Crop production reflections

Bob Martin

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Maize Peanut Soybean Mungbean

To

nn

es p

er h

aTheoretical maximum yield

Our best yields

Cambodia estimated potential

Cambodia actual

HIGH FIVE! We can exceed Cambodia’s estimated potential yields and we have reached 80% of theoretical maximum yields

Yield gaps

Identifying production constraints at farm level?

Production team

Socio Economics, Marketing, Value-Chain

Biological constraints- Crop species and variety- Weeds, diseases, insect pestsPhysical/chemical

constraints- soil/water problems- Soil fertilitySocio-economic constraints- Costs & returns, credit- Traditions & attitudes- Knowledge- Input availability & cost- Labour availability & cost- Institutions

Village clusters 2009 Samlaut

Boeung Run Kampong Touk Kantout Sre Reach

Pailin Baysey Bor Tangsu Ou Ro El Prey Santeah

Clusters in SamlautKampong Touk

Boeung Run

Kantout

Sre Reach

Clusters in Pailin

Implications of increasing labour costs for small holder farmers

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Lab

ou

r -

riel

per

day

Farmers will need to increase yields and/or reduce input costs

Projected effect of labour cost on maize gross margins at $100/t

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

500

2008 2009 2010 2011

Year

Gro

ss

ma

rgin

($

)

4 t/ha

5 t/ha

6 t/ha

7 t/ha

8 t/ha

Options available? Reducing dependence on labour – S&E

implications? Mechanisation – most ploughing and

sowing in Pailin is already by tractor – next step machine harvesting?

Increased yields – weed and pest control, seed quality, fertiliser, legume rotations?

Improve access to crop inputs – up the value chain?

Local value-adding?

We now have excellent data to test the theories – so it is down to serious business from here on in the project

Integration

Integration

Integration