rice Research 1960 Rice breeding, cultivation, Worldwide, with specialInstitute (IRRI) (1971) postharvest, irrigated and emphasis on Asia

upland rice, rice-based farming systems

a ILRI became functional in January 1995 after the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases (ILRAD) and the International Livestock Center for Africa (ILCA) were combined.

Table A1.2: Location, Mandate, and Geographic Coverage of the FourCGIAR Centers To Be Supported by the Proposed Technical Assistance

8

Technical Assistance CGIAR Centers ADB's DMCs

(First) Agriculture and Natural 1. IRRI PRC, Philippines, Thailand, Viet NamResources Research (ANRR) 2. CIP Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Viet Namat CGIAR Centers 3. ICRISAT Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan,(TA 5711-REG) Sri Lanka, Viet Nam

4. ICLARM Bangladesh, PRC, India, Indonesia, Thailand,Viet Nam

5. ICRAF Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand

Second ANRR at CGIAR Centers 1. CIMMYT PRC, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand(TA 5766-REG) 2. ICLARM Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,

Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam3. IPGRI Cook Islands, Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Marshall

Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa,Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, VanuatuBangladesh, PRC, India, Indonesia,Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines,Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam

4. IRRI Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines,Sri Lanka, Viet Nam

Third ANRR at CGIAR Centers 1. CIFOR Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines(TA 5812-REG) 2. ICRISAT India, Thailand, Viet Nam

3. IWMI (IIMI) PRC, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka4. ILRI PRC, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam5. IRRI PRC, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand,

Viet Nam

Fourth ANRR at CGIAR Centers 1. CIAT PRC, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines,(TA 5866-REG) Thailand, Viet Nam

2. ICARDA Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

3. IFPRI Indonesia, Viet Nam4. IPGRI Bangladesh, PRC, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,

Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam5. ISNAR Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam

Fifth ANRR at CGIAR Centers 1. CIMMYT Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan(TA 5945-REG) 2. ICLARM Bangladesh, PRC, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,

Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam3. ICRISAT Bangladesh, PRC, India, Pakistan, Viet Nam4. IFPRI/IRRI Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Viet Nam5. IWMI Bangladesh, PRC, India, Indonesia, Pakistan,

Viet Nam

ADB = Asian Development Bank, CGIAR = Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, CIAT = InternationalCenter for Tropical Agriculture, CIFOR = Center for International Forestry Research, CIMMYT = Centro Internacional deMejoramiento de Maize y Trigo (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center), CIP = Centro International de la Papa(International Potato Center), DMC = developing member country, ICARDA = International Centre for Agricultural Research inDry Areas, ICLARM = International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, ICRAF = International Council forResearch on Agroforestry, ICRISAT = International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, IFPRI = International Food Policy Research Institute, IIMI = International Irrigation Management Institute, ILRI = International Livestock Research Institute,IPGRI = International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, IRRI = International Rice Research Institute, ISNAR = InternationalService for Natural Agricultural Research, IWMI = International Water Management Institute, Lao PDR = Lao People's DemocraticRepublic, PRC = People's Republic of China, TA = technical assistance.

Table A1.3: CGIAR Centers and ADB's DMCs Su pported Under Five Technical Assistance Grants for ANRR at CGIAR Centers (1996-2000)

9Appendix 1, page 3

10 Appendix 1, page 4

Table A1.4: Agriculture and Natural Resources Research ProjectsSupported by ADB, 1975-2000

TA No. TA NameDate

ApprovedTA Amount

($'000)

1. CGIAR CENTERS

A. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)RETA 5812a Planning for Sustainability of Forest Through Adaptive Co-

Management22 Oct 1998 1,100

B. International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)RETA 5866b On-Farm Soil and Water Management for Sustainable Agricultural

Systems in Central Asia14 Oct 1999 1,200

C. International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM)RETA 5068 Workshop on Appropriate Technology for Alternative Energy

Sources in Fisheries7 Jul 1980 70

RETA 5245 International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management fora Research on Rice-Fish Farming Systems

15 Apr 1987 350

RETA 5279 ICLARM for Genetic Improvement of Tilapia Species in Asia 8 Mar 1988 475RETA 5558 Dissemination and Evaluation of Genetically Improved Tilapia

Species in Asia14 Dec 1993 600

RETA 5651 Review of Sustainable Exploitation of Coastal Fish Stocks in Asia 4 Dec 1995 100RETA 5711c Genetic Improvement of Carp Species in Asia 12 Dec 1996 1,300RETA 5766d Sustainable Management of Coastal Fish Stocks in Asia 29 Dec 1997 1,400RETA 5945e Strategies and Options for Increasing and Sustaining Fisheries and

Aquaculture Production to Benefit Poor Households in Asia17 Oct 2000 1,100

Subtotal (C) 5,395

D. International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)RETA 5711c Policy Research for Sustainable Upland Systems 12 Dec 1996 1,200

E. International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)RETA 5866b Developing Sustainable Forage Technologies for Resource-Poor

Upland Farmers in Asia14 Oct 1999 1,200

F. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)RETA 5036 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics 17 Jun 1976 325RETA 5087 Establishment of a Genetic Resources Laboratory at ICRISAT 22 Sep 1981 450RETA 5118 Strengthening Chickpea Research in Collaboration with the

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics15 Feb 1983 300

AOTA 0882 Strengthening Chickpea Research in Collaboration with ICRISAT,Phase II

9 Jun 1987 350

RETA 5268 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics forthe Strengthening Grain Legume in South Asia

4 Dec 1987 350

ADB = Asian Development Bank, AOTA = advisory and operational technical assistance, CGIAR = Consultative Group on InternationalAgricultural Research, DMC = developing member country, ICLARM = International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management,ICRISAT = International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Lao PDR = Lao People's Democratic Republic, RETA = regionaltechnical assistance, TA = technical assistance.a A component of 5812-REG: Third Agriculture and Natural Resources Research at CGIAR Centers, for $5.6 million, approved on

22 October 1998.b A component of 5866-REG: Fourth Agriculture and Natural Resources Research at CGIAR Centers, for $5.6 million, approved on

14 October 1999.c A component of 5711-REG: Agriculture and Natural Resources Research at CGIAR Centers, for $5.2 million, approved on 12 December

1996.d A component of 5766-REG: Second Agriculture and Natural Resources Research at CGIAR Centers, for $5.5 million, approved on

29 December 1997.e A component of 5945-REG: Fifth Agriculture and Natural Resources Research at CGIAR Centers, for $5.8 million approved on 17 October

2000.


TA No. TA NameDate

ApprovedTA Amount

($'000)

AOTA 1139 Pigeonpea Varietal Adaptation and Production Studies inCollaboration with International Crops Research Institute for theSemi-Arid Tropics

16 Mar 1989 230

RETA 5331 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics forEstablishment of Plant Biotechnology Research and Training Unit

25 Apr 1989 1,250

RETA 5393 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics forStrengthening Grain Legume Research in Asia

10 Jul 1990 590

RETA 5405 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics forStrengthening the Genetic Resources Unit

7 Sep 1990 600

AOTA 1742 Pigeonpea Intercropping and Diversification Study 18 Aug 1992 350RETA 5603 Strengthening Regional Collaboration on Cereals and Legumes

Research in Asia24 Nov 1994 600

RETA 5711c Legume-Based Technologies for Rice and Wheat Production 12 Dec 1996 600RETA 5812a Improving Management of Natural Resources for Sustainable Rain-

Fed Agriculture22 Oct 1998 1,250

RETA 5945 Rapid Crop Improvement for Poor Farmers in the Semiarid Tropicsof Asia

17 Oct 2000 1,200

Subtotal (F) 8,445

G. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)RETA 5116 Study of Food Demand and Supply and Related Strategies for

Developing Member Countries4 Feb 1983 248

RETA 5160 Study of Food Demand and Supply and Related Strategies forDeveloping Member Countries (Phase II)

23 Oct 1984 500

RETA 5420 Study of Food Situation and Outlook for Asia 2 Jan 1991 598RETA 5866b Irrigation Investment, Fiscal Policy, and Water Resource Allocation 14 Oct 1999 1,200RETA 5945 Breeding of Iron-Rich Rice to Reduce Iron Deficiency Anemia in

Asia17 Oct 2000 1,300

Subtotal (G) 3,846

H. International Water Management Institute (IWMI)RETA 5136 International Irrigation Management Institute 29 Nov 1983 500AOTA 0654 Study on Irrigation Management for Crop Diversification 20 Dec 1984 250AOTA 0673 Study of Irrigation Management 27 Mar 1985 350RETA 5172 Regional Study on Irrigation Service Fees 16 May 1985 100RETA 5209 Regional Seminar on Irrigation Service Fees 7 May 1986 125RETA 5234 A Course on Planning and Management of Irrigation Schemes 5 Jan 1987 55AOTA 0846 Study of Irrigation Management and Crop Diversification 16 Jan 1987 350AOTA 0859 Study on Irrigation Management for Diversified Crops (Phase II) 26 Feb 1987 350AOTA 0937 Efficient Irrigation Management and Systems Transfer 17 Dec 1987 600RETA 5273 Research Support to IIMI for Study on Irrigation Systems

Rehabilitation and Improved Operations and Management8 Jan 1988 350

AOTA 1481 Study on Crop-Based Irrigation Operations in Northwest FrontierProvince

19 Feb 1991 860

AOTA 1480 Study of Irrigation Management and Crop Diversification (Phase II) 19 Feb 1991 750RETA 5812a Development of Effective Water Management Institutions 22 Oct 1998 1,250RETA 5945 Pro-Poor Intervention Strategies in Irrigated Agriculture in Asia 17 Oct 2000 1,000

Subtotal (H) 6,890

I. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)RETA 5812a Increasing Productivity of Crop-Livestock Systems in Asia 22 Oct 1998 1,000

Subtotal (I) 1,000

IIMI = International Irrigation Management Institute.


TA No. TA NameDate

ApprovedTA Amount

($'000)

J. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)RETA 5766d Application of Biotechnology to Maize Improvement in Asia 12 Dec 1997 1,400RETA 5945 Sustaining the Rice-Wheat Production Systems in Asia 17 Oct 2000 1,200

Subtotal (J) 2,600

K. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)RETA 5590 Coconut Genetic Resources Network in Asia and the Pacific

Region29 Jul 1994 800

RETA 5766d Coconut Genetic Resources Network and Human ResourcesStrengthening in Asia and the Pacific (Phase II)

29 Dec 1997 1,200

RETA 5866b Conservation and Use of Native Tropical Fruit Species Biodiversityin Asia

14 Oct 1999 1,200

Subtotal (K) 3,200

L. International Potato Center (CIP)RETA 5533 Field Testing of True Potato Seed in the Lowland Tropics 24 May 1993 433RETA 5711c Field Testing of True Potato Seed (Phase II) 12 Dec 1996 600

Subtotal (L) 1,033

M. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)RETA 5026 International Rice Research Institute 20 Feb 1975 300

RETA 5039 Establishment of a Rice Genetic Resources Laboratory 29 Mar 1977 500RETA 5059 Intensification of Rice Research for Disadvantaged Areas 26 Jul 1979 700RETA 5125 International Rice Research Institute Demonstration-Cum-Training

Center on Rice Production, Postharvest Technology and BiomassUtilization

9 Jun 1983 400

RETA 5167 International Rice Research Institute for the Establishment ofResearch and Training Facilities to Enhance RegionalCollaboration on Rice Virus Diseases

14 Dec 1984 350

RETA 5194 International Rice Research Institute for Strengthening Researchon Integrated Pest Management for Deepwater Rice FarmingSystems

18 Dec 1985 350

RETA 5200 International Rice Research Institute for Printing and Distribution ofRice Abstracts Journal

31 Dec 1985 110

RETA 5208 International Rice Research Institute for Research on BotanicalPest Control

7 May 1986 250

RETA 5227 International Rice Research Institute for Research Demonstrationand Training on Rice Production, Postharvest Technology andBiomass Utilization (Phase II)

30 Oct 1986 650

RETA 5261 Technical Assistance to IRRI for the Development of Rice VarietiesTolerant to Problem Soil Conditions

20 Aug 1987 500

RETA 5299 International Rice Research Institute for Strengthening Researchon Integrated Pest Management in Deepwater Rice FarmingSystems (Phase II)

12 Jul 1988 400

RETA 5336 Strengthening Agricultural Science and Information Services in theBank’s DMCs

31 May 1989 180

RETA 5349 Strengthening Rice Crop Protection Research and MinimizingEnvironmental Damage in DMCs

26 Sep 1989 850

RETA 5414 Decentralized Participatory Research for Less Favorable RiceEcosystems and Rice Wheat Systems

13 Nov 1990 3,000

RETA 5510 Establishment of the Asian Rice Biotechnology Network 24 Nov 1992 900RETA 5606 International Rice Research Institute for Rain-Fed Lowland Rice

Ecosystem Research6 Dec 1994 1,100


TA No. TA NameDate

ApprovedTA Amount

($'000)

RETA 5667 Asian Rice Biotechnology Network—From Products to Impact 9 Jan 1996 850RETA 5711c Exploiting Biodiversity for Sustainable Rice Pest Management 12 Dec 1996 1,500RETA 5766d Development and Use of Hybrid Rice in Asia 29 Dec 1997 1,500RETA 5812a Asian Rice Biotechnology Network: Achieving Impact and

Sustainability22 Oct 1998 1,000

Subtotal (M) 15,390

N. International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR)RETA 5254 Regional Workshop on Planning and Management of Agriculture

Research in the South Pacific23 Jun 1987 75

RETA 5341 Strengthening Agricultural Resources Management in Asia withSpecial Emphasis on Management Information Systems

4 Jul 1989 480

RETA 5866b Building Performance-Based Management Systems in the NationalAgricultural Research Systems in Asia

14 Oct 1999 800

Subtotal (N) 1,355

Subtotal (1) 53,854

2. OTHER CENTERS AND ORGANIZATIONS

A. Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC)RETA 5027 Outreach Programs in Vegetable Research in Korea, Philippines,

and Thailand15 Apr 1975 390

RETA 5119 Strengthening Vegetable Research in Collaboration with the AsianVegetable Research and Development Center

15 Feb 1983 475

RETA 5143e Regional Training Program in Vegetable Production and Research 20 Dec 1983 175RETA 5253e Regional Training Program in Vegetable Production and Research

(Phase II)18 Jun 1987 350

RETA 5282 Planning and Organization Workshop to Establish CollaborativeVegetable Research Program in Southeast Asia

28 Mar 1988 75

RETA 5322 Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center to Establish aCollaborative Vegetable Research Program in Southeast Asia

17 Mar 1989 600

RETA 5402e Regional Training Program in Vegetable Production and Research(Phase III)

28 Aug 1990 400

RETA 5461 South Asia Vegetable Research Network 25 Sep 1991 600RETA 5517 Collaborative Vegetable Research Program for Southeast Asia

(Phase II)21 Dec 1992 600

RETA 5582 Workshop on Vegetable Research and Development in Cambodia,Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam

6 Jun 1994 94

RETA 5680 Establishment of a Vegetable Research Network for Cambodia,Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam

8 Apr 1996 600

RETA 5719 RETA to AVRDC for South Asia Vegetable Research Network(Phase II)

10 Jan 1997 600

RETA 5839 Collection, Conservation, and Utilization of Indigenous Vegetables 29 Mar 1999 550

Subtotal (A) 5,509

B. Center for Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)RETA 5248 Study of the Role of Women in Rural Industries 26 May 1987 180

C. Fisheries Research Studies, Seminars, and TrainingRETA 5032 Fish Market Study 30 Oct 1975 49RETA 5077 Regional Training Program in Fisheries Stock Assessment and

Statistical Data Collection25 Dec 1980 200


TA No. TA NameDate

ApprovedTA Amount

($'000)

RETA 5082 Second Fish Market Study 3 Jun 1981 220RETA 5109 Research and Training in Aquaculture 30 Aug 1982 220RETA 5142 South Pacific Training in Fisheries Statistics, Interpretation and

Stock Assessment4 Nov 1983 50

RETA 5150 Regional Training Program in Fish Handling and Quality Control 13 Mar 1984 50RETA 5252 Fisheries Sector Development Strategies Study for South Pacific

DMCs9 Jun 1987 350

RETA 5316 Third Fish Market Study 18 Jan 1989 334RETA 5358 Study on Fish Disease and Fish Health Management 22 Dec 1989 380RETA 5534 Regional Study and Workshop on Aquaculture Sustainability and

the Environment1 Jun 1993 600

RETA 5566 Tuna Industry Development in Pacific Island Countries 29 Dec 1993 495

Subtotal (C) 2,948

D. Forestry Research Studies, Seminars, and TrainingRETA 5049 Regional Seminar on Application of Appropriate Technology in

Forestry and Forest Industries15 Jun 1978 90

RETA 5224 Regional Training Center in Community Forestry (Supplementary) 17 Jul 1987 350RETA 5409e Forestry Research Support Program for the Asia and Pacific

Region17 Oct 1990 1,500

RETA 5595e Regional Community Forestry Training Center in KasetsartUniversity, Thailand

5 Sep 1994 600

RETA 5612 Forestry Research Support Program for Asia and the Pacific(Phase II)

22 Dec 1994 600

Subtotal (D) 3,140

E. International Board for Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM)RETA 5218 Regional Workshop on Soil Management 10 Sep 1986 40RETA 5284e International Board for Soil Research and Management for

Research on Management of Sloping Lands for SustainableAgriculture

14 Apr 1988 350

RETA 5400 Research on the Management of Sloping Lands for SustainableSmallholder Agriculture in the South Pacific

24 Aug 1990 262

RETA 5803 TA to the International Board for Soil Research and Managementfor the Catchment Approach to Managing Soil Erosion in Asia

13 Aug 1998 1,300

Subtotal (E) 1,952

F. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)RETA 5293 International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development for a

Study of Strategies for the Sustainable Development of MountainAgriculture

10 Jun 1988 540

RETA 5443 International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development 18 Apr 1991 600RETA 5565 Appropriate Technology for Soil Conserving Farming Systems 29 Dec 1993 600RETA 5784 Appropriate Technology for Soil Conserving Farming Systems

(Phase II)23 Mar 1998 600

Subtotal (F) 2,340

G. International Jute Organization (IJO)RETA 5235 International Jute Organization for Collection, Conservation,

Characterization and Exchange of Germplasm of Jute, Kenaf, andMesta

5 Jan 1987 350

RETA 5375 International Jute Organization for the Development of ImprovedVarieties of Jute and Allied Fiber Crops (Phase II)

28 Mar 1990 600

Subtotal (G) 950


TA No. TA NameDate

ApprovedTA Amount

($'000)

H. Livestock Research Studies, Seminars, and TrainingRETA 5135 Regional Workshop on Livestock Production Management 21 Nov 1983 130RETA 5272 Regional Workshop on Animal Disease Reporting System 8 Jan 1988 150RETA 5505 Regional Seminar on Policies and Strategies for Livestock

Development20 Aug 1992 220

Subtotal (H) 500

I. Other Research Studies and TrainingRETA 5319 Workshop and Symposium on Strengthening Pesticides

Regulations16 Jan 1989 250

RETA 5336 Strengthening Agricultural Science and Information Services in theBank’s DMCs

31 May 1989 180

RETA 5434 Regional Conference on Integrated Pest Management 13 Mar 1991 270RETA 5514 TA to Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International for

Integrated Pest Management in Cotton8 Dec 1992 760

RETA 5618 Establishment of the Asian Maize Training Center 29 Dec 1994 600

Subtotal (1) 53,854

Subtotal (2) 19,579

Total 73,433

Source: ADB project files.


DEVELOPING NEW MAIZE GERMPLASM THROUGHBIOTECHNOLOGY FOR RESOURCE-POOR FARMERS IN ASIA

(International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)

A. Introduction

1. Recognizing the need to support resource-poor farmers in Asia, the Asian DevelopmentBank (ADB) provided a technical assistance to the International Maize and Wheat ImprovementCenter (CIMMYT) and five Asian countries for a research project on the Application ofBiotechnology to Maize Improvement in Asia.1 The project, which will be completed inDecember 2001, has benefited five ADB developing member countries (DMCs): People’sRepublic of China (PRC), India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand. In 1998, these countriesestablished the Asian Maize Biotechnology Network (AMBIONET) and since then have appliedbiotechnology techniques to improve maize. CIMMYT scientists and other leading experts inmaize biotechnology have provided hands-on training to participating maize researchers andintensive backstopping support in setting up biotechnology laboratories in these countries to therequired optimum operational level. Basic biotechnology research work aimed at developingnew maize varieties adapted to marginal environments for poor farmers of Asia has now begun.

2. The DMCs have requested ADB assistance for a follow-up project entitled DevelopingNew Maize Germplasm Through Biotechnology for Resource-Poor Farmers in Asia. The DMCswant to build on the success of their collaborative biotechnology research involving the use ofmolecular markers to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) to develop high-yielding maizevarieties. Under the proposed project, national agricultural research systems (NARSs) willtransfer useful traits to locally adapted maize germplasm. These traits provide for high yieldssince the varieties would be tolerant of abiotic stresses, such as drought and low nitrogenfertility. The varieties would require less pesticides since they would be resistant to diseases,such as downy mildew leaf disease. The new maize germplasm, with high-quality protein, willpossess nutritious grains that can be used as food for people and feed for livestock.

B. Background and Rationale

3. Maize is the third most important crop in Asia and is increasing in importance with thegrowth in the region’s population. South Asia has more than 500 million poor people living onless than $1.0 per day and their number is increasing. The major problem affecting smallholdermaize production is the fact that maize is grown in marginal and fragile environments, withunreliable rainfall, poor soils, and unsuitable terrain. Insect pests and diseases also causeserious yield losses. Should continuing growth in demand for maize lead to further expansion inthe area planted to maize, this expansion can only occur in areas that are more fragile thanthose currently cultivated. The challenge is to develop for such marginal areas new maizevarieties that are tolerant of drought and low nitrogen content in the soils, and resistant to majorpests and diseases.

4. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has projected that globaldemand for maize will increase to 47 percent by 2020, from its 1995 level of 558 million tons (t)to 837 million t. By that time, about 57 percent of the world’s maize consumption will occur indeveloping countries, where the demand for maize as human food and animal feed will increaseat an average annual rate of 2.2 percent. In Asia, the demand for maize is projected to increase

1 TA 5766-REG, for $1.4 million, approved on 29 December 1997.


from 123 million t in 1993 to 238 million t by 2020. Current maize production has not been ableto keep up with the demand and Asia is a net importer of maize from other regions.

5. Biotechnology is providing maize researchers a powerful tool for crop improvement,which is faster, cheaper, and more precise than other chemical techniques. Researchers areable to identify one or more genes that confer the desired economic traits using molecularmarkers. These markers are used to identify improved plants that possess the economic traits,shortening the time needed for developing new improved crop varieties.

6. Between 1985 and 1993, the only regional biotechnology networks in place—RockefellerFoundation-assisted International Program on Rice Biotechnology and the ADB-assisted AsianRice Biotechnology Network (ARBN)2—were focused on the improvement of rice germplasm.Convinced of the rapid gains made through regional collaborative research using newbiotechnology tools for developing high-yielding and disease-resistant rice varieties, ADBprovided funds to CIMMYT collaborating with five DMCs, which established AMBIONET in1998. Before the start of AMBIONET, NARSs were unable to apply biotechnology tools to maizeimprovement due to inadequate funds from the national government, lack of a critical mass oftrained scientists, lack of training and experience, lack of research focus, poor communicationand weak collaborative research links, and limited interactions between biotechnologists andscientists from other disciplines.

7. After three years, AMBIONET succeeded in developing the capacity of national maizeimprovement programs to apply biotechnology tools to maize improvement, established fullyoperational biotechnology laboratories in all the five NARSs, established regional collaborativeresearch on maize improvement, and promoted information exchange among members. AnAMBIONET service laboratory, which was established at the International Rice ResearchInstitute (IRRI), Los Baños, has become a regional node for exchanging biotechnologyresources and information and the center for regional maize diversity study. AMBIONET helpedform multidisciplinary research teams, integrated biotechnology with conventional breeding, andapplied molecular marker technology for varietal improvement. All the laboratories collaboratedin mapping and marker-assisted selection in which markers associated with importantagronomic traits were identified.

8. NARSs focused on mapping and marker-assisted selection (MAS) work involving threemaize diseases of major importance to them: downy mildew fungal disease in PRC, India,Indonesia, and Philippines; and the sugar cane mosaic virus (Strain B) (SCMV-B) and maizerough dwarf virus (MRDV) in the PRC. Several NARSs ( PRC, India, and Thailand) are at anadvanced stage of mapping and MAS work involving these maize diseases, and havesucceeded in developing early generation materials. These research activities will be intensifiedunder the project. All NARSs completed their study of maize genetic diversity. Those working onthe downy mildew problem also completed characterizing the pathogen or organism causing thedisease. Within a short period, NARSs have evaluated germplasm that are resistant to downymildew disease and two viruses, and tolerant of drought and low nitrogen fertility. Work on themwould be intensified under the proposed follow-up project.

2 TA 5510-REG: Establishment of the Asian Rice Biotechnology Network (ARBN), for $900,000, approved on 24

November 1992. This TA was continued in two follow-up studies under TA 5667-REG: ARBN—from Products toImpact, for $850,000, approved on 9 January 1996; and TA 5812-REG: ARBN: Achieving Impact andSustainability, for $1,680,000, approved on 22 October 1998.


9. AMBIONET has placed emphasis on facilitating interactions among network membersand effective communication and information sharing. By designing experiments as a networkand pooling country data for regionwide studies, there is value-added to the informationgenerated by these teams. All teams are connected by Internet where paperless reports andnewsletters are circulated. The AMBIONET maintains a home page in the CIMMYT web site,which is mirrored in Thailand for easier access to the network members and to the region fornon-AMBIONET member countries. Nine issues of the AMBIONET Newsletter have beenpublished and distributed as both electronic and printed copies.

10. Four significant advances in maize biotechnology have been achieved: (i) molecularmaps for maize have been constructed in advanced biotechnology laboratories and can be usedto locate major genes of economic importance and a string of many minor genes called QTL;(ii) the arrangement of genetic and DNA markers on the chromosomes of major cereals, suchas maize, rice, wheat, barley, and rye, has been found to be similar, and based on the conceptof genome collinearity it means that the location of a gene can be inferred from one map toanother, thus extending the usefulness of such molecular maps; (iii) gene machines, which arelarge collections of maize plants whose genomes contain transposons, have been developed,allowing the identification of the function of a gene sequence; by using transposons almost anygene of interest can be identified, tagged, and isolated for use in varietal improvement; and(iv) genetic engineering in maize has become a routine technology for introducing novel genesequences to express desired traits.3 Under the ongoing study, biotechnology research hasfocused on applying molecular marker technology to characterize the genetic diversity of locallyadapted maize germplasm in five Asian countries and mapping QTLs for resistance to diseasesand soil-related stresses. The capacity-building component under the research project willempower scientists to apply these scientific breakthroughs in their national maize improvementprograms to address the needs of subsistence farmers, who constitute the vast majority of theregion’s maize producers. NARSs will need to continue taking responsibility for providingimproved maize varieties suited to the marginal areas where the subsistence farmers arelocated, since the private sector has shown limited interest in supporting the research agendafor resource-poor farmers.

11. The proposed project addresses the strategic concerns expressed in the ADB’s newLong-term Strategic Framework, which focuses on economic growth, poverty reduction,environmental conservation, and human resources development. The project is also consistentwith ADB’s agriculture and natural resources research policy.4

C. The Proposed Project

1. Objective

12. The proposed research project seeks to advance biotechnology research and varietaldevelopment in nine NARSs in six ADB DMCs to benefit resource-poor farmers in rainfedenvironments. It will assist in intensifying the application of biotechnology tools for developinglocally adapted, high-yielding maize varieties with resistance to major diseases, tolerance forsoil-related stresses, and improved nutritional value. The goal is to increase the farm income ofpoor farmers in DMCs participating in the network. To accelerate progress in NARSs, two newresearch initiatives will be pursued: (i) mapping and marker-aided selection for resistance to

3 It is noted that under the proposed study, no work on genetic engineering will be done. Instead, maize

improvement will be pursued by developing molecular maps and applying markers for selection.4 R 253-95: The Bank’s Policy on Agriculture and Natural Resources Research, 29 November 1995.


banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) disease, and (ii) utilizing molecular markers to transfer themajor gene controlling QPM to enhance the nutritional content of maize grains.

2. Scope

13. The project will have four components: (i) conduct collaborative research to applybiotechnology techniques for developing high-yielding maize varieties for marginal areas,(ii) strengthen the research capability of NARSs by providing them with specialized trainingtailored to meet their particular biotechnology needs and backstopping by CIMMYT scientists toresearchers in participating laboratories, (iii) develop the network as a vehicle to facilitatecommunication and information dissemination among members and to promote partnershipswith advanced research institutions and the private sector, and (iv) conduct workshops tocommunicate technical breakthroughs and to develop skills in planning projects and preparingproposals to compete for future funding to ensure the sustainability of the AMBIONET network.The TA framework is in Table A2.1.

3. Cost Estimates and Financing Plan

14. The total cost of the proposed project, including contingencies, is estimated at $2.8million equivalent. It is proposed that ADB provide a grant of $1.0 million from the ADB-fundedTA Program to finance about 36 percent of the total cost of the study. The remaining 64 percentwill be financed by CIMMYT ($900,000 or 32 percent of the total cost), NARSs ($720,000equivalent or 26 percent), and the private sector ($180,000 or 6 percent). NARSs will providemostly in-kind contributions and their expenses in conducting research work, procuringlaboratory chemicals and small equipment, and local training. The cost estimates and financingplan are in Table A2.2.

4. Implementation Arrangements

15. CIMMYT, which has performed satisfactorily in implementing the phase 1 project, willserve as the Executing Agency (EA) for the proposed project. It will administer and coordinatethe project through its office located at IRRI Los Baños, Philippines. CIMMYT scientists andstaff at the headquarters in Mexico and in the region will provide technical backstopping andspecialized biotechnology training to network scientists and researchers at CIMMYTheadquarters and at the biotechnology laboratories in the participating countries.

16. Nine NARSs from six ADB DMCs will participate in the project— PRC, India, Indonesia,Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Viet Nam, which requested to join the phase 2 project, wasadded considering that it has an existing complement of scientists and facilities for applyingbiotechnology to crop improvement and a strong team of maize breeders. The list ofImplementing Agencies is in Table A2.3. As part of the network’s approach, each NARS willconduct specific research important to its national maize improvement program. Under phase 1,research focused on three major activities: (i) genetic diversity study of locally adapted maizegermplasm, (ii) mapping and marker-assisted breeding for resistance to downy mildew and virusdiseases, and (iii) mapping and marker-assisted breeding for tolerance for drought and lownitrogen fertility. These research activities will be intensified under the proposed project.

17. Under the proposed project, NARSs will also conduct two new research initiativesinvolving mapping and marker-assisted breeding for resistance to BLSB fungal disease andenhancement of the nutritional content of the maize seed through QPM. NARSs have identifiedBLSB as an emerging high-priority economic problem since it appears with increasing frequency


in the major maize-growing regions in five participating countries. A biotechnology approach isneeded since no maize cultivars or germplasm have been found to be resistant to this newdisease. By using molecular markers, NARSs seek to develop locally adapted cultivars withhigh protein content by incorporating QPM with resistance to diseases and tolerance for droughtand low nitrogen fertility. CIMMYT, which developed the technique for transferring the QPMtraits into elite maize materials, has agreed to transfer this technology to the network membersunder the proposed project. CIMMYT will monitor the impact of the maize technology on theenvironment during field testing of improved materials.

18. The director of CIMMYT’s Applied Biotechnology Center and Bioinformatics will serve asproject director for the TA. CIMMYT will engage the services of a full-time TA project managerto manage and coordinate implementation of the study. An executive committee, comprising therepresentatives of the six countries and CIMMYT, will be established at the beginning ofimplementation to guide the network and support the national teams. Each country will select atleast one maize breeder and one molecular biologist to serve as co-team leaders. Countrieswith more than one NARS participating in the project will appoint country coordinators withoverall responsibility for implementing the work program and for coordinating the activities of thenational team.

19. The project will be implemented over three years (2002-2004). The first meeting will beheld at the beginning of the first year to introduce the project’s goal, objectives, strategies, andwork plan, and to set direction and priorities. The succeeding annual meetings will take place atthe beginning of the second and the third years to assess progress made and determine thework programs for the succeeding years. CIMMYT will submit to ADB semiannual progressreports, semiannual financial statements accounting for the use of the TA funds, and the auditedannual financial statements. Funds will be drawn down every six months based on CIMMYT’sestimate of the six months activities, subject to satisfactory liquidation of expenditures every sixmonths. CIMMYT’s will submit a comprehensive project completion report to ADB within threemonths after completion of the project. CIMMYT will be responsible for procuring laboratoryequipment in accordance with ADB’s Guidelines for Procurement.

20. At ADB, the project will be assigned to a project officer from the Agriculture and SocialSectors Department (East) with the appropriate expertise. The project officer will monitor theprogress of implementation and will conduct reviews as appropriate.


Table A2.1: Technical Assistance Framework,International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center

Design Summary Targets Project MonitoringMechanism Risks / Assumptions

A. Goal

Increase farm income ofpoor farmers in rainfedenvironments

• Increase maize production by15 percent by 2007

• Protect the environmentthrough reduced pesticide useby farmers

• National agriculturalstatistics reports

• Commitment ofnational agriculturalresearch system

• Favorable economicpolicies

B. Objective

Advance biotechnologyresearch and varietaldevelopment in nine NARSsin six DMCs to benefitresource-poor farmers inrainfed environments.

• 45 elite breeding linesresistant to downy mildew,sugarcane mosaic virus, andmaize rough dwarf virustested by farmers by 2004

• 30 elite breeding linestolerant of drought and lownitrogen tested by farmers by2004

• 30 elite breeding linesresistant to banded leaf andsheath blight diseaseidentified by 2004

• 30 elite breeding lines withimproved nutritional valuethrough transfer of qualityprotein maize (QPM) traitsidentified by 2004

• Annual meetings• Six-month progress

reports• Asian Development

Bank (ADB) reviewmission reports

• Continuedgovernment support

• Effectiveness oftraining courses

• Effectivecooperationbetween nationalbiotechnologylaboratories andnational maizebreeding programs

• Enhancedcooperation amongnetwork countries

C. Outputs

1. Operation of the AsianMaize BiotechnologyNetwork (AMBIONET)in eight NARSs in sixDMCs sustained

• Operation of eightbiotechnology laboratoriesin six DMCs raised tooptimum capacity

• AMBIONET servicelaboratory fully establishedas regional node forexchanging biotechnologyresources and informationby 2004


reports• ADB review mission

reports

• Willingness ofNARSs toparticipate

2. Collaborative researchprogram to developimproved maizevarieties strengthened

• Research on maize geneticdiversity study in thePeople’s Republic of Chinaand Viet Nam, and regionaldiversity databasecompleted

• Marker-assisted selection(MAS) and testing forresistance to downymildew, sugarcane mosaicvirus, maize rough dwarf


reports• Publications/web site• ADB review mission

reports

• Provision ofnationalcounterpartfunds to supportin-countryresearch

• Effectiveness ofgenetic mappingand MAStechniques


Design Summary Targets Project MonitoringMechanism Risks / Assumptions

virus advanced

• Mapping and MAS selectionfor banded leaf and sheathblight resistance advanced

• Mapping, MAS and testingfor tolerance for drought,low nitrogen advanced

• MAS and testing for QPMadvanced

3. Research capability ofNARSs through trainingtailored to meet theirtechnical needsstrengthened

• 90 NARSs scientists trained• Each biotech team in eight

NARSs visited andbackstopped at least twiceby CIMMYT scientists by2004


reports• ADB review mission

reports

• Availability ofDMC nationalstaff

• Commitment oftrained staff toremain with theproject

• Effectiveness oftraining courses

4. Information andresource disseminationsystem fully operational

• Programs in biotechnologywork disseminated inAMBIONET newsletter

• Information disseminated inweb site

• 5 scientific paperssubmitted for publication inscientific journals


reports• Publications/web site• ADB review mission

reports

• NARSs willing toshare resultsand products

5. Workshops tocommunicatetechnologicalbreakthroughs anddevelop grant writingskills conducted

• 20 NARSs staff trained onhow to prepare researchproposals

• 3 annual review workshopsconducted

• Grant proposals written andsubmitted by NARSs forfunding by aid agencies

• Six-month progressreports

• NARSs interestedto upgrade skills inpreparing grantproposals

D. Inputs Cost Estimates ($)

1. Personnel 1,250,0002. Travel 80,0003. Research 790,0004. Training 140,0005. Dissemination of

Results335,000

6. AdministrationExpenses

110,000

7. Contingencies 95,000

Total 2,800,000


Table A2.2: Cost Estimates and Financing Plan (CIMMYT)($’000)

Financed by

Item ADB a CIMMYT NARSsPrivateSector Total

A. Research Personnel (person-months in parentheses)

International1. Project Leader (9) 90 902. Consultants/Project Manager

(36)210 210

3. Scientific Staff (24) 650 650

Domestic1. NARS Research Staff (180) 130 1302. Support Staff for 6 NARS 170 170

B. Travel1. International Travel 80 80

C. Research Work, Equipment and Materials

190 420 180 790

D. Training of NARS Scientists1. At CIMMYT and Regionalb 100 1002. Exchange Visitsc 40 40

E. Dissemination of Results, Networkingand Technical Support1. Annual Meetings 75 752. Web Interface, Newsletter,

Publications10 10 20

3. Network Office 45 454. Technical Backstopping 45 150 195

F. Administrative Support 110 110

G. Contingencies 95 95

TotalPercent

1,00036

90032

72026

1806

2,800 100

ADB = Asian Development Bank, CIMMYT = Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo, NARS = nationalagricultural research system.a Financing will come from the ADB-funded TA Program.b Three group-training courses for 14 NARS scientists will be provided each year at CIMMYT or in the region.c Fourteen NARS scientists will undergo intensive one-month exchange visits to CIMMYT or in the region.


Table A2.3: Implementing Agencies (CIMMYT)

Country Implementing Agency Contact Person

China, People’sRepublic of (PRC)

Chinese Academy of AgriculturalSciences

Dr. Shihuang ZhangInstitute of Crop Breeding and Cultivation30 Baishiqiao, Beijing 100081, PRC

Dr. Xinhai LiInstitute of Crop Breeding and Cultivation30 Baishiqiao, Beijing 100081, PRC

Sichuan Agricultural University Dr. Guantang PanMaize Research InstituteYa’an, Sichuan, 625014, PRC

Dr. Wanchen LiMaize Research InstituteYa’an, Sichuan, 625014, PRC

India Indian Agricultural ResearchInstitute (IARI)

Dr. Narsingh Narain SinghDirectorate of Maize Research InstituteNew Delhi-110012, India

Dr. B.M. PrasannaMaize Genetics Unit Rm. 101B-Wing, LBS Center for BiotechnologyIARI, New Delhi-110012, India

Indonesia Research Institute for Maize andother Cereals

Research Institute for Food CropsBiotechnology

Dr. Marsum DahlanAgency for Agriculture Research and DevelopmentDept. of Agriculture, Jl. Ratulangi 274Maros 90514, S. Sulawesi, Indonesia

Dr. SutrisnoAgency for Agriculture Research and DevelopmentDept. of Agriculture, Jl Tentara Pelajar 3A, Indonesia

Philippines PhilcornInstitute of Plant Breeding

University of Southern Mindanao

Dr. Artemio SalazarPhilcorn/Institute of Plant BreedingLos Banos, Laguna, Philippines

Dr. Emma SalesPhilcorn/University of Southern MindanaoKabacan, Mindanao, Philippines

Thailand Department of Agriculture Mr. Pichet GrudloymaNakhon Sawan Field Crops Res. CenterAmphoe Tak Fa, Changwat NakhonSawan 60190, Thailand

Dr. Krishnapong SripongpankulDepartment of AgriculturePaholyothin Road, ChatuchakBangkok 10900, Thailand

Viet Nam Maize Research Institute AgriculturalGenetics Institute

Dr. Mai Xuan TrieuNational Maize Reseach InstituteDan Phuong, Ha Tay, Viet Nam

Dr. Vu Duc QuangAgricultural Genetics Institute, Hanoi, Viet Nam


IMPROVING CROP-LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMSIN RAINFED AREAS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

(International Livestock Research Institute)

A. Introduction

1. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing support to the International LivestockResearch Institute (ILRI) and five ADB developing member countries (DMCs) under the ongoingproject entitled Increasing Productivity of Crop-Livestock Systems in Asia.1 The project will becompleted by end-December 2001. The objective is to generate technology and policy optionsto increase the productivity and economic viability of smallholder crop-livestock systems inrainfed areas of Southeast and East Asia. The project is being carried out through multi-disciplinary efforts at research stations of the national agricultural research systems (NARSs)and on farms at benchmark sites (BMS) in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Indonesia,Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam.2 The project supports the efforts of ILRI and the NARSsfirst to evaluate various technology options and then to work with farmers to adopt theappropriate technologies on a large scale. Due to the encouraging results obtained by theNARSs, they requested support for three more years to refine the more productive crop-livestock systems and to apply the advances already achieved from research to a moredevelopment-oriented process for wider dissemination.


2. Over the next 20 years in Southeast Asia, the projected demand for meat will double oreven triple in some areas, and that for milk will increase to about 2.2 times what it is today.3 Theprojected increases are due to a combination of population growth, increased disposableincome, and changing consumer preferences. Technology and policy improvements are neededto ensure that the poor reap their share of the benefits from this increased demand, given that95 percent of the farm animals in rainfed areas of Southeast Asia are owned by resource-poorfarmers. Limited feed resources and poor nutrition are two of the main constraints to improvedproductivity in smallholder crop-livestock systems. Leguminous forage and multinutrient blocklicks (MNBLs) are examples of efficient and economical ways to address nutrient deficiencies insmallholder livestock. An appropriate policy framework is also needed to allow poor farmers toengage more effectively in the marketing and trade of animals and animal products.

3. The agriculture sector contributes an average of 32 percent to the gross domesticproduct (GDP) of Southeast Asian countries, and an average of 66 percent of each country’spopulation depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Livestock contribute up to 20 percent ofagricultural GDP, and this share is expected to increase with economic development. Sincearable land is limited and rainfed areas cover about 99 million hectares in Southeast Asia,further increases in food production must come from developing sustainable systems for therainfed agroecological zones that were bypassed by the green revolution.

1 TA 5812-REG, for $1.0 million, approved on 22 October 1998.2 The five BMS are (i) Bixi Xiang, Nanjian County, Yunnan, PRC; (ii) Kecamatan Cilawu, Garut, West Java,

Indonesia; (iii) Barrio Don Montano, Umingan District, Pangasinan, Philippines; (iv) Amphur Muang,Mahasarakham, Thailand; and (v) Dong Tam Village, Dong Phu District, Bin Phuoc, Viet Nam.

3 Delgado, C., M. Rosegrant, H. Steinfeld, S. Ehui, and C. Courbois. 1999. Livestock to 2020: The Next FoodRevolution. IFPRI, Washington, D.C., USA. 72 pp.


4. Integrated crop-livestock systems are complex. Both crops and livestock fulfil criticalroles to meet poor farmers’ subsistence needs and provide a surplus for the market, and theirinteractions through feed, manure, and draft power contribute to the sustainability of the farmingsystems and the stability of rural households. Without livestock, these production systems willcollapse. Livestock in mixed systems in Asia contribute the equivalent of $551 million of nitrogenand $154 million of phosphorus fertilizers per year in irrigated areas.4 Crop-livestock systemscurrently produce 90 percent of the milk, 77 percent of the ruminant meats, 47 percent of thepork and poultry meats, and 31 percent of the eggs in Southeast Asia. Livestock contributesignificantly to total farm income; for example, 31 percent comes from cattle in the three-strataforage system under study in Indonesia,5 and 76 percent comes from small ruminants innomadic production systems in India.6 Household surveys indicate that the per capita annualincome levels of $90 - $257 at the BMS are well below the poverty level of $365 per person peryear established by the World Bank. The objective of the proposed project is to improve theselevels by about 30 percent over three years.

5. Women are heavily involved in rainfed agriculture throughout Southeast Asia. Becauseof division of labor and household responsibilities by gender, the burden of poverty often fallsdisproportionately on women. Women and children are heavily involved in livestockmanagement and actively participate in making decisions on the use of income from raisinganimals. This indicates the need for developments in crop-livestock systems to target womenand incorporate gender analysis, which the proposed project will do.

6. Significant advances have been made in achieving the three objectives of the ongoingproject. The first objective is to develop improved livestock feed production and utilizationtechnologies. The assessment of year-round feed availability has identified critical feed shortageperiods lasting for about 7 months at the BMS in the PRC and 6-7 months at the BMS inThailand. Strategies to mitigate the shortages include increased fodder production byintroducing cowpea and mungbean into cropping systems in Thailand, which has also improvedsoil fertility. The development of the three-strata forage system involving cash crops, grasses,and shrubs and trees in Indonesia has enabled farmers to raise more cattle on their land andincreased livestock weight gain by 52 percent per hectare. It also reduced soil erosion by 57percent and increased the supply of fuelwood six times. The Government has adopted thisconcept. Preliminary results from tests of MNBLs as supplements to rice and/or wheat straw-based diets in PRC, Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand produced livestock live weight gains of10-67 percent and increased farmers' income from $11 to $52 per animal over four monthsfeeding. With dairy cows, MNBL combined with dried cassava leaves gave a gross profit marginof $52 per cow over four months. Combining MNBL with cassava peelings, a by-product ofstarch production, increased farmers’ income by $46 per animal over four months feeding.Another example concerns the use in semiarid West Africa of manure, which, when combinedwith inorganic fertilizer, sustained and increased the yield of sorghum twofold over 30 years,compared with the use of fertilizers alone.7 In the ongoing project, manure has consistently

4 de Haan, C., H. Steinfeld, and H. Blackburn. 1997. Livestock and Environment: Finding a Balance. European

Commission Directorate-General for Development, Brussels, Belgium. 115 pp.5 Nitis, I. M., K. Lana, W. Suhkanten, M. Suarna and S. Putra. 1990. The Concept and Development of the Three

Strata Forage System. In: Tree Fodders for Farm Animals. Edited by C. Devendra. IDRC-276e, Ottawa, Canada.pp. 92-102.

6 Devendra, C. 1998. Improvement of small ruminant production systems in rainfed agroecological zones of Asia.Annals of Arid Zone 37:215-232.

7 Williams,T.O., J.M. Powell, and S. Fernández-Rivera. 1995. Manure utilisation, drought cycles and herd dynamicsin the Sahel: Implications for cropland productivity. In: Livestock and Sustainable Nutrient Cycling in Mixed FarmingSystems of Sub-Saharan Africa. Edited by J.M. Powell, S. Fernandez-Rivera, T.O. Williams, and C. Renard. Proc.Int. Conf. ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. pp. 393-409.


proved crucial for crop growth at all five BMS, and results similar to those in Africa areanticipated.

7. The second objective is to identify policy options to improve incentives for smallholdersraising ruminant livestock. This is being pursued in policy studies in Viet Nam and thePhilippines. Without adequate policy support, smallholders in crop-livestock systems aredisadvantaged. Preliminary results from Viet Nam indicate that animal productivity is low,improved breeds are scarcely used, animal health and veterinary services are inadequate,extension and research systems are poorly funded, markets for livestock products functionpoorly, and prices of feed and meat are high while quality is low. About $58.0 million is lostannually from animal mortality due to inefficient animal health services. In the Philippines,smallholders face a serious lack of access to credit for working capital, and are vulnerable to thedictates of middlemen and market malpractice. Emerging policy options indicate that increasedavailability of credit, better marketing infrastructure, and lower transactions costs may beappropriate for smallholder crop-animal systems in rainfed areas. These and other policyoptions will be further studied in the proposed project.

8. The third objective is to improve the NARSs’ research capabilities and capacity. Two 2-week regional training courses on approaches and methodologies for crop-livestock systemsresearch, and systems analysis and impact assessment were conducted for 46 participants.Training on crop-animal systems was also offered for 90 NARS research and extension staff,and 12 MS and 6 PhD students were involved in the project in the five countries. The followingtraining products were prepared: training manual on Methodologies for Crop-Livestock SystemsResearch; a CD-ROM on Farmers, People and the Environment (1999); bibliographic databaseon crop-livestock systems in Asia (1,700 entries); CD-ROM on Methods and Tools for Crop-Livestock Systems Research; and geographical information system-based report on geo-referenced database on crop-livestock systems.

9. The Crop Animal Systems Research Network (CASREN) was established as amechanism to link research and development (R&D) activities among the five participatingcountries. CASREN has facilitated exchange of information on R&D efforts in crop-livestocksystems and methodologies, and disseminated information through newsletters, and publicationin proceedings and journals. Together, the results emphasize the need to enhance agriculturalproductivity in less favorable environments. They support the conclusion that agriculture andnatural resources research has played an important role in promoting agricultural and ruraldevelopment, and that ADB together with the international agricultural research centers and aidagencies are well placed to drive the research agenda.8

10. The strategy of the proposed project is to validate and sustain the collaborative,multidisciplinary, and participatory approaches used to improve the productivity of crop-livestocksystems. It will target about 1,740 more households or 40 percent of those at the BMS and 20percent in alternative locations with comparable agroecological conditions. It will also assist theNARSs’ efforts to seek increased investment for R&D activities in crop-livestock systems inrainfed environments by improving their capability to develop project proposals. The ongoingproject has already resulted in increased funding from the provincial government in Viet Nam forcattle development at the BMS. Similarly in the PRC, the Yunnan Bureau of Agriculture hasoffered more funds to further support the activities at the BMS. To extend the impact of the R&Dactivities, a new BMS will be established in Sichuan Province, one of the poorest provinces of

8 IN.307-00. Special Evaluation Study on the Policy Implementation and Impact on Agriculture and Natural

Resources Research, December 2000.


the PRC, to undertake strategic research on using sweet potato to raise pigs. More importantly,NARS in collaboration with the International Potato Center (CIP) has successfully developedvirus-resistant sweet potato varieties that can raise productivity from pigs and reducedependence on high-cost imported cereals. The proposed project addresses the strategicconcerns expressed in ADB’s new Long-term Strategic Framework, which focuses on economicgrowth, poverty reduction, environmental conservation, and human resources development. Theproject is consistent with ADB’s agriculture and natural resources research policy.9


1. Objectives

11. The objectives are to (i) use participatory approaches to spread the application ofappropriate technologies by farmers to enhance the productivity of crop-livestock systems;(ii) develop and recommend policy changes to improve market participation, competitiveness,and trade for smallholders and conduct policy dialogue with governments on these policyissues; and (iii) continue to develop the capabilities of the NARSs to conduct independentresearch on crop-livestock systems, and of extension workers to encourage adoption oftechnologies by farmers.10 The goal is to reduce poverty among smallholder farmers in rainfedenvironments.

2. Scope

12. The proposed project will be conducted at the same five BMS for the ongoing project.One new BMS in Sichuan Province will be added to the network to be financed separately by anew NARS assisted by CIP and ILRI. The project will comprise activities in (i) R&D, (ii) policydevelopment and dialogue, and (iii) capacity building in research and technology transfer. In theR&D component, the project will: (i) validate promising year-round feeding system technologiesat the BMS and field test them in alternative locations; (ii) monitor the impacts of thetechnologies on animal productivity, farm incomes, gender, and the environment; and(iii) disseminate the validated technologies on a large scale in the participating countries.

13. In the policy development and dialogue component, the project will (i) identify the factorsthat promote and/or constrain the adoption of improved technologies by smallholders; (ii) assessthe impact of livestock sector trends, trade, and public policies on the competitiveness andmarket participation of different types of farmer production systems and on employmentgeneration; (iii) quantify the contribution of women and the other members of the family in thecrop-livestock production systems in rainfed areas; and (iv) prepare policy issue papers forthree countries (Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam) after identifying policy options that willimprove technology adoption, promote equitable market participation, lower transaction costs,and benefit women.

14. In the capacity-building component, the project will (i) organize and conduct regionaltraining courses for NARSs and NGOs to disseminate information on appropriate crop-livestocksystems research, and policy analysis; (ii) develop highly interactive knowledge and informationproducts to support R&D activities; (iii) package information products generated from the projectin a suitable form and distribute them across the region; (iv) develop network linkages for

9 R 253-95: The Bank’s Policy on Agriculture and Natural Resources Research, 29 November 1995.10 ILRI will collaborate with Indonesia’s Central Research Institute for Agricultural Socioeconomic (CRAIS) on training

of communities based on the participatory approach.


technology transfer; (v) assist NARSs to prepare appropriate R&D proposals on crop-livestocksystems; and (vi) prepare a training manual to strengthen the role of women in livestockdevelopment in rainfed areas. Associated with these are monitoring and evaluation activities:(i) conduct seminars with policy makers and other stakeholders to discuss project results andplan to implement the recommendations; and (ii) assess the impact of the R&D outputs on thepoor and their livelihoods. The TA framework is in Table A3.1.


15. The total cost of the project is estimated at $3.5 million equivalent, includingcontingencies. It is proposed that ADB provide a grant of $1.0 million (28 percent of the totalcost) from the ADB-funded TA Program. ILRI will provide $795,000 (23 percent) while NARSswill provide $940,000 equivalent (27 percent), primarily as in-kind contribution (local staff,laboratory space and equipment, and experimental fields). An additional $780,000 equivalent(22 percent) will be provided through the combined initiative of a new NARS (the ChongqingSwine Academy from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences - CAAS), CIP, and ILRI(Table A3.2).


16. ILRI, which has provided satisfactory coordination and leadership in implementing phase1, will be the Executing Agency. The NARSs will be the Implementing Agencies (Table A3.3).ILRI will continue to be responsible for the overall technical and financial management of thestudy, including providing technical backstopping for participating NARSs. The ILRI team basedat Los Baños in the Philippines includes specialists in natural resources management,agricultural economics, nutrition and farming systems, and animal science. Specialists based atILRI headquarters in Addis Ababa, Nairobi, and other locations will provide technicalbackstopping. The existing steering committee will meet annually to approve the yearly plan ofoperation and the budget allocations, monitor progress in implementing the project, and approvethe annual progress reports before they are submitted to ADB.

17. The project will be implemented over three years beginning on 1 January 2002. ILRI willorganize and conduct one project planning and two review workshops, and one final symposiumto disseminate the research results and provide a forum for discussion with institutions, policymakers, and aid agencies. ILRI will submit the following reports to ADB: (i) semiannual progressreports, (ii) semiannual financial statements accounting for the use of study funds, and (iii) anannual audited financial statement. Funds will be drawn down in semiannual installments basedon ILRI’s estimate of the forthcoming six-month expenditures, and ADB will disburse TA fundsfor the project subject to satisfactory liquidation of past expenditures by ILRI. ILRI will procuregoods and services and recruit short-term specialists in accordance with ADB’s Guidelines forProcurement and Guidelines on the Use of Consultants as appropriate, or through otherarrangements satisfactory to ADB. Within three months of completion, ILRI will submit to ADB acomprehensive project completion report.

18. At ADB, the project will be assigned to a project officer from the Forestry and NaturalResources Division (West) with appropriate technical expertise. The project officer will monitorthe progress of the work and conduct reviews as appropriate.


Table A3.1: Technical Assistance Framework,International Livestock Research Institute

Design Summary Performance Targets MonitoringMechanisms

Assumptions andRisks

A. Goal

Reduce poverty amongsmallholder farmers inrainfed environments

• Farmer incomes increasedby 30% due totechnological advances inrainfed crop-livestocksystems and betterfunctioning livestockmarkets by 2006

• National statistics andpublications

• Socioeconomic surveys

• Commitment ofnational governments

• Agricultural extensionsystems support thedispersion of the newtechnologies.

B. Objectives

1. Enhance productivity insmallholder crop-livestocksystems in rainfedagricultural areas

• Crop-livestock productivityincreased by 50% in 5representative benchmarksites by 2004


• Technical assistancedocuments

• Farmers adopt fieldtested crop-livestocktechnologies.

2. Improve the participationand competitiveness ofsmallholder farmers inlivestock markets

• Livestock policies of threecountries recommendedand discussed withgovernments by 2004


• Government reports

• Commitment ofnational and localgovernments

3. Improve the researchcapacity of nationalagricultural systems(NARSs) for crop-livestock systemsresearch and capability ofextension staff todisseminate technologies

• Capability of NARSscientists to conduct crop-livestock systemsresearch improved, andskills of extension staff indisseminating technologystrengthened


• Government reports

• Commitment ofresearch scientistsand extension staff

C. Outputs

1. Appropriate technologiesfor smallholder crop-livestock systems inrainfed areas developedand disseminated

• About 40% of farmers inthe benchmark sites(1,740 households) and20% of farmers in othertarget areas adopted theimproved technologies.

• International LivestockResearch Institute andNARS technical reports


• Government livestockagency reports

• Nongovernmentorganization (NGO)reports

• Farmers will adopt thenew technologies(inexpensive, littlerisk).

• Farmers will haveaccess to necessarycredit.

• Policy options areadopted.

2. NARS’s capacity andcapabilities for systemsresearch and policyanalysis, and extensionstaff’s capacity for large-scale dissemination oftechnologies developed

• Training provided forabout 50 researchers and150 extension agents andNGO staff by 2004

• Training provided for 8postgraduate students by2003

• Training courses providedon systems research,impact assessment andpolicy analysis


• NARS reports on staffing,facilities, budgets, andprograms

• Trained NARS staffwill remain in researchpositions.


Design Summary Performance Targets MonitoringMechanisms

Assumptions andRisks

• Training manual tostrengthen the role ofwomen in livestockdevelopment tested andrevised by 2004

• 5 gender action plans and5 participatory actionplans completed

• NARS scientists trained toprepare project proposals

3. Crop-Animal SystemsResearch Network(CASREN) Strengthened

• Interactive informationproducts developed tosupport research activities

• CASREN institutionalizedby NARS by 2003

• Bibliographic databasewith 2,500 entries on crop-livestock systemscompleted and posted onthe ILRI web site by 2004


• ILRI web site reviews

• Agreements reachedon sharing informationand databases

4. Government policychanges to facilitatesmallholder farmer‘sadoption of improvedtechnologies and improvetheir access to livestockmarkets initiated

• Policy papers containingrecommendations toenhance smallholdercompetitiveness andadoption of newtechnologies and dialoguewith governmentscompleted by 2004

• Three workshops and asymposium completed by2004


• Workshop reports• Government policy

actions

• Government agenciesaccept policyproposals.


1. Personnel Support2. Travel3. Research4. Workshop & Training5. Others6. Administrative Expenses7. Contingencies

820,000280,000

1,155,000485,000410,000195,000

170,000

Total 3,515,000

Six-month progressreports


Table A3.2: Cost Estimates and Financing Plan (ILRI)($’000)

Financed byItem ADB a ILRI CAAS/CIP NARSs Total

A. Research Personnel (person-months in parentheses)1. ILRI

a. Project Coordinator (36) 70 70 140b. Core Research Staff

(2 x 36)240 240

c. Research Specialists (6) 30 30 602. Domestic/Regional

a. Information and Training(36)

35 10 45

b. NARS Field Staff 80 50 120 250c. Technical Support 25 60 85

B. Travel1. International Travel 50 50 50 1502. Local Travel 20 20 30 60 130

C. Research1. Documentation and Publication 30 20 502. Operating Costs 265b 110 280 450 1,105

D. Workshops and Training1. Workshops 30 10 402. Training Courses (2) 30 25 30 10 953. Training Resources 50 150 2004. Extension and Information

Materials25 20 50 95

5. Symposium 25 20 10 55

E. Other Items1. Project Proposals Development 30 20 30 802. Monitoring and Evaluation 20 203. Facilities (Laboratories and

Offices)50 60 200 310

F. Administrative Expenses 115 80 195

G. Contingencies 100 70 170

TotalPercent

1,00028

79523

78022

94027

3,515100

ADB = Asian Development Bank, ILRI = International Livestock Research Institute, CAAS = Chinese Academy of AgriculturalSciences, CIP = International Potato Center, NARS = national agricultural research system.a Financing will come from the ADB-funded TA Program.b Operating costs include field supplies (e.g., cost of animals and feeds, weighing machines, fertilizers and seeds), laboratory

supplies (chemicals, disposable items), office supplies, and vehicle operating costs.Source: ADB estimates.


Table A3.3: Implementing Agencies (ILRI)


People’s Republic ofChina

Chinese Academy of AgriculturalSciences

Dr. Zhang Cungen, DirectorLivestock Economics and Development Division30 Baishiqiao RoadBeijing 100081Tel: (86) 10 62581177 x 3030Fax: (86) 10 62582594E-mail: [email protected]

Yunnan Beef Cattle and PastureResearch Centre

Dr. Huang Bizhi, Research OfficerXiashaoKunming, Yunnan 650212Tel: (86) 871 739 1045Fax: (86) 871 739 1020

Sichuan Agricultural BureauSichuan

Professor Zhu Zhonglin, PresidentSichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences7, Weidong Niusha RoadChengdu 610066, SichuanTel: (86) 28 4504198Fax: (86) 28 4512025

Indonesia Central Research Institute ofAnimal Sciences (CRIAS)

Dr. Kusuma Diwyanto, DirectorJl. Pajajaran Kav. E-59, Bogor 16151West Java, IndonesiaTel: (62) 251 322 185Fax: (62) 251 328 383/380 588Email: [email protected]

Dr. Andi DjajanegaraAnimal NutritionistJl. Pajajaran Kav. E-59, Bogor 16151West Java, IndonesiaTel: (62) 251 322 954Fax: (62) 251 322 954Email: [email protected]

Research Institute for AnimalProduction (RIAP)

Dr. Argono Rio Setioko, DirectorPO Box 221, Bogor 16002West Java, IndonesiaTel: (62) 251 240 751Fax: (62) 251 240754Email: [email protected]

Garut Agricultural Services(Dinas Pertanian KabupatenGarut)

Mr. Dedong Abdurahman, DirectorProvincial Government of GarutJl. Pembangunan 183, Garut 44151West Java, IndonesiaTel/Fax: (62) 262 233 152



Mr. Taufik Kulloh, Ruminant DivisionProvincial Government of GarutJl. Pembangunan 183, Garut 44151West Java, IndonesiaTel/Fax: (62) 22 233 152

Assessment Institute forAgricultural Technologies (AIAT)– Lembang

Dr. Saeful Bahrein, DirectorJl. Kayu Ambon 80, Lembang 40391Bandung, West Java, IndonesiaTel/Fax: (62) 22 278 6238Email: [email protected]

Philippines Philippine Council for Agriculture,Forestry and Natural ResourcesResearch and Development(PCARRD)

Dr. Edwin Villar, DirectorLivestock Research DivisionLos Baños, Laguna 4030Tel: (63) 49 536 0014Fax: (63) 49 536 0016

Municipality of Umingan Mr. Alain P. RabangMunicipal MajorUmingan, PangasinanTel/Fax: (63) 075-5765131

Thailand Faculty of Agriculture Dr. Metha Wanapat, ProfessorDepartment of Animal ScienceKhon Kaen UniversityKhon Kaen 40002Tel: (66) 43 239 749Fax: (66) 43 244 474

Department of LivestockDevelopment

Mr. Thanit AnakewitProvincial Livestock DirectorMahasarakham ProvinceTel: (66-43) 721426Fax: (66-43) 711429

Viet Nam Institute of Agricultural Sciencesof South Viet Nam

Dr. Kieu Minh LucResearch ManagerDept. of Research Management & Foreign

Relations121 Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1Ho Chi Minh CityTel: (84) 8 829 1746Fax: (84) 8 829 8371

Department of Science,Technology and Environment

Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc HanhDirectorBinh Phuoc Province


DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE COCONUT-BASED INCOME-GENERATINGTECHNOLOGIES IN POOR RURAL COMMUNITIES

(International Plant Genetic Resources Institute)

A. Introduction

1. Between 1994 and 2000, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Fundfor Agricultural Development (IFAD) provided support to three separate research projects to theInternational Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and 20 national agricultural researchsystems (NARSs) in the Asian and Pacific region.1 These projects identified coconut germplasmthat can outyield the traditional varieties 3-6 times and possess characteristics contributing tothe production of high-value products,2 constraints affecting coconut development, andopportunities for coconut-based farming systems technologies that could increase thehousehold incomes of poor farmers and disadvantaged women in the rural areas up to 5-6times. In an effort to reduce poverty in existing resource-poor coconut communities affected byreduced demand for copra and coconut oil, eight developing member countries (DMCs)requested ADB to support a follow-up project for Developing Sustainable Coconut-BasedIncome-Generating Technologies in Poor Rural Communities. The DMCs would like to developsustainable, coconut-based technologies that would increase farm incomes and promote foodsecurity in the rural areas. The technologies are important since the combined area planted tococonut in the eight DMCs totals about 9.6 million hectares, or about 90 percent of the totalcoconut areas in the world.


2. About 50 million resource-poor farmers in the world depend on coconut for theirlivelihood. Their annual income averages about $200, which is way below the poverty level ofabout $350 per annum based on World Bank standards. About 90 percent of the world’scoconut production comes from the Asian and Pacific region. In several countries in the region,coconut contributes 15-50 percent of export earnings.

3. In the past 20 years, coconut farmers have suffered from low farm productivity andunstable and low international market prices for copra and coconut oil–two coconut productstraded internationally. Due to low income, farmers lack the resources to invest in newtechnologies including improved varieties and hybrids, and necessary fertilizers and other inputsfor increasing yields. Despite the low returns, farmers continue to grow coconut as it providesthem a regular, although marginal, source of income when harvested every 45 days. Likewise,coconut is traditionally a part of the rural food system and is a major source of nutrition for manyrural communities. While there is tremendous potential to tap idle community labor, includingwomen, to generate income from high-value coconut products and other income-generatingtechnologies, these activities and strategies are not yet in place.

1 TA 5590-REG: Coconut Genetic Resources Network in Asia and the Pacific Region, for $800,000, approved on 29

July 1994; TA 5766-REG: Coconut Genetic Resources Network and Human Resources Strengthening in Asia andthe Pacific (Phase II), and IFAD TA, for $900,000, approved on 5 August 1998.

2 The two TAs provided by Asian Development Bank also met their objectives of forming an internationalcollaborative network for coconut research, collecting and conserving coconut germplasm threatened by geneticerosion, completing the characterization of coconut varieties and hybrids in the germplasm banks; strengthened theresearch capabilities of NARS scientists in the region through training courses; and promoted sharing oftechnologies, information, and germplasm.


4. Completed projects have demonstrated that the incomes of poor farmers and womencan be increased 5-10 times by deploying high-yielding varieties and hybrids, producing andmarketing high-value coconut products derived from the coconut kernel (meat), husk, shell,water, wood, and leaves; and introducing improved intercropping and livestock/fodderproduction technologies. The proposed project identified several technical, institutional, andmarketing constraints that prevent poor farmers from benefiting from the results of thesestudies. They are lack of affordable and appropriate implements and equipment for makinghigh-value products, lack of technological know-how and extension materials, limiteddevelopment support from government agencies to poor coconut-based communities, lack ofstrong grassroots organization, weak leadership, and poor community participation in their owndevelopment. Furthermore, poor communities have no access to large quantities of affordableand good-quality planting materials and to affordable credit to support their agricultural activitiesand handicraft programs.

5. Many high-value products that can increase income per household from $200 to $400per month, through either individual efforts or cooperative-based associations, have beenidentified. The list contains 20 products from the Philippines, 17 from Thailand, and 15 from VietNam. A woman’s nongovernment organization in Bangladesh (Banchte Sheka or Learning toSurvive) enabled 126 unemployed participants to earn additional income by making rope anddoormats from coconut husks. They also participated in the community-managed coconutnurseries, which can supply improved varieties of coconut at a low price and in large quantities.There is great potential to increase the number of women participants to 500. Two models offarm equipment, with capacity suited to individuals or the whole village, are available forextracting high-quality, pure coconut oil, but they need to be tested for suitability in the ruralareas and cost-efficiency. It is proposed that such tests be conducted under the proposedproject.

6. Intercropping under coconut can also increase farm incomes, for example, interplantingbanana, pineapple, and lime in Malaysia; interplanting banana and maize in the Philippines; andinterplanting taro in Samoa. Rural communities can also earn additional income by intercroppingimproved forage grasses with coconut and planting legume trees as hedge rows on theperimeter fence of farms and farmhouses, to supply feed to livestock such as cattle and goats.The additional incomes could lift poor families above the poverty line and also provide foodsecurity against natural calamities.

7. The strategy of the proposed project is to develop sustainable income-generatingtechnologies for poor coconut communities in marginal rainfed areas. The technologies willincrease the incomes of resource-poor farmers, who depend on poorly maintained, low-incomecoconut farms for livelihood. The proposed project will introduce farmers to improvedintercropping practices, improved livestock/fodder production, and new equipment for improvingquality and efficiency for handicraft making using various parts of the coconut. Furthermore, theproject will help in developing community-based coconut seedling nurseries to generateemployment and to make available improved varieties for special uses and purposes in the ruralareas. Poorly organized rural communities will be given training on participatory approaches tostrengthen the skills of village leaders and ensure the full participation of all members of thecommunity. Research and extension officers and staff, women’s groups, and NGOs will also betrained to ensure that the required government support in implementing various activities ismade available. Market surveys will also be conducted to identify potential marketing outlets forhandicrafts and other products, which have potential in the nearby urban centers or regionalmarkets and overseas.


8. ADB's new Long-term Strategic Framework places considerable emphasis on economicgrowth and poverty reduction. Within the agriculture sector, crop diversification is given highpriority as a means to achieve those goals. The project is consistent with and supportive ofADB’s strategy. The results will not only help the coconut farmers in 24 coconut-producingcommunities but also establish community models for poverty reduction that can be replicatednationwide in eight major coconut growing countries. The project will also achieve two cross-cutting benefits: empowering socioeconomically disadvantaged women and enabling coconutfarmers to conserve important coconut germplasm on-farm, thus significantly contributing tosustainable natural resource management.


1. Objective

9. The project will develop sustainable coconut-based, income-generating technologies forresource-poor rural communities in eight DMCs in the Asian and Pacific region: Bangladesh,India, Indonesia, Fiji Islands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam.The project will promote the production and marketing of high-value coconut products,intercropping and livestock/fodder production, and production and marketing of quality plantingmaterials to deploy precious coconut diversity. The goal is to increase the real income andpromote the food security of poor people in 24 coconut-based rural communities in the DMCs.

10. The DMCs were selected on the basis of the coconut area planted and number ofcoconut farmers (India, Indonesia, and Philippines having the biggest); willingness to shareequipment and technologies (India, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam); prospects fordeveloping bilateral investment projects (Bangladesh, Viet Nam, and PNG); and willingness toconduct research for possible application in fragile Pacific atoll islands (Fiji Islands) through thesupport of a regional organization (Secretariat of the Pacific Community in Fiji). The atoll islands(parts of Fiji Islands, PNG, the Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, NewCaledonia, and Tonga; and significant parts of Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, andTuvalu) represent a special challenge for agricultural development. The atoll islands suffer frompoor economic development and extreme isolation. They also have a fragile ecosystem – withhigh water salinity and low nitrogen content, and high temperatures – where coconut is one ofthe few crops grown. They are also prone to typhoons. Dwarf varieties with high-value tendernuts need to be identified and introduced.

2. Scope

11. The TA has five components: (i) build capacity through training and development ofcommunity-based organizations (CBOs), farmers, women’s groups, and research and extensionofficers; (ii) develop simple equipment for production and marketing of high-value products,involving CBOs, NGOs, and women’s groups; (iii) develop viable intercropping andlivestock/fodder production technologies; (iv) develop community-managed coconut nurseries,and deploy and conserve promising selected local and introduced coconut varieties; and(v) disseminate and promote research results. The technical assistance framework is in TableA4.1.

12. The expected major outputs are (i) trained CBO members and leaders capable ofmanaging business enterprises, and researchers and extension workers capable of supportingand replicating sustainable community-based income-generating activities and developmentefforts; (ii) efficient inexpensive equipment for producing high-value products developed and


adopted; (iii) market surveys completed and new and larger consumer markets for coconutproducts identified; (iv) viable postproduction techniques for producing high-value qualityproducts adopted; (v) viable intercropping and livestock/fodder production techniques adopted;(vi) profitable community nurseries and successful deployment and on-farm conservation ofimportant coconut varieties; (vii) viable women’s groups formed and involved in income-generating activities; and (viii) new on-farm and off-farm technologies utilizing various parts ofthe coconut—from the wood, leaves, husks, kernel, and shell—disseminated and promoted forpotential replication nationwide.


13. The total cost of the project is estimated at $3.0 million equivalent, includingcontingencies. It is proposed that ADB provide a grant of $1.0 million (about 33 percent of thetotal cost) from the ADB-funded TA Program. IPGRI will provide $666,000 (22 percent) whileNARSs will provide about $1.1 million equivalent (about 35 percent), mostly in-kind contributionthrough local staff, office, and training facilities. IFAD will provide $150,000 (5 percent) tocofinance activities in India, Indonesia, and Philippines. The Department for InternationalDevelopment (DFID) of the United Kingdom will provide about $112,000 (4 percent) to selectand characterize 24 rural communities and to refine the embryo culture technology to be usedfor the safe movement of germplasm between countries. The International DevelopmentResearch Centre of Canada (IDRC) will contribute about $12,000 (about 0.4 percent) equivalentto support feasibility and impact studies and to document viable high-value products (TableA4.2).


14. IPGRI, which performed satisfactorily in implementing two completed ADB-financedprojects, will serve as the Executing Agency (EA). The NARSs, in collaboration with theircounterparts in the agricultural extension service, will be the Implementing Agencies (IAs) forthe study (Table A4.3). For continuity, IPGRI will assign the same internationally recruitedproject coordinator to coordinate the study. Each participating NARS will designate a nationalproject manager to implement the study, prepare reports, and conduct the feasibility and impactsurveys. The project will also link with the ADB-assisted investment projects, such as theNorthwest Bangladesh Crop Diversification Project and Sri Lanka’s Southern Province RuralEconomic Advancement Project to promote project complementation and synergy.

15. The project will be implemented over three years beginning on 1 January 2002. IPGRIwill procure the services of locally recruited staff comprising one scientific assistant, onecommunication assistant, and one training assistant, to help the IPGRI team to plan, monitor,and analyze research data; and prepare progress reports and extension materials, bulletins,and a newsletter. They will also assist in developing the training curriculum, training modulesand training materials; and in conducting training courses in eight participating countries.

16. The services of short-term specialists will be required in developing and strengtheningCBOs, NGOs, and women’s groups; training in the participatory approach and cooperatives’activities; introducing simple implements and equipment for producing high-value handicraftsand food processing; introducing intercropping and livestock-fodder practices; and makingsimple financial rate of return analysis. IPGRI will collaborate with Indonesia’s Central ResearchInstitute for Agricultural Socioeconomic in training communities on the participatory approach.


17. The IAs will select 24 coconut-based communities (three communities per country) astarget study sites representing different agroclimatic conditions (dry, medium, wet),socioeconomic conditions (prevalence of poor people living below the poverty line), andcommunity commitment to join the study. CBOs and women’s groups will be organized andtrained to manage viable village-level handicraft and coconut seedling nursery enterprises.Members of the CBOs will be encouraged to mobilize savings to raise capital and will be given aone-time grant of planting materials, small livestock, simple tools and equipment for handicraftmaking. Inexpensive processing equipment for producing high-value products will be introducedfrom Thailand and Viet Nam and, where suitable, the equipment will be modified and multipliedlocally in collaboration with the private sector.

18. The IAs and IPGRI team will train researchers, extension technicians and farmers on thetechniques of producing high-value coconut handicraft products, intercropping andlivestock/fodder production, and establishing coconut seedling nurseries. For the livestockcomponent, the project will collaborate with the ongoing projects of the International LivestockResearch Institute and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture supported by ADB, onusing the three-tier system of fodder production involving cash crops, grasses, and shrubs andtrees. Since Bangladesh and Viet Nam plan to expand their coconut production and theircoconut research programs, they have requested that ADB support two scholarships foradvanced degrees. Additional scholarships will be sought from the Southeast Asian ResearchCenter for Agriculture (SEARCA) to support six masters degree awardees from the participatingcountries.

19. Community-managed coconut seedling nurseries will be established to produceseedlings for sale to community members and nearby population centers. Participants will beencouraged to plant at least 10 coconut seedlings around their homes. The seedlings will bederived from selected local and introduced varieties, which have potential for high yield andhigh-value products, and are suited to high saline conditions on island atolls. This activity willserve as a twin mechanism for income generation and for deploying coconut diversity andpromoting its on-farm conservation through use. IPGRI will regularly monitor the impact ofintroducing improved technology on the island atolls.

20. Each IA will conduct a survey to identify marketable products that will be produced forspecific markets. Marketing will involve the traditional and new local, national and regionalmarket channels and new opportunities such as electronic-marketing will be explored, initially incollaboration with the IDRC Singapore-managed Pan Asia E-Commerce Mall.

21. IPGRI will organize and conduct three workshops and will submit the following reports toADB: (i) semiannual progress reports, (ii) semiannual financial statements accounting for theuse of project funds, and (iii) an annual audited financial statement. Funds will be drawn down insemiannual installments based on IPGRI’s estimate of the forthcoming six-month expenditures,and ADB will disburse TA funds for the project subject to satisfactory liquidation of pastexpenditures. IPGRI will procure goods and services and recruit short-term specialists inaccordance with ADB’s Guidelines for Procurement and Guidelines on the Use of Consultantsas appropriate, or through other arrangements satisfactory to ADB. Within three months ofcompletion, IPGRI will submit to ADB a comprehensive project completion report.

22. At ADB, the project will be assigned to a project officer from the Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Division (West) with appropriate technical expertise. The project officer willmonitor the progress of the work and conduct reviews as appropriate.


Table A4.1: Technical Assistance Framework,International Plant Genetic Resources Institute

Design Summary Targets Project MonitoringMechanism Risks/Assumptions

A. Goal

Increase real income andpromote food security ofresource-poor farmers incoconut- based ruralcommunities

• Increased income and foodproduction from coconut-based farming

• Increased coconut production• Increased conservation of

coconut genetic diversity inrural areas

• Department ofAgriculture statistics

• Asia Pacific CoconutCommunity (APCC)Statistics

• ADB review missions

• Government supportto coconut-basedfarming

• Farmers convinced toconserve theirimportant coconutvarieties

B. Objective

Develop sustainablecoconut- based income-generating technologies inrural communities in eightAsian Development Bank(ADB) developing membercountries (DMC):Bangladesh, India,Indonesia, Fiji Islands,Papua New Guinea,Philippines, Sri Lanka, andViet Nam

• Financially viable andcommercially attractivetechnologies for producinghigh-value coconut productsadopted by farmers by 2004

• Viable intercropping andlivestock/fodder productiontechnologies adopted byfarmers by 2004

• Important coconut varietiesplanted and conserved

• Semiannual reports• Seminars and

workshops• Publications• ADB review missions

• Willingness ofcoconut-producingcountries to sharetechnologies

• Commitment offarmers at chosenproject sites

C. Outputs

1. Training for capacitybuilding for communitybased organizations

(CBOs), women,research and extensionofficers completed

• 24 CBOs organized andstrengthened in 24 coconut-based rural communitiesselected as project sitesbased on agroclimatic andsocioeconomic conditions

• CBO officers, members andwomen trained oncommunity developmentorganizational and technicalskills

• 24 gender action plans and24 participatory action planscompleted

• Research and extensionofficers trained and 2 PhDcoconut scholars supported

• Project meetings andworkshops

• Project reports

• Effective collaborationbetween research,extension staff, andcommunity leaders

• Availability of suitableresearch andextension staff to betrained

• Commitment andleadership capabilityin selectedcommunities

2. Simple equipment forproduction andmarketing of high-value products fromthe coconut kernel,husk, shell, waterwood and leavesinvolving CBOs andwomen groups (usingnongovernmentorganizations (NGOs)

• Viable processing equipmentdeveloped for producing high-value products

• Local and overseas marketsfor high-value productsidentified for each communityby 2004

• At least 3 viable high-valueproducts produced andmarketed per community by

• Number of equipmentproduced and used

• Actual production andcost and return data

• Project reports

• Effective collaborationbetween farmers,NGOs, research,extension officers

• Farmer andcommunityacceptance ofequipment

• Efficient marketingdeveloped


Design Summary Targets Project MonitoringMechanism Risks/Assumptions

2004

• Viability of two machines,family or village scale, forproducing high-qualitycoconut oil tested by 2004

• Women and NGO activitiesestablished

• Availability ofcounterpart nationalstaff

3. Promisingintercropping andlivestock/fodderproductiontechnologiesdeveloped anddisseminated

• At least 3 viable intercroppingtechnologies adopted by eachof 24 communities by 2004

• At least one livestock and/orfodder production technologyadopted in each of 24participating communities by2004

• Actual production andcost and return data

• Project reports

• Effective collaborationbetween farmers,research andextension officers

• Availability ofcounterpart nationalstaff

4. Community-basedcoconut nurseriesestablished, andpromising selectedlocal and introducedcoconut varietiesdeployed

• At least two communitynurseries established in eachof 24 participatingcommunities by 2004

• At least three promisingcoconut varieties propagatedand planted by farmers percommunity by 2004

• Dwarf coconut varietiessuited to island atollsidentified

• Number of seedlingssold

• Number of varietiesdeployed percommunity

• Project reports

• Collaboration betweenresearchers andextension workers

• Willingness ofcommunities andcountries to sharegermplasm

• Support of farmercommunities

5. Research resultsdisseminated inappropriate extensionmaterials and media,and internationalcollaboration promoted

• 3 annual project meetingsconducted

• At least one computer andprinter provided to eachcountry for documentationand information dissemination

• Technology guides, extensionbulletins and publicawareness articles publishedand distributed to farmers,researchers, extensionworkers, the private sector,and development agencies

• Publications• Project reports

• Effective collaborationbetween researchers,extension workers,and the media

• Support ofdevelopment andinvestment institutions


1. Personnel 1,084,0002. Travel 157,0003. Research 1,034,0004. Training and Capacity

Building370,000

5. Administration Cost 275,0006. Contingencies 80,000

Total 3,000,000


Table A4.2: Cost Estimates and Financing Plan (IPGRI)($’000)

Financed by

Item ADB a IPGRI IDRC DFID IFAD NARSs Total

A. Research Personnel (person-monthsin parentheses)

International1. Coordinator 250 2502. Consultants (10) 50 503. Scientific/Training Experts 250 250

Domestic1. NARS Research Staff (240) 250 2502. IPGRI Support Staff

− Three technical assistants 126 126− Three support assistants 116 42 158

B. Travel1. International 63 632. Domestic 14 80 94

C. Research Work, Equipment, and Materials1. Site selection, socioeconomic

characterization30 30

2. Production of high-valueproducts, community seedlingnurseries, and simple equipment

135 295 430

3. Intercropping, livestock andfodder, and market surveyresearch

84 138 222

4. Embryo culture research 82 825. Farmer participatory research 150 1506. Documentation, communication

and supplies56 12 68

7. Office equipment (computer,printer) and motorcycle forcommunity coordinators

52 52

D. Training and Capacity Building1. Development of CBOs and NGO

staff support36 50 86

2. Development of women’s group,and training of farmers, researchand extension officers

88 100 188

3. 2 PhD scholarships 36 364. Annual meetings 60 60

E. Administrative Cost (15%) 120 50 105 275

F. Contigencies (10%) 80 80

TotalPercent

1,00033.3

66622.0

120.4

1124.0

1505.0

1,06035.3

3,000100

ADB = Asian Development Bank, CBO = community-based organization, DFID = Department for International Development, IFAD = International Fundfor Agricultural Development, IDRC = International Development Research Centre, IPGRI = International Plant Genetic Resources Institute; NARS =national agricultural research system, NGO = nongovernment organization.a Financing will come from the ADB-funded TA Program.b Comprising scientific assistant (36 person-months), communication and training assistants (24 person-months each).c Comprising program and documentation assistants (36 person-months each) and secretary (36 person-months).


Table A4.3: Implementing Agencies (IPGRI)


Bangladesh Horticulture Research Centre,Bangladesh Agricultural ResearchInstitute (BARI)Joydepur, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh

Mr Nazirul Islam, Senior ScientificOfficer,Tel: 880-2-9332340Fax: 880 -2-9353395/9800441Email: [email protected]

Fiji Islands Koronivia Research StationPO Box 77, Nausori, Fiji

Tevita KeteResearch Agronomist for CoconutsTel: 679-477044Fax 679-9400 262Email: [email protected]

MAFF,Private Mail BagRaiwaqa, Suva, Fiji

Mr Miseli Naulivou NailavuDirector of Extension ServicesTel: 679-384233Fax: 679-383426Email: [email protected]

Indonesia Central Research Institute for EstateCropsJl. Tentara Pelajar (Cimanggu)No. 1, Bogor 16111 Indonesia

Dr Doa Dekok TarigansTel: 62-251-313083/336194Fax: 62-251 336194Email: [email protected]

India Central Plantation Crops ResearchInstituteIndian Council of Agriculture ResearchKasaragod 671 124Kerala, India

Dr V. Rajagopal, DirectorTel: 91-499-430333 / 4330894 /

430895 / 430864Fax: 91-499-430322Email: [email protected]

Coconut Development BoardKochi 682011, India.

Dr Rethinam, Chairman,Tel: 91-484-354216/371089Fax: 91-484-354216Email: [email protected] or

[email protected]

Papua New Guinea Director Cocoa and Coconut ResearchInstituteP.O. Box 1846, RabaulEast New BritainPapua New Guinea

Dr. James KaiuloTel. 675-9839131Fax: 675-9839115Email: [email protected]

Cocoa and Coconut Extension AgencyP O Box 1227, Madang, PNG

Mr. Uron Salum, DirectorTel: 675-8521379Fax: 675-8521381Email: [email protected]


Country Implementing Agency Contact PersonPhilippines Deputy Administrator for Research

Philippine Coconut AuthorityElliptical RoadDiliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Mr. Carlos CarpioTel. 632-9200415Fax: 632-9254537Email: [email protected]

Coconut Extension Training CenterAgo-OshiroDavao Center, 8000 Philippines

Mr. Romulo N. Arancon, Jr,ManagerTel: 63-82-2930117Fax: 63-82-2930118Email: [email protected]

Sri Lanka Coconut Research InstituteBandirippuwa EstateLunuwila, Sri Lanka

Dr. Neil FernandoSenior EconomistTel: 94-31-55300Fax: 94-31-57391Email: [email protected]

Coconut Research InstituteBandirippuwa EstateLunuwila, Sri Lanka

Mr Henry Nimal, Extension DivisionTel: 94-31-55300Fax: 94-31-57391Email: [email protected]

Viet Nam Oil Plant Institute of Viet Nam (OPI)171-175 Ham Nghi St. District 1Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

Mr Vo Van LongSenior ResearcherTel: 848- 829-7336 /8243526Fax: 84-8-824352Email: [email protected] or

[email protected]

Department of Agricultural and ForestryExtensionMinistry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment2 Ngoc Ha St., Bach ThaoHa Noi, Viet Nam

Dr. Le Hung Quoc, DirectorTel: 84-4-7332218Fax: 84-4-8236403E-mail: [email protected]


SUSTAINING FOOD SECURITY IN ASIATHROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF HYBRID RICE TECHNOLOGY

(International Rice Research Institute)

A. Introduction

1. In 1998, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided technical assistance to theInternational Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and six ADB developing member countries (DMCs)for a research project entitled Development and Use of Hybrid Rice in Asia.1 The project, whichwill be completed in December 2001, has achieved the objectives of strengthening humanresources in six national agricultural research systems (NARSs) for applied research,establishing collaborative research linkages through the hybrid rice network, and conductinggoal-oriented research programs. The project also succeeded in developing human resources inhybrid rice seed production and strengthening collaboration between research and seedindustry in the six countries.

2. With success in substantially increasing the area planted to hybrid rice to about 200,000hectares (ha) in several countries between 1998 and 2000, the DMCs requested ADB tosupport a follow-up project—Sustaining Food Security in Asia Through the Development ofHybrid Rice Technology. The NARSs would like to build on the success of their internationalcollaborative research and seek to address several constraints hampering the expansion ofhybrid rice areas and hybrid rice seed production in the DMCs.


3. Rice is the staple food of about three billion people in Asia, where the population isestimated to be increasing by 80 million-100 million a year. Rice is critical to the region’s poorpeople, since about 90 percent of the world’s rice supply is consumed by those who produce it.Most of these farmers are heads of resource-poor families.

4. With the high-yielding semidwarf rice varieties developed by IRRI in partnership with theNARSs, most rice-growing countries in Asia have done well in meeting their own rice needs inthe past 30 years. However, the future poses a major challenge since it has been estimated thatby 2030 the world will have to produce 60 percent more rice than it did in 1995 to satisfy thedemand from increasing populations. One major strategy is to meet this challenge throughhybrid rice, which has the potential to increase yields beyond the levels for high-yieldingsemidwarf rices.

5. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has for a long time produced hybrid rice insubtropical and temperate regions. In the PRC, hybrid rice is currently cultivated on about 15million ha, yielding about 102 million metric tons (t) of paddy or 17 percent of the world’s paddyproduction, whereas commercial inbred rice, occupying about the same area, yields only 81million t of paddy, or about 80 percent compared with hybrid rice. Hybrid rice technology hashelped the PRC and the world increase rice production by about 20 million t annually. Thetechnology has demonstrated its role in promoting global food security. Because of increasedyields, hybrid rice farmers can have higher income than farmers cultivating commercial ricecultivars. Similarly, hybrid rice seed producers can have higher incomes than seed producers ofcommercial varieties because of the higher returns from hybrid seeds. Moreover, since hybrid

1 TA 5766-REG, for $1.5 million, approved on 29 December 1997.


rice production involves labor-intensive production, processing, and marketing of hybrid seedsevery crop season, it results in more employment in the rural areas. Such employmentopportunities will mostly benefit women, who are most likely to be involved in the meticulousproduction of hybrid seed. Finally, hybrid rice technology helps protect the environment. Had thePRC not developed and used hybrid rice technology, the world would have required 6 million hamore to cultivate to attain the current production level.

6. Unfortunately, the hybrid rice that achieved rapid success in the PRC was unsuitable fortropical farming and its grain quality was regarded as poor. Work at IRRI to develop andpromote the spread of hybrid rice in tropical Asia started in 1979. Actual testing of promisinghybrid rice lines with tropical rice parentage, developed by IRRI and six Asian countries(Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam), began after ADBapproved the ongoing hybrid rice project. Achievements under the ongoing project (1998-2001)included (i) the establishment of an effective international hybrid rice network comprising of sixmember countries and the PRC, and three collaborating institutions: IRRI, Food and AgricultureOrganization (FAO), and Asia-Pacific Seed Association (APSA); (ii) development of humanresources in six member countries after 64 researchers received specialized training in hybridrice breeding and hybrid seed production at IRRI, the PRC, and India, and after more than3,000 private and nongovernment organization (NGO) seed growers, extension workers, andprogressive farmers were trained on cultivation of parental lines to produce hybrid seeds forcommercial distribution; (iii) identification of dozens of promising hybrids from IRRI and NARSsmaterials, and release of four hybrids for commercial production in India, Philippines, and VietNam;2 and (iv) establishment of a separate Coordinated International Hybrid Rice Yield Trials in1999 in 22 locations in six countries in which 20 promising materials developed at IRRI andmember countries were evaluated.

7. Other achievements under the project include (i) increase in the number of seedenterprises involved in hybrid seed production to 30, or 15 more than those in operation in 1998,representing public, private, and NGO firms; (ii) increase in hybrid seed yields of up to 2.5 t/ha,compared with the seed yield economic threshold of only 1.5 t/ha in the project area andbenchmark seed yield of 2.8 t/ha in the PRC; (iii) 15-20 percent yield advantage of hybrid riceover popular high-yielding varieties in farmers’ fields; and (iv) expansion in area planted tohybrid rice of up to 200,000 ha: from 280,000 ha in 1998 to 480,000 ha in 2000 in Bangladesh,India, Philippines, and Viet Nam.

8. Several constraints affecting the rapid development and dissemination of hybrid ricetechnology in tropical Asia have been identified. The grain quality and pest resistance of newrice hybrids need to be improved to match those of the high-yielding varieties, through improvedagronomic practices. The technology for producing hybrid seeds needs refinements, which canbe addressed by research and collaboration among the seed industry players. Nationalbreeding centers can address the inadequate supply of seeds of parental lines used forproducing hybrid seeds. Flowering of male and female parents is still poorly synchronized andthe cost of a growth regulator (gibberellic acid) required in hybrid seed production is stillprohibitive. Finally, there is a need to intensify dialogue with policy makers of network membercountries to strengthen their commitments, policy, and financial support to promote hybrid riceresearch and development. Considering the achievements made and the technical and policyconstraints identified while implementing the ongoing project, the participating DMCs requestedADB for a follow-up project seeking to increase the number of trained hybrid rice breeders toaddress the agronomic and policy constraints affecting the full development and dissemination

2 Two hybrids in India (Sahaydiri and CORH 2), and one each in Philippines (Mestizo) and Vet Nam (HYT 57).


of hybrid rice technology; to hasten the spread and transfer of technology to more seedenterprise workers, extension workers, and rice farmers; and to intensify dialogue with policymakers for required government support for rapid dissemination of hybrid rice technology toincrease rice production and sustain food security among the member countries.

9. The project will address the strategic concerns expressed in the ADB’s new Long-termStrategic Framework, which focuses on economic growth, environmental conservation, humanresources development, and overarching goal of poverty reduction. The project is alsoconsistent with ADB’s agriculture and natural resources research policy.3


1. Objectives

10. The objectives are to (i) strengthen the capabilities of researchers and extensionworkers in nine DMC countries4 by providing specialized training, according to the specificneeds of each country, for the developing and disseminating hybrid rice technology;(ii) strengthen the capabilities of private, public, and NGO-based seed enterprises by providingspecialized training in hybrid seed production and marketing;5 and (iii) strengthen Governmentcommitments, policy, and financial support to promote hybrid rice research and developmentthrough formal dialogues with policy makers. The goal of the project is to sustain food securitythrough increased rice production in nine participating DMCs.

2. Scope

11. The project has seven components: (i) expand and sustain the effective operation of thecollaborative hybrid rice network in nine member countries; (ii) conduct training for researchersand extension workers on varietal improvement, agronomic trials in farmers’ fields, anddissemination of hybrid rice technology; (iii) conduct training for private, public, NGO, andfarmer cooperatives on commercial hybrid seed multiplication and marketing; (iv) conductapplied and strategic research to improve and sustain the performance of hybrid rice materials;(v) expand areas planted to hybrid rice by selecting suitable locations in which to disseminatethe mature hybrid rice technology; (vi) conduct socioeconomic studies to measure the impact ofhybrid rice technology on target beneficiaries; and (vii) conduct studies to identify major policyconstraints affecting Government support for development and dissemination of hybrid ricetechnology in four network member countries. The technical assistance framework is inTable A5.1.


12. The total cost of the proposed project, including contingencies, is estimated at $2.83million equivalent. It is proposed that ADB provide a grant of $1.0 million from the ADB-funded

3 R 253-95: The Bank’s Policy on Agriculture and Natural Resources Research, 29 November 1995.4 Under the proposed TA, all the original six DMCs (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Viet

Nam) and three new ones (Republic of Korea, Myanmar, and Thailand) have been selected. Countries wereselected on the basis of these criteria: (i) strong rice improvement programs, (ii) commitment to sustain foodsecurity by increasing rice production through hybrid rice technology by expanding the area planted to hybrid riceby 2005, (iii) willingness to commit teams of researchers and extension workers and resources to develop anddisseminate hybrid rice technology, and (iv) willingness to dialogue to strengthen policy, staff, and financialresources to develop hybrid rice technology.

5 Seed enterprises will be strengthened in eight countries, excluding the Republic of Korea.


TA Program to finance about 35 percent of the total cost of the study. The remaining 65 percentbe financed by IRRI ($470,000 or 17 percent of the total cost), FAO ($360,000 or 13 percent),APSA ($110,000 or 4 percent), and NARSs ($890,000 equivalent or 31 percent). NARSs willprovide mostly in-kind contribution and expenses in conducting research work, procuring smallequipment, and local training. The cost estimates and financing plan are in Table A5.2.


13. IRRI, which implemented the ongoing project in a highly satisfactory manner, willcontinue to serve as the Executing Agency for the project. It will administer and coordinate theproject through its headquarters in Los Baños, Philippines. IRRI will continue to provide theservices of its senior rice breeder as coordinator, and will engage the services of anexperienced project manager to manage the day-to-day implementation of the project.

14. FAO will complement the activities of the project through its ongoing programs in Indiaand Indonesia, and possibly a new assistance program in Sri Lanka, aimed at strengthening thecapabilities of researchers in these countries in conducting research, improving seedmultiplication, and transfer of technology. IRRI and FAO will jointly conduct dialogue with policymakers (para. 16). APSA will continue to lead the special interest group on hybrid rice,established two years ago under the ongoing project to facilitate cooperation among public andprivate sector seed companies, and NGO-based and farmer cooperative seed enterprises.APSA will also organize and coordinate the Coordinated International Hybrid Rice Yield Trials incooperation with Thailand’s national rice program. The arrangement will allow the participationof private sector companies and testing of their promising hybrid rice in the trial. Top hybrid riceexperts from the PRC will collaborate with IRRI and leading researchers from member countriesin conducting strategic research. The PRC will also provide experts to serve as trainers in theproposed project and provide its training facilities as in the arrangements under the ongoingproject.

15. Nine ADB DMCs will participate in the project: the original six member countries(Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam) and three new membercountries (Republic of Korea, Myanmar, and Thailand). The Implementing Agencies andcollaborators are listed in Table A5.3. Four countries (India, Viet Nam, Bangladesh, andPhilippines) lead the others in commercialization of hybrid rice technology.6 The rest of themembers are still in the research and development phase. However, a technical committeecomprising representatives of the nine countries, IRRI, FAO, and APSA will be established atthe beginning of the implementation of the project to review, monitor, and evaluate the progressmade and to provide guidance and coordination. The project will be represented in the steeringcommittee and the ad hoc technical advisory committee of IRRI’s Irrigated Rice ResearchConsortium. This arrangement will reduce transaction costs and will allow close interaction withother groups under the consortium working on nutrients, water, and pest management in rice.Each country will establish a team of two specialists, comprising one hybrid rice breeder(country coordinator) and one extension specialist (member) to provide direction toimplementation of the study. The project will also link with the ADB-assisted Grains SectorDevelopment Program in the Philippines to promote project complementation and strategy.

6 Four countries have programmed to expand the area planted to hybrid rice from 490,000 hectares (ha) to 1.85

million ha by 2005. They are India (from 180,000 ha to 1.0 million ha), Viet Nam (280,000 ha to 0.5 million ha),Bangladesh (28,000 ha to 200,000 ha), and Philippines (2,000 ha to 150,000 ha). Five countries also plan toexpand its hybrid rice areas from 5,000 ha to 80,000 ha by 2005: Myanmar (from 5,000 ha to 50,000 ha), Indonesiaand Sri Lanka (nil to 10,000 ha each), and Thailand and Republic of Korea (nil to 5,000 ha each).


16. The project will be implemented over three years (2002-2004). The inaugural annualworkshop will be held at the beginning of the first year to introduce the goal, objectives,strategies and work plan, and to set directions and priorities. During this meeting, senior policymakers from each member country will be invited to a dialogue to strengthen Governmentcommitments, and policy and financial support to their national hybrid rice program. Thesucceeding annual meetings will take place at the beginning of the second and third years andassess the progress made and determine the work programs for the succeeding years. IRRI willsubmit to ADB semiannual progress reports, semiannual financial statements accounting for theuse of the TA funds, and the audited annual financial statements. Funds will be drawn downevery six months based on the estimated expenditures for each ensuing six-month period andsubject to satisfactory liquidation of expenditures financed under previously disbursed funds.IRRI will submit to the ADB a comprehensive project completion report within three months aftercompletion of the project. IRRI will conduct socioeconomic surveys to determine the impact ofhybrid rice technology to beneficiaries and will incorporate the results and other lessons learnedin the project completion report. IRRI will be responsible for engaging consultants in accordancewith ADB’s Guidelines on the Use of Consultants, or through other arrangements satisfactory toADB for engaging domestic consultants. IRRI will procure laboratory equipment in accordancewith ADB’s Guidelines for Procurement.

17. At ADB, the project will be assigned to a project officer from the Agriculture and SocialSectors Department (East) with appropriate expertise. The project officer will monitor theprogress of implementation of the project and will conduct reviews as appropriate.


Table A5.1: Technical Assistance Framework,International Rice Research Institute

Design Summary Targets Project MonitoringMechanisms

Risks/Assumptions

A. Goal

Sustain food securitythrough increased riceproduction

• Policies strengthened tosupport Governmentprograms to expand areasplanted to hybrid rice by 2006

• Hybrid rice yields increasedby at least 15 percent by2006 compared with standardpopular varieties

• Hybrid seed yields increasedto 2.5 tons per hectare (t/ha)by 2006 compared to theeconomic threshold of 1.5t/ha

• Governmentagricultural statisticsreport


• Results of technicalassistancesocioeconomicsurveys

• Asian DevelopmentBank (ADB) reviewmission reports

• Increased rice productionremains a priority ofgovernments of developingmember countries (DMCs).

• Hybrid rice technologyeconomically viable.

B. Objectives

1. Strengthen thecapabilities ofresearchers andextension workers inhybrid ricetechnologydevelopment anddissemination in 9DMCs

2. Strengthencapabilities of private,public, and NGO inhybrid seedproduction andmarketing

3. Strengthengovernmentcommitments, policyand financial supportto promote hybrid riceresearch anddevelopment throughdialogue in 4 DMCs

• 3 international and 27domestic training courses onhybrid rice improvement,management, practices, anddissemination completed by2004

• 18 on-farm demonstrationtrials of best hybrids and bestpractices successfully set upin 6 DMCs by 2004

• 18 specialized trainingcourses on hybrid seedproduction and marketingcompleted in 6 DMCs by 2004

• Major policyrecommendations discussedwith policy makers in 4 DMCsby 2004


• Food and AgricultureOrganization(FAO)/Asia-PacificSeed Association/other consultants’report

• ADB review missionreports

• Steering committeeand technicalcommittee reportsand meetings

• Continued cooperation andinterest among nationalagricultural and researchsystem partners in furtherdevelopment of humanresource technology

• Cooperation among the public,private sector, andnongovernment organizations(NGOs) to develop seedindustry remains strong.

• Governments increased supportto develop hybrid ricetechnology and seed productionenterprises.

C. Outputs

1. Strengthen andexpand the regionalhybrid rice network

• Membership expanded to 9DMCs after 3 new DMCsjoined the network


• Government commitmentremains strong.



Risks/Assumptions

• A new hybrid rice informationsystem established andoperational, expeditingexchange of information ongermplasm materials

• Research and developmentprograms involving 9 DMCswell-coordinated

• A hybrid rice web siteestablished and operational

• Steering committeeand technicalcommittee reportsand meetings

2. Conduct training forresearchers andextension workerson varietalimprovement,agronomic trials onfarmers’ fields,multiplication ofparental lines, andtechnologydisseminationtechniques

• 150 researchers andextension workers receivespecialized training on hybridrice research anddissemination by 2004.


• Consultancymonitoring missions’reports

• Adequate number ofresearchers and extensionworkers assigned to the DMCs

3. Conduct training forprivate, public, NGO,and farmerscooperatives incommercial hybridseed multiplicationand marketing

• 100 commercial seedsupervisors and 5,000 seedgrowers trained by 2004

• Number of hybrid seedindustries increased to 50 or20 more than those inoperation in 2001

• Commercial quantities ofhybrid seeds available in 4DMCs by 2004


• Consultancymissions’ reports

• Adequate number of technicalpersonnel available

• Hybrid seed technologyprofitable for seed enterprises

4. Conduct applied andstrategic research toimprove and sustainthe performance ofhybrid rice

• 60 elite hybrid lines withstable yields, good grainquality, and resistant to pestsidentified by 2004

• 30 parental lines for 2-linehybrids and indica-tropicaljaponica hybrids with newplant type and strong vigoridentified by 2004

• Testing of hybrid rice onrainfed lowland ecosystemcompleted



• Breeding materials fromInternational Rice ResearchInstitute (IRRI) and othernetwork members made freelyavailable

5. Promote expansionof areas planted tohybrid rice byselecting suitablelocations todisseminate theimproved hybrid ricetechnology

• 4 DMCs identified suitableirrigated and rainfed lowlandareas totaling 1.36 million haby 2004.



• Policies for increasing riceproduction in place



Risks/Assumptions

6. Conductsocioeconomicstudies to measureimpact of the hybridrice technology ontarget beneficiaries

• 4 impact assessment studiesin 4 DMCs on changes in riceproduction, farm income, andother socioeconomicparameters completed by2004

• Analysis of productivity ofhybrid rice and profitability ofhybrid seed commercialproduction completed by2004



• Government commitment andsupport unchanged

7. Conduct studies toidentify major policyconstraints affectinggovernment supportfor development anddissemination ofhybrid ricetechnology

• Major policy constraintsaffecting Governmentcommitments, technical andfinancial support fordevelopment anddissemination of hybrid riceidentified and discussed withgovernment officials by 2004



• IRRI and FAO policystudies reports

• Government interested inincreasing rice productionthrough hybrid rice technology

D. Inputs

1. Personnel2. Travel3. Research4. Training and Human

ResourcesDevelopment

5. Dissemination ofResearch

6. AdministrativeSupport

7. Contingencies

Cost Estimates ($)

1,060,00040,000

975,000290,000

155,000

220,000

90,000

TOTAL 2,830,000

• Semiannual reports


Table A5.2: Cost Estimates and Financing Plan (IRRI)($’000)

Financed by

Item ADB a IRRI FAO APSA NARSs Total

A. Research Personnel (person-months inparentheses)

International1. IRRI Project Coordinator (18) 180 180

2. Project Manager (36) 200 200

Local1. NARS Staff (1,000) 400 4002. Support Staff (144) 50 10 603. Consultants (3) 60 604. FAO Staff (9) 100 1005. APSA Staff (9) 60 60

B. Travel 30 5 5 40

C. Work, Equipment, and Materials1. Support to NARS Research, Seed

Production, and Technology Transfer, and toExtension Service

200 100 100 30 300 730

2. Collaboration for Strategic Research andEquipment

65 40 140 245

D. Training and Human ResourcesDevelopment1. Training 70 50 50 50 2202. Study Tour and Monitoring Visits 30 10 30 70

E. Dissemination of Results, Networking,Technical Support (Workshops, Reports,and Coordination)1. Workshops 60 20 30 10 1202. Publications and Information System 15 10 253. Socioeconomic Impact Survey 10 10

F. Administrative Support1. Administrative Support (15%) 120 50 45 5 220

G. Contingencies (12%) 90 90

TotalPercent

1,00035

47017

36013

1104

89031

2,830 100

ADB = Asian Development Bank, APSA = Asia-Pacific Seed Association, FAO = Food and Agriculture Organization, IRRI =International Rice Research Institute, NARS = national agricultural research system.a Financing will come from the ADB-funded TA Program.


Table A5.3: Implementing Agencies (IRRI)

Item Implementing Agency Contact Person

A. Original Network Members

1. Bangladesh Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) Dr. M.A. Hamid MiahDirector General of BRRI

2. India Directorate of Rice Research (DRR) Dr. B.N. MishraNational Project Director

3. Indonesia Central Research Institute for Food Crops (CRIFC) Dr. Djoko S. DamardjatiDirector General of CRIFC

4. Philippines Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Dr. Leocadio S. SebastianExecutive Director of PhilRice

5. Sri Lanka Rice Research and Development Institute (RRDI) Sr. Sumith AbeysiriwardenaDirector of RRDI

6. Viet Nam Viet Nam Agricultural Sciences Institute (VASI) Sr. Nguyen Huu NghiaDirector General of VASI

B. New Network Members

1. Republic of Korea National Crop Experiment Station (NCES) Dr. Sok-Dong KimDirector General of NCES

2. Myanmar Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) Dr. Toe AungDirector General of CARI

3. Thailand Rice Research Institute (RRI) Dr. Suthep LimthongkaulDirector General of RRI

C. Collaborating Institutions/Country

1. Food and AgricultureOrganization

Plant Production and Protection Dr. Dat VanExecutive Secretary, IRC,PPPD, FAO

2. APSA Asia-Pacific Seed Association Dr. Noel MamicpicDirector

3. People’s Republic ofChina (PRC)

China National Hybrid Rice Research andDevelopment Center (CNHRRDC)

China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI)

Professor Yuan Long PingDirector General of CNHRRDC

Professor Zhang Zhi TaoDirector General of CNRRI

D. Executing Agency

1. International RiceResearch Institute (IRRI)

IRRI Dr. Ronald P. CantrellDirector General

Dr. S.S. VirmaniPlant Breeder cum Deputy Head,Plant Breeding, Genetics andBiotechnology Division

Appendix 655

COST ESTIMATES AND FINANCING PLAN($’000)

Financed by

Study ADB a CGIARCenters NARSs Other

Sources b Total

1. Developing New MaizeGermplasm ThroughBiotechnology for Resource-PoorFarmers in Asia (CIMMYT)

1,000 900 720 180 2,800

2. Improving Crop-LivestockProduction Systems in RainfedAreas of Southeast Asia (ILRI)

1,000 795 940 780 3,515

3. Developing SustainableCoconut-Based Income-Generating Technologies in PoorRural Communities (IPGRI)

1,000 666 1,060 274 3,000

4. Sustaining Food Security in AsiaThrough the Development ofHybrid Rice Technology (IRRI)

1,000 470 890 470 2,830

Total 4,000 2,831 3,610 1,704 12,145

Percent 33 23 30 14 100

ADB = Asian Development Bank, CGIAR = Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, CIMMYT = CentroInternacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz Y Trigo (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center), ILRI = InternationalLivestock Research Institute, IPGRI = International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, IRRI = International Rice ResearchInstitute, NARS = national agricultural research system.a Financing will come from the ADB-funded TA Program.b APSA = Asia-Pacific Seed Association, CAAS = Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CIP = International Potato

Center, FAO = Food and Agriculture Organization, IFAD = International Fund for Agricultural Development, IDRC =International Development Research Centre.

Documents

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK · APSA - Asia-Pacific Seed Association ARBN - Asian Rice Biotechnology Network BLSB - banded leaf and sheath blight BMS - benchmark site CAAS - Chinese Academy