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T.D. Toan, N.D.Phuong, P. V. Rinh and N.V. Thiet, Soils and Fertilizers Research Institute (SFRI), Vietnam
D. Orange, C. Valentinand A. de Rouw, Institute de Research pour Development (IRD), Laos and Vietnam
P. Salgado, Center International Research Agricultural Development (CIRAD), Vietnam
L. Oloth, National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), Laos
L. H. Binh, National Institute Animal and Husbandry, Vietnam
In developing countries in general and Southeast Asian countries in particular, the national budget is mainly based on the agricultural production, with farmers take up about 80%. Low Gross Domestic Product (GDP), resulting in low government investment capacity in agricultural sector, it not yet brings out a driving force for Agricultural development. Morever backward of cultivation technique (shifting cultivation with extensive farming-based) leading unproductive agricultural production, and causing exhausted land resulting from soil erosion.
Population local high density (Thailand 30 persons/km2; Laos 50-70 persons/km2; Vietnam 170 persons/km2; the Philippines 180 persons/km2; Indonesia 600 persons/km2) (Valentin et al., 2006) with high population growth rate (Laos 2,1%; Cambodia 1,8% Vietnam 1,2%; Thai land 0,68%). Such densities are associated with ineffective land use and management, putting high pressure on cultivated land, leading lowland habitat cramped. In northern Vietnam, flat cultivated areas in the river’s deltas do not meet food demand (Penning de Vries et al., 2002). Therefore, a spontaneous migration to mountainous areas has started since 60 yrs, resulting in more pressure on cultivated upland, the replacement of conventional shifting cultivation with long fallow period (15 -20 yrs.) by systems with short or without fallow (L.V.Tiềm et al., 1996), Inappropriate cultivation technique in the slopping land with heavy tropical rain causes soil erosion and land degradation.
An increased food demand combined with the exhaustion of cultivated land forces uplanders to seek for appropriate solutions for surviving. All those solutions/innovations are governed by their practices to combat poverty and improve their livelihood, conserve land for sustainable agricultural and forestry production for their own life, as well as for the future generations.
Farmer’s spontaneous innovations are aimed to enhance crop yields per surface unit and improve husbandry in agricultural system in Vietnam. The farmers’objective in upland Laos are to improve their income by mixed cropping associated with improved fallow. Those innovations are being encouraged and put into practice as adapted to local condition by DURAS project, which is supported by French Ministry of Foreign Affair through the AGROPOLIS organization with participation of CIRAD, IRD, NAFRI (National Agricultute and Forestry Research Institute of Laos); NIAH (National Institute of Animal Husbandry – Vietnam) and SFRI (Soils and Fertilizers Institute – Vietnam). This project aims at gradually improving farmers’ income to alleviate uplanders poverty in two countries Laos and Vietnam and disseminating to South East Asean countries the experiences/lessons learned in Vietnam and Laos. The general objectives of DURAS project are: (i)- Improve agricultural system on uplands and lowland through enhancing productivity, equity and sustainability of natural resources in the Southeast Asian Mountains (ii) - Contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural production in disadvantaged community based on the integration of local agricultural knowledge and scientific knowledge.
There are three objectives
1.
To identify spontaneous innovative practices through local community-based knowledge on natural resources management in uplands.
2. To define the most appropriate farming systems adapted to local conditions both in terms of improved livelihood and environmental goods and services that are socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable.
3. To extend these new appropriate agricultural practices through mechanisms linking farmers, local decision-makers, extension workers and researchers to favor an increasing integration of animal husbandry in the farming systems of disadvantaged communities in Southeast Asian Mountains.
EXPECTED OUTPUTS
Based on existing farmers’ knowledge and farming practices, the project contribution is to adapt with the direct involvement of the farmers some new technologies on natural resources management for a better husbandry integration within the uplands in the Southeast Asian Mountains.
- Local participation will be strengthened along the research and extension process; economic efficiency of upland farming systems will be improved.
- Methodologies tested and developed by the project will effectively contribute to an improvement of extension approaches for extension workers and local managers as well as to a better linkage between researchers, development agents and farmers.
- Carrying out the experiment on soil and water conservation to improve water and soil fertility management and to increase agricultural products sustainability in the specific local conditions of the Southeast Asian Mountains as a demonstration site for transferring technology to the broad scale in the uplands.
- Assessing productivity and nutritive value of tested fodder species and the seed production capacity in the Southeast Asian Mountains conditions.
- Local stakeholders (farmers and commune representatives) are informed and consulted in key steps of the experiment (harvesting, evaluation). All results and technical guidelines are shared with local stakeholders and documented in a comprehensive report at the end of the experiments.
- Training workshops on extension methodologies for dissemination of new technologies (fodder production and improved fallow, husbandry integration) at farming level in the uplands are conducted by local extension workers for farmers.
Practical experience derived from the DURAS project
Both Vietnamese and Laotian participants recognized that the involvement of the three stakeholders concerned by the natural resource management, i.e. the farmers with the local extension workers and with the researchers, is largely a key success in the DURAS project, with an harmonious combination of three stakeholders: farmers, local extension workers and scientists. They together partipate in problem diagnosis, pilot demonstration site and results scaling out, three actions that are necessary factors to build a successful of DURAS project. The main benefits for the rural poor farmers in both Vietnam and Laos are explicitly knowledge building and livelihood activities; these are foundation for generating sustainable income for local people.
The village diagnosis phase is a first step to define the demands of local people in target communities. participatory research apprisal (PRA) workshops were organized in villages, the effective tools of PRA and strengthening weekness, apportunity and threatrn (SWOT) analysis were employed to assess the natural resources, advantages and disadvantage and opportunities and challenges for local agriculture in communities.
The field diagnosis conducted in the Tien Xuan commune (Vietnam) showed that land resource for agriculture has been limited, because of strong soil degradation on upland and rapid urbanization on lowland. A long discussion between farmers, local governors and scientists concluded that the only one way to provide food security and income generation is intensive farming on lowland through rice based system with temperate grass fodder within the paddyfield in the winter and developing simultaneously tropical grass fodder as pluriannual cultivation within the sloping lands temperate grass) for supporting cattle husbandry integration at the household level and consequently to develop the agricultural incomes during the whole year. On the other hand, a second benefit (searched out by the researchers) is to limit soil erosion on sloping lands, which contributes to a sustainable agriculture .
In Lao PDR, shifting cultivation combined with natural fallow is still existing as a traditional agriculture system. This system seems no longer adapted to the current context of Lao PDR, because there are strong restrictions to encroach agriculture on forest land; moreover, increasing pressure population and food demand requires effective innovative systems with shortened fallow periods and improved crops yield in both lowland and upland area, and finally, supported for local farmers. The field diagnosis was conducted in Laksip village, Luang Phrabang province, Lao PDR with enthusiastic participation of farmers, local governors and scientist through farmers workshop has shown that DURAS project needed to focus on improved fallow, crop rotation and intercropping within cropping season. It expected that fallow period will be shortened, land use coefficient increased, multiple agro-products under intercropping and crop rotation produced more and sustainable farmer’s income generated.
Based on the core issues that have been defined in the diagnosis phase, participatory planning was implemented. The detail of activities and input materials for each trial and demonstration site were set up in cooperation of farmers, extension workers and scientists. Involvement of farmers and local extension workers in planning phase has helped them to clearly understand framework and their responsibilities in implementation of trial and demonstration site.
During the implementation phase, various experimental plots and demonstration sites have been carried out with the aim to introduce to farmers the new technologies and building capacity through learning by doing based on the field visit or farmer field school (FFS).
In Vietnam, (i)- Supporting for cattle development, fodder trials were tested on slopping land with temperate grass (Avena sativa, Medicago sativa, the Avex mix, Lolium westerwoldicum, Hordeum vulgare) and tropical grass (Guinea grass, brachiaria, paspalum and Stilosanthes guianensis), the main purposes is to select the best species for soil conservation in rainy season and simultaneously create food source for cattle, especially in winter season and (ii)- Demonstration sites focused on nutrient management for cassava on upland and rice based system in lowland area, hybrid rice variety to support for food security of the rural poor and simulate the cattle development in interdependence between livestock and cultivation.
In Lao, Duras activities focused on (i)- Improving fallow cycle with the aims of shortened fallow period and increase land use coefficient for agricultural production on upland. Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) is a fast growing tree that grows spontaneously in fallows. This tree considered as a Non Timber Forest Product is expected to restore soil structure, water infiltration and to improve, as a forest component, the stocks of soil nutrients and organic matter; and (ii)- Crop rotation and intercropping in flatland area to increase crop yield, multi products and economic value per land unit: Such as maize inter cropped with pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) and cassava; maize intercropped with soy bean inter rows; rice-maize and rice bean intercropped systems. The second year, poor farmers in the project have found that pigeon pea is not only good mixed cropping tree on improving soil fertility but also do not compete for nutrients with agricultural crops (because it barely grows in rainy season). In addition, it can be used as the host of stick lack production. All those help poor local farmers to gain multiple products and sustainable yield and expect to improve their livelihood.
The best ways for extending appropriate techniques is participatory technology development (PTD). This was implemented through involvement of farmers in trials and demonstration site or training workshop and farmer field school (FFS). The successes of trials and demonstration site are considered as live evidences to convince local people of appropriate techniques as well as suitable forage species to further scaling out of the best results. Moreover, booklet-video tapes publication which synthesized of practical experiences, local knowledge and scientific knowledge was published and widely delivered to farmers in communities, extension agencies of district and provincial level, NGOs. By this way, results of DURAS project can widely disseminated to local people.
ANALYSIS
Participation
Two years of DURAS project has led to great achievements for both local people and scientists. The rural poor farmers have found the possibilities for improving their livelihood and the scientists have captured the key motivations in disadvantage communities. Participatory approach has involved scientists, local governors, extension workers and farmers to obtain the common goal of the rural poor. The most important is involvement of local people in defining the problems that need to solve. The focal solutions were thus defined in sharing local knowledge and scientific knowledge. Participation of local people has been evaluated through village meeting/training courses and active knowledge sharing and building demonstration sites. Observing the attitude of farmers in village meeting/training courses, it indicated that 100 % farmers had attended when they were invited, almost of them actively shared experiences and information.
Knowledge management
Exchange knowledge among scientists, farmers and local extension workers often organized through local meeting and field day visit to mutually understand their demand. External collaboration among research groups (IRD, CIRAD, NIAH, NAFRI and SFRI) has created interdisciplinary approach in research activities. Experiences from other projects and external scientist knowledge exchanged and shared at different levels, especially, practical information often exchanged with farmers during cropping season. In addition, technological package of soil conservation, fodder cultivation and nutrient management for food crops were published to be widely disseminated to farmers and local extension agencies. In second year of DURAS project, the posters on soil erosion control, video taps on grass use and management and about 1500 flying papers of crop nutrient management have been published and delivered to farmers. Final stage of project, a booklet will be published showing the practical experiences of DURAS project, other projects in Vietnam and scientific knowledge from different institutions to introduce the appropriate technologies for agriculture and cattle breeding.
Economic efficiency
The prerequisite to convince farmers to adopt the new technologies is economic efficiency. Understanding farmer’s perspectives, DURAS project carried out the demonstration models with the aims of improving crop yield and income generation for the rural poor.
Fodder model with temperature grass and tropical grass on upland has significantly supported cattle development. Temperate and tropical forage species were tested with the community to evaluate the adaptation to the particular conditions of mountain soil as well as in valley conditions which represents a high potential in winter season in terms of land availability. Under DURAS project activities three temperate forage species (Avena strigosa and Avena sativa) and tropical forages species (Bracharia, Paspalum A, Panicum M., Stylosanthes G) considered to be the best adapted to local agro-climatic condition, growing well, effective soil erosion protection, and high resistance to drought and poor soil condition.
Extending of grass cultivation at household level on upland created the possibility to raise number of cattle in community. Monitoring the evolution of cattle in Tien Xuan commune after two years, local extension service reported that during two years of project, number of cattle in Tien Xuan commune increased from 1572 heads to 1768 heads (among the 196 heads increased, one third were born, the rest have been bought from our sites). The animal husbandry integration has allown the increase of the smallholders income by 2 in three years (fig. 1).
Fig. 1: Increase of income due to the animal husbandry raising and the fodder cropping in Tien Xuan commune (Vietnam)
Nutrient management for rice bases system on lowland has improved rice yield and cassava yield. Average rice yield has increased 9.6 % as compared with farmer practice and income of farmer has increased 2.800.000 VND/ha/crop and this is really significant for the rural poor in community. Testing hybrid variety in community has averagely increased rice yield 21.4 % as compared to regular rice varieties and income of farmers who involved in project increased 4.800.000 VND/ha/crop. This confirmed that hybrid rice is suitable with local condition and farmers in Tien Xuan can well adapt this variety, although inputs level requires for hybrid rice are higher than as compared with regular rice varieties. Nutrient management for cassava has been demonstrated on the upland. The cassava yield obtained from demonstration site increased from 28 % as compared with farmer practices that made farmer’s income increased 6.400.000 VND/ha/year.
In Lao, the project showed that paper mulbery is a promising trees species for improved fallow with the deliberate introduction of forage and market-oriented plants (leave for animal, bark produce traditional paper). It also reduces soil erosion of multipurpose fallows generating higher incomes and similar ecological benefits than traditional fallows. Inter cropping systems after two years have found that Pigeon pea can grow under the poor soil condition where other plants can not grow. Pigeon pea secretes special matter to dissolve iron (Fe) in the soil. The phosphoric acid (P) that is strongly jointed with iron (Fe) in the soil can be dissolve due to the action of pigeon pea. Pigeon pea can fix nitrogen (N) from the air by using phosphoric acid (P). After harvesting pigeon pea and plowing residue in the soil, the soil can have abundant minerals such as nitrogen (N) and phosphoric acid (P), so mixing crops and/or crops planting after Cajanus cajan generate high yields.
Capacity building
Various training courses were organized at village level to introduce the appropriate technologies to farmers. Direct involvement of farmers in carrying out of trials and demonstration sites also improved the knowledge of farmers. Based on the farmer’s demand, training courses focused on cultivation techniques for rice in lowland and fodder and cassava in upland. The training courses were designed simply to enable a good understanding by the farmers. A full participation of farmers in each training courses is considered as an indicator of farmers involvement and capacity building process. During two years, the project has organized about 20 training courses and farmer field school (FFS) at different levels in collaboration with local extension agencies. Capacity building process has been deeply trained in aspects of cultivation techniques, nutrient management, integrated pest management, animal breeding knowledge for more than 350 people in and out of the communes (3 other communes are today concerned spontaneously). Evaluation of farmers’ perception after training indicated that almost all of them could use appropriate techniques in their fields. The most important is that this increased perception by the farmers of the integrated agriculture systems serves ground for an innovated and extended knowledge among farmers, and therefore the capacity building process for sustainable agricultural in disadvantage community.
Replication
Monitoring in second year (2007), forage area has widely extended to three other communes and promote the cattle breeding. It estimated that approximately 200 farmers are mobilized by this activity. In lowland area number of farmer households adapted with techniques recommendation of DURAS project on nutrient management for rice production in spring season of 2007 is 50 and summer season of 2007, adapted farmer households increased up to 100 farmer households in all of Tien Xuan Commune. New varieties demonstration by hybrid rice varieties in summer season 2007 also exposed the large extending possibility and spring rice season of 2008 is about 40 farmer households to register buying seedling of hybrid rice variety, of which 20 % of persons who want to use hybrid rice variety are staff of people committee.
This replication is an opportunity to extend the results of DURAS project to other communes. Extending of forage area on upland and rice base system in lowland area have significantly contributed to agricultural development of Tien Xuan commune and further extending to income generation of the rural poor and food security.
Sustainability
It is quite difficult to evaluate the sustainability after two years of project cycle, however, well adopted by farmers after training courses and field demonstration, especially, farmer’s income has initially improved through field practices with appropriate techniques is pre-condition to ensure the sustainability of project. Interviewing farmers in commune, especially, persons who involved in DURAS project, 100 % of farmers reported that recommend techniques by DURAS project are suitable and easy to apply in agricultural production, farmers can adapt even project ending in next years.
Crop-rotation/mixed crop system is being paid attention on by farmers in Laos. Rice planting after Cajanus cajan generates a more stable yield as compared with rice yield in continuous upland rice farming. The crop rotation and mixed cropping system create more fresh biomass and therefore lead to improved soil fertility management. Extending of tropical forage species on upland not only reduces soil erosion and maintains soil fertility, but also supports for cattle breeding. Sustainable agriculture on upland can therefore be based on integration with animal husbandry that greatly contributes to improved livelihood.
Conclusions
Reality, reliability and feasiblity are the parameters to be followed by DURAS project to promote conditions for improved agricultural practices in uplands and enhanced productivity, equity and sustainability of natural resources in the Southeast Asian Mountains in identifying local and successful spontaneous innovations in farming systems to further increase upland farmers income.
A high participation of local people and knowledge management have effectively disseminated appropriate technologies and supported for spontaneous innovations in farming systems though adaptation of promising temperate as well as tropical forage species (Avena strigosa, Avena sativa, avex and bracharia, guinea, paspalum and stylo) in upland and nutrient management for rice based system and cassava, improved fallow, crop rotation, and crop mixing in local conditions. Finally this project supported the development of integration of animal husbandry in upland agricultural system and provided ways to promote household economy in disadvantaged communities
Positive impacts of appropriate technologies on farming system improved income of farmer households. In addition, the replication of appropriate technologies in larger scale should increase the production of the agricultural sector.
A wide dissemination of appropriate technologies for improved production and farmer’s income is a prerequisite to ensure the sustainability of the project in future.
The Duras project has demonstrated that sustainable agricultural practices require a judicious combination of appropriate incentives and the application of improved management technologies that have a significant impact on smallholder incomes and potentially human being. It also clearly demonstrates that environment protection such as erosion control is not enough to attract upland farmers to adopt sustainable land and water management practices. Enhance income generation through intensive livestock production is needed. The project has demonstrated that by indirect methods it is possible to control erosion without specifically addressing this issue with stakeholders such as farmers and decision-makers.
 Setting the boundaries
Project description
Analysis
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