SAREC -supported research activities in Vietnam; a contribution to the sustainable pro-poor livestock development

 

Le Viet Ly

 

National Institute of Animal Husbandry
Hanoi
ly.niah@netnam.vn
                                                                 

 Abstract

Vietnam is well known as a poor and small country, where the agriculture is based mainly on small-scale farming systems. The characteristics of this system can be seen as small size farms, integrated crop-livestock systems, low capital input and low economic efficiency. After economic innovation in 1989, Vietnam has overcome a long period of food deficiency, but it is still a poor country in which more than 70% of the population are small farmers and relatively poor. Vietnamese farmers have been developing sustainable agricultural systems for thousands of years. However this traditional system is being threatened  by the increasing population pressure and the mechanism of the market system. How to avoid the risk of unstable development of agriculture, and how to choose the appropriate technologies for development are urgent tasks for everyone who is devoted to the cause of agriculture and poor farmers.

• The research activities of the SIDA/SAREC project (S2/VIE/22) have made a significant contribution to the sustainable pro-poor livestock development in Vietnam by:

• Promoting the integrated farming system

• Improving the use of natural resources in animal feeding (eg: local feeds and crop by-products from cassava, sweet potato, rice and sugar cane)

• Introducing new forage crops (Trichanthera gigantea, Flemingia macrophylla, duckweed (Lemna spp).

• Putting more attention on improving the existing feeding technology to bring more benefits to the poor farmers.

• Reducing surface pollution caused by animal production through research and promotion of plastic biodigesters and using waste aquatic products as feed.

• Accelerating the concept of sustainability in livestock development and applying on-farm research as a means to support the rural poor.

 

Key words: Integrated crop-livestock system, recycling, sustainability 

Introduction

At the moment, Vietnam is increasing the industrialization and modernization process. The development process brings fortune to some but also misfortune to the community, because the adaptability of each group in the community is different. The poor group has to be given special attention. Due to poor infrastructure of production, lack of capital, lack of knowledge on technologies and marketing, the poor always are at a disadvantage when they have to compete in the market system. Nowadays we are faced with regionalization and globalization, which could bring more difficulties.

 

According to the Comprehensive Strategy on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development in Vietnam, in the year 2000 the proportion of poor households was 32% (International standard) or 17.2% (Vietnamese standard). During ten years (1990 - 2000), the proportion of  poor household declined by half, but in the whole country the number was still 2.8 million, of which 90.5% were in rural areas and 9.5% in urban areas (Table 1).

 

 

The main part of our  population are farmers (over 70%) and it is expected that there will be more than 50% in 2010. Most of our farmer are smallholders. The proportion of large size farms is only about 1%. The increase  of medium and large size  farms is  likely to be slow because:

• Vietnam is an agricultural country and the population is high (about 80 million).

• Arable  area is small (only 0.1 ha/capita in average)

• Lack of capital.

• Purchasing power is low and price is influential .

 

To reduce the unemployment in rural areas, our government has to apply the policy of “limitation of land area”, especially in the delta regions. There are some measures to encourage the development of larger farm enterprises but more attention should be focused on supporting the poor in the country side.

 

The role of livestock production in hunger eradication and poverty reduction

Livestock production is an important sector in agriculture. It not only provides the high value protein products for human consumption but also contributes greatly to crop cultivation. It supplies a large amount of organic manure, which keeps the soil fertile and helps go sustain high yields. In the great success of development of rice, coffee, rubber and fruits in Vietnam, livestock has played an important role.

 

Results from recent research showed that the output from one hectare used for livestock production was higher than that used for cultivation. Livestock can be an impetus to accelerate growth, increase income and benefits and to improve living standards of farmers. The proportion of livestock output in gross output of agriculture is not high but it’s contribution to the household  economy of farmers is important.   In many areas the crop products like rice could not be sold directly to the market, but could be converted to animal products for higher income. Livestock can also provide most of the cash for daily expenditures of households. Some species such as scavenging chicken, ducks,  native or hybrid pigs and goats, can give quick return and they are very popular in the farmer's family.

 

From these points of view, we think that it is very necessary to support small scale farmers keeping animals to help them improve their standard of living, and maintaining social stability.

 

The confrontation  of the poor in the marketing system

There are many contradictions in development of livestock production and the market mechanism:

• Small household farm >< medium and large size farms.

• Traditional production >< industrial production.

• Low quality, low price >< high quality, high price.

• Traditional technologies >< modern technologies.

• Low investment, low benefit >< high investment, high benefit.

• Self-sufficient production >< commercial production.

 

There are also differences which influence the choice and appropriateness of technologies (Tab le 2).

 

 

From this situation we have to consider carefully in choosing technologies and try  to regulate the conflicts that happen in market-based systems. An example of the consequences of the wrong technology was the importation of high-yielding Dutch dairy cows to developing countries. In general, the high-yielding Dutch dairy cows did not adapt well to the local climate and were not suitable to the production conditions of poor farmers. They suffered heat stress, swollen joints and lameness and infertility. "The experiences of 20 years showed that the importation high yielding Dutch dairy cows to developing countries was wrong" (Operations review unit, Netherlands Development Cooperation 1987). Regrettably, nowadays, there are still many people who want to import directly temperate dairy cows to small-holder farms in Vietnam, when the conditions and knowledge are poor and the  agro-ecological environment is not favorable .

 

In Vietnam, small-scale livestock production will be existing for a long time. Industrialization cannot provide employment for all the population in rural areas, so that when we choose technologies to apply in these areas we have to pay attention not only to high-yield production but also to job generation, farmers' skills and the market situation.

 

Livestock production and agricultural production at a small scale can create more jobs in the rural areas. With huge numbers of small farms the production in this sector can be high and sustainable. However, in a parallel way we will continue to stimulate the development of some medium and large farms where the conditions are favorable. It is necessary to question the concepts that:  "to help poor farmers, it is better to provide credit; and that research is not necessary". In fact, there are many ways to help small-scale farmers, not only in social but also in technical aspects. The development of appropriate technologies, which can exploit the local available resources, are not paid enough attention.

 

Research activities of the Sida/SAREC project have contributed to the development of sustainable pro – poor livestock development in Vietnam

As the name of the project implies “Sustainable Livestock Production based on Local Feed Resources”, all research activities are focused on supporting poor farmers to develop appropriate livestock production systems. Some examples of the strategy are:

• Research activities that emphasize the integration of crops, animals and the environment. The aim of this system is to promote the recycling of energy and nutrients, so as to improve the soil fertility for a sustainable, healthy environment  

• In the experiments of animal feeding based on local available feed resources, especially with crop by-products, we did not seek so much to reach the maximum yield but tried to find the appropriate feeding systems, which can bring highest benefit for small-scale farmers. 

• Most of the experiments were conducted "on-farm”, which means that the objective of the research was to answer the demands of production, so that the results could easily be applied under farm conditions, thus helping to bridge the gap between experiment and production.  

• Experiments were designed logically, based on the right hypothesis, and the results have been analyzed carefully to have rational conclusions. 

• A scientific committee was organized to meet on an annual basis to assess and  approve the results of experiments and the plans for new research proposals. 

• The results of the applied research have been transferred to farmers in different areas. The model of scavenging chickens in Tuyen Quang province is well known and is sustainable. The project has lasted for 8 years in a cooperative effort with the Womens' Union of the Province. From a small pilot project and a small network this model has now been expanded to several districts in the province.

 

The Sida/SAREC project has made a significant contribution to the strengthening of the research capacity and human resources of the Research Stations of Institutes and Universities. The Goat and Rabbit Research Centre in Son Tay is a brilliant example. From a very small station, but under the strong support from the SAREC project, the research and extension capacity of the Centre has been increasing, as demonstrated in the improvement of the research activities and human resources development. Many researchers, students from Universities in Vietnam and foreign experts have come to visit the Centre. Many Vietnamese researchers have carried out their experiments for MSc. and PhD theses.

 

It is  necessary to point out some impacts of the project on agricultural practices:

• Introducing the new variety of forage such as Trichanthera gigantea (originated from Colombia) to many places of our country, especially in mountainous provinces. The advantages of these plants are that they are easy to cultivate, are fast-growing, have high yield (40 tonnes/ha/yr), a high protein content (16% in dry matter), are palatable for pigs and other animals and can be grown under shade.

• Expanding planting of Flemingia macrophylla shrubs in unfertile hilly soil and using it for goat feeding. In many places this plant could not be used as animal feed, but the researchers in the Goat and Rabbit Research Centre dried the leaves and mixed them with molasses and urea as a feed for goats. With this technology,  "Flemingia hay" can replace a large amount of roughage, particularly in winter when the green fodder is in deficit.

• Products and by-products of sugarcane: Sugarcane juice, molasses, sugarcane tops, sugarcane leaves and bagasse have been  used as animal feed. Feeding pigs with sugarcane juice or molasses is a new technology in Vietnam but it has been applied in many provinces, particularly in Tuyen Quang and Thai Nguyen. The National Sugar Programme now requires the use of almost the total amount of fresh sugar cane but molasses is still using for feeding pig and other species in many places.

• Improvement of diets based on cassava, sweet potato and their by-products:  cassava and sweet potato are very popular and the rational use of these crops can bring more benefit to farmers especially in pig raising.

• Use of duckweed for pigs and poultry is another good example of ways to exploit the water surface areas and produce a high protein source of green fodder.

• Plastic biodigesters have been successfully applied in several areas, especially in South Vietnam, and are appropriate to the small-scale farmer’s capacity.

 

Conclusions

The concept of the integration of crops, animals and the environment,  has been given a high profile in the planning of research activities. As a result, the research carried out with support from the Sida/SAREC project has made a significant contribution to the sustainability of livestock production systems, which in turn has assisted the poor in rural areas to make better use of the natural resources. The research activities have also had a significant impact on the development of human resources in the Agricultural Universities and Research Institutes in our country.

 

Based on the successes of the project, it is recommended that each Institution should make a major effort to influence the policy-makers in conducting  "pro-poor" livestock policies with the aim to bring more benefits to small-scale farmers, who are facing hard competition in the market system.

 

References

Luu Trong Hieu 1996 International Cooperation for Sustainable Livestock Production on Local Resources.  Agricultural Publishing House, Hanoi.

 

Le Viet Ly and Bui Van Chinh 1996 Development of Livestock Production in Sustainable Farming Systems. Agricultural Publishing House, Hanoi.

 

Ogle B and Phuc, B. H. N., 1997. Sustainable intensive livestock based systems in Vietnam, IRD Current 14:16-22.

 

Orskov E R 2001 Sustainable resources management and rural development in Vietnam. Paper presented at the seminar on Ruminant Nutrition held in Hanoi on 12 January 2001 by Vietnam Animal Husbandry Association.

 

Preston T R and Murgueitio E 1994 Strategy for sustainable livestock production in the Tropics. CONDRIT Ltd, Cali, Colombia