PROJECT ASSESSMENTS - Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-income Countries - page 208

2) Which important challenges in the area of RDSA in the tropics are there in the
near future (say 5 to 10 years)?
Peri-urban areas : agricultural intensification, land use change, water shortage, land
shortage, sufficient food production, environmental protection, sufficient employment,
increase in income, urbanization, increasing efficiency in water use, increasing
efficiency in land use, increasing efficiency in nutrient use.
Rural areas : sufficient food production, interesting cash crops, increase in income,
options for agricultural development, availability of inputs (e.g., fertilizers, good
seed) and money (credit system), infrastructure and markets (e.g., good roads and
transport options) to allow efficient product transfer to market and product speciali-
zation, sustainability in agricultural systems (both economic and bio-physical),
protection of agricultural land areas and soils (against erosion, soil degradation,
nutrient depletion, etc.), distribution of knowledge on efficient and sustainable
agricultural production systems.
3) What type of research could contribute to addressing these challenges?
(a) Integrated agricultural systems analyses; and
(b) Integrated studies in representative case study areas.
H) For completed projects
1) What has happened since your DLO-IC project was completed?
Project has been terminated, as explained in point C1. Thereafter, a lot of interest
has been indicated in follow-ups, e.g., by the Dutch Embassy in Peking, and by
Chinese researchers; however, former project personnel with relevant expertise was
not available for such follow-ups.
2) Are there follow-up proposals developed and to whom are they submitted?
Follow-up proposal has been submitted in 2004 to the ASIA PRO ECO programme
of the EU, but was not accepted due to non adhering to required formalities (retreat
of a local government project partner).