  Animal husbandry can be a good alternative to restore the soil fertility and to favour conditions for sustainable land management systems in mountainous environments. The farmers’ demand for the husbandry system development is at different stages in the two neighbouring countries, Vietnam and Laos. In Northern Vietnam, agriculture system is characterized by rapid economic, social and technical changes since the beginning of the Doi Moi policy in the end 80ies. Among those changes, the intensification of husbandry practices and the growing role of husbandry in farmers’ income composition are clearly observed in a growing part of small scale family farmers. Thus, assisting technical progress of husbandry systems and securing their sustainability – especially with regard to their potential negative environmental impacts – can contribute substantially to agricultural development and improvement of farmers’ income. In northern Lao PDR, fallowing is still practiced to restore soil fertility. Until recently, shifting cultivation practices remained relatively unchanged because of low population densities, little opportunity for trade, as well as minimal migration.
In these contexts, spontaneous changes are observed in the farming systems with a clear trend for improving fallows with the deliberate introduction of forage and edible plant species, and/or market-oriented plants to provide faster and more versatile fallows with higher incomes and similar ecological benefits.
Project objectives
- To identify spontaneous innovative practices through local community-based knowledge on natural resources management in uplands.
- 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.
- 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.
Activities
The project will be carried out in two countries, Vietnam and Lao PDR. Two experimental sites have been selected at the end of the 90’s with the local stakeholders: Dong Cao Village in Hoa Binh Province (monitored by NISF in Vietnam), and Ban Lak Sip in Luang Phrabang Province (monitored by NAFRI in Laos). Identification of spontaneous innovative practices through local community-based knowledge.
- Definition of appropriate farming systems to Southeast Asian mountain conditions
- Extension of these new appropriate agricultural practices to poor farmers in the region
- Capacity Building among farmers and local institutions for more effective land use and local ecological knowledge will include farmers’ trainings and workshops (Farmers Field Schools …) and farmers’ trips and exchanges
Expected outputs
- New technologies on natural resources management for a better husbandry integration within the uplands
- Economic efficiency of upland farming systems will be improved
- Improvement of extension approaches for extension workers and local managers as well as to a better linkage between researchers, development agents and farmers
- Improvement in water and soil fertility management and increase in agricultural products sustainability
- Productivity and nutritive value of tested fodder species and the seed production capacity
- All results and technical guidelines are shared with local stakeholders and documented in a comprehensive report
- Training workshops on extension methodologies for dissemination of new technologies (fodder production and improved fallow, husbandry integration)
Lead proponent
Tran Duc Toan,
NARI
National Institute for Soils and Fertilizers, NISF
Dong Ngac, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Vietnam
E-mail address tdtoan@fpt.vn
Collaborators
People committee of Tien Xuan Commune-Vietnam
IRD, UR176/SOLUTIONS-Vietnam
CIRAD, UR18/Systèmes d’élevage
National Institute of Animal Husbandry-Vietnam
National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI)-Laos
People committee of Ban Lak Sip village-Laos
IRD, UR176/SOLUTIONS-Laos
Duration
From: June 2995 to May 2007
 Setting the boundaries
Project description
Analysis
Resulting document
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