Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

Farmers' Participatory Plant Breeding
There are just a limited number of varieties that cannot be relied upon to address a range
of farmers’ concerns. Farmers respond to these concerns and needs by growing a range of
varieties in a rainfed ecosystem. Varietal improvement programs that are geared towards
generating a broad range of options are liekly to be more successful in these
environments. Some varieties are also valued for their characters other than high yield.
An important challenge for farm scientists is to predict which traits will continue to be
valued by farmers as production systems undergo changes and become more closely
integrated with markets.
Farmers’ participatory plant breeding (FPB)
Definition
FPB is used in the widest context,
ranging from decentralised breeding
controlled by plant breeders to
various degrees of farmers’
involvement in the breeding process.
Thus, FPB is a decentralised way of
assessing and selecting breeding
lines with farmers’ participation in
the specific environment where they
will be cultivated.
Rationale of FPB
Conceptually and practically, FPB suits
complex farming systems and meets
diverse farmers’ preferences and a
great diversity of local growing
environments. Farmers must, however,
be involved in identifying needs and
setting objectives.
FPB can address the requirements for
specific adaptations to a complex
combination of environmental factors.
FPB can make full use of farmers’
knowledge and take into account
constraints to the environment and to
farmers’ time, money and consumption
preferences.
FPB promotes wider use of genetic
diversity and encourages rapid
adoption of improved materials.
Types of FPB
Participatory varietal selection (PVS)
PVS is the selection of fixed lines by farmers in
their target environments using their own
selection criteria. Providing seed choice is the
central theme of PVS with an assumption that
farmers do not have access to such diversity.
Some features of a successful PVS are:
identification of farmers’
needs in a cultivar;
search for suitable
materials;
experimentation on
acceptability in farmers’
fields; and
wider dissemination
of farmer-preferred
cultivars.
Current status of FPB
Widespread consensus on desirability to involve
farmers in agricultural technology development and
dissemination.
lnstitutionalisation of farmer participatory research is
inadequate.
Divergent views among breeders on:
• Need for farmer involvement
•
Stage of breeding
• Degree of involvement
• Roles and responsibilities of farmers
• Farmers’ rights
• Need for modification in breeding objectives,
strategies, varietal release and seed production
procedures
127