Improved upland rice technology effect on

environment protection - Experience from mountainous

area of southern YunnanYunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Associate ResearcherFeng Lu

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Content• 1. Southern upland of Yunnan, China• 2. Improved upland rice technology• 3. Rural livelihood and environment protection

− Food security and slash-and-burn (2000-2004)− Income generation and land saving (2007-2012)− Market development and intensive management of land

(2009-2014)• 4. Conclusion and achievement

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•1. Southern upland of Yunnan − Area:153,000km2,40% in total

of Yunnan, mountainous area− Border line: 3167km, 78% in

total of Yunnan; 3 cross border river: Mekong (Lancang), Salween (Nu), Sông Hồng (Hong); 7 National Trading Port

− Rain-fed agrarian system• Tropical and Sub-tropical

monsoon season ;• High incidence of poverty, 39%

poor in total of Yunnan；• Multi-ethnic groups ;• Biodiversity.

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Upland rice planting has more than

4000 years history in Yunnan.

Improved upland rice technology

(IURT) is a comprehensive

technology specifically aimed at

increasing rice production in upland

regions, and includes introduction of

improved upland rice varieties, terrace

construction, fertilizer utilization and

farmers’ training. It could be originated

since 1960’s.

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2. Improved upland rice technology

The core technology consists of improved upland rice varieties (Yunlu 52 and Luyin 46 as representative), with supporting measures taken by local government in accordance to local conditions and needs in the implementation process.

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Rural household survey based on IURT introduction:

− Food security and slash-and-burn (2000-2004), 508 households

− Income generation and land saving (2007-2012), 393households

− Market development and intensive management of land (2009-2014),569 households

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3. Rural livelihood and environment protection

IURT was previously shown that its introduction results in a boost in yield per unit; IURT was distributed more than 60% in traditional upland rice main producing area in Yunnan.

Reference: Wang, H.Y., Pandey, S., Tao, D.Y, et al. (2010), ‘Farmers' adoption of improved upland rice technologies for sustainable mountain development in Southern Yunnan’, Mountain Research and Development, Vol 30, Issue 4, pp 373-380.

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The yield per unit area of upland rice in main producing countries of Yunnan (1952-2002)

Food security and slash-and-burn (2000-2004)

Accumulative percentage of the f irst year the household began to plant improved variety

0

20

40

60

80

100

1985 1988 1990 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

Year

Farm

ers'

per

cent

age

adop

ted

(%)

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Historical record (1990s’)

Household survey (2000-2004)

The increased production of upland rice benefit on improvement of farming systemSince the 1990’s, IURT has been promoted as a result of a proliferation of policy incentives in poverty alleviation and environmental protection of mountain development. Even spread rapidly in the upland areas of GMS countries.

Income generation and land saving (2007-2012)

• IURT had positive and robust effects on upland rice farmers’ income increase, and the impact of IURT on income inequality was shown to be relatively small.

Reference: Ding, S.J., Meriluoto, L.,

Reed, W.R., Tao, D.Y., Wu, H.T. (2011), ‘the impact of agricultural technology adoption on income inequality in rural China: evidence from southern Yunnan Province’, China Economic Review, Vol 22, Issue 3, pp 344-356.

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Changes in income level and structure of rural households in surveyed villages (2000-2012)

Income generation benefited on land saving in food crops.

Land utilization （ %） 2002 2007 2012

Food crops only 66.17 53.33 36.3

Food crops ＞ 50% 7.16 15.06 23.95

Cash crops ＞ 50% 2.48 4.44 13.83

Cash crops only 13.83 22.72 24.69

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Market development and intensive management of land (2009-2014)

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Diversification of cash crops plantation shown development of market economy, further intensification of land management.

Fig. Comparison of the main crops planting structure of rural households in surveyed villages (2000, 2009 and 2014)

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Results of decision to accept contract farming of rural households in surveyed villages by Probit model (2009)

IndicatorsVariable

Implication* Coef. Std.Err Z Sig

95%confidence Interval

Lower Upper

proportion of upland rice cultivated area (X1)

X1=0; if≤13%X1=1; if ＞ 13%

-.708 .301 -2.354 .019 -1.298 -.119

upland rice yield (X2)X2=0; if ≤3t/haX2=1; if ＞ 3t/ha

-.332 .314 -1.055 .292 -.948 .285

rice production per capita (X3)X3=0; if≤350kgX3=1; if ＞ 350kg

-.421 .321 -1.312 .190 -1.051 .208

farmer’s income per capita(X4)X4=0; if≤440USDX4=1; if ＞440USD

-.222 .307 -.721 .471 -.823 .380

proportion of cash crop income (X5)

X5=0; if≤18%X5=1; if ＞ 18% .909 .302 3.012 .003 .318 1.501

Intercept .872 .348 2.507 .012 .524 1.220

Pearson TestChi-square 105.268

Df. 95Sig. 0.221

* Divided by THE mean of each indicator. Y =0; if unacceptable Y =1; if acceptable

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Relationship 1: The proportion of upland rice cultivated area (X1) had a significant negative impact on the acceptance of contract farming.

• In other words, if IURT haven’t benefit on land saving, crop diversification cannot be developed favorably.

Relationship 2: The proportion of cash crop income (X5) had a significant positive impact on the acceptance of contract farming.

• In other words, if IURT haven’t benefit on income generation, the farmers also cannot use land intensively by diversifying crops.

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4. Conclusion and achievement

Increase productivity

Ensure food security

Rational utilization of land resources

Environment protection Improve soil fertility

Incomegeneration

Production diversification

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Virtuous cycle of technology introduction

Projects funding

1. Rockefeller Foundation (2005 SE 003) “Improved food security of upland community in southern Yunnan”, 2004-2008

2. National Science Foundation of China (70573122) “Food security of poor farmers in mountainous areas during the period of transition” , 2006-2008

3. National Science Foundation of China (71003106) “Analysis on the livelihood transformation and vulnerability of farmers in mountainous areas”, 2010-2013

4. Social Sciences Foundation, Ministry of Education (10YJA790026) “Upland rice production and farmers’ livelihood transition under the arid background in southwest Yunnan”, 2010-2012

5. National Science Foundation of China (71403234) “Peasant economy in cross-border mountainous area of Southern Yunnan: the influence of livelihood capital on peasant multi-objective behavior decision”, 2015-2017

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Paper publicationInternational Journal: 3 published and 1 manuscript1. China Economic Review (SSCI), 20112. Asian Economic Journal (SSCI), 20103. Mountain Research and Development (SCI), 2010

Chinese Cornel Journal: more than 40 papers. 1. China Soft Science (中国软科学 , CSCD), 20092. China Population Resources and Environment (中国人口资源与环境

， CSSCI), 20103. Scientia Agricultura Sinica (中国农业科学 , CSCD), 20104. Scientia Agricultura Sinica (中国农业科学 , CSCD), 20135. Journal of South China Agricultural University(Social Science

Edition), (华南农业大学学报社科版 , CSCD) ， 2015 …………

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Thank you for listening!

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Thanks for group members and partners from BIT ， CIRAD, HZAU ， IRRI, YAAS……