Chief of Agronomy (Pailin PDAFF) Sophanara Phan, Senior Project Researcher Panhaleak Chay, and Dr Van Touch reflect on some of the outcomes they have seen as a result of their engagement with farmers focusing on field crop monitoring and record-keeping of farm inputs and practices.
Mrs Srey Mom is an upland farmer residing in Ta Leak village, Samlout district of Battambang. Her journey with the Next Generation Agricultural Extension project began in 2022, when she participated in the Activity 2 household census. A year later, in 2023, she was randomly selected to voluntarily participate in Activity 3B, which focuses on field crop monitoring and record keeping of farm inputs and practices.
Through participating in the project, Mrs Srey Mom received comprehensive training on how to effectively monitor her maize crop and maintain detailed records of inputs, crop health, and development throughout the growth cycle. This training enabled her to observe changes in crop health and growth in response to varying weather conditions and inputs.
By visiting her farm more frequently, Mrs Srey Mom was able to identify problems sooner and take timely actions to address them. This proactive approach led to significant improvements in overall crop health, yield, and profitability. On her 1.12-hectare farm, she achieved a remarkable total yield of 10 tonnes, which translates to 8.33 tonnes per hectare, while the average maize yield in her area is between 2.5 – 3.5 tonnes per hectare.
“Mrs Srey Mom was able to identify problems sooner and take timely actions to address them.”
Mr Sophanara Phan (Pailin PDAFF Chief of Agronomy)
Inspired by the benefits of regular crop monitoring and record keeping, Mrs Srey Mom has expanded these practices to include another crop, ‘cassava’. She has developed her own record-keeping forms to document farm inputs, soil moisture levels, crop health, weed prevalence, insect and disease incidences, and yields for her cassava crop.
Mrs Srey Mom’s success story highlights the transformative impact of an active agricultural extension approach as well as the importance of detailed crop monitoring and record-keeping in achieving higher yields and greater profitability.