The rice-wheat cropping pattern in the Nepal Tera i: farmers' practices and problems, and needs for future research

Abstract

The rice-wheat cropping pattern is extremely important in South Asia. Wheat is grown after rice on approximately 8.7 million ha in the region, accounting for about 25% of the region's wheat production. Wheat yields are law (less than 2t/ha) even where irrigation is available (Hobbs, Mann and Butler, 1987). The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are developing a collaborative research program on the rice-wheat pattern in South Asia. It is the intention of CIMMYT and IRRI that this program be developed and implemented in partnership with interested National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS).