Project title: Changes in Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture Systems: What is the balance in sustainability?
PhD student: Le Thanh Phong
Short description of the proposed research:
This study aims at fine-tuning the fish, livestock and crop components of the Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture (IAA) farming systems in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The research will focus on driving forces for changes of IAA systems, the characteristics and role of IAA systems in livelihood strategies as well as on the environmental issues related to the farming systems, i.e. productivity of the terrestrial and aquatic systems, the nutrient flows and balances of integrated systems, and environmental impacts. Different ecological, economic, and social indicators will be determined and quantified, to match the aquatic and terrestrial systems in the IAA systems. From that the match of sustainability indicators for introducing new technologies will be estimated. Further, the perception and adoption by farmers in the use of new technologies, and the prospects for exploiting sustainable development of IAA systems will be evaluated.
Composition of the scientific support project group:
Prof. Dr. ir. A.J. van der Zijpp, Supervisor, WUR / Animal Production Systems
Dr. ir. Henk M.J. Udo Daily, Supervisor, WUR / Animal Production Systems
Dr. ir. M.E.F. van Mensvoort, Co-Supervisor, WUR / Soil Science & Geology
Dr. Le Quang Tri, Advisor, Can Tho University, Viet Nam