Impact of cross visits and other factors on farmer decision making and livestock production in four

districts

Purpose of study

• How much influence the cross visit had on farmers

• What other factors influenced farmers• The most important influences• What changes they have made• What benefits they have had• What they plan to do in the future• Whether they have influenced other

farmers (eg poor farmers)

Farmer Interview QuestionsFarmer Interview Questions

• Name, ethnic group, family members, livestock numbers

• What cross visit did you attend and what did you see?

• What changes have you made to livestock management in the last 2 years since the cross visit?

• What influenced you to make these change?• Which were the most important influences?• What do you plan to do in the future?• Have you influenced other farmers?

25 farmers (9 women) in 4 districts of 3 provinces (50% of all farmers attending cross visits in 2007 and 2008). All poor to medium wealth.

Cross Visit

Koun Phonexai

Viengthong

Viengxai

Total

2007 2 4 2 3 (1F) 11

2008 5 (1F) - 4 F 3 F 12

New farmers

1 1 25

Ethnic Groups

Lao lumLao lum 5 f 5 familiesamilies Hmong 8 families Hmong 8 families

Khamu 7 familiesKhamu 7 familiesThaideng 4 familiesThaideng 4 familiesPhouane 1 familiesPhouane 1 families

What changes have the farmers made to What changes have the farmers made to livestock management in the last 2 livestock management in the last 2 years?years?

1. 1. Improved backyard pasture Improved backyard pasture managementmanagement

Pasture Pasture growing growing (grasses (grasses

and stylo)and stylo)

Cut and Cut and carry carry

systemsystem

Ruminant feeding by mixing grasses,stylo and stylo

Pigs and poultry feeding by mixing rice bran ,cassava root and stylo

2. Improved Livestock 2. Improved Livestock productionproduction Animals health Animals health

carecare

Animals Animals fatteningfattening

Breeding Breeding selectionselection

ImprovImproved ed

animals animals housinghousing

Animals Animals marketimarketingng

Manure Manure collectingcollecting

Family income from livestock changes• Total 257,998,000 kip for all 25 families in last 2 years• Average 10,319,920 kip per family• Range (3 to 29 million kip) • Expenditure items

. Animals

. House construction

. Hand tractor

. Paddy rice stocks

. Rice field land

. Motor cycle

. Furniture

. School

. Clothes . Medicine

What influenced the farmers to What influenced the farmers to make thesemake these

changes?changes? Motivation to Motivation to improve their improve their

livelihoodlivelihood

Looking at Looking at host farmers host farmers activities at activities at cross visitcross visit

Discussing

Discussing with host with host farmers and

farmers and sharing sharing knowledge

knowledge and and experiences

experiences

District District staff staff advice advice on how on how to do to do and and

follow follow upup

Lao govt. policy to reduce SC and poverty

Training Course

sand other

project

s

Family Family relatives relatives and and

friendsfriends

Farmer ideas and ongoing learning

Feed formula for pigs and poultry (stylo, grasses and cassava root)

Vaccination, antibiotic treatment and parasitede-worming

Improved Cassava mill machine

New slicing equipment for cutting grasses, stylo and cassava

Activities planned in the future

Increasing pasture areas and feeding system

Incr

easing

the

anim

al

num

bers

and

man

agem

ent

Increasing family income and reduce poverty

Expanding

the new

tech

nologie

s to new

farm

ers

Level of influence on other farmers

• 100 other farmers have used advice and examples from these farmers

• Some farmers are more active than others

• Two poor farmers interviewed had been influenced by cousins that had attended the cross visits.

• Some poor farmers can learn from medium wealth farmers

ConclusionsConclusions• Cross visits can stimulate farmer motivation to

improve their livestock production and reduce shifting cultivation.

• District staff need to follow up with regular advice.

• Poor families can learn from medium wealth families, especially if relative or friends.

• Farmers need follow up training courses to keep learning about livestock management.

• Design learning activities for poor families, women and each ethnic group separately.

Thank you