Supported by: CEDAC
Location: Cambodia
Fact sheet: Not available

Integrated farming or Multi-Purpose Farm? Organic Agriculture? Agroforestry? Integrated Pest Management? System of Rice Intensification? Climate Resilient Agriculture? Climate-Smart Agriculture?

Mr. Ros Mao, a 56-year old farmer living in Chaom Pul village, Por Pel commune, Tramkak district, Takeo province, is well-known  for his innovation in model farming based on agro-ecological principles. The techniques he is applying can fall into any of the above agro-ecological practices. He has two integrated farms: a homegarden of 0.25 ha with diversified vegetables integrated with poultry, fish and pigs along with fruit trees, and a multipurpose farm (rice, fish pond for fish raising and irrigation, dyke and water channel around rice field for water management, irrigation and flood prevention, vegetable garden, multi-purpose trees for firewood, living fence and soil improvement, and chicken raising). He has used his land in an effective and sustainable way, and with this productive system, his livelihoods have significantly improved. When getting into his homegarden, we could feel it is not just a homegarden for producing a variety of vegetables but also a resort. The garden is very integrated and well designed. He started to design this garden in 2003 when he collaborated with CEDAC. Through own experience, he has discovered various innovative farming techniques, making his farm very productive. The below pictures illustrate his homegardening.

With very diversified and integrated production system, he said we do not need to worry about the infestation of pest. According to his experience, there is no major pest infestation in his farm, and he can simply use his homemade botanical pesticide to chase away the insects.

Committed, keen to test and learn new things, he has transformed his rice fields into highly productive multi-purpose farm. He has a total of 0.8ha rice field, but only 0.20 ha is transformed into MPF, 0.13 ha for rice field, and the rest is for fish pond, water channel, and chicken raising (Picture 2). He has started to grow rice with SRI principles since 2003. He said at first, he did not believe practices under SRI could provide good yield and his wife was against it. However, after a study tour organized by CEDAC to see other SRI farmers who had tested SRI, he decided to take a risk to grow rice with SRI techniques in his plot. With the conventional practices, on 0.20 ha of land, he got paddy of about 240kg (1.2 t/ha). With SRI practices, he got 600kg of paddy rice with only 0.13ha or about 4.6 t/ha, which is almost four times higher than yield under conventional practices.

For vegetables, he does not need to sell it to the markets. Villagers and travelers often come directly to his farm to buy fresh vegetables. From his farm, he earns about 2,500-3,000$ per year. This does not include the income from accommodating the study visits from NGOs, who bring farmers to see his farm and learn from his experience. During the study visits, his family offers to prepare food for the participants by using the produces from his own farm. In 2015, there were xxx study visits to his farm, with a total of xxx persons. Every year, he gets invited by NGOs to provide several trainings to other farmers in the country. In addition, he used to also provide trainings to farmers in Vietnam and Thailand on soil management prab n  ctices by using natural fertilizers.

As a well-known and innovative farmer, Mr. Ros Mao has appeared in various local news including Phnom Penh Post, RFA, Thmey Thmey, Kohsantephep, PNN etc. The stories about him can be found in the following links:

http://www.postkhmer.com/lift/លោក-រស់-ម៉ៅ-កសិករគំរូ-ណែនាំពីការធ្វើកសិកម្មតាមបែបធម្មជាតិ
http://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/environment/takeo-farmer-profile-03102014044249.html
http://kohsantepheapdaily.com.kh/article/97976.html
http://www.thmeythmey.com/index.php?page=detail&ctype=article&id=28422&lg=kh
http://www.rfa.org/khmer/program/agriculture/feature_h090812ob-09122012062932.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW4Y05k6gsg

Address & Contact

Our Address

Chaom Pul village, Por Pel commune, Tramkak district, Takeo province, cambodia