DMC development in Cambodia: A tool for economic and territory development

TR Number

Date

2010

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

This presentation calls for a comprehensive plan for future development to protect the natural resources and promote agricultural and rural development in Cambodia. For development to be beneficial, it is important to consider some of the current constraints on the physical conditions. These include soil quality, climate fluctuations, and floods; all of which contribute to market instability and food insecurity. Further, uneven population distribution in Cambodia makes comprehensive planning and natural resource management difficult. However, agriculture is a very important part of the economy and lifestyles of the Cambodian people and the agricultural sector provides 70% of employment in this area. New management techniques and plans are necessary because research has shown that monoculture practices and conventional tillage are resulting in C losses in the soil in many areas. As a solution, this presentation proposes the use of DMC (Direct seeding Mulch based Cropping systems) and explains its three principles: no soil's tillage, soil's permanent plants' cover, and the succession and rotation of species. Additional solutions include the creation of 'biodiversity corridors' in a region of intense agriculture and in between protected areas of Cambodia, as well as buffer areas along rivers. [summary by record creator]

Description

Keywords

Conservation agriculture, Sustainable development, Local markets, Soil management, Soil quality, Rainfed agriculture, Sustainable agriculture, Economic impacts, Rural planning, Smallholder agriculture, Agricultural development, Cambodia, DMC, Biological pump, Bio-pump, Contract agriculture, Upland cultivation, Farm/Enterprise Scale Field Scale Watershed

Citation

Presented to the Office of International Research Education and Development, Blacksburg, VA 19 March 2010