Sub sections:
Cambodia Project
Enhancing production and marketing of maize and soybean in north-western Cambodia and production of summer crops in north-eastern Australia
ASEM/2006/130 commenced in May 2008. The overarching aim of the project is to improve the functioning of the production – marketing system for maize and soybean in north-western Cambodia as a key to increasing cash income, sustainable growth and poverty reduction for smallholder farmers. In north-western NSW, the aim is to develop strategies for adaptation of farming systems to climate variability and climate change.
Down-scaled future climate scenarios were completed for sorghum in NW NSW and APSIM simulation runs were completed for farming systems options for sorghum. Economic analysis of farmer preferences were completed and submitted for presentation/publication in the Australian Summer Grains Conference June 2010. Linear programming will be used in conjunction with @Risk to analyse the outcomes of farming systems options for adaptation to climate change.
In Cambodia, the trial and demonstration program in 2009 included improved varieties, rhizobium inoculation of legumes and nitrogen nutrition of maize. In 2009, feedback from farmers highlighted the need for trials on herbicides for weed control in maize and soybean because the cost of labour had become too great to allow for hand-weeding. The production technologies being evaluated now include: improved varieties, rhizobium inoculation, nitrogen nutrition of maize, crop rotation, reduced tillage, integrated pest management and weed management.
Farmer workshops investigated key socio-economic issues related to adoption of the improved crop technologies - the major issue in 2009 has been the increasing cost of farm labour. In June 2009 the village workshops developed partial budgets for return on investment for the application of nitrogen fertilizer to maize and inoculation of legume seeds with rhizobium. In October 2009 further partial budgets were developed for weeding of crops - hand weeding versus chemical sprays.
A review of marketing arrangements in northwest Cambodia revealed there is essentially a single buyer for upland crops in the region (CP Foods, Thailand). Thus, Professor Spriggs provided assistance to establish the Northwest Agricultural Marketing Association (NAMA) to improve the marketing arrangements in the region. NAMA is anchored by three major silos (Pailin, Kamrieng and Malai) which are important potential crop marketing hubs for inputs, outputs and communications in the region. An action plan was developed with NAMA with two components: (1) to help NAMA with export market development and (2) to help NAMA develop its vision for the future.
A SMS service was developed based on a simple, robust framework for contact dissemination which includes the potential for peer-submitted and peer-reviewed content. A prototype system was completed in January 2010, using a more modular architecture and popular open-source software solutions. Field research in February 2010 resulted in a revised focus for the system towards mapping and disseminating information about market players relevant to users. The FrontlineSMS server is being hosted at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP).
Value chain mapping has been completed including a grain trader survey in 2009.These data will add significantly to the knowledge about the farmer/grain trader relationships. A social network analysis (SNA ) was carried out to identify the key actors in the farmer/grain trader network. The main immediate opportunities to address constraints in the value chain include the creation of a farmer's association, a grain trader association and the investigation of grain storage facilities at the farmer and trader level. A farmer association has been established by the CARE Pailin team in cooperation with the local Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA). Preliminary work has also been done to establish a grain trader (middleman) association. Planning has been in cooperation with the Pailin Department of Commerce (DoC).
The Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, North-East Thailand was identified as a source of liquid rhizobium and supplies were obtained to provide farmers with inoculants to try out in their own fields in EWS 2010. A TOT activity was developed to assist with the roll out of the technology.
An illustrated children’s book “Jorani and the Green Vegetable Bugs” was published in Khmer language to teach children about integrated pest management (IPM) in upland crops. A pilot activity involved introducing the concept to school directors and teachers; development of a teacher guide; implementation in schools; celebration and public launch. The pilot was a success and further units are being considered for the Life Skills program. The concept will be presented to the MoEYS for endorsement and roll-out to primary schools in Cambodia. Negotiations are now underway to publish a Lao version of the book in collaboration with the Lao/Japanese NGO "Action with Lao Children."