The main objectives of my proposed visit will be to perform the following tasks in close collaboration with the FAOR

1. 
   To discuss the following main issues of GCP/PAK/095/USA:
   

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  Project progress and future activities with the new CTA and FAOR
  

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  progress of activities in line with the LAO between FAO/ICARDA
  

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  Status of project facilities
  

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  Collaboration with relevant national and international institutes in implementation of project tasks
  

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  Field activities and discussion with the groups directly involved in implementation of field trials
  

2. 
   Provide a report, within 2 weeks, on main findings, conclusions and recommendations for follow-up.
   

Implementing Agency: MINFAL

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  improving their management of scarce water resources;
  
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  improving their range management and livestock marketing;
  
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  enhancement of their crop productivity and agro-processing on a sustainable basis.
  

The target beneficiaries are the rural poor agricultural households engaged in arid crop and rangeland livestock production. The community-based participatory model is used to link applied research to technology transfer activities. The project directly works with 180 community organizations in the three Project Districts of Loralai, Qila Saifullah and Mastung. These communities are supported by three Male Project Community Organisers and one Female Community Organiser in each district.

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  1,033 project households in Loralai, Quila Saifullah and Mastung districts benefited from project assistance in land leveling and dyke construction to improve their saliaba (rainwater runoff collection and concentration in areas of good soil) systems increasing water supply to an additional 1,662 acres.
  
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  34 project households in 2 communities in Loralai have completed, with project assistance, construction of lined water storage reservoirs for irrigation purposes, which combined with technical advice on improved irrigation scheduling, has enabled an additional 11 acre of cropping from the same water source.
  
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  Two drinking water schemes completed to provide clean potable water for 2 community organizations in Loralai.
  
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  169 project households (Loralai and Duki) installed irrigation pipelines improving water conveyance efficiency and enabling an additional 145 acres of cultivation from the same water source.
  
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  Three project communities consisting of 126 households completed tube well casing in three of their wells, improved availability of water enabled additional 45 acres cultivation.
  
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  Two drinking water facilities installed for WCOs (Women Community Organizations) in Mastung and Loralai, benefiting 122 house holds.
  
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  14 Kareze systems in Mastung and Qila Saifullah rehabilitated, considerably increasing water yield, which combined with improved irrigation scheduling and training of farmers, saved fruit plants and crops from permanent loss. Increased agriculture production and quality benefited 614 households.
  
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  One check dam constructed at Qila Saifullah to augment the shallow aquifer and increase Karez flow. Pizometric monitoring will be conduced over the remainder of the project to quantify benefits.
  
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  8 training courses for farmers and agriculture staff held to impart water conservation techniques, water management, improved irrigation practices, and the benefits of proper irrigation scheduling. 45 farmers and 9 Agriculture staff participated.
  
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  2 Study tours supported to the Lahore Water Management Academy, Agriculture University Faisalabad and NARC Islamabad, to enhance the technical capacity of Balochistan technical Departments. 10 participants.
  

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  1,000 women from the project WCOs across three districts trained on rural poultry production and marketing.
  
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  80 Women from 4 WCOs in Mastung district purchased on cost share basis with the project 1,600 Fayyumi chickens. These birds now on average are returning approximately Rs. 350 per month to each woman from egg sales, as well as providing 3 eggs per day for family use. This increased income has been used by the women for small scale family purchases. Expansion to the other two project Districts was temporarily suspended until resolution of the Avian Flu issue, as this has implications both for economic loss and human health due to the close association/cohabitation of humans with rural poultry.
  
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  1,500 livestock farmers of the project MCOs across all three Districts were given short term training on sheep production and animal fattening techniques. Of these, 1,300 participated in an animal fattening programme targeted at the project identified Eid-ul-Azha market. In total over 300 tons of prepared feed were purchased on cost share basis by the communities, and used to fatten 6,500 animals (on average 5 animals per HH). The farmers made approximately Rs. 750/- extra from the sale of each fattened animal and are so convinced of the economic benefits that they intend repeating the exercise.
  
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  5,000 people participated in the 3 livestock shows supported by the Project, the Department Of Livestock and Dairy Development and the EU-SLSP. Around 3,000 animals were exhibited in these shows.
  
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  30 Radio Programs in Brahvi and Pushto languages were put on air from radio Pakistan Loralai and Quetta.
  
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  10 Officer from Department of Livestock and Dairy Development and AZRC undertook an intensive 10-days training course in The Pakistan Forestry Institute, Peshawar on Rangeland Management and Conservation.
  
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  70 project stakeholders, administrative and scientific professionals concerned with the sector, participated in one-day workshop on Community-based Animal Health, and resolved that the project approach of training community based animal worker was both relevant and appropriate to the needs of the farmer and should be supported. Subsequently 28 farmers/community activists were trained as Community-based Animal Health Worker, treating and vaccinating 6,328 animals.
  
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  500 copies of brochures in Urdu language on “sheep production” have been printed in collaboration with the Livestock and Dairy Development Department Balochistan.
  
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  500 copies of booklet in Urdu language on “Rural poultry production and management” printed and distributed to Women Community Organizations.
  
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  Two studies are currently in train one on livestock marketing, and the other on traditional Range Management techniques. Findings and recommendations of these reports will guide future project interventions in these critical areas.
  

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  450 tonnes of high quality wheat seed (Bhakker-2002) was introduced by the project to help overcome an acute seed shortage at planting time Rabi 2005/06 in the project areas. This was distributed to 70 project communities on cost share basis, and enabled 9,000 acres of irrigated wheat production (5,500 ac Loralai, 2,600 ac Qila Saifullah and 1,000 ac Mastung).
  
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    Results in Loralai were excellent with the project communities’ assessment that it out yielded local wheat by a factor of 2 to 1. Project estimates of total production are over 8,000 tons of bread wheat, or nearly 1,500 kg per acre. These communities were so impressed by the performance of the variety that they have saved seed for re-sowing in Rabi 2006/07.
    
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    Performance in Qila Saifullah was also good (estimated production 2,300 tones or 908 kg per acre), but yields were reduced by cold winter temperatures in higher altitude areas, but the irrigated crops grew away well after the frost (in contrast rainfed trials were killed completely by the combined effect of frost and drought).
    
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    In Mastung results were poor due to cold damage but also by the extreme shortage of irrigation water due to prolonged load shedding (estimated yields of 260 tonnes or only 280kg per acre). More of the crops in Qila Saifullah and Loralai were irrigated from Karez sources.
    
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  Some interesting conclusions have been drawn from this experience:
  
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    Shortage of quality graded seed is a major constraint for project farmers.
    
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    There is real potential to improve yields through introduction of higher yield potential germplasm.
    
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    Rehabilitation of Karez systems is more sustainable than depending on variable electricity supplies to pump irrigation water.
    
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    Trials on supplemental irrigation need to be undertaken to determine optimum use of scarce water resources i.e. measure of yield per cubic metre of water used rather than per acre.
    
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  60 Demonstration orchards (1-2 ac) were established with 60 project communities of a range of drought tolerant species – almond, pomegranate, pistachio, olive and grape. These will be the sites for future training in improved irrigation delivery systems to conserve water use, and improved orchard management techniques.
  
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  160 female beneficiaries from project WCOs across the three districts have benefited from training in simple home-based agroprocessing techniques that helps them preserve temporary surplus production for later use by the family in seasons of traditional shortage (e.g. dried tomatoes). 180 Female beneficiaries were trained in kitchen garden techniques and supplied with a range of vegetable seeds as a starter pack.
  

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  6 Integrated Research Sites, 2 in each project District, have been selected through an RRA process and in collaboration with Scientists of Arid Zone Research centre (AZRC) and Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) and Technology Transfer Institute (TTI), adaptive research processes have commenced.
  
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  A base line study was conducted (March-May 2005) to characterize the livelihoods of rural communities of the IRS in terms of their assets and opportunities, and determine the socio-economic conditions of the farming communities for use in monitoring and evaluation.
  
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  Research stakeholders meetings were held June 2005 for work planning and July 2006 to review research findings, adopt recommendations and develop future work directions and plans. These meetings were attended by ICARDA, FAO, AZRC, ARI, TTI and different line department scientists. The opening session was chaired by H.E. the Governor of Balochistan. 90% of the presentations were delivered by young local scientists to develop their skills in interpretation of data and presentation of results, as in future these scientists will be assets of Govt. of Balochistan.
  
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  Research crop trials got off to an excellent start with good rains for Rabi (winter crop) 2004/05 and good soil moisture for Kharif (summer crop) 2005 allowing valid testing and identification of superior selections of wheat, barley and lentil.
  

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  However the extremely dry Rabi 2005/06 caused widespread crop failure in those crops entirely dependant on rainfall, including the project trials, thus preventing follow up and validation of these early results. Soil moisture status was so low that subsequent Kharif crops also failed or, in fact, could not be sown. See table for contrast over the three season’s rainfall compared to the long term average (LTA).
  

Table 1. Cropping season rainfall mm Quetta AZRC (Brewery)¹

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  3 Wheat varieties (AZRI-96, K-98 and Sham-6), have been recommended for larger scale demonstration to let farmers see their performance characteristics and these will be planted in collaboration with the Development team of the project in Rabi 2006/07.
  
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  Four lentil varieties (ILL-8081, Sheraz-96, ILL8076 and ILL-4400) were assessed, and their survival under severe cold and drought stress was acknowledged by farmers. ILL-8081 and Sheraz-96 varieties were preferred by the farmers due to good red colouration which is liked by the market, and medium size of the grains. These will be grown out on large scale demonstrations to both bulk up seed and allow farmers another season to experience their performance.
  
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  Availability of high quality seed, both existing local selections and recommended superior introductions of all crops, has been identified as a constraint. Three intermediate technology seed cleaning machines have been introduced and will be used in both research and demonstration roles to batch clean seeds for local communities and facilitate establishment of a local seed production system. It is envisaged that local manufactures can reverse engineer these machines and manufacture copies locally at lower costs.
  
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  Extensive studies have been initiated on water management options for both rainfed and irrigated agriculture to improve water use efficiencies e.g. floodwater harvesting for crop improvement, use of sailaba and groundwater to stabilize crops’ production, and micro-catchments water harvesting for range rehabilitation etc. To date water savings of 20% have been determined for channel lining treatments to reduce transmission losses and water productivity improvements of up to 22% are indicated through regulated deficit irrigation of wheat. These need further trials to determine the reliability of the savings.
  
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  1100 pistachio, 500 olive, 500 almond, 400 pomegranate and 500 grapes were introduced from Syria and established in the IRSs and at Agriculture Research Institute. They will be assessed for drought and frost tolerance and successful varieties will be propagated for local distribution. This is a long term activity and the institutional strengthening of ARI and AZRC will be critical to the future follow up of these introductions. Research on establishment techniques and development of rainwater micro catchments to allow these crops be cultivated under rainfed or minimally irrigated conditions will be a major focus of future activities.
  
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  Two polythene tunnels to promote protected and water efficient cultivation have been installed at ARI and IRS Mastung for doing research on alternative high value crop combinations for profitable production. The scientists of ICARDA have trained the technical and scientific staff of the Agricultural Research Institute, Sariab for the installation and operation of these tunnels.
  
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  Institutional Strengthening and Human Resource Development for participatory research, is an important component of the project. To date 3 workshops have been held:
  
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    Rangeland co-management, in collaboration with International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), ICARDA and AZRC. Forty participants from Forest department, ARI, extension, AZRC, FAO and different NGO’s attended the course
    
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    Participatory Community Based Research Methods to Improve Arid Land Agriculture. Scientists from AZRC, ARI, TTI, forestry and livestock lines departments, FAO, Balochistan Rural Support Program (BRSP) and Women University attended the workshop.
    
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    Training course on Farmer Field Schools (FFS) was conducted jointly by ICARDA, FAO and National Research Center. 26 scientists from AZRC, ARI, TTI, forestry and livestock lines departments, FAO, Balochistan Rural Support Program (BRSP) and Women University attended the course.
    
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  In addition, one extension officer was trained on Seed Enterprise Development and Management; two scientists from Agriculture Research Institute Sariab were trained in “Nursery establishment/Management and fruit tree management”; two crop and livestock scientists from Arid Zone Research Center were trained in “Integrated crop and Livestock production in the dry areas”; two soil and irrigation engineers from Arid Zone Research Center were trained on “ Water management for improved water use efficiency in the dry area” all at ICARDA in Syria.
  

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  A partnership has been formed with BRSP to implement the Community Development activities of the project, whereby 3 male and one female group promoter is located in each project District to facilitate the project Community Organisations. These 12 facilitators were trained in social mobilisation techniques for one week at NARSP in Islamabad as well as undertaking a 3 day Community Management Skill Development Training Course arranged at BRSP, Quetta.
  
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  141 community organizations (COs) have been formed across the three Districts (project objective 180), of which 39 are Women only Community Organisations (WCOs), and are being supported by the project facilitators in developing their plan of operations, setting priorities, and in tapping into the project resources (technical, financial and managerial) to help meet these priorities – for example 168 resolutions for project support across the three thematic areas of the project have been received in the second quarter of 2006.
  
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  Group formation status is still at an early stage as it takes time to build trust between conservative and traditional farming communities and newly appointed facilitators and technical staff of the project, this will need ongoing strengthening over the lifetime of the project to ensure that groups are supported appropriately and are empowered to eventually graduate from the need for external assistance.
  
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  Community priorities have been clearly identified, with water as paramount, followed by livestock and crop improvement interventions. Rangeland rehabilitation consistently is the lowest community priority.
  
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  As a result of the social mobilisation process, some 47 of the Community Organisations have been able to open and operate bank accounts, and have initiated a regular savings programme with their members to assist in a longer term objective of self mobilisation of resources within the community.
  
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  Another positive attitudinal change has been the successful formation of 13 Women’s Community Organisations (WCOs) in Qila Saifullah, where no female community organisations had been successfully implemented before. The perceptions of the project is that as a Government backed initiative it has a status that is comforting to the more conservative Tribal Elders who are concerned about the actions of NGOs. The legitimacy conferred on the project has greatly helped in allowing formation of these WCOs and maintaining open communication with the tribal elders will be an important ongoing activity to ensure the positive start is continued.