Purpose of study

1. Impact of cross visits and other factors on farmer decision making and livestock production in four districts

2. Purpose of study • How much influence the cross visit had on farmers • What other factors influenced farmers • The most important influences • What changes they have made • What benefits they have had • What they plan to do in the future • Whether they have influenced other farmers(eg poor farmers)

3. Farmer Interview Questions • Name, ethnic group, family members, livestock numbers • What cross visit did you attend and what did you see? • What changes have you made to livestock management in the last 2 years since the cross visit? • What influenced you to make these change? • Which were the most important influences? • What do you plan to do in the future? • Have you influenced other farmers?

4. 25 farmers (9 women) in 4 districts of 3 provinces (50% of all farmers attending cross visits in 2007 and 2008). All poor to medium wealth.

5. Ethnic GroupsLao lum 5 families Hmong 8 families Khamu 7 families Thaideng 4 families Phouane 1 families

6. Pasture growing (grasses and stylo) Cut and carry system What changes have the farmers made to livestock management in the last 2 years? 1. Improved backyard pasture management Ruminant feeding by mixing grasses,stylo and stylo Pigs and poultry feeding by mixing rice bran ,cassava root and stylo

7. Animals health care Manure collecting Animals fattening 2. Improved Livestock production Breeding selection Improved animals housing Animals marketing

8. Family income from livestock changes • Total 257,998,000 kip for all 25 families in last 2 years • Average 10,319,920 kip per family • Range (3 to 29 million kip) • Expenditure items . Animals . House construction . Hand tractor . Paddy rice stocks . Rice field land . Motor cycle . Furniture . School . Clothes . Medicine

9. Motivation to improve their livelihood Looking at host farmers activities at cross visit What influenced the farmers to make thesechanges? Discussing with host farmers and sharing knowledge and experiences District staff advice on how to do and follow up Family relatives and friends Lao govt. policy to reduce SC and poverty Training Coursesand other projects

10. Feed formula for pigs and poultry (stylo, grasses and cassava root) Improved Cassava mill machine Farmer ideas and ongoing learning Vaccination, antibiotic treatment and parasitede-worming New slicing equipment for cutting grasses, stylo and cassava

11. Increasing pasture areas and feeding system Increasing the animal numbers and management Activities planned in the future Increasing family incomeand reduce poverty Expanding the new technologies to new farmers

12. Level of influence on other farmers • 100 other farmers have used advice and examples from these farmers • Some farmers are more active than others • Two poor farmers interviewed had been influenced by cousins that had attended the cross visits. • Some poor farmers can learn from medium wealth farmers

13. Conclusions • Cross visits can stimulate farmer motivation to improve their livestock production and reduce shifting cultivation. • District staff need to follow up with regular advice. • Poor families can learn from medium wealth families, especially if relative or friends. • Farmers need follow up training courses to keep learning about livestock management. • Design learning activities for poor families, women and each ethnic group separately.

14. Thank you