Further study

• To confirm the trends identified by our research, further complementary studies and most of all a longitudinal one are necessary;

• To extend the trends observed on radish, lettuce and cabbage the use of new cultures is indispensable;

• To increase the efficiency of the participative evaluation and the comprehension of local farmers, the use of a culture model that is locally

well known is advisable. As well, objectives more specifics would be better accepted;

• To better follow the work, we suggest reducing the number of committees down to two (instead of four);

• To evaluate the biol treatment, it is suggested a study during the dry season instead of the rainy season. Indeed, the biol is referenced

as efficient treatment in the period of little rain (Barrios (2001), Davila (2008));

Participative study of the agronomic impact and

sustainability of some agro-ecological production

treatments used by the small family agriculture of

Carhuaz, Ancash, Peru Author: G. DELEIXHE

Supervisors: Prof. G. MERGEAI and E. CAPOEN

Objectives This project develops some issues of five agro-ecological production treatments used by the small family agriculture in the

province of Carhuaz, department of Ancash in Peru. Results were obtained through a field work carried out in a participative

way and that were aimed at two main objectives:

I. The evaluation of the agronomic impact of five agro-ecological treatments.

II. The evaluation of the sustainability of five agro-ecological treatments.

Methods The methodology of the study is based on three distinct elements::

a. Firstly, it was carried out in a participative way, i.e. local producers were included not only on the execution stage of the

study but also they took part in the different stages of the study’s planning.

b. Secondly, five treatments were applied and evaluated: bokashi, farm manure, high altitude microorganisms, fermented

macerated plants (M5) and biol. The first three treatments were aimed at the culture’s fertilisation, the fourth at their

protection and the fifth at both aims simultaneously. Furthermore, high altitude microorganisms were not tested

independently but combined with bokashi and farm manure..

c. Thirdly, three culture models where used: mainly radish (Raphanus sativus L. cv 'Crimson Giant') and to a lesser extent

lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv 'Great Lakes 659') and cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata, cv 'Charleston Wakefield').

Results and discussions

II. The sustainability of the agro-ecological treatments were analysed according to six criteria that were proposed by the NGO

The NGO - Aide au Développement Gembloux (2011): promptitude of results, easiness of production and application, the low

cost, integration level, fitness to the local environment and relation between externality and internality (Table 1). The review of

the literature, a participative study in collaboration with 16 local producers done in the study and the results of the analysis of

the agronomic impact prove the sustainability of the five agro-ecological treatments used in the study.

Context

.

y(T) = 0,1145x - 0,1539 R² = 0,9603

y(Bi) = 0,0501x - 0,0539 R² = 0,9407

y(M5) = 0,0744x - 0,0902 R² = 0,6925

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7Ave

rage

Occ

urr

ence

of

new

Att

acks

fro

m in

sect

s o

n L

ettu

ce

(% o

f to

tal p

lan

ts)

Week after seedling

Figure 5: Evolution of the average occurrence of new attacks of insects on lettuce (% of total plants) for three treatments (T, Bi and M5)

T Bi M5 Linear (T) Linear (Bi) Linear (M5)

0,00%

2,00%

4,00%

6,00%

8,00%

10,00%

12,00%

14,00%

16,00%

18,00%

20,00%

Bo BoM FFM FF Bi M5 T

% o

f fa

vora

ble

vo

te

Treatment

Figure 7: Average vote from the participative consultation

Average Vote from the Consultative Evaluation

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Bo BoM FFM FF Bi M5 T

Rat

io (

%)

Wei

ght

(g)

Treatment

Figure 4: Average weight of radish and radish root and average ratio between radish weight

and radish root weight

Average Radish Weight

Average Radish Root Weight

Average Ratio between Radish Weight and Radish Root Weight

Treatment

Criteria for the evaluation of the sustainability of the agroecological treatments (Yes : 1 / No : 0 / ± : 0,5)

Total

Promptitude of

results

Easiness of

production and

application

Low Cost Integration level Fitness to the local

environment

Relation between

externality and

internality

Bo 1 0 1 0 1 1 4

FF 0,5 0 1 1 1 1 4,5

MM 0,5 0,5 1 0 1 1 4

Biol 0,5 1 1 0 1 1 4,5

M5 0,5 0,5 1 0 1 1 4

The Figure 2 represents a local farmer during the harvest of radish (left side) and two different fields used during our work, seedling with radish, lettuce and cabbage (right side).

The Figure 3 shows the weekly work done with local farmers on the field.

This field research was carried out in four villages in the high Andes,

between 2.700m and 3.800m, in the Callejón de Huaylas in Peru

(pink area in the Figure 1). In this area people live mainly from a

familial, auto-subsistence agriculture selling their over production on

local markets.

Figure 1 (ONERN, 1973)

One of the main problems in this area is the dependence of the

farmers on chemical products that are harmful to them and to their

environment. To solve also this problem, the NGO “Aide au

Développement Gembloux (ADG)” through the project “Terra Sana y

Soberana*”, helped by five locals NGOs, introduced new agro-

ecological treatments (made from locals materials). The introduction

of those treatments has been realized with committees of interested

local producers.

Our study was carried out in a partnership with ADG inside four of

those committees, composed mainly of women native Quechua

speakers.

I. The agronomic impact is analysed through the efficacy of the five agro-ecological

treatments. Four treatments showed better average results than the non-treatment

(bokashi, farm manure, bokashi with high altitude microorganisms and farm manure with

high altitude microorganisms) on most of the characteristics of radish, lettuce and

cabbage analysed during this research (as examplified in the Figure 4). Nevertheless,

the only treatment that gave averages that were statistically significant compared to

non-treatment is bokashi combined with high altitude microorganisms. Moreover, the

high altitude microorganisms improved both the results of the bokashi and the farm

manure.

Results show a phytotoxicity effect of the treatment M5 (as suggested by Kuepper G.

(2003) et Guerrero B.J. (1993)).

The phytosanitary treatments (M5 and biol) were efficient when applied to lettuce

(Figure 5) and at their first application to radish (Figure 6).

An evaluation of all treatments were done with most of the producers but none of the

seven combinations was singled out(Figure 7). This observation confirms that it is really

difficult to identify on the field a better treatment if the differences between indicators

chosen are below 15%.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ave

rage

Occ

urr

ence

of

new

Att

acks

fro

m in

sect

s o

n R

adis

h

(%

of

tota

l pla

nts

)

Week after seedling

Figure 6: Evolution of the average occurrence of new attacks from insects on radish (% of total

plants) for three treatments (T, Bi and M5)

T Biol M5

Table 1: Criteria for the evaluation of the sustainability of the agroecological treatments (Yes : 1 / No : 0 / ± : 0,5)

*Healthy and Sovereign Earth

References:

• ADG. (2011). Methodologia CaC, Modulo II - Diagnostico Participativo Rapido (DPR), Guia del facilitador. Huaraz: ADG.

• Barrios Masías F.M. (2001). Efecto de diferentes concentraciones de biol aplicados al suelo y foliarmente en el cultivo de vainita (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). [Effect of different concentration of biol applied to soil and folial in kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crop. Lima: UNALM.

• Dávila Silva S.C. (2008). Efecto de la rotación con Crotalaria (Crotalaria Juncea L.) y de biol en la producción orgánica de dos cultivares de espinaca (Spinaca oleracea L.). Lima: UNALM.

• Guerrero B.J. (1993). Abonos organicos : Tecnologia para el manejo ecologico de suelos. Lima: Red de Accion en Alternativas al uso de Agroquimicas - RAAA.

• Kuepper G. (2003). Du fumier pour les cultures biologiques. National Sustainable Agriculture In formation Service - NCTA.

• ONERN, (1973). Esudio de suelos del Callejon de Huaylas. Lima: ONERN.