Farmers’ response to conservation farming practices in Aceh, Indonesia

Gavin Tinning¹, M. Ismail², Irhas², M. Nasir² and T. Iskandar²¹Primary Industries NSW, ² BPTP NAD, Indonesia

Introduction

Farming recovery

Food security

Variable climatic conditions

Dryland cropping opportunities

Willingness to try new ideas

Coastal farming system in Aceh

Centred on rice

Irrigated and dryland

Impacted by conflict

Impacted by tsunami

Opportunity

What we have trialled?

Skip row planting

Different varieties

Minimum tillage during dry season

Opportunity cropping

Livestock management

Are farmers interested?

Grow more food

Increase their income

Reduce labour (effort or cost)

Dry season cropping

Extension support is available

Interested in soil biology

Farmers’ response

Widespread adoption of:

• Skip row layout

• Varieties

Minimum tillage in dry season

More crops grown each year

Potential for more income

Farming system transition - dryland2009

Average rainfall

Rice 4.1 T/Ha

Followed by:fallowcattle on fields

2010Drier than average

Rice 5.2 T/Ha

Followed by:Minimum tillageSoybean 1.5 T/HaMung bean 1.2 T/Ha

Maize 6.1 T/Ha

cattle penned

2011Wetter than average

Rice 6.2 – 7.1 T/Ha

Followed by: Rice (incl. zero till trial)harvest Sept 2011

cattle penned

Barriers to adoption of minimum tillage

Lack of extension

Availability of quality seed

Fluctuations in crop prices

Strong rice price

Permanent removal of stock

Land ownership

Encourage adoption

Farmer to farmer visits

Field-based extension

Passionate extension

Farm scale demonstration

Involve women

Economic analyses

What has worked in Aceh?

Passionate field-based extension

Long term support for farmers

Skip row layout adoption

Minimum tillage profitable

More crops are grown

More options for farmers