Farmer participatory research in cassava soil management and varietal dissemination in Vietnam

Farmer Participatory Research (FPR) in Vietnam has been carried out since 1994 in collaboration with CIAT, with the objective of improving the adoption of soil conservation practices in cassava fields. Two villages in Pho Yen district, Bac Thai province; one in Thanh Hoa district, Vinh Phu province; and one in Luong Son district of Hoa Binh province were selected as pilot sites for implementing the FPR methodology.
In 1994: By using RRA and PRA methods in conducting diagnostic surveys, some main limiting factors in cassava production were identified, such as lack of suitable planting methods for soil erosion control and lack of knowledge about balanced fertilizer application and about high yielding varieties. Therefore, demonstration plot with 17 treatments on different ways to improve soil fertility and methods to control soil erosion, were established at the Agro-forestry College in Thai Ngyen, Bac Thai.
Farmers' field days were held to show the demonstration plots to farmers and extensionists from two of the selected districts in mid Nov, 1994. Based on the results and discussion, seven treatments were identified by farmers as promising treatments for 1995. Farmers also discussed how to arrange these in simple FPR trials in their own fields.
In 1995: Twenty five farmers of two villages in Pho Yen and ten farmers in Thanh Hoa districts participated in the project by conducting research on their own fields. At time of harvest, a farmers field day was held in both districts in mid Nov, 1995. Fanners and researchers joined in the harvest and in the discussion of the results. Some best treatments were identified. The treatments of cassava intercropped with peanut and contour hedgerows of vetiver grass, combined with balanced NPK application, was considered as the most promising practice at both pilot sites, as soil erosion losses were reduced by 20-40% compared to the check plot of cassava grown in monoculture and without hedgerows. In Pho Yen district, cassava yields in this treatment were about the same as the check plot, but net income increased 9-36%. In Thanh Hoa, cassava yields increased about 9% compared to the check plot, while net income increased by 23%. In this location cassava intercropped with peanut increased net income from 131 to 273% over cassava monoculture. Farmers who tested new promising clones considered KM60 and CM4995-7 as the most suitable for their conditions; these clones increased yields from 1 .7 to 4. 1 t/ha over the check variety Vinh Phu.
These initial results are encouraging more and more farmers to participate in the FPR trials. The number of farmers participating in 1996 increased and some of them can conduct the trials now by themselves.