Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
farmers. Nonetheless, a study based on the analysis of house-
hold-level data collected from 986 farmers indicated a signifi-
cant growth in the application of fertiliser by the farmers of
India. According to this study, 81% of the farmers applied both
inorganic and organic fertilisers during the 2001/2002 crop
year and reported an increased supply of the fertiliser, some-
thing they had not experienced previously.
In the early 1990s, NARC instituted a significant change in
agricultural research and development. One of the outcomes
was the setting up of Participatory Technology Development
(PTD), a programme that focussed on the development of tech-
nologies that are appropriate to the climatically marginalised
regions of the country. This was achieved through collabora-
tive efforts among all stakeholders in agricultural development
including farmers (Witcombe et al., 1996; Sperling and Ashby,
1999). The PTD approach also incorporates indigenous knowl-
edge so that new technologies are best adapted to local social
and environmental conditions. The PTD also provided a clearer
strategy for coordination of new players (e.g. private enterprises
and non-governmental organisations, [NGOs]) involved in
the innovation of agricultural technologies in India (Biggs and
Gauchan, 2001; Gauchan et al., 2003), an unlikely configura-
tion a decade ago.
A new institutional setting for technological innovation is no
doubt complex involving plural systems and multiple sources
of innovation. Nevertheless, such environment provides space
for a wide range of actors in technological innovation includ-
ing farmers, private sectors and NGOs (Sthapit et al., 1996),
and allows for better interaction and learning. While the earlier
work on varietal development lay only within the governmen-
tal research institutions, this new institutional arrangement has
been able to seek wider partnership among the various stake-
holders who are focussed on agricultural development on mar-
ginal areas. This partnership has encouraged NGOs and other
organisations to become stronger research institutions signifi-
cantly contributing to innovations of technologies in agricul-
ture. The role of farmers in technological innovation has also
grown significantly whereby they are now able to set their agen-
das based on their own resource endowments, which are facili-
tated by NARC and NGOs. This new institutional approach has
not only improved relationship between farmers and research-
ers but has also created an environment of dialogue that has
benefitted both partners. The impact of PTD is reported to be
especially positive in rice production in climatically marginal
regions (Sthapit et al., 1996).
