Title of document: New Pathways: Farmer’s Ecological Innovations  In Lam Dong Province Authors: Cao Thi Lan Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Facultry of  Agriculture and Forestry, DaLat University Year of publication: Geographic focus: Vietnam Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Pest outbreaks in Lam Dong, Pest control, Farmer’s innovations on pest control……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: In Lam Dong Province: Cicadas  on Coffee: Affect on 2.619 ha in year 2015 (over 40.000ha – in the whole high lands). they use chemicals pesticides but chemical overuses: High cost, low efficiency. And then, they Change to new varieties and technologies, after five years: Density of cicadas and mealybugs on coffee plant decreased Pesentation for New Pathways: Farmer’s Ecological Innovations  In Lam Dong Province   Read More

  Title of document: Agroecological zoning for extension of climate friendly agriculture in some provinces of Northwest Vietnam Authors: Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: PanNature Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: Vietnam Main issues / topics addressed (for example: About project “Climate change and ethnic minorities in Northern Vietnam”, Studies for agroecological zoning in Northwest region, Zoning in Son La province……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: Ethnic farming communities in remote mountainous areas of Son La, Dien Bien, and Lai Chau provinces in Northern Vietnam have improved access to information on climate change policies and gained influence on local policies and planning for natural resources, addressing climate change adaptation, food security, and poverty reduction Pesentation for Agroecological zoning for extension of climate friendly agriculture in some provinces of Northwest Vietnam. At National Multi Stakeholder Workshop “Towards An Agroecology Transition” Hanoi, 4-5 May 2016, Vietnam   Read More

  Title of document: Agroforestry for Livelihoods of Smallholder Farmers in Northwest Vietnam Authors: Nguyen La, Delia Catacutan Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: World Agroforestry Centre Year of publication: Geographic focus: Vietnam Main issues / topics addressed (for example: AFLI project in Northwest What is it trying to address?, Research in Agroforestry Development, Profitability in Son La and Dien Bien ……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: Pesentation for Agroforestry for Livelihoods of Smallholder Farmers in Northwest Vietnam   Read More

Title of document: Experience on organic winter potato business in conditions of small farmers in Hanoi, Vietnam Authors: Prof.Dr. Pham Thi My Dung Journal’s name if any: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: SIRD Year of publication: Geographic focus: Vietnam Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Problems, Experiences……) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any): Summary: Winter season up down more and more by year because that income from winter season is very lower in comparison with other activities in Ha noi. For this reason Science Institute of Rural Development carry out the research topic “Research solutions for developing winter crops in Ha noi” concerning to small farmers of city. Pesentation for Experience on organic winter potato business in conditions of small farmers in Hanoi, Vietnam   Read More

Title of document: Proceedings of the regional workshop: Towards a regional initiative to develop E-learning resources in Agroecology - Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 11th of October 2017 Authors: Florent Tivet Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: ACTAE/CIRAD_GRET Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Mekong Region Summary: Based on on-going activities in the field of training and higher education implemented by a range of partners within ACTAE project and beyond (see program of the event) a regional workshop was organized in Phnom Penh on October 11 2017 bringing together different partners involved in training, awareness raising and higher education. This workshop was organized on the continuity of a 1st event organized by ALISEA in Vientiane in June 2017. A diversity of participants attend the event with representatives from several universities in the region (Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar), research institutions, representatives from Ministry of Agriculture, departments of Agricultural Land Resources Management, and NGOs. The first focus of the event was on e-learning as an integrated tool between different actors and beneficiaries. Discussions were conducted prior the event one between ITC, SupAgro, RUA, Queensland University, GDA/DALRM, GRET and CIRAD to identify common expectations for this event and outputs.   Read More

Title of document: Presentations from the Regional Forum on Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in the Mekong Sub-Region towards Food Security, An Giang University, Vietnam 6-7 November 2017 Authors: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: An Giang University, ALiSEA, SEARCA Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Mekong Region Summary: The Mekong Sub-region is rapidly becoming a new frontier of economic growth in Southeast Asia due to its rich human and natural capital (ADB 2017). Its suitability for a wide range of crops has made agriculture one of the sub-region’s important economic sectors. It has also led to increased trade and investment linked to regional integration. More than two-thirds of the population of the countries comprising the Mekong Sub-region rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods (WWF Greater Mekong). These countries are Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The People's Republic of China (Yunnan Province) is a part of this sub-region but for purposes of this forum is not included. The forum aimed to share research findings from SEARCA SFRT grantees across the Mekong Sub-Region, as well as develop research to address gaps, towards the promotion of ecological farming, adaptation to climate change, and improving rural livelihoods and food security. This forum covered Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT) research from 2013 to 2016 where 11 out of 15 studies of Vietnamese and Myanmar grantees are relevant to the above subject (none from Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand for the period). The expected participants were selected local researchers from universities in Vietnam, particularly in the Mekong Delta, SFRT grantees and SEARCA Fellows/scholarship alumni from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. It also featured research conducted by the Research Center for Rural Development (RCRD) of An Giang University under the project component Agroecology Learning Alliance in South East Asia (ALiSEA). The ALiSEA component supports activities aimed at increasing visibility and credibility of the agroecology movement, and scaling up the development and adoption of agroecological practices among farmers. Here are the presentations of the Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT) research from 2013 to 2016: Assessment of Impacts of and Adaptation to CC in Fisheries and Agriculture - Mac Nhu Binh Assessment of the Impact of CC to Aquaculture Fisheries Household - NTHDiep Assessment of Traditional Rice Based Farming Systems - LT Phong Climate Change Impact on Rice Production and Adaptation - Huynh Viet Khai Enhancing Marketing Capacity for Agriculture Cooperatives - QTXuan Gender roles and relationship in water management - Nguye Van Thai Impact of Rural Out-migration on the Resilience of Agricultural - Seinn Seinn Mu Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in the Mekong Sub-Region_ Ngo Thanh Son   Read More

Title of document: Presentations from the Regional Forum on Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in the Mekong Sub-Region towards Food Security, An Giang University, Vietnam 6-7 November 2017 Authors: Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: An Giang University, ALiSEA, SEARCA Year of publication: 2017 Geographic focus: Mekong Region Summary: The Mekong Sub-region is rapidly becoming a new frontier of economic growth in Southeast Asia due to its rich human and natural capital (ADB 2017). Its suitability for a wide range of crops has made agriculture one of the sub-region’s important economic sectors. It has also led to increased trade and investment linked to regional integration. More than two-thirds of the population of the countries comprising the Mekong Sub-region rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods (WWF Greater Mekong). These countries are Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The People's Republic of China (Yunnan Province) is a part of this sub-region but for purposes of this forum is not included. The forum aimed to share research findings from SEARCA SFRT grantees across the Mekong Sub-Region, as well as develop research to address gaps, towards the promotion of ecological farming, adaptation to climate change, and improving rural livelihoods and food security. This forum covered Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT) research from 2013 to 2016 where 11 out of 15 studies of Vietnamese and Myanmar grantees are relevant to the above subject (none from Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand for the period). The expected participants were selected local researchers from universities in Vietnam, particularly in the Mekong Delta, SFRT grantees and SEARCA Fellows/scholarship alumni from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. It also featured research conducted by the Research Center for Rural Development (RCRD) of An Giang University under the project component Agroecology Learning Alliance in South East Asia (ALiSEA). The ALiSEA component supports activities aimed at increasing visibility and credibility of the agroecology movement, and scaling up the development and adoption of agroecological practices among farmers. Here are the presentations of the plenary session: Development potentials for floating rice cultivation in Ayeyarwady Delta Region, Myanmar - Nilar Aung Integrating collaborative co-designed research and citizen sciences for conservation of floating rice in the Mekong Region, Vietnam - Dr. N V Kien Sarus crane, an indicator of sustainable agriculture in the Ayeyarwady Delta, Myanmar - Tran Triet Scoping Floating rice based agro-ecological farming system, Myanmar - Dr Thein Tun Trade-offs between ecosystems services in rice cropping system, Cambodia - Dr Malyne Neang   Read More

Title of document: Assessment of Rice IPM Practice and Inputs Authors: Roy Bateman and Le Cao Luong Journal’s name if any:  Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation:  Farmers and Storekeepers in Dong Thap – A Province in the Mekong Delta Region of Viet Nam. Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: National level Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Action thresholds, Natural enemies and biological control agent, IPM strategy, crop protection product, spraying practice and application equipment…) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any):  Summary:  1.       A greatly improved training infrastructure is needed on pesticide science as part of the integrated pest management (IPM) curriculum: for farmers, spray contractors, retailers and agricultural colleges. Key weaknesses include the apparent confusion, by both store-keepers and farmers, about mode of action (MoA) with mode of dose transfer: in which case the prospects for effective IRM are fairly bleak. Products with questionable AI mixtures are a registration issue that should be addressed. Farmer ‘cocktails’ and late-season applications are also a significant problem. A curriculum for responsible selection and use of crop protection products is given, covering important health-related and technical issues such as: MoA, resistance, resurgence, residues (the ‘three Rs’), the importance of pre-harvest intervals and rational application techniques. 2. Pesticide application: existing practices are unsafe and inefficient. Most (>99 %) farmers and contractors walk into their own spray, with virtually all farmers relying on PPE as their ‘first line of defence’. The design of spraying equipment contributes to very inefficient application. Engineering solutions might involve the introduction of tail-booms and specifying equipment capable of using international nozzles, which would both improve safety and save famers money: both for labour (work rate) and more efficient use of PPPs. Volume application rates in post-tillering rice average 400 L/ha, but it is technically feasible to reduce this substantially, with commensurate reduction of inputs: thus potentially making the work attractive to farmers and attainable within a medium-term project. In the longer term, adoption of international (e.g. FAO, ISO) standards and higher-level training and research are needed in this area. We suggest the formation a national (or regional) pesticide application unit, possibly in the form of a University-based lab, be set-up to address these issues. 3. Only a small minority of farmers in Đồng Tháp even claim province practice IPM (84% reported that they do not) and most farmers evidently are spraying unnecessarily. Most farmers spray their fields merely on incidence of pests, or preventatively. An especially common insect thus treated is the rice leaf-roller, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, with a large number of products specifically registered for this ‘pest’. Similar levels of BPH were reported by farmers (92% in Winter-Spring, 84% in Summer-Autumn crop); rice blast is the principal disease and Echinochloa spp. are the most important weeds. We suggest that it time to seriously re-evaluate the role of action thresholds as part of a realistic IPM strategy for the main rice pests and introduce clear, simple guide-lines for farmers: agreed by major stake-holders and conforming to a code of practice.   Maintaining awareness of natural enemies is needed – especially for younger farmers in the post-1990s IPM-FFS generation, who are influenced by intensive advertising on the TV and elsewhere. However, a substantial minority (46%) are aware of natural enemies (NE) in their fields and a few farmers know about a wide range of NE. More than 80% of farmers claimed to use ‘selective pesticides’ (the question refers to all categories). However, biopesticides (if fermentation products are excluded) enjoy on a tiny proportion of the market: slow action and storage issues were frequently alluded-to as constraints, but as above, we discuss the need for realistic guide-lines for use and better training.   Read More

Title of document: The Role of Pesticides in SE Asian Rice IPN; A view from the Mekong Delta Authors: Roy Bateman, ForestFloorLodge, Cát Tiên National Park, Viê.t Nam Journal’s name if any:  Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation:. Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, CropLife International, GIZ, Nong Lam University and the Plant Protection Department Year of publication: 2016 Geographic focus: ASIA Main issues / topics addressed (for example: Rice, Integrated Pest Management, responsible pesticide use, efficient spray application, action threshold, brown planthopper, blast disease, farmer and retail training …) School of agroecology (if any): Web address to original document (if any):  Summary:  Pesticide application remains an important component of rice pest management in Việt Nam and responsible use should be integrated back into a strategy of good agricultural practices. Crucial skills that need to be fostered include: better product selection with safe and efficient application; the role of action thresholds must also be re-considered. With such an important crop, strategies for good management perhaps inevitably become rather political in nature, with perverse consequences at the technical level. In many rice growing countries (besides VN) it is possible to identify where improvements may be made to pest management practices. There are a number of common issues, that sometimes become conflated and adopting an ‘anti-pesticide’ stance is not helpful: much better, surely, to adopt a set of rules where pesticides are truly used judiciously and as a last resort, on the understanding that a preventative approach is the basis of IPM. Over the coming years we intend to put this into practice.   Read More

Title of document: Stories From The Field - Women working toward a non-toxic environment Author:  Ilang Ilang Quijano et al. on behalf of Towards a Non-toxic Southeast Asia Date of publication: 2016 Geographical focus: Cambodge, China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam Summary: The often unseen but disastrous consequences of chemical-intensive food and agricultural production are felt most by half of the world’s food producers and rural population: women. On the average, women make up about 43 percent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Women are involved in all stages of food production—everything from seed collection, land preparation, fertilizer and pesticides application, weeding, harvesting and storage, food processing, and livestock rearing. In addition, they are also responsible for most household and child-rearing activities. This booklet contains a collection of stories of 25 women from five countries who are involved in an inspiring, ongoing campaign to eliminate use of chemical pesticides and promote agroecology in the Mekong Region. These women are part of the programme Towards a Non-toxic SouthEast Asia, a programme aiming to reduce health and environmental risks from chemicals by monitoring, regulating and managing agricultural, industrial and consumer chemicals. Partners in this initiative are the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KemI), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) and The Field Alliance (TFA). The stories in this booklet highlight how women were influenced by the work of these dedicated organizations and how various activities and support resulted in mobilization of communities to start working for improved livelihoods, through reduction of pesticides use and shift to agro-ecology.   Read More