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Farmer Cross-Visits and Technology Transfer-Income Diversification Strategies for Smallholder Farmers: Dr. Ngo Bunthan, Rector of Royal University of Agriculture
January 14, 2012
What are the main objectives of our farmer cross-visits?
To improve knowledge of farmers in "Farm Adjustment Practices" that will help them better cope with risks-related to weather and increaseincomes. In saying so, farmers will receive training and education delivered by BUILD-FARM-ADAPT project being coordinated and implemented by Royal University of Agriculture in close collaboration with Chea Sim University of Kamchaymear and the University of Queensland of Australia.
Today, BUILD-FARM-ADAPT is developing a "Fitness Programme" of agricultural technologies for rural farming communities in Prey Veng province particularly Ba Phnom, Kamchaymear and Pear Reang districts. As you can see, our government heavily invested in water rehabilitation and expansion aim to reduce drought riskin agricultural sector and increase crop production per unit. However, the majority of rural farming communitiesin Cambodia depend largely on rainfed environmentwith low agricultural productiondue to high risk of shifting rainfall patterns and diseases, insects, as well aspoor farm management practices. The BUILD-FARM-ADAPT is clearly identified that insufficient conditions for transferring technologies to farming communities in Prey Veng province has largely created barriers to cope with drought and flood risks.
Our main objectives today are to design technology transfer meet the needs of basic farmers' resources, by providing them with ample opportunities to figure out the technology performancebasis before implementing actual works. On top of that, we would study about farmer particular interest and willingness to test and use those technologies. The BUILD-FARM-ADAPT has three vital components for helping rural farmers in generating incomes within the context of climate change-forage and cattle systems, rice, and vegetable crops, which are planned to introduce to farmersin the next wet season byusingclimate change information as"Decision Support Tools."
Why do we need to arrange the farmer-cross visits for farmer groups?
Farmer cross-visits is conducted for improving forage technology transfer to farmers in our project locations by allowing them learningcases of "good practices" and "best available technologies" being used by farmers in Bati district of Takeo province,who were supported by CARF/CAVAC. It also providesfarmersfrom three target locations with range of options to choosefor "practice" thatisthe most "interesting" and "work" at theirfarms. A part of that providing enough time for farmers to prepare on-farm works in the next wet season. It will build confidence for farmers through the exchange studies. By presenting this, farmers will see the existing practices and results directly. This event islikely to convince farmer groups to adopt our new technologies.
What should farmers do after the farmer cross-visits?
A long with this fruitful outcome, farmer groups possiblyconsider and decide wherethe best places areshould bechosen for establishingpermanent forage crops. Farmersneedclearly setting up purposes-planting forages for fattening cattle for sale or supplementing feed to cattle during the shortageperiod-in raising their cattle with forage crops, whichare ready available intheir backyards. The BUILD-FARM-ADAPT would work closely with targetfarmers by suggesting them with following immediate actions:(1) land cultivation; (2) preparing family labor; (3) manure and chemical fertilizer; and (4) fencing forage plots. The farmer groups will continuously help guide on "how to buy cheap cattle" for fattening to sale within 3 to 4 months.
How do we measure farmers' willingness to apply the practices to their own farms?
We use different tools to collect farmer groups' concerns and opinions included questionnaire to measure farmers' willingness to test and use new technologies. Our questionnaire has four parts: (1) farm resources; (2) cattle rearing; (3) opinion on field day; and (4) training needs. The main part is farmers' views toward field day activities. The farmer groups will express their interest, application, and confidence levels of using technologies that were shown during the field day programmes. Finally, information collected from individual farmer will be used to shape technology transfer in term of "what type of technology" we should disseminate to farming communities in target areas and "what training subjects" we should offer before actual on-farm works are realized.
 
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