ABSTRACT

Conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification (CASI) is a package of practices that could improve the sustainability of smallholder farm productivity and profitability. However, existing extension systems are unable to facilitate widespread adoption to have the impact necessary to meet food security and livelihood requirements. This paper examines the utility of ‘Innovation Platforms’ (IPs) as a tool to catalyse adoption of CASI for smallholder farmers in South Asia and generate opportunities for rural micro-entrepreneurship in areas with high rates of poverty, small farm sizes and complex labour markets. We established 37 village-level and five District-level IPs across the Eastern Gangetic Plains of Nepal, Bangladesh, and India. IPs allowed widespread uptake of CASI with benefits to smallholder farmers, input and output suppliers, and enabled extension systems to be more efficient. There was variability across locations with different modes of IPs established, building on existing farmer or community youth groups, and enabling micro-entrepreneur business opportunities. IPs were effective in developing trust in communities, among stakeholders, empowering rural youth and women through direct engagement. Ensuring strong ownership was key. Further work is needed to provide opportunities for high-level policy support to assist IPs to have a wider impact in supporting large-scale adoption of CASI.

摘要

基于保护性农业的可持续集约化 (CASI) 是一揽子实践，可以提高小农农场生产力和盈利能力的可持续性。然而，现有的推广系统无法促进广泛采用以产生满足粮食安全和生计要求所需的影响。本文探讨了“创新平台”（IP）作为促进南亚小农采用 CASI 的工具的效用，并在贫困率高、农场规模小和劳动力市场复杂的地区为农村微型创业创造机会... 我们在尼泊尔、孟加拉国和印度的恒河东部平原建立了 37 个村级和 5 个区级 IP。IPs 使 CASI 的广泛采用使小农、投入和产出供应商受益，并使扩展系统更加高效。在现有农民或社区青年团体的基础上，以不同模式建立 IP 的地点之间存在差异，并为微型企业家创造了商业机会。知识产权有效地建立了社区和利益相关者之间的信任，通过直接参与赋予农村青年和妇女权力。确保强有力的所有权是关键。需要进一步开展工作，为高层政策支持提供机会，以帮助 IP 在支持大规模采用 CASI 方面产生更广泛的影响。知识产权有效地建立了社区和利益相关者之间的信任，通过直接参与赋予农村青年和妇女权力。确保强有力的所有权是关键。需要进一步开展工作，为高层政策支持提供机会，以帮助 IP 在支持大规模采用 CASI 方面产生更广泛的影响。知识产权有效地建立了社区和利益相关者之间的信任，通过直接参与赋予农村青年和妇女权力。确保强有力的所有权是关键。需要进一步开展工作，为高层政策支持提供机会，以帮助 IP 在支持大规模采用 CASI 方面产生更广泛的影响。