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Metadata only record Conservation agriculture (CA) provides a tool with the potential for smallholder farmers to improve soil fertility and increase production. These proceedings, from the 2nd International Agriculture Workshop and Conference in Southeast Asia, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia July 4-7, 2011, addresses biophysical and socioeconomic questions related to locally-adapted CA practices throughout Southeast Asia and in the rest of the world. The papers and abstracts cover various facets of conservation agriculture, including economic impacts, process of dissemination and adoption, effects on soil quality and yields, and farmer preferences. LTRA-12 (Conservation agriculture for food security in Cambodia and the Philippines)

Degraded landscapes are expanding annually in Southeast Asia. Rural poverty in upland communities increases pressure on natural resources like forest, soil and water . These are the last “capital” for the poor and they are rapidly diminishing due to non-sustainable management. Such practices reduce agricultural productivity, which in turn heightens food insecurity and exacerbates poverty. LTRA-12 (Conservation agriculture for food security in Cambodia and the Philippines)

This presentation calls for a comprehensive plan for future development to protect the natural resources and promote agricultural and rural development in Cambodia. For development to be beneficial, it is important to consider some of the current constraints on the physical conditions. These include soil quality, climate fluctuations, and floods; all of which contribute to market instability and food insecurity. Further, uneven population distribution in Cambodia makes comprehensive planning and natural resource management difficult. However, agriculture is a very important part of the economy and lifestyles of the Cambodian people and the agricultural sector provides 70% of employment in this area. New management techniques and plans are necessary because research has shown that monoculture practices and conventional tillage are resulting in C losses in the soil in many areas. As a solution, this presentation proposes the use of DMC (Direct seeding Mulch based Cropping systems) and explains its three principles: no soil's tillage, soil's permanent plants' cover, and the succession and rotation of species. Additional solutions include the creation of 'biodiversity corridors' in a region of intense agriculture and in between protected areas of Cambodia, as well as buffer areas along rivers. [summary by record creator] LTRA-12 (Conservation agriculture for food security in Cambodia and the Philippines)