INLAND VALLEY SWAMPS DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION

Introduction oo Activities oo Main Achievements

Introduction:

In Sub-Sahara Africa, most of the increased rice production during the last two decades is a result of the expansion of area under cultivation, principally in the upland production systems. Even with this rapid expansion of area under cultivation, the total annual growth in rice output is still inferior to the growth in demand in several countries. Moreover, there is much concern over this practice due to wide-spread ecological damage, since much of the expansion occurs in the higher rainfall areas, resulting in a rapid loss of forest area and soil erosion. The delegates at the 17th (1990) and 18th (1994) Sessions of the International Rice Commission recognised the potential of inland valley swamps, in contributing to rice and food production for food security in Sub-Sahara Africa, and recommended the promotion and support to the development and utilisation of inland valley swamps for rice-based food production systems.

 A rice field in semi-developed inland valley swamps in Sierra Leone (SIL/89/008, 1996)

The RDP's efforts have been aimed at promoting productive and stable production systems in order to substitute the vulnerable upland rice slash-and-burn production systems.

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Activities:

The activities of the RDP during the last decade, include:

• Training staff of national programmes and farmers on improved rice-based crop production systems for the sustainable use of inland valley swamps.
• Siving support to the improvement of facilities for research and development of inland valley swamps in Member Countries.
• Promoting the exchange of information and experiences on improved rice-based production systems in inland valley swamps.
• Collecting, analysing, and disseminating information on improved rice technologies for use in inland valley swamps.

The activities have been carried out through the regular programme and field rojects.
The major field projects implemented by RDP during the last decade were the following:

• SIL/89/008 Inland Valley Swamp Development in Moyamba, 1994 to 1998
• ZAI/92/001 Strengthening of National Rice Programme, 1992 to 1996
• ZAI/96/012 Strengthening of National Rice Programme (Phase II), 1996 to 1997

The RDP also participated in the activities of the Wetland Development and Management Network/Inland Valley Swamps (WEDEM/IVS). It also provided technical support to the activities of the project on Inland Valley Swamps Development funded by the Commodity Fund and implemented by WARDA and the Basic Food Stuffs Service of FAO.

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Main Achievements:

Many governments in Sub-Sahara Africa increased their priorities towards the development and utilisation of the inland valley swamps for rice-based food production systems. The harvested areas from rainfed lowland (swamps) and irrigated rice in the sub-continent have substantially increased.

 A rice field in developed inland valley swamp in Congo DR (ZAI/92/001, 1995)

The achievements obtained from the activities of the RDP during the last decade include:

• More than 300 staff members of the national programmes in Sub-Sahara Africa, especially in Congo DR (formerly Zaire) and Sierra Leone, trained on various aspects of the development and management of rice-based production systems in Inland Valley Swamps (IVS);
• Infrastructures and facilities for the development of IVS for rice-based production systems in Congo DR and Sierra Leone were upgraded;
• A manual on Swamp Rice Cultivation in Africa published in English and French;

• A manual on Improved Upland Rice Farming Systems published in English and French;

• The Regional Workshop on Development and Use of Inland Swamps held in 1996;
• The Regional Workshop on Wetland Classification for Agricultural Development held in 1997;
• Database on Planted Rainfed Lowland Rice Varieties was developed (Please see RICEINFO)

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