Objectives of the STLD project

The main objectives of the STLD project are to increase rice productivity by means of incentives for proper water management planning based on farmers participation in line with the goals of the Government to increase rice production outside Java Island and to find solutions for technical, logistic and organizational limitations. These main objectives are followed by the application of the three Project Components of the STLD project.

The activities planned follow three main Project Purposes:

1. Project Component I: Assessment of Needed Hydraulic Infrastructure;

2. Project Component II: O&M with Local Government and Water Users Associations (P3As);

3. Project Component III: Familiarization and Implementation Farming System Technology.

The three Project Components have a strong link with the solutions to the problems as formulated in this Workplan that are expanding on the experiences in the LWMTL project and the prepared Technical Guidelines of this project. A Logical Framework Matrix for these three Project Components is presented in Annex I.

Project Component I. The project goals will be expressed in an advisory report on the needed hydraulic infrastructure for the schemes in which the pilot areas in West Kalimantan are located. This report will be prepared with the involvement of the P3As, Local and Central Government. Intermediate results for this goal are reached by:

1. Assessing needed hydraulic infrastructure for mainly rice, but also other food crops where appropriate in the schemes where the pilot areas in Kalimantan are located. This goal is reached by activities including: final selection of the pilot areas in West Kalimantan (1 in Sambas and 1 in Pontianak), followed by an inventory of the conditions of canals and water control structures in the concerned schemes. Expanding and updating of the existing Data Base and Management Information System (MIS). This activity may also generate data to enable the determination of priority rice development areas that may be of use for the Regional Development Planning by the Local Government. A measurable indicator is the evaluation of the costs for implementing the needed hydraulic infrastructure in the selected schemes for upgrading, the envisaged water management rules at secondary and tertiary level, the possible effects on the aim to increase production, the resulting annual costs and required organization of O&M at secondary and primary level by Central and District Government and at tertiary level by the P3As;

2. Assessments for needed inputs in the District Government budget for modernization/ installation of water control structures at tertiary and secondary level. This goal is reached by activities including: evaluation of Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRAs) with farmers for needed water control structures at tertiary and secondary level, and coordination meetings with farmers/government. A measurable indicator will be a report on recommended hydraulic infrastructure at tertiary and secondary level, including water management rules at both levels and the on-farm water management system to be implemented by the TAM program of the Ministry of Agriculture;

3. Presenting a budget proposal for implementing hydraulic infrastructure to Local/Central Government for the pilot areas. This goal is reached by activities including: assessment of needed water control structures at secondary and tertiary level based also on a coordination with the Development Planning by the Local Government. A measurable indicator would be a report to Local/Central Government at the start of the yearly budget planning process, followed by proposals for further developments in the future.

Project Component II. The project goals are expressed in the increase of responsibilities and activities of the P3As. Further they are expressed by the introduction of mechanization for routine and periodic maintenance in order to reduce costs and the need for manual labour for canal maintenance. These trials and demonstrations will be conducted in the pilot areas in South Sumatra. Intermediate results for this goal are reached by:

1. P3As able to handle the O&M at tertiary level in the pilot areas and District Government Agencies that are able to handle the O&M at primary and secondary level in the schemes where the pilot areas are located. This goal is reached by activities including: reactivating/establishing, legalizing of P3As in the pilot areas of West Kalimantan in such a way that they maintain the tertiary canals and operate the structures in these canals according to the agreed operation rule. In addition that they can enter in contracts with the District Government Agency for maintenance activities at secondary and may be even at primary level, or can take care for the operation of the water control structures at secondary level, based on an agreed operation rule. Measurable indicators would be the presence of trained and legalized P3As in the pilot areas that are able to maintain the tertiary canals and to operate the structures in these canals and District Government Agencies, responsible for the schemes in which the pilot areas are located, that can organise adequate O&M, especially at secondary level. An important external condition for the success of the STLD project will be the sustainability of the O&M by the P3As and the District Government Agencies.

2. Trained COs and FAs in the pilot areas of three districts. This goal is reached by activities including: Preparation of a course on O&M using existing Manuals/Guidelines for COs and FAs. Installation of monitoring systems at field level that will be monitored by COs and FAs and the storage and processing of the data in the data base, as well as analysing and interpretation of the results. Evaluation missions for O&M visiting project areas 3 times. A measurable indicator will be the presence of at least 24 qualified COs and FAs in the three districts.

3. Mechanized Maintenance tried out in secondary and tertiary canals. This goal is reached by activities including: assessment of O&M problems for mechanized maintenance, the selection of the implementing organization for mechanized maintenance the selection and delivery of the most effective equipment at secondary and tertiary level, the introduction and demonstration of this equipment and training of personnel that will operate the mechanized maintenance equipment and machines. Of importance will be the assessment of the costs of mechanized maintenance in the pilot areas in South Sumatra and the equipment/training needs. These inputs and goals depend on the external condition that the District Government will buy 2 excavators for mechanized routine and periodic maintenance before 1 August 2007, or on the possibility to rent appropriate excavators at an earlier stage. An important indicator will be the successful introduction of the possibility for effective mechanised maintenance of the secondary and tertiary canals.

Project Component III. The goals are expressed by the implementation of solutions for limitations on the cultivation of two crops a year and the increase of production. Special attention will be paid to the new pilot areas in West Kalimantan, but also in the South Sumatra pilot areas attention will be given to solutions, based on elaboration of the experiences in the LWMTL project to increase yields and especially the problems to be solved to grow two crops per year. Intermediate results for this goal are reached by:

1. Increased crop production in the pilot areas. This goal is reached by activities including: assessment of limiting factors for the present low crop production in West Kalimantan in relation to needed agricultural/processing/marketing inputs. Further by making an assessment of the sustainability of the technology to be implemented. A measurable indicator would be that farmers have higher yields based on the new technology. This applies to the pilot areas in the three districts;

2. Assessment of limitations for growing two crops per year. This goal is reached by activities including: a Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) followed by several Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRA) in the pilot areas of West Kalimantan, including a base-line survey carried out by the COs. A measurable indicator would be a report concerning the potentials to the District Government within 3 months after the start of the project for the pilot areas in the two Districts of West Kalimantan (Sambas, Pontianak);

3. Scheduling of activities to cultivate two crops per year. This goal is reached by activities including: application, training and testing with farmers of manuals and latest experiences of the Indonesian Institute for Rice Research (IIRR). Discussions of farmers groups and Government, assessment of needed investment and assistance by Government. A measurable indicator would be the presence of an Integrated Water Management/Crop plan with farmers groups. This applies to the pilot areas in the three districts.

For these three project components a budget of Euro 654,998 has been proposed mostly covering the costs for the mechanized maintenance equipment and activities in the pilot areas.