Rice-based Systems Research: Regional Technical Workshop June 2012 Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)

1. Viengsavanh
Phimphachanhvongsod,
Tassilo Tiemann
Developing improved farming and marketing systems in
rainfed regions of southern Lao PDR:
Activities & results, Livestock and Forages Component 2010

2. 1. Identify potential livestock feeding and
management options, and adapt and evaluate
these with farmers at key sites.
2. Identify productive forage species adapted to the
specific lowland conditions of southern Laos.
3. Feed information back to other components and
look for integration possibilities.

3. • Identifying PAFO and DAFO focus areas and
villages apt for interventions
• Introduce farmers with potential for livestock
system improvements to the concept of forage
planting
• Improve livestock production systems and link to
markets
• Look for improved integration possibilities of the system
• Germplasm evaluation and seed multiplication of
potentially apt forage species

4. Farmer selection happened according to :
• Overall poverty
• Importance of livestock to farmers
• Market opportunities for livestock and livestock
products
• Interest and capacity of farmers to participate
• Accessibility of the site throughout the year

5. • We are working currently in 7 districts with more
than 60 farmers
• Initial weather related drawbacks led to a slow
start
• All farmers have now managed to establish
plots, the required systems change is only
Savannakh Phone Ya Nang, Nakheilex, Nadeun, Kokyai, Lathor
et starting cluster, Gaeng
Luang, Labengkhok, Thathe, Khamsaee, Naphorkham
Champasa Donjod, Veng
k Tao, Mai, NoneKhoun, Sackmaoug, NonYang, PakXan
g, NaMakNgok, Moung, NoneDengTai, NoneYang, Pak
Xang, NongBourNgo

6. • The adoption of forages requires a change in
thinking and management
• Livestock = Money = Security
• Cattle and forage have to be seen as a unit
• Planning and managing feed and feeding
• Cattle has to be taken care of
much more

8. • Promising species for ruminant production have
been identified despite the demanding environm.
conditions
• Post harvest upland rice systems with forages
seem to be in theory feasible, in practice they
are constrained
• For lowland rice systems no option could be
identified yet, soil chemistry/aeration might be
limiting

9. Challenges for post harvest systems include
• No commercial forage seed availability for short
term legumes
• High management/labor costs
• Potentially good return to labor only in
intensive, specialized systems.

10. But…
• Already small amounts of supplementary
irrigation seem to be beneficial
• Perennial rice forage systems might be a
solution to some of these constraints

11. • Farmers can start forage seed production with
“Happy Farmers”
• Although the return to labor is quite good and risk relatively
low, there has been little interest
• Birla Lao pulp company tries to use forages as a
strategy in their impact mitigation program
• Establishment and management of forage plots in between
Eucalyptus plantations could be challenging
• Especially aspired free-grazing systems do require good
management for sustainability
• Linking farmers to traders will be the next
challenge

12. • Farmer and district staff training is an important
issue
• Intensive follow up is constrained by the large
area
• Lack of institutional incentives make the
successful intervention in each district
dependent on the personal commitment and
interest of the local staff
• Slow and bureaucratic processes in place to
ensure proper use of funds make work
cumbersome