Discussions regarding green manure cover crops in Laos
(6/3/02 - 6/7/02)

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postings: 5
countries: Honduras, Netherlands, USA (Hawaii), Vietnam
organizations/institutions/companies:COSECHA, University of Utrecht (IDS)

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From: Roland Bunch
To: mulch-L@cornell.edu
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002
Subject: Gm/cc's in Peru and Laos

Dear Mulchers,

Another short report on green manure/cover crops found during my travels...

In the Andes of northern Peru (between Cajamarca and the Ecuadorean border, or more specifically between Chota and San Ignacio), I found hundreds, if not thousands of fields--virtually everything visible from the road for perhaps 150 kms--full of maize associated with lablab beans (Dolichos lalab or Lablab purpureum). Furthermore, these were by and large among the most productive maize fields I've seen in the Andes. Of course, the lablab bean is eaten widely here, while still green, much like a pea. Nevertheless, I would also guess the bean is also eaten dry (I didn't get a chance to talk with farmers, as I was on a bus), because they would have far more grain than they could eat green.

In Laos, I toured much of northern Laos (from Luang Prabang northward and eastward, to such places as Phongxaly, Muong Xai and Xam Nua). To my amazement, I found almost no sign of any gm/cc systems in any of this area. I heard here and there of small-scale exceptions (a few farmers here and there), and there were a good number of legumes being used on dry paddy fields during the off-season, but the uplands of northern Laos seemed to be almost totally devoid of farmer- generated gm/cc systems. So to me, who seems to find gm/cc's virtually everywhere, the big question was, Why not in northern Laos?

First of all, opium poppies are still grown quite widely in this area, by at least some of the ethnic groups who live there. Obviously, with a cash crop as lucrative as opium poppies, there will be no economic stimulus to grow legumes as cash crops, or even food crops (it is easier to grow opium and BUY rice). But there are ethnic groups in this area that DON'T grow opium. So what about those areas?

Another common situation in northern Laos, though by no means universal, is that farmers still have enough land to let it fallow ten to fifteen years. This was very common (judging by tree size in fallowed fields and in those fields recently burned), especially in the Phangsaly area and parts of the Xam Nua area.

Another factor may well be that Laos seems to be uncommonly well- endowed with non-timber forest products. These include rattan, bamboo (which is used hundreds of ways in Asia), firewood, fruits, wild animals (some near extinction), medicinal herbs, etc. Thus, to use Malcolm Cairns' classification of improved fallows, people here ALREADY appear to have "economically enhanced" fallows, and thus need not worry that much about enhancing their fallows to make them more "efficient".

A fourth factor in much of northern Laos is remoteness. And even the markets that are a long ways away are relatively small (outside of Luang Prabang, northern Laos doesn't have anything much larger than a good-sized town, nor have markets to China or Viet Nam become very accessible yet, although this is changing. Thus, farmers who produced mung beans or yellow beans or meter-long beans have little chance of selling them.

Lastly, although some maize is grown in the area, upland rice is far and away the dominant crop, and intercropping gm/cc's with rice is not at all easy.

The result is that, contrary to what sometimes seems to be the case, it just may be that gm/cc's are not appropriate everywhere. What a disappointment!

Sincerely,
Roland Bunch
Organization: COSECHA, Valle de Angeles, Honduras

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From: Bill Cook
To: mulch-L@cornell.edu
Subject: Gm/cc's in Peru and Laos
Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002

Roland,

Fascinating account!

Do you mean eating of lablab pods or lablab green seeds or both, as there are varieties which are intended for use as we use the common bean, such as Kentucky Wonder?

And in Laos, what do you think of the possiblity of adding an upright gm into opium or upland rice in the same way that Trifolium of Medicago are sown into wheat or oats to build fertility if not for sale?

Aloha,
Bill Cook
(Hawaii)

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From: Karl Gerner
To: (MULCH-L@cornell.edu)
Subject: gm for Laos
Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002

Bill,

What do you think would be an appropriate upright gm for Laos to add "into opium or upland rice in the same way that Trifolium or Medicago are sown into wheat or oats ..." ?

Karl Gerner

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To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
From: Paul Burgers
Subject: Laos
Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2002

Dear Mulchers,

After reading Rolando's comments on Laos, I thought about the following. Indeed, farmers in northern Laos may still have enough land to leave it fallow. However, this may change in the near future, as the Lao government is (still?) planning to stop shifitng cultivation in 2004. At least, that is what I knew when I left the region last year. Meaning that after 2004 each family would not receive more than 4 pieces of land, which was said to be 4 hectares in total, if I am not mistaken (sorry, but I havenot had time to look up the details). Visiting northern Laos myself a few years ago, and discussing a number of issues with the farmers, they were all scared with these developments, as this would be their biggest problem te remain self sufficient in rice. So they already were asking that time on how they could find other solutions to restore soil fertility at a faster pace. So Roland, maybe there is an end to your "disappointment" in the future, when the farmers may be forced to use the green manure/cover crops?

Other reasons I found out why they may not be interested in cashcrops such as mentioned by Roland, were, beside their good "alternatives", such as foerst products and opium, is that the market in Laos is so very small for any product, and distances to markets are so huge, that many do not wish to take the risk concentrating on such cash crops.So only opium, which has a huge market value, is transported easily, and has a well maintined market channel is worth doing for isolated communities. Bulky beans which may fetch a relatively low price on a very small market is just not worth trying (although they may be useful for home consumption and soil fertility, and this could be the entry point).

Work currently undertaken on livestock looks promising, as livestock can walk itself to the market, although the room to move in the market is also relatively small (one advantage is that the manure could be used for the fields).

Investing in opium may be very tricky for farmers, as it is an illegal activity, so investing in gm/cc in the fields may not be worth the try, as it grows without them as well. the returns on the investments may be zero, if (?) the fields are destroyed by the army. Although the Americans are not very active (yet) in this area, like they are in South America, right? (just kidding)

So far from a human geography point of view...

Best wishes,

Paul Burgers
Institute of Development Studies, University of Utrecht (IDSUU)
Faculty of Geographical sciences,
P.O. Box 80115
3508 TC Utrecht
The Netherlands

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To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
From: Bill Cook
Subject Re: gm for Laos
Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2002

Well, Karl, and thanks for the reply, depending on the nighttime lows there, perhaps Trigonella f. or Trifolium alexandrinum or Melilotus indica, or one of the Crotalarias all of which may be upright. Now there is no market for much of anything in such an isolated area, but the soil fertility can be improved, even by burning off the stubble of rice or opium, the roots of the gm being unburned. In '71 I believe, Tropical Grasslands, Sheldon/Humphreys at UQld got Lao farmers to sow pasture crops into hill rice fields with the result of buffalo pasture.

Bill Cook