multipurpose tree species research for small farms: strategies ... - part

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Agrotechnology transfer nroblems are not new to the farmer, extensionist, or'researcher. By focusing more clearly on what the farmers are discovering on their own, coupled with outside research results, the extension agent can help the farmers find more appropriate, eff'.:.-iivc, and acceptable solutions to agricultural problems. This means that the classical extension agent, traditionally the source of information, inu,. now take a more flexible and unassuming approach. The Khao Kho Alley Cropping/Agroforestry Project is an example of this extension technique. Khao Kho ischaracteristic of much of the tropics where demographics force marginal lands to be used for agriculture, often unsustainably. With the encouragement of an extension agent, the farmers involved in this project have been the innovators aid dissemiiaturs of a solution to the problems of soil erosion. Background The relatively new agricultural sub-district of Khao Kho is located in Petchaboon Province in the mountains of northern Thailand. Only 20 years a/o this region was covered by a dense, primary dipterocarp forest. However, between 1961 and 1982, 58% of the forests in the province were destroyed as a result of legal loging concessions, illegal logging, and shifting culi.vation (Bostrom 1988). In the past 10years the government has encouraged farmers from the lowlands to homestead on 20 rai (3.2ha) of land per family to promote political stability in the region. The farmers hold title to the land and can farm it indefinitely, but they may not sell it. The 33 villages in Khao Kho are home to 1,650 families. Unlike the flat rice paddy land familiar to most of the farmers, Khao Kho ismountainous with slopes of 25-100% in the fields. The soils in the area vary considerably, classified under the Ustic groups of Alfisols, Inceptisols, Mollisols, and Ultisols, with some Vcrtisols. The climate is characterized by a rainy season from April to October (with peaks inJune and September) for an annual precipitation of 1,800-2,000mm. In the Using Farmers and Their Ideas for Effective Extension Work: A Case Study from Thailand Eric Brennan Peace Corps Petc aboon, Thailand 94 dry, cool season from November to January, night temperatures drop to 8 0 C and rise to 25 0 C during the day. February to April is the dry, hot season. The elevation ranges from 600-1,000m, with most of the agriculture at altitudes between 600-900m. Current Cropping System The current cropping system in Khao Kho is unsustainable. Annual practices of burning crop and weed residues and p!owing slopes dramatically increase the rate of soil erosion. Farmers generally hire a tractor and driver t plow their land for US$8/rai (1rai = 1,600m). The cost to plow 20 rai would be $16, which is 37% of the 1986 average annual farm income of $430. Tractor drivers usually plow up and down the slope, even where slopes ai less than 15% and contour plowing is possible. Although the majority of the land in Khao Kho isunsuitable for cultivating annual crops due to the steep terrain, the major crop in the area iscorn (Zea uizays), planted for animal feed, with yields of 496 kg/rai (3,100 kg/ha) (Suebsak 1986). Minor crops include mung bean (Phaseohsaureus), ginger (Zingiber officinale), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), passion fruit (Passifloraedtulis), castor (Ricinis coninwzmuis), asparagus (Aspara~gsoJficinalis), and mulberry (Mons afia). Mulberry, a perennial used in sericulure, isa promising alternative to corn due te the favorable market conditions for silk. Recevly planted fruit orchards include sweet tamarind (Tamarindus indica), lychee (Nepheliwun nutabile),mango (Mangiferaindica),jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophylla), coffee (Coffea arabica),and custard apple (Annona squamosa). Erosion rates of 1-2cm of topsoil/year and gullies Im deep are not uncommon (author's observation). Farmers report that corn yields have decreased by 50% in the past 10 years, and that the soil is more difficult to dig with a hoe, indicating a loss of organic matter and topsoil.
The majority of farmers can not afford to buy chemical fertilizer, and animal and green manures are seldom used for soil improvement. Farmers are aware of the problcm of declining soii frd-ility. Some say that when they can 'io Ionger .. :v corn, they will plant fruit trees, believing that trves c.n grow in depleted soil. In addition to declining soil fertility, there is a parallel decline in sources of on-farm fuel for cooking. The search for fuelwood results in encroachment on forest reserves and watersheds, It has been observed that the cultivation of corn helps to alleviate the fuel shortage problem, but only for families who have fuel-efficient stoves that burn corncobs. Khao Kho Alley Cropping/Agroforestry Project Gou Seecong, 33 years old, is typical of Khao Kho farmers in certain respects, yet atypical in others. Originally from a village in the rice plains of Petchaboon Province, he volunteered to be one of the homestead farmers in Khao Kho in 1980. When he first moved to the village of Tanit Coin Tien in Khao Kho the topsoil had such good tilth ihat his feet sank into it when he walked through the fields. However, in the past 8 years, he noiced the ears of corn getting smaller and the erosion gullies becoming more obvious. Like other farmers, he recognized the problem and attempted to solve it. On his 5 rai (0.8ha) vegetable plot, Seecong experimented by planting contour rows of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) and making contour bunds of weed and crop residues (compost contours or trash lines). Both of these innovations were effective in reducing the rate of soil erosion. With his own ideas, initiative and labor, this farmer had started "on-farm experimentation." Gou Seecong's field was an excellent site for a demonstration pk t due to its proximity to the road, allowing passersb3 a good view. He had no way of knowing that in a fe'v years, farmers from villages in Khao Kho and othei -cgions of Thailand would visit his farm to hear him talk about his experience with soil conservation. Nor could he have predicted thai he would speak to university students studying forestry, or internationaf groups such as the participants in a UN conference on Desertificaton Control in Asia and the Pacific in 1989. A year after Seecong planted the lemon grass hedgerows, a new Peace Corps Volunteer extension agent began work for the Royal Thai 95 Department of Land Developmcnt in Khao Kho. The extension agent (EA) passed Seecong's field many times and was impressed by the lemon grass hedgerows. They reminded him of hedgerows of nitrogen fixing trees (NFTs) in alley cropping systems he had studied in college. The EA approached Seecong, and found they had similar goals in their approach to farming. Seecong was more than happy to let the EA build a small hut on his farm and live there. Over the next few months Seecong and the EA worked together on farming and experimenting with NFTs to reduce erosion. Exchanges of information and ideas constantly occurred as the EA and Seecong worked together. Seecon was intrigued then the EA pulled up a leguminous weed witl root nodules and explained the process of nitrogen lixa.ion and how the NFTs they were planting could improve soil fertility. A week later, the EA observed Seecong explaining nitrogen fixation to a curious neighbor who asked what was being planted in contours across Seecong's field. Another time, Seecong showed the EA how they could use a 10m section of clear plastic hose filled with water to determine the contour lines for the hedgerows. Farmer to Farmer Extension The EA wanted to expand alley cropping to include other farmers within three months but Seecong advised against it, saying that "the others will follow on their own if what we do on my farm is successful." Soon, nearby farmers began to wonder why Seecong was planting contour hedgerows in his vegetable plot. It now had an attractive appearance, very important in Thai culture. Seecong would answer, "I'mplanting trees to protect the soil and improve it." Many farmers said he was crazy. Four months after the EA and Seecong began working together, there was a meeting at the local temple, organized by a development worker. When the development worker failed to appear, the village leader as.;ed Seecong to talk about what he was doing o- 'is farm. Without preparation or materiis, Seecong spoke to the other villagers about the need soil for conservation and the method were trying. he and the The EA farmers at the meeting weren't afraid to ask question, or comment ho., .!-ly
Page 1 and 2:
Proceedings of an International Con
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MULTIPURPOSE TREE SPECIES RESEARCH
Page 5 and 6:
Session 3: Determining Extension, I
Page 7 and 8:
Preface While a great deal of inter
Page 9 and 10:
Participants of the conference, lad
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The establishment and continued gro
Page 13 and 14:
Session 1: Determining End Uses, De
Page 15 and 16:
preliminary studies. Cross-cultural
Page 17 and 18:
farm and village forestry practices
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group. A village in Thailand or Nep
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fit within the structure of each of
Page 23 and 24:
There is a growing literature on vi
Page 25 and 26:
A. heterophyla isplanted in homegar
Page 27 and 28:
Data Analysis The results of an exe
Page 29 and 30:
Table 1. Dependency test between ho
Page 31 and 32:
Survey and Participant Observation
Page 33 and 34:
used the participant observation me
Page 35 and 36:
needs to stay in the village for an
Page 37 and 38:
A Descriptive Research Method to Es
Page 39 and 40: Important external data sources for
Page 41 and 42: Although a discussion of statistica
Page 43 and 44: demanded by consumers and the payme
Page 45 and 46: Table 2. Components and goals of th
Page 47 and 48: through a form of informal collusiv
Page 49 and 50: Information about the current envir
Page 51 and 52: importance to Sri Lankan society as
Page 53 and 54: Table 1. Major aspects considered i
Page 55 and 56: Table 2. Common perennial species.
Page 57 and 58: able to purchase basic inputs. Duri
Page 59 and 60: Session 2: Evaluating the Supply of
Page 61 and 62: The status of fuelwood utilization
Page 63 and 64: consume 184,990m 3 of fuclwood per
Page 65 and 66: References Boonyavechewin, S. and B
Page 67 and 68: loan, the decision is based on the
Page 69 and 70: subsidizes poor farmers. The govern
Page 71 and 72: Table 1. Components and expected ou
Page 73 and 74: traditional and simple with few exc
Page 75 and 76: levels. Education curricula should
Page 77 and 78: Session 3: Determining Extension, I
Page 79 and 80: or from scientific analysis of such
Page 81 and 82: Similarly, in another country, tria
Page 83 and 84: aiming at commercial markets. The t
Page 85 and 86: Multipurpose Tree Species in Agrofo
Page 87 and 88: Table 2. Number of fruit trees plan
Page 89: Research should be designed to impr
Page 93 and 94: and worked with them in both projec
Page 95 and 96: Timber is needed by most of the far
Page 97 and 98: home. In Maharashtra State, several
Page 99 and 100: Methodologies are reviewed for anal
Page 101 and 102: Development (NERAD) Project is an a
Page 103 and 104: small-scale charcoal manufacturing.
Page 105 and 106: Table 1. Hypothetical logit test re
Page 107 and 108: hectare of cultivated land requires
Page 109 and 110: The farmers' choice of species lead
Page 111 and 112: References Abell, T.M.B. 1981. Fucl
Page 113 and 114: Session 4: Orienting Research Effor
Page 115 and 116: Research mus. concentrate on these
Page 117 and 118: esearch scientists. Many crop and f
Page 119 and 120: Improving the Effectiveness of Mult
Page 121 and 122: western half of Timor. It is the po
Page 123 and 124: crops will result in less land bein
Page 125 and 126: compete with the tree crop in the f
Page 127 and 128: Small Farm Multipurpose Tree Specie
Page 129 and 130: The usual solution is to pilot test
Page 131 and 132: The CENRO offices which are scatter
Page 133 and 134: problem and begin work on a solutti
Page 135 and 136: and industrial levels, as well as s
Page 137 and 138: agicultural crops. Many of these ga
Page 139 and 140: woodlot and grow cassava using a cr
Page 141 and 142:
local interest in the wo.-k on MPTS
Page 143 and 144:
Tree improvemqnt efforts by forest
Page 145 and 146:
the mother trees for their homegard
Page 147 and 148:
Table 2. General steps required to
Page 149 and 150:
Applying Fanning Systems Research C
Page 151 and 152:
Planning Diagnosis is only useful i
Page 153 and 154:
approach that is already known abou
Page 155 and 156:
Research Plans and Metotls Based on
Page 157 and 158:
leaves make good fertilizer, althou
Page 159 and 160:
Ref.rences Amir, P., R.C. Hawkins a
Page 161 and 162:
The growing importance of small-sca
Page 163 and 164:
taking into account possible effect
Page 165 and 166:
Poster Session Presentations / /
Page 167 and 168:
planned bulletiii. are provided, bu
Page 169 and 170:
L. leucocephala is the most well kn
Page 171 and 172:
Table 4. Probability significance (
Page 173 and 174:
Recently, systematic research on im
Page 175 and 176:
Table 2. Annual Paulownia exports,
Page 177 and 178:
Forest policy formulated in India u
Page 179 and 180:
vigorously, reaching the pre-thinne
Page 181 and 182:
Table 1. List of species for degrad
Page 183 and 184:
Table 3. Productivity potential of
Page 185 and 186:
candidate must withstand certain ed
Page 187 and 188:
arising from the fact that at the f
Page 189 and 190:
Table 1. Soil properties from the e
Page 191 and 192:
Table 5. Analysis of variance of Si
Page 193 and 194:
Capsule Method of Cultivation in Se
Page 195 and 196:
Table 2. Comparison of average stem
Page 197 and 198:
Table 1. Area and species planted i
Page 199 and 200:
Table 4. P.falcataria related enter
Page 201 and 202:
The Marketing System The marketing
Page 203 and 204:
The field trip, organized by the Fo
Page 205 and 206:
213 213 em
Page 207 and 208:
Participants Marian delos Angeles S
Page 209:
Syed Zahir Sadeque AST/CIDA House 6
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