In the coastal zone of the Mekong Delta, farmers suffer heavy crop losses and fresh water shortage due to droughts and salt water intrusion in the dry season. These hazards will continue to increase in the future because of climate change. Thus, we implemented a participatory action research in 2013-2014 in Soc Trang province. We developed adaptive farming technologies that would enable farmers to deal with climatic threats. After an impact assessment, we identified adaptive technologies that were tested on-farm, and monitored and evaluated with the active participation of local stakeholder. For the irrigated agro-ecological zone, both the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation improved rice water productivity by 31% - 45%. The freshwater retained in communal irrigation canals significantly contributed to the irrigation requirement for rice crop from drought or salinity intrusion threats. For the rain-fed and brackish rice-shrimp agro-ecological zone, a package of technological measures, including pond capacity improvement, crop water saving irrigation and farming diversification improved rain water harvest for irrigation by 63% in the dry season. Farming diversification consisted of integrating vegetables, aquaculture and livestock within the farm. Application of these adaptive technologies increased the overall farm productivity. Farm income increased from 25% to 77%. Local stakeholders found these technologies feasible at farm level considering their technological, socio-economical and environmental context. However, there are still barriers for scaling out the technologies. Fostering the adaptive capacity of farmers to climate change requires not only farming technologies at household level, but also changes in infrastructure (irrigation cabal and field) and institutional arrangement supporting the adaptive and innovative capacity and appropriate technology transfer mechanisms like participatory extension method.
Tạp chí khoa học Trường Đại học Cần Thơ
Lầu 4, Nhà Điều Hành, Khu II, đường 3/2, P. Xuân Khánh, Q. Ninh Kiều, TP. Cần Thơ
Điện thoại: (0292) 3 872 157; Email: tapchidhct@ctu.edu.vn
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