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and, with representatives from the extension service that had been a partner in muchof the original research, to explore how this technology could be promoted and disseminatedto farmers.The theme of the workshop was “Improving agricultural productivity andincome in the Barind Tract.” The aim of this paper is to combine different perspectives—agronomy,plant breeding, and economics—on this theme. The paper doesnot try to achieve a consensus. There is still disagreement about the performance andpotential of various technology options, as well as about the role of farmers in ricebreeding. Rather, the objective has been to present a synthesis, or an interpretativeoverview, of what we have learned over the past five years of field research, and whatmust happen now to give farmers the opportunity to fine-tune this technology for usein their own fields.The analysis is structured around four key themes that emerged during the workshop.We start with the system itself, before moving to discuss the various technicaloptions, and how farmers might use these options to cope with rainfall variability. Weend by discussing promotion. The conclusions outline some key lessons.System complexityComplexity is a defining characteristic of the High Barind Tract (HBT), an area of0.7 million ha where two-thirds of the cultivated area grows only a single crop oftransplanted rice (TPR). This complexity arises because of a unique set of interactionsbetween the rice ecosystem and the agrarian structure. These interactions createa farming system that is designed for survival rather than for maximizing incomeand where land tenure acts as a “built-in depressor” that discourages risk-taking andinnovation. As a consequence, in their attempts to maximize income, farmers areconfronted with a series of problems (Table 1) arising from the key components inthis system. These problems follow.Unpredictable rainfallDrought can either delay or damage TPR. The optimum time for transplanting ismid-July, but, once every two years, erratic rainfall delays transplanting until aftermid-July, and twice every 10 years transplanting is delayed until after mid-August.Moreover, a two-week period without rain during the grain-filling stage occurs onceevery two years (Saleh et al 2000).ToposequenceThe HBT has a distinctive topography with pronounced differences in land height.Higher land holds water for less time and dries out more quickly, making it more riskyfor rice and less suitable for rabi crops that rely on residual soil moisture. Mediumland is more favorable for both rice and rabi. Rice planted on low-lying land may besubmerged by rainwater and rabi sowing may be delayed if the soil remains too wetafter the rice harvest.10 Orr et al