INTEGRATED WHEAT DEVELOPMENT - PHASE

PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ESTABLISHING THE BAGHLAN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER THROUGH A MODEL FARMER APPROACH WITH TRAINED EXTENSIONAGENTS LOCATED AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL AND SUPPORTED BY THE BAGHLAN CENTER. PLOT TRIALS AT THE CENTER AND CLUSTER VERIFCATION TRIALS ON FARMERS" FIELDS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN BAGHLAN IN ORDER TO DEVEL PACKAGES DESIGNED FOR FARMERS ON PARTIALLY IRRIGATED AS WELL AS FULLY IRRIGATED LAND. 25 BAGHLAN EXTENSION AGENTS WILL BE TRAINED PER YEAR AT THE CENTER IN THE USEOF NEW WHEAT PRODUCTION PACKAGES. A RESEARCH/EXTENSION TRAINING FACILITY WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AND EQUIPPED. 10 OFFICE/RESIDENCE UNITS WILL ALSO BE CONSTRUCTED AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL FOR USE BY TRAINED EXTENSION AGENTS WITH 10 ADDL UNITS BUILT BY END OF PROJ. CHARACTERISTICS, PRACTICES AND CONSTRAINTS OF BAGHLAN FARMERS ON IRRIG AND RAINFED LANDS WILL BE SURVEYED, AND FINDINGS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO DEVEL OF IRRIG WHEAT PACKAGES AND INTO THE DESIGN OF DRYLAND WHEAT PROGRAM FORPHASE II. A SYSTEM OF CROP REPORTING WILL BE ESTABLISHED. ANOUTREACH CAMPAIGN WILL BE LAUNCHED FROM THE CENTER FOR RECOMMENDED IRRIG WHEAT PACKAGE BY THE 4TH CROP SEASON. IN SUPPORT OF THE DRYLAND, RESEARCH EFFORT, WHEAT RESEARCH WILL BE ORGANIZED AT NATNL RESEARCH STATION IN KABUL SO THAT AVAILABLE IRRIG VARIETIES ARE RELEASED TO BAGHLAND FOR 1ST GROWING SEASON; MORE DROUGHT-RESISTANT VARIETIES WILL BE DEVELOPED. IN ADDITION, AFGHANI PLANT BREEDERS AND OTHER RESEARCHERS WILL BE TRAINED TO ADVANCE DEGREE LEVELS. ALSO, WINTER WHEAT RESEARCH TRIALS WILL BE CONTINUED AT JALABAD AND KABUL AND OFF-SEASON WINTER TRIALS AT BAMIYAN. THIS WILL PROVIDE 8 GROWING SEASONS OF TRIALS (DURING THE 4-YR PROJ) AND MORE IMPETUS TO DEVELOP DRYLAND WHEAT VRIETIES. FINALLY, SOCIAL AND COST/BENEFIT ANALYSES PLUS DESIGN FOR FOLLOW-ON PROJ WILL BE DEVELOPED. GOA"S MINIS OF AGR WILL IMPLEMENT PROJ THROUGH DEPTS OF RSRCH AND EXT OF MINIS; ADVISORY/TRNG/FINAN ASSIST PROVIDED BY AID THROUGH CONSORTIUM OF MID-WEST LAND-GRANT UNIVS.