PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 1 Reflections from farmer-led trials in India

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 1 Reflections from farmer-led trials in India T. Barik, R.N. Mohapatra, P.L. Pradhan and B.P. Mohapatra Introduction system had not previously been understood by the scientists and extension workers who held Krishi Vigyan Kendra, (KVK), is a leading different opinions to the farmers. Various government organisation in the innovative practices on groundnut cultivation were transfer of technology in India. It is funded discussed among the group members. Table 1 fully by the Indian Council of Agricultural shows how the views of the scientists and farmers differed in groundnut cultivation. Research. This paper shares our experiences of participatory research, particularly farmer-led The scientists learned that the success of trials, over the last few years. The objective is to involve farmers in the decision making at groundnut in the area depended on three all stages. Thus, trials are `farmer-designed things: sandy soil, timely planting and and farmer-implemented' with scientists interculture (weeding) by plough. It appeared acting as facilitators. Experiments are targeted that without using the plough to weed, towards Complex Diverse and Riskprone cultivation of groundnut may not continue, as hand weeding is too costly. The scientists also (CDR) villages. realised that farmers go on modifying ...