Key learnings and reflections:

• SRFSI experiments on over 400 farmers’ fields across three countries in the EGP have demonstrated the value of CASI in terms of cropping system productivity and profitability, water-, energy- and labour-use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions, for emerging cropping systems including rice-maize, rice-wheat-jute, rice-wheat-mungbean and rice-wheat-lentil.
• APSIM modelling has confirmed the benefits of CASI practices across the EGP over the longer term (not only the experimental window) in terms of system productivity in key emerging cropping systems including rice-maize and rice-wheat-mungbean. APSIM modelling has quantified the benefits of CASI to improving soil health metrics across different agroecosystems of the EGP. ASPIM is a useful tool to explore a range of scenarios, for example, for considering impacts and strategies for managing future climate variability for different farming systems. APSIM can help explore yields, water use, fertilizer, carbon emissions, crop rotations, residue management, energy use, labour use, gross margins etc. APSIM required calibration and validation from field trials. Outputs from APSIM are useful in discussions in policy dialogues to demonstrate benefits of adoption of new technologies.
• A spreadsheet DST developed using the APSIM model has provided a comparison tool for farmers and extension personnel to help choose between Rabi crop options, allowing exploration of the trade-offs between profit, water productivity and energy productivity.
• Innovation Platforms are a useful approach to connect with a range of stakeholders and overcome constraints to the adoption of CASI and can be used as a vehicle to solve other problems. Through multiple evolutions of training, support, review, learning and modification, there were 37 village-level (“node”) IPs and five District-level IPs established across the terai of Nepal, north-western Bangladesh, and Indian states of Bihar and West Bengal. We found that IPs were an effective approach to allow widespread uptake of conservation agriculture with benefits to smallholder farmers, benefiting input and output suppliers; promote entrepreneurs and local businesses and enable extension systems to be more efficient, but there was variability across locations. Capitalising on existing groups and ensuring strong ownership were key. Different modes of IPs were established, with some building on existing farmer group networks, and others enabling micro-entrepreneur business opportunities. IPs were effective in developing trust in communities and among stakeholders and empowered women through direct engagement. Facilitating Innovation Platforms requires energetic and committed people willing to reach out to others and to determine mutual benefits.
• Smallholder ADOPT is being further refined to incorporate a range of issues, particularly relevant for smallholder agriculture as seen in the Eastern Gangetic Plains. It is exploring what are the key issues around the adoption of complex sets of technologies such as CASI. Smallholder ADOPT can help researchers, practitioners, policy people consider the relevant issues for overcoming adoption constraints, to lead to improved scaling of CASI outcomes and benefits.

Future Actions:

• Continue to support our collaborators throughout the EGP
• Synthesise and summarise research findings through scientific peer-reviewed publications so that other stakeholders become familiar with the successful work of SRFSI
• Potentially develop the APSIM-based DST into a mobile phone app.