September to November 1999 and February to May 2000
Employer: Parkman, London, UK
Job title: Training Specialist
Project title: Punggur Utara Irrigation System Project, South Sumatra
Donor: EEC
Assisting with training on a 30,000-hectare irrigation project. Assisting the project management unit to develop a training programme for irrigation and agricultural department staff and farmers with the assistance of the irrigation engineer, O&M specialist and the agronomist. Organising Wrap Up workshop for project.
Formulating and introducing improved and sustainable crop, soil and water management practices most appropriate to the particular hydro-topography on 11 different schemes in tidal and inland swamp areas of West Kalimantan with peat and potential acid sulphate soils. Assisting in the establishment of 12 hydraulic management units and farming systems technology adoption sites. Carrying out surveys, conducting workshops and training of project staff and drafting a soil and water management guide for use in the project area.
Examining the prevailing agricultural practices and cropping patterns and predicting the changes likely from improvement in the irrigation system and the construction of flood protection works.
Designed and implemented field demonstration plots to encourage farmers to use tubewell water more efficiently for production of dry season rice, maize, soyabeans, groundnuts and vegetables. Calculation of crop water requirements and drawing up irrigation schedules. Organised farmer surveys to evaluate the effect of supplying farmers with tubewell water for dry season crops and to identify dry season water short areas within a wet season irrigation area.