The main achievements

III. Carried out pilot demonstration

In 5 duty stations, Chinese SSC team carried out 21 demonstrations in non-tray rice seedling raising in dry-bed nursery with parachute transplanting, selection of vegetable varieties and high-yield vegetable cultivation technology, high-yield maize cultivation technology, high-yield livestock and fish production and irrigation system construction etc.

I) Constructed 4 demonstration sites in high-yield rice production.

The rice production demonstration was carried out in 3 duty stations of Cari, Tumutu and Centre Songhai. The demonstration area was 3900㎡. The rice varieties demonstrated included 6 varieties of Chinese hybrid, 4 varieties of Chinese inbred and 4 varieties of Liberian inbred. Chinese team also selected variations from 2 local varieties. Chinese SSC team demonstrated high-yield cultivation technologies, such as non-tray rice seedling in dry-bed nursery with parachute transplanting, scientific management of rice paddy, integrated control of pest and disease etc. The average rice yield in demonstration sites reached 6.7 tons/ha. The yield of hybrid rice reached 8.25 tons/ha and that of local varieties reached 3 times local average yield. The success of high-yield rice production demonstration has displayed the advantage of Chinese agro-technologies and rice varieties, which aroused the enthusiasm of local famers and technicians for new technologies and new varieties. Through demonstration and on-farm technical transferring, local farmers and technicians have mastered the key points of rice high-yield cultivation technologies that have been extended to 8 hectares of rice paddy, which laid a solid foundation for a high level of rice production.  

Parachuting dry-bed rice seedlings

Rice plants at heading stage

 

II) Carried out demonstration in seedless watermelon standardized cultivation.

Chinese SSC team carried out 3 demonstrations in seedless watermelon standardized cultivation with the total area of 800㎡. The quality and yield have reached the requirements. The seedless watermelon production filled up the gap in Liberian agriculture. The products were exhibited on World Food Day and United Nations Day and aroused the great interest of the visitors. 

Raising seedless watermelon seedling in nutrition cups

 

III) Carried out demonstration in maize standardized cultivation.

The demonstration was focused on close planting, scientific application of fertilizers etc. the yield of maize in demonstration field increased by 30%. In Measuagoon district, CAPE MOUNT County, Maize standardized cultivation technology have been applied to 10 hectares of demonstration field, which was in the first phase of the project of agricultural mass production and capacity building in the county. The income increased by 2250 USD per hectare. 

The maize at maturity

 

IV) Carried out demonstration in comparative test of crop varieties and vegetable high-yield cultivation.

Chinese SSC team carried out comparative test of 6 bean varieties, 26 vegetable varieties, 5 maize varieties, 10 Chinese rice varieties and 4 local rice varieties and also introduced and selected 3 bean varieties, 23 Chinese vegetable varieties, such as pepper, waxgourd, cucumber and cabbage etc., 3 maize varieties and 4 Chinese rice varieties. Furthermore, Chinese SSC team carried out demonstrations in high-yield production of 23 varieties, including pepper, cucumber, bitter gourd and wax gourd etc., and also applied 20 kinds of cultivation technologies with simplicity and high-efficiency. The average yield per unit area in the demonstration garden increased by 37%.  

Peanut in a demonstration garden

String bean demonstration field

Bitter gourd demonstration field 

Chinese cabbage demonstration field

 

V) Carried out demonstration in integrated control of pests and diseases.

Together with demonstration of rice and vegetable production, Chinese SSC team carried out integrated control of pests and diseases in 5 demonstration sites with total area of 8.3 ha. The physical control methods of moth-killing lamp and bagging have been highly appraised by FAO office and Liberian MOA and also recommended and publicized by FAO office in the newsletter. Especially, the picture of moth-killing lamp has been printed on the calendar made and distributed by FAO office in Liberia and at the same time has been hung on a wall of the FAO meeting room.

 

Moth-killing lamp  

 

Yellow sticky board for killing pests

On-farm training on plant protection

 

(To be continued)