Crop and cattle production systems in south-central coastal Vietnam.
Hoang Thi Thai Hoa, Nguyen Xuan Ba, Summers R.
Author Affiliation: Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue, Vietnam.
: 10-19
Abstract : Sandy soils make up more than 233,000 hectares in the coastal zone of the south-central coastal (SCC) region of Vietnam. Most of the population live on the inherently poor sandy soils and their livelihoods are largely dependent on cropping and livestock. The objective of this study was to better understand the local farming systems of the sandy areas. To assess sustainability of current farming systems, study sites were chosen in one commune each from the SCC provinces of Binh Dinh, Ninh Thuan and Phu Yen, which are mainly rainfed and subject to drought. The region is dependent on agriculture, with rice, peanut and cassava crops being the most popular. Most households also raised pigs, buffalo and cattle. Typical tree crops included mango, cashew and custard apple. The crop productivity was relatively low due to the unfavourable growing conditions (infertile sandy soil and lack of water) combined with poor animal productivity. Application of fertilisers depended on household circumstances and access to manure from household livestock. Rice received relatively high nitrogen compared with other nutrients, with little use of manure, while legumes and vegetables received application of other macronutrients with high rates of manure. Farm sizes were relatively small in Binh Dinh and Phu Yen compared with Ninh Thuan. Larger landholdings and lower rainfall in Ninh Thuan prompted the farmers to up-scale raising of cattle, with sheep and goats being twice that of the other two provinces. Households in Binh Dinh and Phu Yen had greater numbers of pigs and poultry. In Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, 41% of households primarily utilised intensive stall-feeding in comparison to only 6% in Ninh Thuan. Not many options exist to improve incomes, other than increasing productivity from limited agricultural landholdings. Improvement of soil fertility based on better use of available on-farm resources to improve crop and animal nutrition were identified as the main opportunities. These constraints combined with other economic difficulties in the region, such as lack of credit, capital for investment, inputs, market information and market access, further impede farmers' incomes. Although agricultural technical support is available through research and extension agencies, the complex and significant interactions of options require greater capacity and development of assessment and extension tools.