PROJECT ASSESSMENTS - Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-income Countries - page 176

effect on the N surplus. The share of manure nitrogen in the N surplus ranges from
20 to 60% across scenarios and when animal husbandry further expands and/or
intensifies policy measures and new technologies should be designed to guarantee
application of manure in cropping systems in an efficient way to avoid environ-
mental problems.
The exit strategy contributes to a reduction in rural poverty, but this scenario is
only realistic under sufficient availability of non-agricultural employment opportunities.
For Pujiang, located near industrialized zones and given the impressive economic
growth in China, this would seem a feasible development from an economic point of
view. However, in the present situation in China such a development may have
serious social consequences. For most rural inhabitants, land serves as an old-age
insurance, and they will, therefore, be reluctant to give up their land rights.
Underemployment in the agricultural sector is difficult to tackle within the current
structure, as certain peak periods (beside possible market constraints) prevent further
expansion of labour-demanding crops (vegetables and woody ornamentals) and thus
a larger participation of the available labour force in the regional production. This
can only be solved through import of temporary labourers from outside Pujiang or
the mechanization of operations in these peak periods, such as harvesting of vege-
tables and fruits. Machinery for this type of operations is underdeveloped, which
calls for research and development in the field of agricultural mechanization. Such
mechanization will alleviate labour constraints in peak periods and will further
increase labour and land productivity.
The results from this study illustrate some of the trade-offs at stake between per
capita income and environmental quality objectives in Pujiang.

3) What are the outputs in terms of capacity-building and partnerships?
IRMLA has invested considerably in capacity building of local NARS with respect
to new research methods (through specific and formal training) and through
initiating and maintaining multi-stakeholder processes in the four study regions. The
project has strengthened partnerships between European and Asian research organi-
zations and local stakeholder platforms - and among Asian NARS and, in particular,
between NARS and local governments. Continuation of research partnerships is
warranted through exchange of students (PhD and MSc) between Asian and European
partners (a.o. three PhD projects); some follow-up projects are being formulated;
possibilities for new partnerships have been opened by inviting a number of other
research groups to an international conference (SUMAPOL 2005) that was organi-
zed by the project.

E) Tangible outputs, dissemination and impact

• For the scientific output, see point D1 (and section Output at the end);

• Other scientific output and project activities are described under points C1, D2

and D3;