Resumen

Descripción

To facilitate information on new seed varieties.

Aims / objectives: To build trust between the seed dealers and the farmers.
To introduce new seed varieties to rural farmers that are appropriate to the growing conditions of the region. These varieties have added benefits like taste, quality, disease resistance and longer storage capacity over local traditional varieties.

Methods: The programme uses a facilitation approach to bring stakeholders together and explain the mutual benefits of working together to improve the vegetable seed value chain in the region.

Stages of implementation: 1. Discuss with the seed dealers the idea of marketing their new imported seed varieties in the community using demonstration plots.
2. Help the seed dealer to identify capable and willing community based farmers to cultivate the demonstration plots.
3. Help facilitate the contractual arrangement between the stakeholders, in this case the seed dealer provides free seed and agricultural inputs, whilst the farmer cultivates the crop with advice from the seed dealer.
4. Just before the harvest an Open Field Day is held by the farmer and seed dealer for local rural farmers to visit the site and ask questions about the crop.

Role of stakeholders: Programme Staff: To facilitate the process and linkages between stakeholders.
Seed Dealers: to provide seed, inputs and information to the land user on cultivation methods.
Farmer: To cultivate the crop to the best of their ability and provide information to local farmers.

Other important information: In this context the seed dealer also is key player in the vegetable seed value chain for providing agricultural extension services to rural farmer, however, there are issues of trust between farmers and seed dealers due to the lack of control of quality of imported seed (90% of market), lack of information in the local language, and sold after the expired date.

Lugar

Lugar: Tarta / Barda / Agdam, Upper Karabach, Azerbaiyán

Georreferencia de sitios seleccionados

46.93072, 40.3215

Dato de inicio: 2012

Año de conclusión: 2013

Tipo de Enfoque

tradicional/ local
iniciativa local reciente/ innovadora
proyecto/ basado en un programa

Metas del Enfoque y entorno facilitador

Propósitos/ objetivos principales del Enfoque

The Approach focused mainly on other activities than SLM (Intensification and improved yields)

The main aim was to introduce more effective and high yielding varieties of traditional crops to the small rural farmers of central Azerbaijan, and consequently improve their livelihood status.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: There are several key problems, including low productivity, lack of agricultural knowledge, funds for investment, large rural poverty and lack of stimulus in the agricultural sector.

Condiciones que facilitan la implementación de la/s Tecnología/s aplicadas bajo el Enfoque

Marco de trabajo legal (tenencia de tierra, derechos de uso de tierra y agua): Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Azerbaijan have very limited access to land. Many of the them live in the region of implementation of the approach. It remains to be seen if the choice of variety will help these people improve their agricultural output.

Condiciones que impiden la implementación de la/s Tecnología/s aplicadas bajo el Enfoque

Normas y valores sociales/ culturales/ religiosos: There is an over dependence on traditional varieties of vegetable seeds and a lack of trust in the vegetable seed value chain. Treatment through the SLM Approach: To build the trust between the seed dealer and the farmers through an evidence based process and consequently introduce better suited and higher yielding varieties.
Disponibilidad/ acceso a recursos y servicios financieros : Traditional varieties tend to be the cheapest on the market due to the volume. Seed dealers provide rural farmers with credit until harvest time but often fail to recouperate the loans due to poor yields. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Seed dealers have increased confidence in the profit potential of new brands due to higher yields and are more likely to provide credit to farmers until harvest time.
Entorno institucional: The seed authority has a legal responsibility to inspect and certify seeds. At best this is a limited practice and does nothing to prevent the import of adulterated seed into the country. Treatment through the SLM Approach:
Carga de trabajo, disponibilidad de mano de obra: Many of the traditional varieties require high levels of input for cultivation to maintain yields, albeit low, and prevent disease. Treatment through the SLM Approach: New varieties have a higher degree of disease resistance and require less agricultural inputs.

Participación y roles de las partes interesadas involucradas

Partes interesadas involucradas en el Enfoque y sus roles

¿Qué partes interesadas/ entidades implementadoras estuvieron involucradas en el Enfoque?	Especifique las partes interesadas	Describa los roles de las partes interesadas
usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales	The land users were predominantly men i.e. 15 /18, however, there was reasonable representation by women at the field days. (The three demonstration plots tended by women land users were not as successful due to their limited technical capacity) Also disadvantaged groups are involved. (It improved the profit margins of rural land users by increasing yield, quality and storage capacity of crops. In some cases there was a 50% increase in profits in tomato, onion, aubergine and sweet pepper).	Land user provides land and labour resources for cultivation.
organizaciones comunitarias		Community land users attended open days to gain information.
especialistas MST/consejeros agrícolas	Seed dealers in this context	Provide agricultural extension services
ONG		Facilitate the approach
sector privado	Seed dealers	Provide inputs and advice free of charge

Involucramiento de los usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales en las distintas fases del Enfoque

ninguno

pasivo

apoyo externo

interactivo

auto-movilización

iniciación/ motivación

planificación

the land users decide with the seed dealers on the crop to be planted

implementación

The land user is entirley responsible for the cultivation and harvest activities.

monitoreo y evaluación

The land user is responsible to report back the success of the project to the seed dealer and the local community.

Research

Flujograma

The programme's role (i.e. Oxfam's) was to act as a facilitator in the process and not to provide tangible assets for the seed dealer or the farmers. It is beased up the Market for the Poor approach developed by Springfield Consultancy, UK.

Autor: S. Stevenson (Oxfam Azerbaijan)

La toma de decisiones en la selección de Tecnología MST

Las decisiones fueron tomadas por

solamente usuarios de tierras (autoiniciativa)
principalmente usuarios de tierras con el apoyo de especialistas MST
todos los actores relevantes, como parte de un enfoque participativo
principalmente por especialistas MST en consulta con usuarios de tierras
solo por especialistas MST
por políticos/ líderes

La toma de decisiones se basa en

la evaluación de conocimiento MST bien documentado (la toma de decisiones se basa en evidencia)
hallazgos de investigaciones
la experiencia personal y opiniones (no documentadas)

Apoyo técnico, fortalecimiento institucional y gestión del conocimiento

Las siguientes actividades o servicios fueron parte del enfoque

Construcción de capacidades / capacitación
Servicio de asesoría
Fortalecimiento institucional (desarrollo institucional)
Monitoreo y evaluación
Investigación

Construcción de capacidades/ capacitación

Se proporcionó capacitación a las siguientes partes interesadas

usuarios de tierras
personal de campo/ consejeros
community famers gain some information on the open field days.

Forma de capacitación

en el contexto de trabajo
de agricultor a agricultor
áreas de demostración
reuniones públicas
cursos

Temas avanzados

Specifically on cultivation techniques, inputs and irrigation.

Servicio de asesoría

Se proporcionó servicio de asesoría

en los campos de los usuarios de tierras
en centros permanentes

Name of method used for advisory service: Seed Dealers; Key elements: Seed variety, Cultivation, Agricultural Inputs; This is cursory support.

Advisory service is inadequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; This is an informal arrangement whereby the seed dealers act as agricultural extension services, this is not their primary purpose and will only continue to do it as part of a customer service remit.

Monitoreo y evaluación

Bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: Output from demo plots was calculated Bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements; indicators: Quality of the cultivation was observed by project staff. Technical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: Number of land users attending demonstration days was recorded Technical aspects were None monitored by project staff through measurements There were no changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation There were no changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation

Investigación

La investigación trató los siguientes temas

sociología
economía/ marketing
ecología
tecnología

Comparitive cost benefit analysis was undertaken between the demonstration plots and traditional varieties.

Research was carried out on-farm

Financiamiento y apoyo material externo

Presupuesto anual en dólares americanos para el componente MST

< 2,000
2,000-10,000
10,000-100,000
100,000-1,000,000
> 1,000,000

Precise annual budget: n.d.

Approach costs were met by the following donors: international non-government (facilitation, including the arrangement of the open field days): 65.0%; private sector (seeds and input materials): 5.0%; local community / land user(s) (labour and agricultural machinery): 30.0%

Los siguientes servicios o incentivos fueron proporcionados a los usuarios de las tierras

Apoyo financiero/material proporcionado a los usuarios de tierras
Subsidios para insumos específicos
Crédito
Otros incentivos o instrumentos

Apoyo financiero/material proporcionado a los usuarios de tierras

30% of the approach was paid by the private sector (i.e. seed dealers and farmers)

parcialmente financiado

totalmente financiado

equipo: maquinaria

labour

agrícola: semillas

new seeds

Open field day

Training room and lunch

El trabajo de los usuarios de las tierras fue

voluntario?
comida por trabajo?
pagado en efectivo?
recompensado con otro tipo de apoyo material?

Análisis de impacto y comentarios de conclusión

Impactos del Enfoque

Sí, un poco

Sí, moderadamente

Sí, mucho

¿El Enfoque ayudó a los usuarios de tierras a implementar y mantener Tecnologías MST?

It improved their crop selection and had a slight impact on their technical capacity.

¿El Enfoque empoderó a grupos en desventaja social y económica?

For 15 rural farmers that have cultivated demo plots.

Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?

It is too early to say, however this was a primary goal of the project.

Motivación principal del usuario de la tierra para implementar MST

producción incrementada
incremento de la renta(bilidad), proporción mejorada de costo-beneficio
reducción de la degradación de la tierra
reducción del riesgo de desastres naturales
carga de trabajo reducida
pagos/ subsidios
reglas y reglamentos (multas)/ aplicación
prestigio, presión social/ cohesión social
afiliación al movimiento/ proyecto/ grupo/ redes
conciencia medioambiental
costumbres y creencias, moral
conocimiento y capacidades mejorados de MST
mejoramiento estético
mitigación de conflicto

Sostenibilidad de las actividades del Enfoque

¿Pueden los usuarios de tierras sostener lo que se implementó mediante el Enfoque (sin apoyo externo)?

no
sí
incierto

Oxfam will continue to facilitate the demonstration plots for another season, and whereby this arrangement will then have to be self sustained. The issue is whether the seed dealer will continue with the open fields days or rely on the famer to spread the information with regards to the crop.

Conclusiones y lecciones aprendidas

Fortalezas: perspectiva del usuario de tierras

It was successful as profit from the land has been improved, and new varieties have been introduced. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Try more varieties to see how they grow.)

Fortalezas: punto de vista del compilador o de otra persona recurso clave

The approach was easy to implement once the stakeholders understood the idea behind it. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: The famers could develop into sub dealers for the farmers.)

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos: perspectiva del usuario de tierrascómo sobreponerse

Availability of the seed variety in the next season is not sure. Provide positive feedback to the seed dealers that there is a demand for their product.

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos: punto de vista del compilador o de otra persona recurso clavecómo sobreponerse

It is fully dependent upon the seed dealer participating.There are also issues to ensure that the new seed variety will continue to be imported into the country and that it remains financially competitive. An advocacy event is planned to encourage importers to further develop links with the importers. Seed dealers were invited to a coordination meeting to discuss their experiences and share success stories.

Introduction of new seed varieties through demonstration plots with seed dealers (Azerbaiyán)