Can traders help farmers transition towards more sustainable maize based farming systems? Evidence from the Lao-Vietnamese border

Lava Prakash Yadav, Dominic Smith, Ammar Abdul Aziz, Cu Thi Le Thuy, Hoang Xuan Thao, Huu Huan Le, Oleg Nicetic, Luu Ngoc Quyen and Isabelle Vagneron ()
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Lava Prakash Yadav: UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations] - The University of Queensland
Dominic Smith: UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations] - The University of Queensland
Ammar Abdul Aziz: UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations] - The University of Queensland
Cu Thi Le Thuy: CIAT Asia - International Center for Tropical Agriculture [Hanoï] - CIAT - International Center for Tropical Agriculture [Colombie] - CGIAR - Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research [CGIAR]
Hoang Xuan Thao: NOMAFSI - Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute
Huu Huan Le: NOMAFSI - Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute
Oleg Nicetic: UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations] - The University of Queensland
Luu Ngoc Quyen: NOMAFSI - Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute
Isabelle Vagneron: UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, Cirad-ES - Département Environnements et Sociétés - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement

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Abstract: Intensive maize cultivation in the uplands of North-west Vietnam has resulted in soil erosion leading to reduced maize yields along with negative impacts downstream. Despite the introduction of sustainable agricultural technologies over many years, adoption rates are low mostly due to their incompatibility with existing farming systems and lack of secure markets for alternative crops. In addition, the temporary nature of development programmes and limited capacity of government extension systems have resulted in limited spread of technology, and where they have been introduced, unable to secure long-lasting commitments from farmers. In this study, we explore an alternative model involving maize value chain actors for attaining more durable transition towards sustainable maize farming systems. We find maize traders operating at lower levels of the value chain with active engagement with the farming community to be best suited for engaging in technology dissemination. While their involvement may require additional incentives and oversight from the government it is imperative that support for commercialization through promising market links are established to achieve a more meaningful shift towards sustainable farming methods.

Keywords: Agriculture; Conservation agriculture; Sustainable; Maize; Maize value chain; Markets; Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-03
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Published in International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2021, pp.1-21. ⟨10.1080/14735903.2021.1901466⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03192466

DOI: 10.1080/14735903.2021.1901466

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