AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

PROJECT PURPOSE IS TO EXPAND THE CAPABILITY OF THE CENTRAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE (CRIA) TO PERFORM RESEARCH IN FOOD CROP PRODUCTION. EVALUATION IS BASED ON A JOINT REVIEW OF PROJECT RECORDS BY CRIA, THE INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (PROJECT CONTRACTOR), AND USAID. AFTER 5 YEARS OF RESEARCH, CRIA RELEASED 4 NEW RICE VARIETIES RESISTANT TO THE BROWN PLANT HOPPER (BPH). OVER 1000 SITES WERE EVALUATED TO DELINEATE AREAS OF SEVERE BPH INFESTATION. BPH-RESISTANT VARIETIES WERE PLANNED IN THOSE AREAS THUS REDUCING RICE LOSSES TO A MINIMUM. IN 1978 ABOUT 1 MILLION HECTARES WERE PLANNED WITH BPH-RESISTANT RICE VARIETIES. BREEDING OF VARIETIES ADAPTABLE TO COLD OR TIDAL LAND REGIONS IS PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY. CROPPING SYSTEMS RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED IN 5 TARGET AREAS IN 1978. THE 2 ORIGINAL TARGET AREAS IN WEST JAVA AND CENTRAL LAMPUNG HAVE SERVED AS MODELS FOR MORE INTENSIVE CROPPING PATTERNS (AN EXTRA CROP PER YEAR) ON IRRIGATED AND PARTIALLY IRRIGATED RICE LANDS ON JAVA, AND FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PRODUCTIVE FOOD CROP ECONOMY IN THE UNDERDEVELOPED UPLAND AREAS TO SUMARTA AND KALIMANTAN. THE CROPPING PATTERNS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE FARMER"S INCOME EVEN THOUGH LABOR COSTS ALMOST DOUBLE AND AGRONOMIC INPUT COSTS INCREASE CONSIDERABLY. THE SUPPLY OF INPUTS WILL HAVE TO BE INCREASED TO SUSTAIN THE PRODUCTION INCREASES. THE COLLECTION AND EVALUATION OF BASELINE DATA AND DATA FOR MONITORING CROPPING SYSTEMS IN FARMER"S FIELDS HAVE BEEN INPROVED AND STANDARDIZED. DATA SO FAR COLLECTED INDICATE THAT INDONESIA CAN ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN RICE PRODUCTION ON IRRIGATED RICE LANDS ALONG IF APPROPRIATE CROPPING PATTERNS AND IRRIGATION PRACTICES ARE USED. OVERALL TRAINING IS ON SCHEDULE. PROJECT SUCCESS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE MUTUAL COOPERATION BETWEEN GOI, IRRI, AND USAID. ONE LESSON LEARNED IS THAT A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT DEPENDS UPON THE WHOLEHEARTED INTEREST OF THE HOST COUNTRY AND THE JUDICIOUS SELECTION OF CONTRACT PERSONNEL. IRRI ANNUAL REPORT IS ATTACHED.