A Typology of the rice based cropping systems of the Mekong Delta

Within the Master thesis that has been submitted by MSc Kajo Stelter in March 2012, the actual practice of Rice based cropping systems was characterized according to their water pollution potential. Experts at the Can Tho University and farmers in three agro ecological zones have been interviewed to find out what are typical farming practices regarding input of fertilizer and pesticides. It was found that at the coastal zone where farmers typically practice integrated agriculture-aquaculture pesticides are sprayed the least frequently compared to the intensive systems of two and three rice crops per year which did not differ. The amount of applied fertilizer among the three systems was found to be similar and it seems that the pollution potential by a “misuse” of synthetic fertilizer is generally small. 

Amount of applied fertilizer during the wet season 2011 for three cropping system in O Mon (Triple rice), Phung Hiep (Double Rice) and My Xuyen (Single rice/Shrimp)(Kajo Stelter)

Number of pesticide applications per cropping system in the wet season 2012 for three cropping system in O Mon (Triple rice), Phung Hiep (Double Rice) and My Xuyen (Single rice/Shrimp) (Kajo Stelter)