FIPS-Africa cross-fertilizes ideas with other RIU-backed programmes
2 March 2011

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Following a visit to Rwanda by FIPS-Africa, RIU-Rwanda decided to adapt FIPS' approach beginning with the growing season commencing in October 2010 - known as 'season A'.

Using demonstration plots at grassroots level (villages) to spread knowledge and promote best practices on a particular research output was recognised as being particularly well suited to the Rwanda context. Key to the FIPS' approach is village-based advisors who can provide advice and ensure access to farm inputs, including fertilizer and seeds. This has proved a winning combination.

FIPS-Africa is also supporting the RIU-backed Real IPM Company's programme by demonstrating and promoting their new seed priming product Gro-Plus.

The Gro-Plus product will be sent to village-based advisors for use on the demonstration plots, which are around 5 meters square, with enough product to treat 50 grams of seed. If the village-based advisors sense a demand for the Gro-Plus then it will be added to their product portfolio.

Ian Maudlin, Director of RIU, said:

"One of the most pleasing aspects of the RIU programme is that ideas and approaches have been borrowed, adpated and shared across the project. This is in part due to the fact that we have created networking opportunities and shared information in a timely fashion. DFID were very keen that we shared emerging successes and lessons - and through the website in particular we have been doing this.

We have also developed a great team of innovation brokers across the project which has helped share ideas and thinking. Information flows in development projects are often very linear - tending to emerge as research findings after the event. We have tried to share information and ideas quickly and give our partners the flexibility to adapt them to their own local context.

The FIPS' approach will probably be slightly different in Rwanda to the model we have seen so far as it will be adapted to suit the local situation and context - that is part of the excitement of the RIU approach."