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Constraints to farmers' adoption of direct-seeding mulch-based cropping systems: A farm scale modeling approach applied to the mountainous slopes of Vietnam

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  • Affholder, François
  • Jourdain, Damien
  • Quang, Dang Dinh
  • Tuong, To Phuc
  • Morize, Marion
  • Ricome, Aymeric

Abstract

Substantial initiatives are under way in the tropical world to develop and promote direct-seeding mulch-based cropping systems (DMC) in order to reduce soil erosion and improve crop nutrient and water balances. DMC have been adopted by large-scale mechanized farmers, especially in America and Australia, but seldom by resource-poor farmers in the developing world. This study was conducted in Vietnam with the aim of evaluating the feasibility of farmers' implementing DMC in a mountainous area. The method involved simulation of rational households maximizing their income subject to food security constraints and availability of resources. It generated insight into why farmers of a small region were reluctant to adopt DMC due to the extra labor and input required to implement these techniques during the first years, which hampers their economic performance. In another region, under different biophysical and economic environmental conditions, the study showed that DMC were more likely to be adopted provided that possible constraints at the community level are overcome. The method also allowed us to discuss the types of technical improvements that would make DMC more attractive to farmers. For most farm types, labor required by mulch establishment would have to be reduced by more than 30%. This would mean spreading much less biomass than the 7 t ha-1 currently necessary, compromising the weed-control function of mulch. This would be technically feasible only by using herbicides but this would not be economically sound since it would increase cash requirements. The study showed that subsidies of 50 to more than 200 USD ha-1 were necessary to enable the conversion of all conventionally managed sloping land into DMC in the simulations. These amounts are high relatively to gross margins (250-750 USD ha-1) under conventional management.

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  • Affholder, François & Jourdain, Damien & Quang, Dang Dinh & Tuong, To Phuc & Morize, Marion & Ricome, Aymeric, 2010. "Constraints to farmers' adoption of direct-seeding mulch-based cropping systems: A farm scale modeling approach applied to the mountainous slopes of Vietnam," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(1), pages 51-62, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:103:y:2010:i:1:p:51-62
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    8. Lairez, Juliette & Jourdain, Damien & Lopez-Ridaura, Santiago & Syfongxay, Chanthaly & Affholder, François, 2023. "Multicriteria assessment of alternative cropping systems at farm level. A case with maize on family farms of South East Asia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
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    11. Massamba Diop & Ngonidzashe Chirinda & Adnane Beniaich & Mohamed El Gharous & Khalil El Mejahed, 2022. "Soil and Water Conservation in Africa: State of Play and Potential Role in Tackling Soil Degradation and Building Soil Health in Agricultural Lands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-29, October.
    12. Li, Qi & Li, Kai, 2020. "Rice farmers’ demands for productive services: evidence from Chinese farmers," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 23(3), September.
    13. Tuong The Tran & Aslihan Arslan & Giacomo Branca & Trinh Van Mai, 2018. "Bio-Economic Assessment of Climate-Smart Tea Production in The Northern Mountainous Region of Vietnam," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, December.
    14. Komarek, Adam M. & Bell, Lindsay W. & Whish, Jeremy P.M. & Robertson, Michael J. & Bellotti, William D., 2015. "Whole-farm economic, risk and resource-use trade-offs associated with integrating forages into crop–livestock systems in western China," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 63-72.
    15. Jourdain, Damien & Lairez, Juliette & Striffler, Bruno & Lundhede, Thomas, 2022. "A choice experiment approach to evaluate maize farmers’ decision-making processes in Lao PDR," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    16. Anne Gobin & Le Thi Thu Hien & Le Trinh Hai & Pham Ha Linh & Nguyen Ngoc Thang & Pham Quang Vinh, 2020. "Adaptation to Land Degradation in Southeast Vietnam," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-25, August.
    17. Daniel Sumner & Maria Elisa Christie & Stéphane Boulakia, 2017. "Conservation agriculture and gendered livelihoods in Northwestern Cambodia: decision-making, space and access," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 34(2), pages 347-362, June.
    18. Kotir, Julius H. & Bell, Lindsay W. & Kirkegaard, John A. & Whish, Jeremy & Aikins, Kojo Atta, 2022. "Labour demand – The forgotten input influencing the execution and adoptability of alternative cropping systems in Eastern Australia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    19. Alary, V. & Corbeels, M. & Affholder, F. & Alvarez, S. & Soria, A. & Valadares Xavier, J.H. & da Silva, F.A.M. & Scopel, E., 2016. "Economic assessment of conservation agriculture options in mixed crop-livestock systems in Brazil using farm modelling," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 33-45.
    20. Damien Jourdain & Juliette Lairez & Bruno Striffler & François Affholder, 2020. "Farmers’ preference for cropping systems and the development of sustainable intensification: a choice experiment approach," Post-Print hal-02995632, HAL.

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