Farmers in the villages in Thua Duc commune face challenges from a lack of water for their crops, salinity intrusion and soil erosion. These are exacerbated in the dry season, which now lasts longer than usual due to climate change. The Thus Duc commune consists of 2,660 households, of which 440 are in poverty. Nguyen Van Dang lives here and cultivates peanuts and other vegetables, such as Chinese kale, to earn a living. He participated in climate change awareness and training workshops supported by the IFAD supported Adaptation in the Mekong Delta (AMD) project.
New farming models
The initial training workshops were given by commune officers, who introduced different farming models designed to increase resilience to specific climate related challenges faced by the commune.
The drip irrigation system and peanut farming was one such model, and was taken up by Dang and other farmers in his village. The farmers formed a collaborative group consisting of 13 members, of which eight members and their households were in poverty.
The farmers also received financial support from the project in order to install irrigation systems in their farms. Each member in the group contributed towards the cost of obtaining seedlings for crops.
"Before the workshop I did not have any idea of this kind of model, and I decided to pick this one because the irrigation system can be used not only for peanut farming but for other crops as well. It will allow me to diversify."
Although the irrigation system has only recently been installed, Dang has already begun to experience the benefits. He explained that the old method of watering crops was time and labour intensive. It required two people and a lot of time. The new irrigation system has reduced the number of people and work hours required to water the crops and it also saves water. In addition, watering the crops with the irrigation system does not damage crops like the old method did.
"The irrigation system provides equal amounts of water for the crops, in the old system the pressure of watering would cause peanuts to fall off the plants."
How it works
Dang and the other farmers have constructed the irrigation system that draws water from a well up to four metres deep. The well collects rainwater and is kept shallow to prevent saline intrusion.
Reducing the amount of water wasted prepares the farmers to be better prepared for the impacts longer dry seasons. The farmers have also come up with innovative methods to help their crops in the dry season, including using the residue of the peanut crop on the soil beds to maintain moisture. Using a drip irrigation system also allows the farmers to diversify their crops and implement seasonal crop rotation. This reduces reliance on one crop for income, thereby increasing resilience and reducing vulnerability.
Members of the collaborative group continue to support one another and they are planning other ways to improve practices in the future. The members contribute to a revolving fund which is used for the operation and maintenance of the irrigation systems and for the assistance of any member who is disadvantaged. As the group becomes more financially stable they hope to help other poor farmers in the village with the same model. The group meets regularly to share information on farming techniques and new ideas, where for instance one farmer has invested in a goat and uses damaged crops as feed, while another has an idea to reuse crop residues as bio fertiliser to save money on buying fertiliser.
Investing in irrigation systems that will save water in areas that are prone to longer dry seasons not only has a direct positive impact on the farmers' income, but also has many positive knock on effects for the entire village.