Soilbuilding in the developing world

maupin · January 21, 2011

I am teaching Sustainable Ag on a small NGO farm in Thailand, training Burmese farmers in the organic method. Or maybe it is they who are training me in the realities of developing world Agriculture..

Ain't no such thing as compost in the developing world--Every potentially compostable material has a more pressing use-- veg waste is fed to pigs and chickens, rice straw is used for mulch, rice hulls used in brickmaking. No cow means all cultivation is by hand and hoe. No accessible electricity in the field means irrigation is also by hand.

Of course , we do have lots and lots of manures.

Soil Ph is excellent, inputs are beyond affordability. We rotate with one crop of legumes in our four season, three harvest growing. Fallow season is impossible because the farm needs the food and the income.

White Radish (daikon?) is used as an anti-compaction crop, interplanting and marigolds used as pest controls.

I was teaching a class on integrated pest management and a student raised his hand. "Teacher, in Kachin State, our worst pests are monkeys and parrots. Monkeys dig up the corn seed we plant, and parrots strip the ears when they mature. Can you give us ideas on how to use IPM practices to fight this problem?"

Monkeys and parrots---- not a clue.

January 21, 2011	#1
maupin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Northern Thailand Posts: 77	Soilbuilding in the developing world I am teaching Sustainable Ag on a small NGO farm in Thailand, training Burmese farmers in the organic method. Or maybe it is they who are training me in the realities of developing world Agriculture.. Ain't no such thing as compost in the developing world--Every potentially compostable material has a more pressing use-- veg waste is fed to pigs and chickens, rice straw is used for mulch, rice hulls used in brickmaking. No cow means all cultivation is by hand and hoe. No accessible electricity in the field means irrigation is also by hand. Of course , we do have lots and lots of manures. Soil Ph is excellent, inputs are beyond affordability. We rotate with one crop of legumes in our four season, three harvest growing. Fallow season is impossible because the farm needs the food and the income. White Radish (daikon?) is used as an anti-compaction crop, interplanting and marigolds used as pest controls. I was teaching a class on integrated pest management and a student raised his hand. "Teacher, in Kachin State, our worst pests are monkeys and parrots. Monkeys dig up the corn seed we plant, and parrots strip the ears when they mature. Can you give us ideas on how to use IPM practices to fight this problem?" Monkeys and parrots---- not a clue.