Working with farmers : The challenge of achieving adoption of more sustainable cassava production practices on sloping land in Asia

Farmers in Asia like to grow cassava because the crop will tolerate long dry periods and poor soils, and will produce reasonable yields with little inputs. Most farmers realize, however, that cassava production on slopes can cause severe erosion, while production without fertilizer inputs may lead to a decline in soil productivity. Research has shown that cassava yields can be maintained for many years with adequate application of fertilizers, and that there are various ways to reduce erosion. Adoption of erosion control practices, however, has been minimal as farmers generally see little short-term benefits of these practices. To enhance the adoption of soil conserving practices and improve the sustainability of cassava production, a farmer participatory research (FPR) approach was used to develop not only the best soil conservation practices, but also to test new varieties, fertilization and cropping systems that tend to produce greater short-term benefits. Th

The use of vetiver for soil erosion prevention in cassava fields in Thailand

Abstract: Cassava is a crop that induces high rates of soil erosion, especially if grown in sloping sandy soils. The joint research of the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), the Department of Agriculture (DOA), and Kasetsart University (KU) revealed that adjustments in planting methods or planting systems could reduce soil erosion. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages. While some methods give extra income, others need more management or higher investments; thus it is not certain whether farmers would adopt any of these methods.Therefore, CIAT in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) and DOA initiated a project, entitled “Enhancing the Adoption of Soil Erosion Control Practices in Cassava Fields ” in order to work with cassava farmers, using a Farmer Participatory Research (FPR) approach. During the first phase (1994-98) of the project. two pilot sites were selected at Soeng Saang district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, and in Wang Sombuun district of Sra Kaew province. FPR trials on methods to reduce soil erosion were conducted for three consecutive years. After narrowing down the number of suitable options, farmers in both sites finally selected and adopted the contour strip cropping of cassava with vetiver hedgerows. They also requested furthe

Reducing soil erosion in cassava production systems in Thailand: A farmer participatory approach

The project on Cassava Production System Adjustment to Reduce Soil Erosion is a cooperative project among the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE), Department of Agricultural (DOA) and the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT). The purpose of the project is to make farmers aware of the importance of soil erosion and to develop and disseminate suitable and effective measures to reduce the problem. This is done by the use of a farmer participatory approach, in which farmers are asked to select and test in their own fields cassava production practices that reduce soil erosion. The first phase of the project had a duration of five years (1994-1998) and was implemented in two pilot sites in Nakhon Ratchasima and Sra Kaew provinces. The results of the project indicate that once farmers saw the amounts of soil loss in their own erosion control trials, they realized the importance of erosion and the need to control soil degradation in cassava areas. They also tested, evaluated and selected suitable methods for reducing soil erosion. The farmers in the two pilot sites selected mainly the use of vetiver grass contour barriers as the most effective and suitable technique. They now grow vetiver grass for this purpose on about 48 hectares, while the planting of vetiver grass is still expanding. The method of participatory research involves farmers directly in decision making at every step, from planning the project to obtaining results and drawing conclusions, and lets farmers select the treatments to be tried by themselves. This encourages them to learn how to analyze problems and find solutions collectively that are in line with the needs of the community as a whole. The method of implementing this project is considered to be efficient for the development and transfer of new technologies to farmers and rural communities, in order to enhance the adoption of more sustainable and more productive agronomic practices