Case study of on-farm adaptive research in the Bida agricultural development project - Nigeria

This preliminary case study describes the character and productivity of the four distinct cropping systems (lowland rice, upland yam, upland cassava, and upland cereals) that are the program"s target domains; analyzes the systems" production constraints and the opportunities for experimentation; and describes the design and results of on-farm trials and farmers" reaction thereto. Results show the program"s ability to quickly improve local farming systems, as well as farmers" effectiveness - provided they are allowed to participate as a group in order to reduce risk - in diffusing improved technologies. The program has also demonstrated the efficiency of BADP"s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit in collecting agroeconomic data and has helped develop linkages among BADP"s commercial, extension, and agronomy sections. The major problem has been the lack of trained personnel - a problem endemic to West Africa as a whole.