improved fallow systems in the luang prabang area, lao pdr - Afaci

Improved fallow systems in the Luang Prabang area, Lao PDR – an analysis based on farmer experiencesResultsResultsThe results presented here are almost entirely a product of the farmer interviews. Important partsof these data cannot be quantified and are more impressions and opinions discussed during themeetings. Main trends presented below are an interpretation of these discussions.Implementation and adaptationIn the SCRP experiments, plots were mainly cropped with rice in 1992. Together with the rice,rows of Leucaena or alternating rows of Leucaena and Pigeon pea were planted. Spacing wastypically 0.5 to 1 meter in the rows with 5 to 10 meters between rows. In some cases grasses(mainly Stvlo) were broadcast after weeding the plot. Most farmers expressed a view that theimplementation of the system cost them some extra planting work.Typically, the plots were then left fallow for two or three years after this, until used again on thethird or fourth year after implementation. Almost half the number of plots were used in a thirdcropping period in 1998 or 1999. For these years. Job's Tears were the main crop at almost allexperimental plots. Usually. Leucaena and Pigeon pea were cut to between 0.5 and 1 meterbefore burning of the plot.Two farmers in Ban Dan present an interesting exception from this pattern. Here, rice was grownwith alternating rows of Leucaena and Pigeon pea for two years. In the third year, beans (blackseeded Cow pea and Soybean) were grown between the rows. Branches and leaves from theLeucaena and Pigeon pea were put in the rows to reduce erosion. Probably, attempts were madeto implement alley cropping (a form of permanent agriculture) here. but the fields were left tofallow again after three years and the systems became improved fallow systems.The FAO/LJNDP plots are in most cases initially Leucaena plantations, with no other crop in thefirst years, planted between 1984 and 1987. Some of these have been used for cropping sincethen and are of interest to this study, while others have been left to become small Leucaenaforests. In 1988, plantations were started in a number of extension villages. Here, Leucaena wasgrown together with rice in the first year. Spacing in the earlier plantations was about 1x10meters, while it was denser in later plantations.These plots have in most cases gone through several cycles of fallow and cropping. A usualcycle seems to be about five years, but most plots have been used for two years in a row at leastonce.Usually, the plots do not offer any special weeding problems. Typically, new germinations ofLeucaena and Pigeon pea are weeded quite easily and new branches on old Leucaena are cutwithout major effort. The only main problem seems to have been the introduced grasses. Thesecan be very competitive and offer most farmers extra weeding work.Yield and fallowIt seems as if an overwhelming majority of the farmers are convinced that planting Leucaena andPigeon pea is good for their plots, and they all say that it gives them better yields than traditional,unimproved, methods.When looking at the yield data given by the farmers it is hard to find grounds for their positivestatements, which leads one to suspect that they give an answer they think might please. Whenasked why all farmers in the village do not use the method (if it is so good), the extra work atimplementation is sometimes used as an explanation. However hard it may be to believe such apositive picture of the methods, the farmers usually insist that it is so.IMPROVED FALLOW SYSTEMS IN THE LUANG PRABANG AREA, LAO PDR - AN ANALYSIS BASED ON FARMEREXPERIENCES.20040940 8