Presentation from the WCCA 2011 conference in Brisbane, Australia.

1. Farmers’ response to conservation
farming practices in Aceh, Indonesia
Gavin Tinning¹, M. Ismail², Irhas², M. Nasir² and T. Iskandar²
¹Primary Industries NSW, ² BPTP NAD, Indonesia

2. Introduction
Farming recovery
Food security
Variable climatic conditions
Dryland cropping opportunities
Willingness to try new ideas

3. Coastal farming system in Aceh
Centred on rice
Irrigated and dryland
Impacted by conflict
Impacted by tsunami
Opportunity

4. What we have trialled?
Skip row planting
Different varieties
Minimum tillage during dry season
Opportunity cropping
Livestock management

5. Are farmers interested?
Grow more food
Increase their income
Reduce labour (effort or cost)
Dry season cropping
Extension support is available
Interested in soil biology

6. Farmers’ response
Widespread adoption of:
• Skip row layout
• Varieties
Minimum tillage in dry season
More crops grown each year
Potential for more income

7. Farming system transition - dryland
2009 2010 2011
Average rainfall Drier than average Wetter than average
Rice 4.1 T/Ha Rice 5.2 T/Ha Rice 6.2 – 7.1 T/Ha
Followed by: Followed by: Followed by:
fallow Minimum tillage Rice (incl. zero till trial)
cattle on fields Soybean 1.5 T/Ha harvest Sept 2011
Mung bean 1.2 T/Ha
Maize 6.1 T/Ha
cattle penned
cattle penned

8. Barriers to adoption of minimum tillage
Lack of extension
Availability of quality seed
Fluctuations in crop prices
Strong rice price
Permanent removal of stock
Land ownership

9. Encourage adoption
Farmer to farmer visits
Field-based extension
Passionate extension
Farm scale demonstration
Involve women
Economic analyses

10. What has worked in Aceh?
Passionate field-based extension
Long term support for farmers
Skip row layout adoption
Minimum tillage profitable
More crops are grown
More options for farmers