IRRI's achievements & successes

Three Reductions, Three Gains
Program to improve environment and livelihood of millions of rice farmers in Vietnam
(pdf version)

	Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC Asia II Division Capitalization of Experiences and Public wareness Competition on “Success Stories” Submitted by Nguyen Huu Huan, Vice Director General, Department of Plant Protection, 28 Mac Dinh Chi Street, District 1, HoChiMinh City, Vietnam, Tel : ++848 8241114 , Fax : ++848 8244187 Email : ppdsouth@hcm.vnn.vn.
Dr Carmen Thoennissen (in red) visiting farmers in My Thanh village in Cailay, Tiengiang celebrating a bumper harvest in International Year of Rice after adopting Ba Giam Ba Tang practices.

Background

In the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, farmers grow rice 2-3 times a year and adopted direct seeding using high seeding rates of 200 to 300 kg/ha and nitrogen applications of about 150-300 kg/ha. To protect their investments from pests, farmers tend to apply more pesticides than necessary. These practices might have stemmed from the perception that high inputs, particularly seed and fertilizer rates would result in higher yields. On the other hand the use of high seed rates and fertilizer can lead to higher pest and disease infestations, thus prompting higher use of pesticides. Research has shown that farmers generally can half their seed rates and reduce nitrogenous fertilizers and insecticide sprays by 30% and 50%, respectively. By adopting these three reduction practices, farmers will harvest three benefits, increased income, lower their expose and risks to pesticides and have an improved environment with less pollution from farm chemicals.

The "Three Reductions, Three Gains" program, locally referred to as Ba Giảm, Ba Tăng, focuses on motivating farmers to reduce seed rates, fertilizer rates, and pesticide sprays. Research started in 2001 under the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) phase II supported by SDC. Launched in 2003 the project captured the enthusiasm and imaginations of farmers, extension workers, provincial government, the media as well as the central government officials and is spreading rapidly throughout the whole country.

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