IPM Program Combined with “Rice Fields, Flower Banks” or BIO-IPM Program in Soc Trang Province (Vietnam)

Abstract

The paper aims to present the implementation of IPM program in Soc Trang Province in two years 2015 and 2016. To evaluate the program, a lot of primary data was obtained from the farmer household survey at each phase: Baseline survey as before-project (abbreviation S1), implementation of four experimental FFS models according to the Farmer-Field-School approach (S2), survey after FFS implementation (S3), and survey after up scaling or after-project (S4). Totally 1,200 households are in consideration. The comparative methods such as the one-way ANOVA are used to examine differences in mean and variance of agricultural inputs and outputs between different groups S1, S41 and S42. The key innovation of this study includes not only the conventional measures of the IPM program but also biological measures such as “rice fields, flower banks” and green fungus. The main results are a reduction in the use of nitrogen (14.8-17.1%), and pesticides (48-51%), cost savings and higher profits for farmers and a lower environmental impact from growing rice. “Rice fields, flower banks” have not only proven themselves in rice fields but have also spread to villages. The rural landscape is becoming more beautiful in the context of the National Target Program on New Rural Development.