Evidence-based approach in rice cultivation

August 22, 2019

The regional development of Osh province and increasing incomes of local farmers are directly related to the development of agriculture, including rice growing, which makes up a rather large share in the family budget of many farmers in southern Kyrgyzstan. Therefore, the UNDP project on integrated development of Osh province attaches great importance to replicating best practices and expanding the interaction of the agricultural sector with the scientific community. Working in full accordance with the national and regional goals and objectives in the field of regional and socio-economic development, UNDP strives to create effective models and mechanisms for solving individual problems of the region, such as new agricultural technologies in crop production.

Thus, on August 14, a long-awaited field workshop was held in Uzgen district. It was dedicated to the demonstration of highly productive and environment-friendly rice cultivation with the participation of rice growers from Osh and Jalal-Abad provinces, and the Russian scientists: professor Kovalev V.S. and associate professor Ladatko V.A., who have been already involved in trainings aimed at educating farmers on ways of increasing rice productivity with the application of Russia’s best practices in agricultural technologies.

“We represent the All-Russian Rice Research Institute, and now visiting Kyrgyzstan at the initiative of the UN Development Programme. This is our second planned visit and we are glad to be a part of the field event. During our visit, we are planning to conduct the situational analysis and engage local rice farmers in evidence-based farming, which is essential for the improvement of rice production and food security in Southern Kyrgyzstan. During these two days, we have analyzed the technologies used in the rice cultivation here and based on our observations we hope to propose changes that will improve farming technologies, increase rice productivity, and minimize the negative impact of the rice system on the environment,” said Pr. Kovalev.

The head of the state variety plot in Uzgen, Adan Kokkozov, made a great contribution in laying the experimental site. While commenting on the results of the field study, Kokkozov A. noted that local farmers can achieve consistently high yields and production of high-quality grain, as well as improve the legendary Uzgen rice and set up a grain assortment production of this unique culture only in cooperation with scientists and applying requirements for child and dietetic nutrition. Kokkozov had conducted daily monitoring the crops of the new rice varieties of interest to Kyrgyzstan, particularly, those bred by the Russian research institutes on their adaptability on the natural and weather conditions of Osh province.

“At present, we are studying the technology of growing 12 varieties of rice, that were provided by the Russian research institutes and the 2 domestic varieties. We plan to cooperate with the Russian research institutes on the development of seed production in Osh to increase the income of farmers,” said A. Kokkozov.

According to Ladatko V., over the past 2 years, the UN Development Programme, together with the rice institute, has been doing a great work to increase the productivity of both domestic rice varieties of Kyrgyzstan and those varieties represented by the Russian Rice Research Institute in order to bring rice yields in the Kyrgyz Republic from 40-45cwt to 55-60 cwt per hectare. “We have conducted a two-day assessment of the State rice variety plot as well as other rice production fields in Osh and Jalal-Abad to evaluate the available agrotechnology used by local farmers. Based on these observations, the recommendations on rice cultivation in Kyrgyzstan will be developed”, said Ladatko V.

"... preliminary examinations of the rice-growing fields in Uzgen and Suzak districts with the scientists from the All-Russian Rice Research Institute, showed that there are many production problems, both material and technological in nature. Lack of knowledge of the majority of farmers in the intricacies of rice cultivation in relation to specific soil, climatic and organizational conditions has a very tangible impact primarily on the environment and budget of the farmers themselves. This situation can be changed for the better when switching to full science-based rice growing, which is possible in the foreseeable future by creating a rice-growing consortium. The leadership of the All-Russian Rice Research Institute supports the initiative of the Russian-Kyrgyz consortium on rice and is ready to implement the entire arsenal of progressive scientific developments taking into account the conditions of the Kyrgyz rice system, but this initiative needs to be implemented as a separate program that would cover all aspects related to socio-economic development communities involved in the production and processing of rice, ”said Ibragim Khashtyrov, UNDP international expert.

This activity is one of the initiatives of the UNDP project on integrated development of Osh province and aimed at capacity-building of farmers as well as improving the rice production through the use of best practices and evidence-based agriculture of the Russian Federation.