IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2013) 4-2

Research article
erd

Awareness of Conversion from Conventional Farming
System to Sustainable Farming System in Kampong ChamProvince, Cambodia
I
7d
Extension Center, Institute of Environment
Rehabilitation and Conservation, Tokyo, Japanen
MACHITO MIHARA* t

JUN FUJIHIRA

Faculty of Regional Environment Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan /Institute of Environment Rehabilitation
and Conservation, Tokyo, Japan
4Email: hq-erecon@nifty.com .
Received 16 December 2012

72Accepted10 June 2013(*Corresponding Author)w
Abstract In Cambodia, 71% oflabor force engage in agricultural sector and contribute forocreating 36% of Gross Domestic
Products on 2010. Besides, Cambodia suits forragriculture because Mekong RiverandTonle Sap Lake provide fertile soil. In the researchdsite, Samroung commune in Kampong
Cham province, agriculture is the source of incomesfor farmers. Eleven villages are located in this commune and 1,792 families present. Main
crop in the commune is rice. Also, some farmers grow vegetables such as cucumber ormorning glory in this area. In this country, conventional farming system based on agrochemicals application becomes a major farming style in recent years. But the ways how toapply the purchased agricultural inputs of farmers, especially chemical pesticides, are notappropriate from a point of view of rural sustainability. It means popular farming systems
depending on agro-chemicals are not only deteriorating natural environment andecosystem but also affecting health of humans. For preventing these impacts, attention hasbeen paid to sustainable farming system. But it also has difficulties for applying. For
example, especially in the beginning, it may difficult for farmers to apply its techniques
effectively because techniques of sustainable farming system are new techniques. Inaddition, these techniques needs more care, load and time period for getting the maximum
effects compared to applying agro-chemicals. So farmers may be difficult to keep theirmotivation for adapting sustainable farming system. So, this study dealt with theawareness of conversion from conventional farming system to sustainable farming system,
based on the questionnaire and interview survey conducted in Samroung commune of
Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. This study concluded that extension approaches
which are applied in Samroung commune are effective in order to change farmer’sawareness of convert farming system. Addition to this, possibility of reducing the amountof agro-chemicals used was also observed.

Keywords sustainable farming system, conventional farming system, awareness,agro-chemicals, conversion

INTRODUCTION
Agriculture has utmost important role for reducing poverty and improving the capacity for humanresource development in rural area. On 2010, 14 million people live in Cambodia and 71% of labor
force engages in agricultural sector and it contributes creating 36% of Gross Domestic Products. In
this country, mono cropping based on conventional farming system by applying chemical fertilizer
and pesticide become a major style, because commercial agriculture has been advanced in recentyears. But chemical pesticides effect not only positive but also negatively for the environment andhuman directly and indirectly. It is also a problem that farmers do not have enough and appropriate
knowledge about applying agro-chemicals.

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IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2013) 4-2

The Royal Government of Cambodia noticed and regarded this abuse of pesticide as a big
problem in the country concerning food security, environment and human health. For example,
most of the pesticides applied to agricultural lands may affect non-target organisms andcontaminate soil and water. In addition, government is concerned that dangerous pesticides such as
extremely toxic and banned pesticides are still in use in Cambodia (Royal Government ofCambodia, et. al., 2002).
For producing foods and fiber materials on a sustainable basis harmonizing agricultural
production with the natural environment, conversion from conventional farming system tosustainable farming system is considered. In this study, sustainable farming system is defined as asystem that can evolve indefinitely towards greater human utility, greater efficiency of resource use
and a balance with the environment which is favorable to humans and most other species (Harwood,1990).
In order to solving the problems, techniques used for sustainable agriculture based on natural
resource circulation were extended towards local farmers with distributing materials. So theobjective of this study is discussing about effective extension approaches for extending techniques
and possibility of reducing using amount of agro-chemicals.
STUDY SITE
Study site consists of 11 villages which are located in Samroung commune, Phrey Chhor district,Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. 11 villages consist of Bonteay Thmey, Takrit, Kondal Koang,
Tompang Risey, Svayprey, Samroung, Sodey, Thmey, Veal, Smei and Preykhcheay village. Thiscommune is 83 kilometers from Phnom Penh city (Fig. 1). The commune is consisted of 11 villages
and 8,111 people are living in 2011. Main production is rice mainly for both sale and selfconsumption. On the other hand, farmers who produce vegetables for sales were much less thanthat of rice. In Samroung commune, conventional farming system is mainly applied for productionin order to increasing yield.

Kampong Cham province

Cambodia

Phrey Chhor district

Kampong Cham province

Samroung commune
Phnom Penh
0020km100km

Fig. 1 Location of Samroung commune in Kampong Cham Province
METHODOLOGY
In this study, effectiveness of extension approaches and possibility of reducing amount of agrochemicals used were studied. Effectiveness of extension approaches was measured by farmer’s
implementation after technical training. For achieving objectives, the study was advanced withactivities included 1) questionnaire surveys, 2) technical trainings, and 3) field investigation.
Questionnaire surveys are divided into baseline survey and 2 kinds of questionnaire surveys which
conducted after technical training. Between July and October 2011, baseline survey for 443 farmers
was conducted in order to understand current fundamental information and thought towards agrochemicals proper use and sustainable agriculture. It consists of questions about personal© ISERD110

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2013) 4-2

information, economic situation, agricultural practice, perception of using agro-chemical andorganic inputs and so on.
Besides, questionnaire survey, about composting and making bio-pesticide were conducted forparticipants at technical trainings (Fig. 2). From April 2011 to March 2012, a total of 29 technicaltrainings were held in order to extend about techniques for sustainable agriculture based on naturalresource circulation such as composting, making bio-fertilizer and bio-pesticide, preventing insectsby using net. The trainings were aim to change farmer’s awareness of convert farming system. The
techniques were explained with pamphlets and demonstration by local facilitators. At end of thetraining, questionnaire survey were conducted in order to know the understanding of participants.
Totally 928 people participated in trainings and 95% of them answered questionnaire surveys. The
main questions of the survey were focused on 1) understanding of trainings, 2) current situation ofusing agro-chemicals, and 3) perception on sustainable agriculture based on natural resource
circulation. Further explanations and monitoring were conducted regularly in the process ofextension activities from April 2011 to October 2012.

Fig. 2 Explanation about composting at workshop (left) anddemonstration of making bio-pesticide (right)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Extension approaches at Samroung commune
Effective extension approaches for converting sustainable farming system can be studied bycomparing references, farmer’s technical implementation, result of field investigation andquestionnaire surveys.
Neils Roling, et al. (1994) stated that changing to more sustainable practices is more like aparadigm shift, involving a learning path leading to new perspectives on risk avoidance, newprofessionalism, a greater reliance on one’s own expertise and observation.
For promoting paradigm shift of local farmers and so on, extension seems to be an effective
way because it is activities related to technology transfer, attitude change and others. The
Australasia Pacific Extension Network (1999) stated that extension involves “the use ofcommunication and adult education processes to help people and communities identify potential
improvements to their practices, and then provides them with the skills and resources to effect theseimprovements”. According to Neils Roling and Elske van de Fliert (1994), effective extension
seems to be based on checks and balances that match intervention power with farmer's
countervailing power, and mobilize farmer's creativity and participation in technology developmentand exchange. They also stated paradigm shift involved seems easier when participatory and group
approaches is applied and when learning is experiential and occurs together with other farmers. A.
W. Black (2000) explained about 4 extension strategies such as 1) linear top-down transfer of© ISERD111

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2013) 4-2technology, 2) participatory bottom-up approaches (also termed group empowerment), 3) one-toone advice or information exchange, and 4) formal or structured education and training.
Although A. W. Black (2000) also mentioned participatory and group-based approaches toagricultural extension have various advantages when they are well implemented, he also mentionedthat it should not be regarded as the one and only strategy that can or should be used to facilitate
the adoption of sustainable farming system. He also mentions one-to-one exchange of information
and advice, where from farmer to farmer or from professional adviser to farmer, will continue to beimportant. In addition, importance of learning activities that are directly relevant to the farm andthat require relatively short blocks of time – from a few hours to a few days (Johnson et al. 1996).
In Samroung commune, techniques for sustainable agriculture based on natural resource,
circulation were extended by mixing three extension strategies. There are 1) participatory andgroup approaches which is included in participatory bottom-up approaches, 2) training, and 3) oneto-one exchange of information and advice. In technical trainings, 10 to 60 farmers participate inand learn new techniques through explanation and demonstration. There are not only farmers andlocal facilitators but also officer of provincial department of agriculture participate in the training.
For demonstration on technical training of composting, participants visit farmers who already startand apply compost. Visited farmer not only show their compost box but also give answers of thequestions to participants. For technical training of making bio-pesticide, local facilitator asks aparticipant to conduct demonstration with their explanation in front of other participants. Thesedemonstrations make participants to understand clearly than just learnt from pamphlet andexplanation. From result of questionnaire survey after trainings, many participants answered they
could understand the contents well and hope to join in the training again.
In the extension process, there are not only technical trainings but also individual visiting andexplanation was implemented. Few months after technical training, local facilitators visit farmer’shouse individually in order to check technique of implementation. They also provide additional
explanation if visited farmers have questions or local facilitators observe visited farmers has anyproblem on their implementation.
Creativity of some farmers is also mobilized by this extension process. For example, some
farmers apply bio-fertilizer into their compost in order to make better quality of compost. For othercase, farmers establish compost box near bio-gas facility in order to use waste of bio-gas asmaterial for compost.
However, not only extension approaches but also participation of farmers is important forcontinuing sustainable farming system. So, it was considered that conversion of farmer's
participation level is needed to be studied in order to understand awareness of farmers properly.
Besides, sustainability of technical implementation also needed to be studied.
Current situation of Samroung commune
Awareness of conversion from conventional farming system to sustainable farming system can beobserved from answers of baseline survey and questionnaire surveys. Local facilitators visit
farmers individually for baseline survey but farmers fulfill answers to questionnaire sheet bythemselves for 2 kinds of questionnaire surveys about composting and making bio-pesticide.
On 2011, nearly half of the farmers answered that insects and diseases are the main problems
on agricultural activities (Table 1). For preventing pest, applying chemical pesticide (72.77%) andpulling up by hand (20.94%) were the major methods.
Table 1 Problems of agriculture
Problems
Insects and diseases
High expense for chemical fertilizer and pesticide
Lack of technique and tools
Degradation of soil
Impact to human health and environment
Source: Questionnaire surveys in 2011, ERECON© ISERD
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Answer
187
73
5952
27

Percent (%)
46.98
18.34
14.82
13.07
6.79

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All of respondents apply fertilizer and almost all of them apply pesticide such as herbicide(40.22%), insecticide (57.22%) and fungicide (1.75%). 84.94% of farmers expend less than 40
USD for pesticide but 60.48% of farmers expend more than 201 USD annually. It seems thatfarmers apply agro-chemicals for preventing insects and disease.

Percentage of answers

50%
40%
30%
20%

Chemical fertilizer

10%

Chemical pesticide0%

Percentage of desire for reducting the amount of agro-chemicals used

Fig. 3 Desired reduction rate of agro-chemical using amount
However, almost all of farmers hope to reduce using amount of chemical fertilizer andpesticide. In addition, almost all of farmers hope to reduce more than 40% of using amount ofchemical fertilizer and pesticide (Fig. 3). For both of fertilizer and pesticide, main reasons fordesiring reduction are health and better quality of products.
Farmers’ perception for converting farming system to sustainable farming system
Through workshops about composting, 97.59% of the farmers desire to continue composting. As
same as conclusion of Tim, et al. (2011), the compost technology was highly accepted by local
farmers. Their main objectives are increasing soil fertility and avoiding negative impact for humanhealth. After technical training, local farmers apply compost on rice and vegetables.
Farmers also show a high interest for making bio-pesticide even 88.18% of the farmers does
not have experience for making it before participating in the training. It is because the farmers
think bio-pesticide has less negative impact to human health and environment (52.70%) (Table 2).
Tim, et al. (2011) also stated that local farmers found bio-pesticide is really good for farmer's
health, food safety and environment. It is applied for rice and vegetables such as tomato andcabbage after technical training.
From point of view of local farmers, they mentioned compost and bio-pesticide has positive
impact on their cultivation. But they also need to share more time for taking care of crops undersustainable farming system.
When the baseline survey was conducted, 76.52% of the farmers did not know whatsustainable agriculture was. But 94.58% of them hope to grow and sell products with low chemical
input because they think sustainable agriculture lead to positive impacts such as soil fertility,
decreasing amount of agro-chemicals.
Table 2 Reasons of interest in bio-pesticide
ReasonLess harm to human and environment
Make soil fertile
Decrease expense for pesticide
Other
Source: Questionnaire surveys in 2011, ERECON

Answer15673616© ISERD
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Percent (%)
52.70
24.66
20.61
2.03

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2013) 4-2

CONCLUSION
According to the results and discussions done in this study, it can be concluded that extension
approaches which is applied in Samroung commune was effective in order to change farmer’sawareness to convert farming system because local farmers in Samroung Commune has a highpotential to conduct sustainable farming system and start implementation of techniques. In addition,
possibility of reducing the amount of agro-chemicals used was also observed.
Mixing extension strategies seems to work effectively in Samroung commune. As same asreferences, paradigm shift of farmers seems to happen by extend techniques through grouptrainings and demonstration. Not only paradigm shift but also creativity of farmer's is also
mobilized by the extension process.
In current situation, farmers face problems like pests, diseases and soil degradation. For
overcoming these problems, they apply agro-chemicals and lead to negative impacts to humanhealth, soil fertility, finance, etc. Although almost all of the farmer's apply agro-chemicals for theirfarmland when the baseline survey was conducted, possibility of reducing agro-chemical wasobserved as a result of the study. It was also exposed that almost all of the farmer's hope to reduce
more than 40% of agro-chemicals amount use. They are also eager to grow and sell products withlow chemical input at the market. Through technical trainings, farmers became highly interested inapplying and continuing techniques for sustainable agriculture based on natural resource circulationsuch as composting and making bio-pesticide. It is because that they think these techniques have
many advantages such as less harm to human health and improving soil fertility.
By this study, it was showed that the farmers at Samroung commune have motivation andpotential for converting from conventional farming system to sustainable farming system. However,
not only effective extension approaches but also participation of farmers is important forcontinuing sustainable farming system. So, it was considered that the conversion of farmer'sparticipation level is needed to be studied in order to understand awareness of farmer's properly.
Besides, sustainability of technical implementation also needed to be studied.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors would like to express appreciation to the Institute of Environment Rehabilitation andConservation (ERECON) and related organizations.
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