I I - part - usaid

. C1CpPfLnq System Modifications
ANNEX V-2
The present cropping systems utilized under rainfed
condittons in the Northeast can be described as primarily the
monocropping of rice, cassava and kenaf during the rainy season.
Rice is the basic subsistence crop and occupies more than twothirds
of the crop acreage. Local varieties of cassava and kenaf
occupy the major portion of upland areas were soils are generally
infertile. Corn is grown on more fertile soils, but they
constitute only a very small percentage of upland areas. Peanut
is the majcr food legume grown in the Northeast, while smaller
acreages are planted with mungbean. Areas devoted to some other
crops are also significant. As discussed in the Strategy section,
predominant cropping patterns of a particular area generally
correspond to subregional agro-ecological and agro-economic
zonation, and the local geomorphological landforms.
Proposed cropping system modifications are, therefore,
presented according to the landforms on which they are potentially
applicable, subject to local verification in each of the subregional
zones represented by the sample of NERAD tambons. Land­
form characteristics of Project tambons are shown in Figure V-1.
Flood Plains. The ma3or crop in this area is traditional
long-season cultivars of rice, grown without additional fertilization.
The yields are sometimes reduced to near zero due to
flash flooding. To eliminate this problem, the Project will
introduce some newly-released deep water rice cultivars such as
RD 17 and 19, After the rainy season, some farmers grow offseason
rice of high-value vegetable crops with supplementary
irrigation from swamps, rivers or shallow wells.
On the other
hand, in some areas water resources are not readily available
for supplementary irrigation, but soil moisture is adequate to
support full growth of short to medium duration crops. In these
areas farmers will be introduced to marketable drought-tolerant
or short-duration filed crops such as peanuts, mungbeans, or sesame
after rice harvesting.
Low Terraces. These areas are also dominated by rice
production, and soil moisture is usually available throughout
the growing stage of rice, even with the occurrence of a drought.
Therefore, high-yielding rice cultivars which are responsive
to fertilization will be introduced by subsidizing production
inputs for conducting extension trials utilizing this type of
technology.
In years when the rainy season begins late, a nursery
seed bed will be prepared early by supplementary irrigation from
pit ponds or swamps which have been rehabilitated by the Project
at selected locations in some tambons. Many aceas on low terraces
have prolonged residual soil moisture, and can therefore be planted