Extension and determinants for adoption of direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems in smallholder agriculture, LAO PDR

 Frédéric Jullien1, Guillaume Lestrelin2, Hoa Tran Quoc3, Bounmy Rattanatray4, Chantasone Khamxaykhay5 and Florent Tivet3 

PCADRPASS

Context

• Southern Sayaboury province went to semi-intensify maize monocroping;• Ploughing on very steep soil induce erosion and soil fertility reduction;• Yields fastly reduce;• Production cost increase;

Land preparation, based on burning residues and ploughing on steep slopes, has allowed for cultivation of large upland areas every year.

Area (ha)

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

(ha)

Cash crops cultivated surfaces evolution in southern Xayaburi)

Evolution of cash crops cultivated areas in southern Xayaburi

(Kenthao, Paklay and Botene districts)

(source:Xayaburi PAFO)

Context

Context

Context

General objective for CA development

Stop soil fertility and yields decrease in order to maintain a sustainable maize industry (production and export)

Dissemination approach

A farmer-group based approach linking research

and development

Research side:• Long term implementation to adapt cropping systems to local conditions and to generate a large range of technologies,• Characterization for biological and physicochemical processes• Training site : field practices intended for extension agents & field days intended for local and national stakeholders;

Development side: • Enabling a favorable environment to upscaling CA diffusion: Farmers group organisation, involving traders in credit issue, mecanisation, etc.

Dissemination approach

NO-TILLAGE

CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE

NO-TILLAGE

CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE

F M A M J J A S O N D J F

Conventional tillage

“Maize Monoculture”No-Tillage

Dry season Rainy season (6 months)

Maize residues

(DM 5 t.ha-1)

Maize direct seeded on maize residues Maize cycle duration

4 months

“Maize – Vigna umbellata (rice-bean)” rotationNo-Tillage

Rice-bean

maize direct seeded on rice-bean residues

Rice-bean residues

(DM < 5 t.ha-1)

Rainy season Dry season Rainy season

Maize residues

(DM 5 t.ha-1)

Rice-bean direct seeded on maize residues

Monitoring of CA adoption

• Annual monitoring on more than 2000 families from 2005 to 2008 for basic farm characteristics;

• On farm monitoring data;

• Details questionnaires on more than 400 families in 2006 and 2008;

Agro – economics results

DMC Tillage

Boten district Maize yield (kg/ha) 5 237 4 7297 villages Production costs (USD/ha) 115 10129 plots w/ DMC Net incomes (USD/ha) 633 57517 plots w/ tillage Labour input (man/day/ha) 37 39

Labour productivity (USD/day) 19 16Kenthao district Maize yield (kg/ha) 4 697 4 19111 villages Production costs (USD/ha) 123 15246 plots w/ DMC Net incomes (USD/ha) 548 44746 plots w/ tillage Labour input (man/day/ha) 41 42

Labour productivity (USD/day) 15 11Paklay district Maize yield (kg/ha) 6 242 6 39210 villages Production costs (USD/ha) 122 18846 plots w/ DMC Net incomes (USD/ha) 769 72547 plots w/ tillage Labour input (man/day/ha) 45 50

Labour productivity (USD/day) 19 16

Agro-economic productivity of DMC maize monocropping and tillage-based maize monocropping systems (2007)Note: A Mann-Whitney test highlights significantly lower production costs for DMC systems (at the 0.01 level)

DMC presents clear benefits in terms of reduced production costs (-18% in average), increased net incomes (+12% in average) and enhanced labour productivity (+23% in average)

Adoption results

24%18%19%6%Total

22%16%14%0%Thongmixay

8%6%4%0%Paklay

28%22%26%13%Kenthao

46%35%33%8%Boten

2008200720062005

Adoption of DMC systems (% of households, 2005-2008)

Relative distribution of the main cropping systems (2008)

Significant inter-village variations

Highest levels of adoption in:• Nongphakbong, Thanang (Boten D)• Houaylod, Houayped (Kenthao D)• Dane (Thongmixay D)

Lowest levels in:• Paklay district• Paktom-Houaybouha axis (Kenthao D)

The expansion of DMC occurs through different processes

Determinants for adoptionSocial determinants

% DMC Capital assets Age Education

% DMC 1 -0,078 0,004 -0,088

Capital assets -0,078 1 0,047 0,090

Age 0,004 0,047 1 -0,373

Education -0,088 0,090 -0,373 1

Correlation coefficient matrix (Pearson): household capital assets, age and education level of the household head and relative extent of DMC in household rainfed land (2006, n=456).Note: Underlined values represent significant correlations (at the 0.01 level). Household capital assets were derived from household property in transportation and agricultural equipments.

Determinants for adoptionLand tenure and labour

% DMC Land tenure Labour

% DMC 1 0,072 0,031

Land tenure 0,072 1 0,182

Labour 0,031 0,182 1

Correlation coefficient matrix (Pearson): household labour, rainfed land tenure and relative extent of DMC in rainfed land (2008, n=2032).Note: Underlined values represent significant correlations (at the 0.01 level)

Determinants for adoptionSoils types

Determinants for adoptionWhy farmers did experimented CA

Determinants for adoptionWhy farmers did not experimented CA

Determinants for adoptionWhy farmers expanded their surfaces in CA

Constraints for adoptionAgronomist point of view…

• Access to credit• Mechanisation and service provision• Residue management (Livestock and burning)• Markets for associated/secondary crops• Low biomass production systems did not involves fertility improvement or good weed control

ConclusionsCA can become, within a few years of research and extension, a viable and accepted alternative to well-established tillage practices – and this, even in a context of small-scale farming

The engagement of farmers with CA is not contingent upon farm-level variables like capital, labour, age and education.

Finally, the question of the integration of CA with the broader agricultural industry appears also essential.

Farmers confronted with important agroecological constraints and experiencing significant land degradation issues are more inclined to trial and adopt CA. Thus, environmental sensitization appears as a key aspect of dissemination

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Reference:Lestrelin G, Tran Quoc H, Jullien F, Rattanatray B, Khamxaykhay C, Tivet F. (Forthcoming). “Conservation agriculture in Laos: Diffusion and determinants for adoption of direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems in smallholder agriculture”. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems.