Food, Feed, Fuel, and Fibre for a Greener Future (“4FGF”)
A Regional Research Programme to Improve Eco-Efficiency of Smallholder Agriculture
Supporting IFAD Investment Projects in Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam … and elsewhere
Keith Fahrney (CIAT-Asia, Lao PDR) with Regional Research Partners
Introduction Programme Development Objective
In the Greater Mekong Subregion, concerns for environmental Livelihoods of resource-poor upland smallholder farmers,
protection and energy security present new opportunities for especially ethnic minorities and women, are improved through
poor upland smallholder farmers to produce renewable integrated crop/livestock systems and sustainable production
agricultural resources for food, feed, fuel, and fibre and to and utilisation of food, feed, fibre, and energy crops, with
engage in markets for processing these resources. Such facilitative market linkages to agro-industrial processors.
developments are important for sustainable economic
development at the village and national scales, and have local and
global environmental implications. Expected Outcomes
CIAT and CIP are working with IFAD investment projects and
with research partners and public/private industries to link 1. Incomes and food security of targeted beneficiaries are
smallholder farmers to emerging markets for selected “green” improved through increased production of selected cash and
agro-industrial crops. food/feed crops and the utilisation of agro-industrial by-
products for intensified livestock production.
Starch and Bioethanol Production from Cassava
The price of cassava has increased significantly in recent years
because of competing demands from starch processors,
livestock feed industries, and biofuel (ethanol) producers.
Pulp, Paper, and Fibre Products
Rapid growth, industrialization, and urbanization in Southeast
Asia and China have led to greatly increased demand for paper
products. Most GMS countries are importers of pulp and paper
products. Kenaf, roselle, and paper mulberry are fast-growing
fibre crops that can be grown by smallholders and processed
locally into pulp or paper.
2. Smallholder producers and village-based processors gain from
increased market opportunities through mutually beneficial
Smallholder Livestock Production from By-Products and linkages with agro-industrial processors.
Supplemental Food and Feed Crops 3. Local and regional platforms facilitate knowledge management
Cassava, kenaf, roselle, and paper mulberry leaves are valuable and sharing among producers, processors, researchers, policy
feed resources that can be retained on-farm and combined with makers, and investors to promote enterprises that increase
cassava mill wastes and locally grown food/feed crops to the value of agro-industrial value chains, improve
intensify village livestock production, including fish, for income sustainability, and support equitable rural development.
generation, food security, and efficient use of manures.
Process
Direct engagement with 3-5 IFAD investment projects to pilot
applied research and implementation activities. “Learning
Alliances” to facilitate and accelerate adaptation and scaling out
to IFAD projects in the three target countries -- and beyond ...