Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute Farming Systems Research/Extension Component

Transcription

1 Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute LSUAFRP Field Report No. 05/03 Progress Report Lao Swedish Upland Agriculture and Forestry Research Programme April 2005

2 Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute LSUAFRP Field Report No. 2005/03 Farming Systems Research/Extension Progress Report for April 2005 Lao-Swedish Upland Agriculture and Forestry Research Programme

3 Acknowledgement This progress report was reviewed by Mr. Khampha Chanthirath, FSR/E Head of Component, LSUAFRP; Mr. Houmchitsavath Sodarak, Director, Northern Agriculture and Forestry Research Center and Mr. Carl Mossberg, Senior Program Adviser, LSUAFRP. Their valuable feedback, comments and suggestions are very much appreciated. Acknowledgement is due to the sincere hard work of the women and men of the FSR/E team of researchers and extensionists. The contributions from heads, staff and advisers of the other components of LSUAFRP are likewise appreciated. Lastly, many thanks is given to the women and men farmers in the project villages for their active participation, enthusiasm and patience in jointly conducting the trials with our team. Blesilda M. Calub Farming Systems Research/ Extension Adviser

4 Summary This progress report highlights the activities of the FSR/E Component from January to December. Such activities have been guided by concepts of poverty alleviation through profitable yet sustainable and equitable development; use of participatory methods and systems approach to research and extension for development; capacity building to enable people to help themselves and others. The objectives and expected outputs of the FSR/E Component correspond to three main aspects, namely: (1) participatory technology development; (2) staff capacity building; and (3) information dissemination. In terms of participatory technology development, 12 on-farm research trials are being conducted in 10 project villages in Phonsay District and Namo. These on-farm trials are grouped according to three main topics: (1) crop-animal farming systems; (2) integrated annual crop-based farming systems; and (3) perennial crop-based intercropping systems. To complement on-farm research, the component also conducts documentation and assessment studies on various topics such as farmers indigenous knowledge systems, post-harvest practices; socio-economic profile of farmers in the study areas, pesticide use in riverbed gardens and animal health status in project villages. An added activity is the mapping of on-farm trial sites in the project villages. When appropriate, FSR/E research activities are done collaboratively with the other components of the program such as the Socio-economics, Land Management and Forestry components. In relation to staff capacity building, 11 out of 12 modules of on-the-job training (OJT) series have been conducted. In the spirit of learning-by-doing, the OJTs were timed to coincide with the ongoing activities of the on-farm trials. The OJT followed the step-by-step processes involved in onfarm research. A technical seminar and two study tours were conducted to reinforce the learning experience of the staff. OJT regarding economic and profitability analysis of the technology options was supported by the Socio-economics component. OJT on communication methods and development of communication materials were done together with the Information Services component. Regarding information dissemination, 14 Technology Information Sheets highlighting various farming systems options have been developed by the FSR/E staff. The next step is to get feedback by pre-testing them with farmers and extensionists before being finalized and disseminated. Farmers training and farmers study tours are conducted to supplement the dissemination of information. The monitoring and evaluation system used, lessons learned during the year in review and next step activities for 2005 are presented.

5 Table of Contents Page Summary 1 Introduction 1 2 Guiding Concepts 1 3 Objectives of the FSR/E Component 3 4 Implementing Strategies Research Activities On-Farm Research Trials Documentation and Assessment Studies Staff Capacity Building Information dissemination 7 5 Progress of Implementation Research Activities On-Farm Research Studies 7 Project 1. Crop-animal farming systems 7 Study 1. Goat + fodder bank 8 Study 2. Ducks in lowland rice 10 Study 3. Fish in lowland rice 11 Study 4. Cassava and pigeon pea for chickens 12 Study 5. Cassava and pigeon pea for pigs 13 Project 2. Integrated annual crop-based farming systems 13 Study 1. Corn and legume contour cropping 14 Study 2. Rice and legume crop rotation 15 Study 3. IPM for off-season cabbage 16 Project 3. Perennial crop-based intercropping systems 17 Study 1. Fruit trees and annual crops 17 Study 2. Agarwood + fruit trees and annual crops 19 Study 3. Rubber + fruit trees and annual crops 20 Study 4. Teak + annual crops Documentation and Assessment Studies 22 Study 1. Comparative assessment of soil fertility status in 22 various cropping systems Study 2. Pesticide use in riverbed gardens and its implications 23 to the fish resources in Nam Pa River Study 3. Socio-economic profile of FSR/E partners in Study 4. Farmers post-harvest practices in selected villages in 24 Phonsay and Namo Study 5. Health status of animals in selected villages in 25 Phonsay and Namo Study 6. Farmers indigenous knowledge systems in selected villages in Phonsay and Namo 26

6 Activity1. Area mapping and monitoring of on-farm trial sites 5.2 Staff Capacity Building On-the-Job Training Study tour Technical Seminar Information Dissemination Farmers Training Technology Information Sheets Farmers Study Tour Farmers Field Days 30 6 Monitoring and Evaluation System Monitoring Activities Evaluation Activities 33 7 Collaborative Activities Within the program With other organizations Lessons Learned Lessons related to research activities Lessons related to capacity building Lessons related to information dissemination Next Steps Forward Next steps related to research activities Technology fine-tuning Monitoring farmers adoption behavior and technology diffusion Continue data collection for medium and long-term trials Scaling-up issues Understanding markets and consumer demands Networking with private sector and service organizations Community mobilization Focusing on the poor Enhancing women involvement Complementary research studies Initiating activities in new project areas Next steps related to capacity building Continued staff capacity enhancement Further training in support of scaling up activities Next steps related to information dissemination Communicating research results Developing farmer facilitators Conclusion 44 References 45 27

7 List of annexes Annex 1. FSR/E research team composition and their assigned topics. 46 Annex 2. List of student interns and research topics conducted with the FSR/E 47 Component. Annex 3. Number of farmer partners for each topic per village per district () 49 Annex 4. FSR/E staff inventory as of December 50 Annex 5. Summary of attendance to the FSR/E on-the-job training modules 54 () Annex 6. List of documents produced by the FSR/E team 56 List of Figures Figure 1. A model of the research-extension process for development. 2 Figure 2. Activities of the FSR/E component in collaboration with other program 4 components.

8 1. Introduction 1 This report presents the progress of activities undertaken by the Farming Systems Research/Extension Component, LSUAFRP from January to December. It provides an overview of the status of on-going research activities, staff capacity building efforts and information dissemination activities supportive to extension and upland development. Monitoring and evaluation activities, lessons learned and next step activities are discussed. 2. Guiding Concepts 2.1. Poverty alleviation through profitable yet sustainable and equitable development Poverty maybe alleviated by farming production systems that contribute to securing food and providing income to rural families. Productivity and profitability though should take care that the natural resources on which farming largely depends is not compromised. Thus the technology options being tested by the FSRE component is guided by principles of low external input sustainable agriculture (LEISA), minimal use if not avoidance of chemical pesticides; agrobiodiversity which favors integrated poly culture systems versus monocultures; conservation farming and integrated-nutrient management. Additionally, equitability issues are approached by fine-tuning technology options to suit concerns of the women and the poor Participatory development One of the strategic approaches to poverty reduction being looked into by the Lao Government is improvement of livelihoods focusing on people-centered participatory development (NPEP, 2003). People s participation has been recognized as a key element towards relevant and sustainable development. The FSRE component tries its best to promote wider and more active participation among men and women farmers using methods of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Participatory Technology Development (PTD) and Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E). Rather than something that is switched on only when in front of farmers, efforts are done to internalize participatory methods within the organization: between researchers and extensionists and more importantly between staff and research managers Research and extension for development The FSR/E component conducts research not for the sake of research alone but more so to help guide systematic development processes based on critical holistic thinking. It should be clarified however, that we do research in collaboration with extension but not to do extension itself, this being the domain of other agencies for example NAFES, the National Agriculture and Forestry Extension Service. Figure 1 below is proposed to represent various phases in the research/extension process leading to development. Note that this process involves a series of steps which takes time and involves various stakeholders. The colors represent the varying degree of involvement between research and extension as the process moves from basic research to extension. Researchers take a more leading role in the basic research and on-station research phases. There is greater collaboration between researchers and extensionists at the on-farm research and action research phases. Extensionist takes on the lead role at the extension phase while researchers provide a supporting

9 role. Close partnership with farmers starts to be more defined from the on-farm research phase onwards. The lines between phases and between research and extension are not solid lines to indicate a certain level of permeability between them. Continuous feedback between phases helps to fine-tune the biophysical, socio-cultural, economic and institutional requirements of agricultural technology options in order to make them relevant to development. 2 Research Extension Development Basic research On-station research On-farm research* Action research Extension Feedback Figure 1. A model of the research-extension process for development. *Note: Some authors further subdivide on-farm research into: (1) Technology-generation trials and technology-verification trials (Gomez and Gomez 1984); and (2) Exploratory trials; adaptation trials and verification trials (Werner 1993). Not all of these stages maybe necessary. Whether or not a specific trial needs to be undertaken depends on the available information, experience and level of confidence researchers have about a technology s performance given the prevailing conditions where it is intended to be used. Nevertheless, it is recommended that technology innovations be subjected first to on-farm testing by a representative group of farmers before it is recommended for large scale extension. On-farm trials enable farmers, researchers and extensionists to get first-hand experience on the likely performance (productivity and profitability) of the technology innovation under local conditions (DA-BAR 1990). It also gives them an idea of the likely constraints they may encounter. Thus this helps them plan better how to overcome such constraints especially when the innovation is scaled-up (Mutsaers et al. 1997). The on-farm research activities of the FSRE component may be classified as technology verification trials or adaptive trials Systems approach to research Different from single commodity orientation, farming systems research examines the interplay of bio-physical, economic, socio-cultural, policy and institutional factors from a holistic perspective. An introduced change in one aspect for example of the bio-physical factor will produce a series of consequent changes to the other factors. Farming systems research requires the ability (1) to foresee the likely system consequences of such introductions; (2) to put in place the necessary mechanisms to ensure success; (3) to predict the likely constraints and plan solutions or alternative action to preempt those problems. In view of this multi-disciplinary task, the FSRE component harmonizes the various fields of specialization of its staff. It collaborates closely with other components within the program. It also explores possible linkages with other programs or sectors.

10 Capacity building: enabling people to help themselves and others Capacity building is approached at two levels. At the level of the staff, capacity building is aimed at creating a corps of analytical FSRE research teams who are competent and responsible to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate farming systems research on their own. Through time they should reach a level of confidence to be able to provide learning support and training to others. At the village level, capacity building is aimed at mobilizing farmer groups towards selfmanagement instead of dependency on project support. They should also be able later to guide others in similar undertakings. 3. Objectives of the FSR/E Component Based on the 2003 Revised Logical Framework of the LSUAFRP, the FSR/E component is tasked with the following objectives: 3.1 To develop technologies and recommendation domains based on indigenous and new knowledge that improves the sustainability and productivity of existing upland farming systems. 3.2 To train staff in FSR/E methodology and develop research/extension coordination capacity that enables multi-disciplinary teams, extension agents and farmers to work together effectively. 3.3 To disseminate appropriate extension support and on-farm research results to farmers in a timely way. 4. Implementing Strategies The implementing strategies of the FSR/E component aim at meeting the above-mentioned objectives. Thus, for the first objective, participatory on-farm research is the main implementing strategy to technology development. In terms of the second objective, learning-by-doing and learning-step-by-step are the strategies for staff and farmer capacity building. The third objective is met by employing interactive communication methods, print media and other information dissemination techniques. While the above-mentioned activities are mainly done by the FSR/E team, note that as much as possible certain activities are implemented in collaboration with the other components of the program. These include the Socio-Economics, Land Management, Forestry and Information Services Components. Figure 2 presents the activities of the FSR/E component in collaboration with other program components.

11 4 On-farm Crop-animal farming systems Annual crop-based farming systems Perennial tree-based intercropping systems On-station Frog nutrition Livestock Pasture grasses Agarwood Documentation and Assessment S di Socio-economic studies Soil studies Mapping of OFR sites Indigenous knowledge systems Fish resource assessment Fish pesticide survey Animal health status Post harvest practices On-the-job training series Farming systems research process On-farm research process Interdisciplinary research Team building Information sharing and communication skills enhancement Forestry Component Land Management Component Socio-economics Component Information Services Component Figure 2. Activities of the FSR/E component in collaboration with other program components Research activities On-farm research trials Activities for started by conducting Participatory Rural Appraisal in the project villages in Phonsay and Namo Districts. (PRA reports for each of the villages are available in Lao language.) On-farm research studies were then formulated based on results of the PRA; the diagnostic and household surveys of 2003 (conducted by the socio-economics component); the experiences from trials; and some priority programs of the districts. The major categories of the trials are: (1) crop-animal systems; (2) integrated annual crop-based systems; and (3) integrated perennial crop-based or agroforesty systems. The specific on-farm research studies per category are presented below. Crop-Animal Farming Systems Fish + lowland rice Duck + lowland rice (rice varietal trials superimposed) Duck + lowland rice + improved feeds Chicken+ cassava + pigeon pea

12 Pig + cassava + pigeon pea Goat + fodder bank 5 Integrated Annual Crop-based Farming Systems Corn + peanut/soybean intercropping + lemon grass hedgerows Green manure - lowland rice soybean relay cropping IPM for off-season cabbage (Use of neem extract as bio-pesticide) IPM for off-season cabbage (Use of Diadegma as bio-control agent) Perennial Crop-based Intercropping Systems Fruit trees + hedgerows (stylo + pineapple) + upland rice Agarwood + Sesbania + Lychee+ Banana hedgerows (stylo) + annual crops Rubber tree + lychee + job s tears Teak + pigeon pea hedgerows + annual crops Objectives of the on-farm trials Each of the 12 major on-farm trials aim to compare farmers existing agricultural practices (designated as T 0 ) with a recommended technology option (designated as T 1 ) with regards to three main objectives: (1) productivity; (2) profitability, (3) farmers acceptability and (4) sustainability. Data on plant or animal growth and yields are taken to estimate productivity. These will be subjected to simple statistical analysis. Data on labor, material inputs, costs and selling prices of products are collected to enable us to do benefit-cost analysis as an estimate of profitability (in collaboration with the Socio-Economics Component). The on-the-job training on PM&E documents how participating and non-participating farmers evaluate our technology trials. Such feedback will be the basis for adjusting the technologies to fit into farmers priorities and preferences. Sustainability involves measurements over longer periods of time thus this may not be easily recognizable within the time frame of the program. Efforts are however made to ensure better sustainability in terms of both environmental and social aspects. Research topics Instead of single commodity trials, focus was made to implement integrated farming systems. Note that considerable discussions were made in deciding on the 12 topics. Time was spent to clarify the difference between research topics versus extension activities; single-commodity versus integrated farming systems topics; on-station versus on-farm research studies. Where possible, contiguous areas were chosen for the trials as an attempt towards the suggestion of moving from isolated field plots to a larger area. This can encourage better farmer-to-farmer interaction. For practical reasons, this also facilitates monitoring of field activities. Research teams The on-farm trials are implemented by teams composed of researchers from NAFRI (Vientiane) and NAFReC (Luang Prabang) in collaboration with DAFO extensionists of Phonsay and Namo Districts. (Annex 1). The research teams are assisted by student interns of Nabong (in Vientiane) and Pakseuang (in Luang Prabang) College Faculty of Agriculture in connection with their student thesis. Annex 2 provides the list of students and the topics they worked on. The on-farm trials are

13 conducted in farmers fields in 5 villages 1/ in Phonsay District, Luang Prabang and another 5 in Namo District, Oudomxay (Annex 3). 6 ( 1/ Thapo Tai and Thapo Neua are considered as one political village unit. However, the people revealed that they want themselves to be regarded separately. Thus the FSR/E team has separate sets of activities in each sub-village.) There is a deliberate attempt to move away from the thinking that researchers only do the advising and table planning then pass these plans to the extensionists (DAFO) who are supposed to be able to fully understand and effectively implement them. On the contrary, each member of the team is encouraged to be an equal co-researcher going through the entire research steps involved in onfarm trials. Team members work together closely from research proposal preparation, planning, implementation, data collection and report writing. Researchers were encouraged to spend more time in the field. Each member is required to keep a complete set of all documents especially data collected from the trials. The aim is to make each team member equally knowledgeable and responsible for the trials assigned to them. This is meant to improve technical knowledge, team work and coordination capacity among all members of the team. Aiming at forming interdisciplinary teams, staff with training in fields like agronomy, animal science, horticulture, soil science, forestry and aquaculture were paired according to the trials being implemented Documentation and assessment studies These studies aim to document and assess specific aspects of farming systems in the project areas. This will enable the FSR/E Component to have a deeper understanding of the conditions and realities that concern the target sites. Likewise, the information generated may be used as basis for making policy recommendations. Implementation of these studies are done by FSR/E researchers and student interns of Nabong College Faculty of Agriculture in coordination with DAFO. Some are done together with staff of the Socio-economics and Land Management Components Staff Capacity Building Learning-by-doing and learning-step-by-step. These principles guide our efforts in building staff capacity. Short seminars and workshops were initially planned for staff capacity building but as we prepared and began to conduct on-farm research it was realized that the staff needed closer guidance. Onthe-job training (OJT) was seen as one of the more appropriate methods for building the capacity of the FSR/E team. Training modules were tailored to the specific needs of the staff. The topics follow the step-wise process for conducting on-farm research and are timed to coincide simultaneously with the actual implementation of the field experiments. Each module was designed to include 3 main parts: (a) theoretical basis (review and leveling-off on the understanding of basic concepts and principles: learning the what and why ); (b) field practicum (hands-on learning the how by actually doing it step by step); and (c) reflections and synthesis (What lessons did we learn from the activity? How can we make use of those lessons? How can we improve next time?). The training modules were designed not only to sharpen technical knowledge and skills but also to awaken attitudes and behaviors necessary for multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder teamwork in farming systems research. Thus core values like joint goal-setting, task and responsibility-sharing,

14 knowledge-sharing, respect and humility, frequent and open communication and conflict management were interjected into the modules through group dynamics exercises. 7 In the long term, the on-the-job training series are intended to polish the expertise of the FSR/E staff to a level where they can conduct echo training and serve as learning facilitators to others. Seminars on special technical topics and study tours to various successful farming enterprises complemented the learning processes of the staff Information Dissemination To improve effective implementation of the on-farm trials, the FSR/E teams provided technical training to the participating farmers. For trials involving animals, close coordination was developed with the National Animal Health Center in Luang Prabang and DAFO Animal Health Unit in Namo to provide training and support services to farmer partners as well as to concerned FSR/E staff regarding animal health diagnosis, first aid treatment, disease and parasite prevention. As a modest attempt, the FSR/E teams drafted technology information sheets intended to facilitate understanding and promotion of the technology options being tested on-farm. Farmer-to-farmer exchange of information is encouraged through cross-farm visits, farmers field days, study tours and information markets. 5. Progress of Implementation 5.1. Research Activities Only a brief status report for each research topic is provided here. The FSR/E research teams are currently preparing separate detailed annual technical reports per topic On- Farm Research Studies Project 1. Crop-Animal Farming Systems Crop-animal farming system is a traditional practice among Asian as well as Lao farmers. We are not introducing something new here. Rather, these trials aim to improve existing farmers practices in response to constraints they experience. The most mentioned problem by farmers in crop-animal systems is insufficient quantity and quality of feeds. Animal diseases and parasites also cause a major set back to animal raising. These two factors are intertwined because malnourished animals become highly susceptible to diseases. On the other hand, improved feeds do not necessarily result to significant weight gains if animals are heavily parasitized. Likewise, a herd of animals can be wiped-out overnight by a single disease outbreak. Research can address improvement of feeds and feeding management while animal health issues can be coordinated by the extension support service.

15 Study 1. Performance evaluation of an integrated goat + fodder bank system compared to farmers practice Farmers traditionally raise their goats by free-grazing in communal lands and fallow forests. Fodder for goats becomes a problem during the dry season when most forages die. Weight gained by goats in the rainy season is likely to be lost during the dry periods of fodder scarcity. With inadequate nutrition during the dry season, goats become highly susceptible to diseases and parasites in the following rainy months. Farmers experience have shown that high animal mortality usually occurs at the onset of the rainy season. Under the alternative technology of having a fodder bank, good quality and quantity of feed is provided as supplement to free grazing. The semi-confinement with cut-and-carry system assures adequate nutrition and helps farmers monitor the health status of the animals. Deworming is done to eliminate parasites. If properly managed, the system will result to faster growth, better reproductive performance and more healthy animals. This can thus lead to more animals that can be sold or consumed by farmers over a shorter period of time. Adoption of the technology can be affected by social structures in the village. By understanding this social system, the program will be guided on how to adjust this technology to suit local needs. Traditionally farmers rear their goats on a communal basis thus this trial was designed to conform to that practice. Farmers grouped together to establish the fodder bank which consisted of guinea grass (Panicum maximum), stylo (Stylosanthes guyanensis) and various fodder tree species. Construction of the goat pens and sheds was also done as a group. Animal health diagnosis, deworming and vaccination are being done in coordination with the Animal Health Center in Luang Prabang. 8 a b Photo 1. Fodder bank of stylo (a) and guinea grass (b). Fodder trees planted are still small to be recognized in this photo. (Saysamphan, Namo) Photo 2. Goats feeding on cut-and-carry guinea grass. (Saysamphan, Namo)

16 Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted by farmers in Nambo; (Farmers in Thapo initially planned to join this trial but later backed out due to community conflicts on the land intended for communal grazing of goats.) Nambo farmers established the fodder banks inside their existing natural grazing area but were not able to provide a fence around the fodder bank. Naturally the goats came to invade the fodder bank. An outbreak of diarrhea made the farmers decide to sell most of their goats while the remaining animals were brought to another area further up the mountain. There is need to follow-up the fence construction before we can release our experimental animals. Live fences are being identified to serve both as fence and as source of fodder. Saysamphan traditionally raised goats in the natural fallow forests. This community used to have approximately 200 goats at a time but in 2000 this was wiped out by a disease outbreak and lack of management know-how. They joined this trial as they are very keen to build up again their goat population. Twenty female and two male goats have been released earlier than planned because the good growth of stylo and guinea grass made it ready for feeding within 3 months from planting. Data collection on animal performance and fodder production is continuing. Farmers training courses on animal disease prevention and first aid treatment have been conducted. According to PM&E results, T 1 farmers want to expand the area for the fodder bank while T 0 farmers plan to establish their own fodder banks. Farmers though have to improve the fence around the fodder banks as goats are good in finding a way to enter it. Live fences of fodder trees are being encouraged to be planted. 9

17 Study 2. Performance evaluation of an integrated duck + lowland rice system compared to farmers practice Proper timing for the integration of ducks into rice fields results to favorable growth for both components. The rice paddy environment is a source of snails, insects and weeds which are pests for the rice crop but good feed for ducks. The rice crop benefits from the biological control and manure that the ducks provide. 10 Photo 3. Ducks integrated with lowland rice at early growing stage. (Namo Neua, Namo) Photo 4. Ducks feed on remaining rice grains after harvest. (Namo Neua, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo a. Duck raised in lowland rice paddies versus raised in village backyards Conducted with farmers in Thapo Tai; Farmers here traditionally raise their ducks in village backyards. Raising ducks in rice fields is a relatively new practice. Growth of ducks under both systems are monitored. Data on insect pest occurrence, weed composition, growth and yield of rice with and without ducks are taken. b. Duck + lowland rice + improved feeds Conducted with farmers in Namo Neua; This is an indigenous practice among farmers here but we aim to improve feeding management. Fowl cholera and lameness are major problems. Proper vaccination can prevent fowl cholera. Lameness which can be due to lack of calcium, phosphorous and Vitamin B complex can be corrected by proper feeds. An improved feed supplement was formulated to contain bone meal as source of Ca-P. Farmers were advised to use sieved rice bran (rice hull removed) to improve general quality and increase Vitamin B content. (Farmers use locally available rice bran which contains a high proportion of rice hulls. Sometimes when feeds become scarce farmers deliberately feed pure rice hulls. This negatively affects animal growth.)

18 Study 3. Performance evaluation of an integrated fish + lowland rice system compared to farmers practice Fish in rice paddies offer another opportunity to take advantage of the more positive interaction between these two components than if they were raised separately. Animal manure intended to favor growth of phytoplanktons for fish will also benefit the rice crop. Fish eat some weeds, insects and can aerate the soil in the paddies. Release of the fish should be properly timed with the rice production activities. 11 Photo 5. Fish fingerlings being released in 15-day old transplanted rice field. (Namo Neua, Namo) Photo 6. Monitoring the weight of fish to assess growth. (Namo Neua, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Not conducted in Phonsay; Only the better-off farmers were interested and they wanted only pure fish raising in their existing fish ponds. These farmers can be better served by extension service rather than research. Conducted with farmers in Namo Neua; Rice and fish have already been harvested. Data collected is being organized for analysis. Farmers who joined the trials want to expand their areas under this system. They are now requesting to be given training on fingerling production because other farmers in the village have expressed interest to try the system in their fields. Such training is already being planned by the concerned researcher team.

19 Study 4. Performance evaluation of an integrated cassava + pigeon pea feed for chickens system compared to farmers practice Cassava as energy source and pigeon pea as protein source will be used as feed for chickens. This is intended to supplement farmers traditional feeds like rice bran, some corn and kitchen left-overs. 12 Photo 7. Early growth of cassava and pigeon pea planted along contours. (Pangdou, Namo) Photo 8. Flowers and young pods of pigeon pea intended for chicken feeds. (Pangdou, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted in Thapo Tai; Cassava and pigeon pea were planted along contours; Harvests are expected by January-February; Cassava can be fed chopped fresh but some will be processed together with pigeon pea. This will be saved for the dry season when feeds become scarce; Chickens will be released to farmers when the feed is ready. Conducted in Pangdou and Pangthong; Cassava and pigeon pea were planted along contours; Harvests are expected by January-February; As in Thapo, part of the cassava harvest will be processed together with pigeon pea. This will be saved for the dry season when feeds become scarce. Chickens will be released to farmers when the feed is ready.

20 Study 5. Performance evaluation of an integrated cassava + pigeon pea feed for pigs system compared to farmers practice Year-round supply of feed for pigs is a problem for farmers. Feed for pigs become scarce during the dry season when most crop by-products have been consumed. Intercropping cassava (as energy source) and pigeon pea (as protein source) will be used as feed for pigs. This is intended to supplement what pigs can scavenge around or what farmers traditionally give to their pigs (like rice bran, corn, boiled banana stalks and some vegetables). 13 Photo 9. Sampling plots of cassava and pigeon pea planted along contours. (Pangdou, Namo) Photo 10. Cassava (left row) almost ready for harvest while pigeon pea (right row) await to ripen the pods. (Pangdou, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted in Nambo and Thapo Tai; progress of activities same as for cassava + pigeon pea for chickens; Pigs will be released to farmers when the feed is ready. Conducted in Pangdou; progress of activities same as for cassava + pigeon pea for chickens; Pigs will be released to farmers when the feed is ready. Project 2. Integrated Annual Crop-based Farming Systems Integrated cropping systems have the advantage of harvesting two or more crops in a given area in a given time, thus maximizing the use of land. It spreads the risk from total crop failure and from unstable market prices. Additionally, the integration of legumes enriches the soil through its nitrogen-fixing ability. Promoting this system to farmers can lead to more diverse income and food sources, improved productivity, profitability and soil fertility.

21 These annual crop-based systems are recommended for areas with slight slopes or flat areas like riverbed gardens. There are three objectives for this group of trials, namely: (1) to improve existing rice or corn farming systems with integration of legumes; (2) to introduce high value crops to interested farmers and (3) to introduce IPM for judicious control of pests. Study 1. Performance evaluation of an integrated corn + legume contour cropping system compared to farmers practice Eight out of 15 farmer partners like to try this integrated system again for next cropping season but with wider distance between corn to reduce shading. The women particularly like the idea of being able to harvest 2 crops from one area. They also said the legume intercrop suppresses weeds therefore they save on labor by only having to weed twice instead of the usual three. The performance of the succeeding crop and soil tests will verify if the soil benefited from this intercropping. The other seven farmers are thinking of planting in patches of pure stands of corn, peanut or soybean. We suggest for them to do it in a crop rotation system. Ethnicity affected the preference for soybean or peanut. 14 Photo 11. Collecting data on yield of soybean intercropped with corn. (Pangdou, Namo) Photo 12. Peanut intercropped with corn. (Pangdou, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted in Thapo Tai and Thapo Neua; Corn, soybean and peanuts have been harvested. Data is being analyzed; PM&E reveal farmers preference to plant corn + peanut more than corn+ soybean; Insect pests were observed in soybean. Conducted in Pangdou and Saysamphan; Corn, soybean and peanuts have already been harvested; Data is being analyzed; PM&E reveal soybean to be very acceptable to Hmong people in Pangdou who know how to eat, process and sell it. However, Phousang farmers of Saysamphan are not familiar with the crop so they prefer peanuts.

22 Study 2. Performance evaluation of an integrated rice-legume crop rotation system compared to farmers practice 15 This is a crop rotation trial for legume and rice. Initially, Sesbania rostrata was planned to be used as green manure crop but seeds were not available. Black bean (Vigna sp) was used instead. New recommended lowland rice varieties from the National Agricultural Center were superimposed to introduce them to farmers and maximize use of the land. Soybean planting follows after the rice harvest. Photo 13. Early seedling growth of four rice varieties for field assessment. (Thapo Tai, Phonsay) Photo 14. Farmer partners inspecting rice about to be harvested (Thapo Tai, Phonsay) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted in Thapo Tai; Rice varietal evaluation was done as a superimposed study on the duck + rice trial. Among the rice varieties tested, farmers preferred TDK5 and their current IR8 (IRRI variety). The crop rotation trial was not done here as these farmers did not signify interest in the beginning of the cropping season. Today upon seeing the soybean from the corn-legume trials, these farmers are interested to plant soybean after rice. Conducted in Namo Neua. Black bean planting was delayed in some of the farms then rains came early. Thus the black bean crop only produced a limited amount of biomass for green manuring. Rice has been harvested. Farmers observed that rice had more filled seeds when grown in fields where the previous black bean grew well (more green manure biomass). This remains to be confirmed with actual data on yield parameters. Farmers evaluation of the rice varieties show preference for TDK5 in terms of yield and eating quality. Soybean will be grown immediately after the rice harvest to take advantage of remaining soil moisture while at the same time enriching the soil and providing additional income or food to farmers..

23 Study 3. Performance evaluation of integrated pest management (IPM) for offseason cabbage compared to farmers practice Off-season cabbage is a short-duration crop that commands a good price in the market thus farmers are keen to learn the techniques for growing them. However, cabbage grown during the rainy season is susceptible to many pests and diseases. Farmers tend to use insecticides. Thus this study aims to introduce IPM as a more environment-friendly option for controlling pests 16 Photo 15. Off-season cabbage (Huaymanh, Photo 16. Monitoring growth of off-season cabbage Phonsay) (Namo Neua, Namo) Implementation a. Use of Diadegma as bio-control agent in Phonsay Conducted with farmers of Nambo village but whose farms are in Huaymanh and Thapo Tai. They have tried planting cabbage from last year s on-farm trials. For this year, better coordination, earlier start-up and timely release of Diadegma parasitoids could have demonstrated better results to farmers. Some farmers became curious with the parasitoids but wonder where to get them. NAFReC is planning to produce this in Luang Prabang instead of Vientiane so that it can more readily be made available for the trials. Plans are made to send a NAFReC staff for training on Diadegma production at the Hatdokkeo Horticulture Research Center. Appropriate laboratory facilities also need to be set up at NAFReC. This is expected to take time. Meanwhile, NAFReC may need to look into conducting on-station trials of less high tech options for example the use of bio-pesticides. There are literatures indicating marigolds and chili concoctions for insect pest control. Some trials can be initiated to prove efficacy under Lao conditions. Implementation in Namo b. Use of neem extract as botanical pesticide superimposed on varietal trial of cabbage Conducted with farmers of Namo Neua; This is the first time for these farmers to grow cabbage. The two cabbage varieties tested were Haya and KY. The cabbage have been harvested and sold. Farmers prefer KY variety because of higher transplanting survival, more compact head and higher preference by customers. Coordination difficulties prevented timely sourcing of the neem extracts. This topic will be tried again next cropping season depending on acceptability to farmers.

24 Project 3. Perennial Crop-Based Intercropping Systems 17 The integration of trees and other perennial crops in upland farms means that these areas cannot be subjected to slash-and-burn anymore but will become converted to permanent agriculture through time. This conforms to the government s effort to reduce shifting cultivation. With proper management, the trees are expected to provide high value products and good income over longer term than would annual crops alone. Meanwhile, short to medium term crops are integrated during the first 2-4 years while waiting for the main tree crops to become productive. This enables the farmer to have a regulated source of income or food through strategic timing of harvests. Integrated tree-based systems favor agro-biodiversity which minimizes the risk of total crop failure due to pests. Likewise, it maximizes land utilization and allows diverse use of soil nutrients by the various crops. Agroforestry systems with hedgerows are recommended in sloping areas. Properly laid out hedgerow systems can minimize if not totally prevent soil erosion. However, it is one of the challenges to identify hedgerow species which have multiple uses aside from serving as erosion barriers. Study 1. Performance evaluation of an integrated fruit tree + annual crops hedgerow system compared to farmers practice The recent Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) reveal that farmers want to expand areas planted to fruit trees. They are also requesting to be trained on proper fruit tree management and pest control. Farmer partners chose job s tears as the annual crop to be interplanted between the trees. Some farmers however started planting sesame and rice when the rains have started and our job s tears seeds were not able to be delivered on time. Photo 17. Lychee growing between rows of job s tears (Nambo, Phonsay) Photo 18. Rice growing in between contour rows of newly planted pineapple and fruit trees (Namo Neua, Namo)

25 18 Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted in Nambo; sesame harvested in September; Job s tears about to be harvested; Other crops continue to grow well; Data collection continuing; Some insect pests observed in lychee trees. Conducted in Namo Neau, Mixay, Pangdou and Pangthong; upland rice harvested in October; Job s tears about to be harvested; Other crops growing well; Data collection continuing; Some insect pests observed in lychee trees; Slow growth observed among orange trees.

26 Study 2. Performance evaluation of an integrated agarwood + fruit tree hedgerow system compared to farmers practice 19 Farmer partners like the idea of being able to harvest different crops at different periods while waiting for the agarwood. Some farmers are interested to add pineapple into this system. Non-participating farmers signified interest to plant agarwood but in pure plantations. One farmer used the stylo to feed his pigs but other farmers don t know how to use it. Photo 19. Monitoring growth of agarwood interplanted with job s tears. (Huaymaha, Phonsay) Photo 20. Young agarwood seedling 6 months after transplanting. (Saysamphan, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted in Huaymanh, Nambo, Thapo Tai and Huaymaha; Agarwood is growing well but rats damaged some trees; High mortality of bananas due to delayed planting; High mortality and slow growth of sesbania due to transport shock from Vientiane; Job s tears harvested; Data collection continuing. Conducted in Pangthong and Saysamphan; Agarwood is growing well; Bananas are growing since planting materials were sourced around Namo; Better growth of Sesbania since DAFO staff were able to help revive the seedlings after transport from Vientiane; Job s tears harvested; Data collection continuing.

27 Study 3. Performance evaluation of an integrated rubber + fruit tree hedgerow system compared to farmers practice Farmers called this system 3 in 1, meaning one weeding operation benefits 3 crops at the same time. They also mean 3 products can be harvested from one area. Some questions were raised by farmers as to ownership of the rubber trees. Farmers request for more training on techniques for growing, tapping, processing and marketing rubber. 20 Photo 21. Monitoring growth of rubber interplanted with job s tears. (Pangthong, Namo) Photo 22. Monitoring growth of lychee interplanted with rubber and job s tears. (Pangthong, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Not conducted in Phonsay though farmers were interested to try. Apparently there was some difficulty sourcing the rubber seedlings in time for the rainy season planting. Namo Conducted in Namo Neua, Pangdou and Pangthong with a total area of 9 hectares; High mortality of rubber as seedlings supplied were too small; those which survived are growing well; Job s tears harvested; Data collection continuing.

28 Study 4. Performance evaluation of an integrated teak + annual crops hedgerow system compared to farmers practice 21 Farmers find the system easy to weed because the trees are planted in rows as opposed to their plu-pli system (random planting); Farmers appreciate the technical assistance being provided by the staff; Non-participating farmers who see our trial plots are interested to try it in their farms. Photo 23. Teak saplings Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Conducted in Nambo, Tapho Tai and Thapo Neua; As expected, teak is growing slow. High mortality of teak in some plots because seedlings were quite small. Not all trial plots were able to establish pigeon pea hedgerows due to lack of seeds; Leucaena or broom grass are being considered instead of pigeon pea. Job s tears harvested; Data collection continuing. Not conducted in Namo; Focus was instead made on rubber which was the priority crop of the District.

29 Documentation and Assessment Studies In addition to on-farm research, the FSR/E component undertakes the following complementary research studies: Study 1. Comparative assessment of soil fertility status in various cropping systems This study is superimposed among the on-going on-farm trials and selected farmers traditional cropping systems in 10 villages in Phonsay and Namo. The objective is to compare the influence of various cropping systems on the fertility status of the soil. Plans to get soil samples in the beginning of the cropping season did not materialize due to other work commitments of the Soils Center. However, at the end of the cropping season, soil samples have been taken from farmers fields where our onfarm trials were conducted. Chemical analysis is being done to determine ph, % organic matter, avail P, exch K and C: N ratio. Soil physical analysis includes determination of effective soil depth, texture, bulk density, total porosity, pore size distribution, soil moisture retention and infiltration capacity. Soil samples will be taken at regular intervals to monitor soil changes through time. This is particularly important for long term cropping systems involving trees. Additionally, outputs from this study maybe used later to develop prediction tools for soil erodability and soil drought-susceptibility as decision aids in making appropriate farming systems recommendations. Photo 24. Collecting soil samples for analysis. Photo 25. Testing for soil infiltration capacity.

30 Study 2. Documentation and assessment of pesticide use in riverbed gardens and its implications to the fish resources in Nam Pa River 23 Initial studies on the fish dynamics in Nam Pa River were made by 2 Hungarian students as part of their thesis. One of their findings is that pesticide use was acknowledged by farmers as one of the probable causes of fish decline in the Nam Pa River. Thus further studies were pursued by 2 student interns of the Nabong College Faculty of Agriculture. While there is common belief that farmers in the project area do not use pesticides, initial information from the student s interviews indicate that indeed, farmers cultivating the riverbeds along Nam Pha river are using various types of herbicides and insecticides. This could have impacts on the fish and aquatic resources in the river. These Nabong students have submitted their thesis on this subject and we are now waiting for it to be translated to English. The idea is to be able to prepare a technical report on the topic and be able to share this knowledge to all concerned in the program. Photo 26. Nam Pa riverbed cultivated as vegetable gardens. (Thapo Tai, Phonsay) Photo 27. Villager catching fish with home-made small harpoon. He says smaller fish are being caught today in Nam Pa River as compared to previous years.

31 Study 3. Documentation and Assessment of the Socio-Economic Profile of FSR/E Farmer Partners in This is undertaken as a collaborative effort with the Socio-economics Component. Actual field survey using pre-tested questionnaires, data entry and processing have been done. Summary tables are being prepared. Report write-up is soon to follow Photo 28. Staff of the socio-economics team and female student intern conducting early morning interview with farmer before he goes to his farm. (Huaymanh, Phonsay) Study 4. Documentation and Assessment of Farmers Post-harvest Practices in Project Villages Our researcher from the Agriculture and Forestry Machinery Project is taking the lead in this study. Focus is on documenting post-harvest practices of farmers with regards to major crops grown in our project villages, the problems met and coping strategies employed. The field survey has been done and data will be analyzed. A technical report will be prepared.

32 Study 5. Documentation and Assessment of the Health Status of Animals in Project Villages 25 Photo 29. Farmers hands-on training in vaccinating ducks against Fowl Cholera.( Sida Field Station, Namo) Photo 30. Farmers training on diagnosing health status of goats. (Saysamphan, Namo) Implementation in Phonsay Implementation in Namo Blood smears and fecal samples of experimental ducks in Thapo and farmers goats in Nambo were taken for analysis at the Animal Health Unit, Luang Prabang. Results show that the goats were positive for hookworm but negative for foot and mouth disease (FMD). Ducks were positive for coccidia but negative for Bird Flu. The study revealed that farmers do not usually practice any deworming and vaccination for goats, pigs, chickens and ducks. Some cattle and buffalos received vaccination against Hemorrhagic septicemia but this is not on a regular basis. The veterinarian recommends regular vaccination against duck plague and fowl cholera for ducks. Regular deworming is recommended for goats. Disease outbreaks and animal mortality usually occur in the rainy season from July to October. Hemorrhagic septicemia causes 9% mortality for cattle and buffalo. Parasites cause diarrhea and with 50% mortality for goats. Pan deng moo (fever with red spots on the skin) and swine fever outbreak in pigs usually affect our five project villages from April to June. Avian pest or New Castle Disease and fowl cholera affect chickens. Ducks are affected by fowl cholera and duck plague. Regular vaccination, deworming and sanitation is highly recommended.

33 Study 5. Documentation and Assessment of Farmers Indigenous Knowledge Systems in selected villages in Phonsay and Namo. 26 Farmers practices serve as the baseline against which recommended technologies are gauged. In order to meet the above-mentioned objectives it is imperative to have a thorough understanding of farmers traditional practices, indigenous knowledge systems and the farm conditions under which they operate. It is also important that the range of variability be documented instead of lumping them under broad generalizations. Draft reports have been prepared by the FSR/E staff. Photo 31. Young girl winnowing rice while animals feed on the fallen rice bran. (Saysamphan, Namo) Photo 32. Woman farmer weeding plots intended for rubber planting. (Phanthong, Namo)

34 Activity 1. Area mapping and monitoring of on-farm trial sites 27 This activity is being done together with Land Management Component. A survey has been done to identify location and area of the farms. Draft maps have been prepared. Information on specific trials being conducted in each farm will be added on to the maps in coordination with DAFO staff in Phonsay and Namo. Confirmation on the ground will be done together with farmers. Photo 33. Farmers diagramming waterways and landmarks in their village. (Namo Neua, Namo) Photo 34. DAFO staff marking sites of on-farm trials on 3-D map. (Sida Field Station, Namo) The maps are intended to be used as a monitoring tool to assess technology diffusion. Likewise it will be used to locate points were soil samples are being taken for chemical and physical analysis. These maps will guide both the FSR/E and Land Management components in making recommendations to match technology options with agro-ecological zones.