Survey of Rice Cropping Systems in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia
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Rice Science, 2013, 20(2): 154−164 Copyright © 2013, China National Rice Research Institute Published by Elsevier BV. All rights reserved DOI: 10.1016/S1672-6308(13)60125-0 Survey of Rice Cropping Systems in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia 1,* 1 2 Volker KLEINHENZ , Sophon CHEA , Ngin HUN (1Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, #17, Street 306, P.O. Box 81, Phnom Penh, Cambodia; 2Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA) Kampong Chhnang, Sangkat Ksam, Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia; *Present address: The Herbals Joint Stock Company, 8th Floor, BAC A Building, No. 9, Dao Duy Anh Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Vietnam) Abstract: Although Cambodia might have achieved self-sufficiency and an exported surplus in rice production, its rice-based farming systems are widely associated with low productivity, low farmer income and rural poverty. The study is based on a questionnaire village survey in 14 communes containing 97 villages of Kampong Chhnang Province from March to June, 2011. It analyzes the prevailing rice-based cropping systems and evaluates options for their improvement. Differences in cropping systems depend on the distance from the Tonle Sap water bodies. At distances greater than 10 km, transplanted wet-season rice cropping system with low productivity of about 1.6 t/hm2 prevails. This deficiency can be primarily attributed to soils with high coarse sand fractions and low pH (< 4.0), use of ‘late’ cultivars, and exclusive use of self-propagated seeds. To improve this cropping system, commercial ‘medium’ cultivars help prevent crop failure by shortening the cultivation period by one month and complementation of wet-season rice with non-rice crops should be expanded. Areas adjacent (≤ 1 km) to the water bodies become inundated for up to seven months between July until January of each year. In this area, soils contain more fine sand, silt and clay, and their pH is higher (> 4.0). Farmers predominantly cultivate dry-season recession rice between January and April. Seventy-nine percent of the area is sown directly and harvested by combines. Adoption ratio of commercial rice seeds is 59% and yields average 3.2 t/hm2. Introduction of the second dry-season rice between April and July may double annual yields in this rice cropping system. Besides upgrading other cultivation technologies, using seeds from commercial sources will improve yield and rice quality. Along with rice, farmers grow non-rice crops at different intensities ranging from single annual crops to intensive sequences at low yields. Key words: rice cropping system; socioeconomic indicator; on-farm activity; rice production While annual growth of the world’s population Although the land endowment predestines Cambodia between 2009 and 2015 is estimated 1.1% (World to exporting rice (Dawe, 2004), the predominant rice Bank, 2011), annual growth of the world’s rice cropping system in Cambodia is the wet-season crop, production is about 4.5% (FAO, 2011). The latter which accounts for over 86% of the total rice area, and growth is due to the expansion in rice-cultivation area 90% of this area is rainfed (USDA, 2010). Some and the increase in productivity. There are, however, researchers have highlighted innovations in Cambodia large differences in productivity among rice-growing for rainfed rice cultivation (Mak, 2001), however, nations and particularly in mainland Southeast Asia others have pointed to the relationship between human which is home to Thailand and Vietnam as the world’s poverty and such rainfed cropping systems (Fujisaka, two prominent rice-exporting nations. While the 1991). In addition to the wet-season crops, Cambodia world’s paddy rice yield in 2009 averaged 4.3 t/hm2 produces dry-season rice which includes irrigated dry- and that of Vietnam 5.2 t/hm2, average yield in season rice and ‘recession rice’ (USDA, 2010). Cambodia reached only 2.8 t/hm2 (FAO, 2011), which Recession rice is planted into receding floodwaters is one of the reason why export of milled rice (4 299 t from Cambodia’s major water bodies that comprise in 2008) in Cambodia is only a fraction (0.05% and the Tonle Sap Lake, the Tonle Sap River and the 0.09%) of that in Thailand and Vietnam. Mekong River, which merge in Phnom Penh to become the Tonle Bassac River. Received: 30 June 2012; Accepted: 20 October 2012 Low productivity is symptomatic for Cambodia’s Corresponding author: Volker KLEINHENZ ([email protected]) production of non-rice crops as well. For example, the Volker KLEINHENZ, et al. Survey of Rice Cropping Systems in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia 155 total production of vegetables in Cambodia in 2009 within three districts of Kampong Chhnang Province was only 21% of that in Thailand and 11% of that in (Fig. 1). Their total population of 87 400 represents Vietnam. Yields for these crops averaged 37% below 19% of the province’s and 0.6% of Cambodia’s populace. yields in Thailand and 48% below those in Vietnam Communes were selected on rural-development (FAO, 2011). The primary objective of the study is to indicators including population density, poverty and provide an overview of existing rice cropping systems human-development index (ADB, 2007). In comparison in selected communes in Kampong Chhnang Province, to Cambodia’s national average, the region is Cambodia. The study also classifies these cropping characterized by high population density and above- systems by identifying the main factors which determine average percentage of households living below the their prevalence and evaluates solutions for improving poverty line (NCDD, 2009). these rice cropping systems within Kampong Chhnang Kampong Chhnang Province is located in the basin Province, Cambodia. of the Tonle Sap Lake and the Tonle Sap River. The Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in MATERIALS AND METHODS Southeast Asia, covering an area of about 3 000 km2 in the dry season (November to April) and about 16 000 Study area 2 km in the wet season (May to October). The Cambodia comprises 24 provinces which are divided difference in the area between seasons is primarily due into 185 districts, 1 621 communes and 14 073 villages to the Tonle Sap River which drains the lake during (NIS, 2008). Our study area encompasses 14 communes the dry season and replenishes it when the waters of Fig. 1. Survey locations in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia (adapted from MIC, 2010 and NordNordWest, 2009). 156 Rice Science, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2013 the Mekong River cause the reverse flow into the lake The survey questionnaire contained two sections during the wet season. The seasonally inundated area focused on rice cropping. Section one covered socio- up to 13 000 km2 is usually referred to as ‘floodplain’. economic indicators including household size and farm Table 1 presents an overview of our study area and area, and section two focused on on-farm activities the extent of seasonal flooding within the communes associated with rice production. covered in this study. The average distance of each The commune-based interviews of key informants commune from the Tonle Sap River or the Tonle Sap were conducted following the Delphi method (Linstone Lake was calculated as the mean of the geographical and Turoff, 1975) and divided into a maximum of distance of each commune’s village to the closest water three rounds. During the first round of interviews, the body. For this, GPS data was recorded using a mobile representatives of communes were asked to answer phone and ‘My BB GPS’ software version 1.6.0. the questionnaire. These answers were reviewed and Fine and coarse sands are the prominent soil summarized by the interviewers for encouraging the fraction across the study area (data not shown). In informants to revise their earlier answers considering communes at distances greater than 10 km from the the answers of the other commune representatives. Tonle Sap soils with high coarse sand fractions and After such discussion, consent was usually reached in low pH (particle size: 1.6% clay, 2.6% silt, 28.7% fine the second round. sand, 67.1% coarse sand; EC: 0.01 dS/m; pH 3.8; Statistical analysis exchangeable Al: 0.14 cmol/kg) prevail, whereas soils in areas adjacent (≤ 1 km) to the water bodies are Basic statistics including sums, means and standard higher in fine sand, silt and clay fractions with higher deviations (SD), and analysis of variance (ANOVA) pH (2.7% clay, 5.8% silt, 37.1% fine sand, 54.3% and multivariate analysis (cluster analysis) were coarse sand; EC: 0.02 dS/m; pH 4.3; exchangeable Al: calculated with SAS software version 9.2 (SAS Institute 0.07 cmol/kg). Inc., Cary). Differences among districts, clusters and groups of geographical distance were analyzed with Surveys one-factorial ANOVA and means separated with the The study was designed as a village survey in a total Duncan test (α = 0.05). of 97 villages (2–14 villages per commune, data not shown). It encompassed interviewing key informants RESULTS such as the Commune Councilor, the Commune Council Assistant, other Commune Council members, Basic characteristics of study area and a varying number of Village Chiefs and farmers The study area covers a total of 72 794 hm2, 41% of between March to June, 2011. which is for agricultural use on average (Table 1). Table 1. Selected characteristics of surveyed communes in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia. Population Ratio of Distance from Ratio of Area Farm size Flooding b Commune District Population density agricultural area Tonle Sap a flooding area (hm2) (hm2) (month) (km-2)