Comparative study of Indigenous pig production in Vietnam and Sri Lanka

Smallholder pig farming is an important livelihood source in many rural communities of countries in Asia region such as Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The indigenous pig population is diminishing over the years and it requires a better attention for conservation and sustainable utilization. The objectives of this study were to identify the pig farming system characteristics and investigate the effect of these characteristics on keeping pigs for livelihood in Vietnam and Sri Lanka. A total of 725 households were surveyed including 264 keeping pigs and 461 without pigs. Farming system characteristics were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The effect of farming system characteristics on keeping pigs for livelihood was determined by logistic regression models (Models I and II). The results revealed that majority of famers (>80) kept indigenous pigs as an income source in both countries. Free range pig rearing system with low cost feeding (mainly the kitchen waste) was predominant in Sri Lanka whereas confined pigs and providing commercial concentrates was mainly practiced in Vietnam. The average herd size was significantly (p<0.05) different in Vietnam (8) and in Sri Lanka (4). Age at first farrowing, farrowing intervals and number of piglets per farrow were higher in Vietnam than in Sri Lanka. The results of model-I showed that family size, availability of piped water, keeping other livestock than pigs, watering pigs adlibitum, positively influenced keeping pigs for home consumption, whereas feeding kitchen waste, availability of water connection in working condition and livestock income negatively influenced for the same attribute. The results of model-II revealed that availability of river water and livestock income have positive impacts while availability of piped water and watering pigs adlibitum have negative impacts on keeping pigs as a income source. These findings will be useful in formulating policies to conserve the gene pool of indigenous pigs and facilitate the indigenous pig production. Increasing indigenous pig production will contribute in considerable level to ensure the food security and income generation of rural families

Improving water productivity in moisture-limited rice-based cropping systems through incorporation of maize and mungbean: A modelling approach

Crop and water productivities of rice-based cropping systems and cropping patterns in the irrigated lowlands of Sri Lanka have not been researched to the degree warranted given their significance as critical food sources. In order to reduce this knowledge gap, we simulated the water requirement for rice, maize, and mungbean under rice-based cropping systems in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. We evaluated the best combinations of crops for minimum water usage while reaching higher crop and water productivities. We also assessed the risk of cultivating mungbean as the third season/sandwich crop (i.e. rice-mungbean-rice) in different regions in Sri Lanka. In the simulation modelling exercise, APSIMOryza (rice), APSIM-maize and APSIM-mungbean modules were parameterised and validated for varieties grown widely in Sri Lanka. Moreover, crop productivities and supplementary irrigation requirement were tested under two management scenarios i.e. Scenario 1: irrigate when plant available water content in soil fell below 25% of maximum, and Scenario 2: irrigate at 7-day intervals (current farmer practice). The parameterised, calibrated and validated model estimated the irrigation water requirement (number of pairs of observations (n) = 14, R2 > 0.9, RMSE = 66 mm season−1 ha−1), and grain yield of maize (n = 37, R2 > 0.95, RMSE = 353 kg ha−1) and mungbean (n = 26, R2 > 0.98, RMSE = 75 kg ha−1) with a strong fit in comparison with observed data, across years, cultivating seasons, regions, management conditions and varieties. Simulated water requirement during the cropping season reduced in the order of rice (1180–1520 mm) > maize and mungbean intercrop = maize sole crop (637–672 mm) > mungbean sole crop (345 mm). The water productivity of the system (crop yield per unit water) could be increased by over 65% when maize or mungbean extent was increased. The most efficient crop combinations to maximise net return were diversification of the land extent as (i) 50% to rice and 50% to mungbean sole crops, or (ii) 25%, 25% and 50% to rice, maize and mungbean sole crops, respectively. Under situations where water availability is inadequate for rice, land extent could be cultivated to 50% maize and 50% mungbean as sole crops to ensure the maximum net return per unit irrigation water (115 Sri Lankan Rupees ha−1mm−1). Regions with high rainfall during the preceding rice cultivating season are expected to have minimum risk when incorporating a third season mungbean crop. Moisture loss through evapotranspiration from the third season mungbean crop was similar to that of a fallowed site with weeds.Authors acknowledge the funding received from the AusAIDCSIRO project “Improved climate forecasting to enhance food security in Indian Ocean Rim countries” (AusAID Agreement 59553) through the Agriculture Education Unit(AEU) ofthe Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya to conduct the study, and the Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka for providing the access to collect secondary data on crop performances and management, and weathe