Rice production in Vietnam is threatened by rodent pests, with a significant increase in impact reported from 1990through to the early 21st century. Pre-harvest rice losses are typically 5–10%, with losses of >20%...Rice production in Vietnam is threatened by rodent pests, with a significant increase in impact reported from 1990through to the early 21st century. Pre-harvest rice losses are typically 5–10%, with losses of >20% occurring insome years in some regions. Farmers’ rodent control practices are generally reactive and rely essentially on chemicaland physical methods. Ecologically-based rodent pest management (EBRM) was developed in the late 1990s tomanage rodents in rice-based farming systems in Vietnam and other parts of South-East Asia. EBRM combinesboth cultural and physical rodent management practices such as synchrony of cropping, short 2-week rat campaignsat key periods in key habitats, increasing general hygiene around villages, and use of a communitytrap-barrier system. Although EBRM has been reported to be economically profitable, the successful adoption ofthis set of technologies requires community participation. In this paper we address issues relating to the adoptionand sustainability of EBRM in lowland irrigated rice fields in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. We particularly explorethe social and cultural mechanisms involved in maintaining community participation to further understandthe conditions under which EBRM works and does not work. Positive indications of sustained use of community-based EBRM include: a policy pronouncement from the prime minister directing the use of integrated rodentmanagement;the use of existing cooperatives for developing community actions;budgetary allocation fromprovincial and local governments;diffusion of EBRM to provinces in the south and north that are not involved infarmer participatory field trials;and the adoption of EBRM by a non-governmental organization, World VisionVietnam, in their area-development programs.展开更多
文摘Rice production in Vietnam is threatened by rodent pests, with a significant increase in impact reported from 1990through to the early 21st century. Pre-harvest rice losses are typically 5–10%, with losses of >20% occurring insome years in some regions. Farmers’ rodent control practices are generally reactive and rely essentially on chemicaland physical methods. Ecologically-based rodent pest management (EBRM) was developed in the late 1990s tomanage rodents in rice-based farming systems in Vietnam and other parts of South-East Asia. EBRM combinesboth cultural and physical rodent management practices such as synchrony of cropping, short 2-week rat campaignsat key periods in key habitats, increasing general hygiene around villages, and use of a communitytrap-barrier system. Although EBRM has been reported to be economically profitable, the successful adoption ofthis set of technologies requires community participation. In this paper we address issues relating to the adoptionand sustainability of EBRM in lowland irrigated rice fields in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. We particularly explorethe social and cultural mechanisms involved in maintaining community participation to further understandthe conditions under which EBRM works and does not work. Positive indications of sustained use of community-based EBRM include: a policy pronouncement from the prime minister directing the use of integrated rodentmanagement;the use of existing cooperatives for developing community actions;budgetary allocation fromprovincial and local governments;diffusion of EBRM to provinces in the south and north that are not involved infarmer participatory field trials;and the adoption of EBRM by a non-governmental organization, World VisionVietnam, in their area-development programs.
