Assessment of multifunctions of grassland-based livestock systems in North-West Vietnam: Application of the Grassland Livestock System Multi-functionality Conceptual Model on the pilot site of Quài Nưa commune
Project Facts
CIRAD and NIAS Vietnam
Melanie Blanchard: [email protected]
Le Thi Thanh Huyen: [email protected]
Case overview/description
In northwestern Vietnam, farmers are largely dependent on grazing lands as main feed source for their animals. The intensification of livestock systems (cattle and buffaloes) relies on the establishment of forage crops production, however, the areas currently available for forage production remain very limited. Nevertheless, pastoral or grazing systems are considered archaic, not intensive enough to meet the production challenges and not remunerative enough, therefore, they are little taken into account, studied and supported by extension services and development.
We used the ontology, proposed by the AN2-GASL group, to define relevant indicators and structure an evaluation of the multiple functions of these grassland livestock systems for the sustainable development of farms, territories and the beef value chain (the main value chain of products derived from these farms) based on the concrete case of a rural commune of this mountainous region, where grassland livestock systems is still available: Quài Nưa Commune.
The study was conducted in Quài Nưa, a rural and mountainous commune of Tuần Giáo District, East of Điện Biên Province, North-West Vietnam
Private and communal lands
Cattle (buffalo) farm types of the commune and those who use pasture and forages to feed their animals and their level of production
Beef cattle (local breed)
free market and subsistance
The members of the Action Network 2 (AN2) “Restoring Value to Grassland”, one of the network set within the multistakeholder platform “Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock” (GASL)
The members of the collaborative AN2 “Restoring Value to Grassland” decided to apply this Conceptual Model and test it on various Pilot Sites around the world. A team from NIAS and CIRAD, ones of the members of the GASL AN2 apply this conceptual model on the pilot site of Quài Nưa commune (Tuần Giáo district, Điện Biên province), a representative commune of the mountain North-West area of Vietnam
Outcome/ Beneficiaries/ Issues
The assessment of the grazing livestock systems contribution made it possible to take into account of the multidimensionality of the functions of the livestock
The assessment of the grazing livestock systems contribution need the implication multiple skills, and the integration of different social actors.
The assessment of the grazing livestock systems contribution made it possible to take into account of the the integration of different scales (farm> territory, farm> collectors> slaughtermen> middle men> retailers> dry meat processor)
Possibility of incorporating the multidimensionality of livestock functions, required implication multiple skills, and the integration of different scales and stakeholders. The indicators and dimensions can be used as a basis for the constitution of a data set for local authorities in the field of control, livestock management and grassland
Initial results from individual interviews of the diversity of actors need to be validated and added comments from different stakeholders in a feedback workshop
Possibility of incorporating the multidimensionality of livestock functions, required implication multiple skills, and the integration of different scales and stakeholders . The indicators and dimensions can be used as a basis for the constitution of a data set for local authorities in the field of control, livestock management and grassland
An analysis of the contributions of grazing livestock systems with more focusing on the social - cultural aspects, the protection of natural resources and the consumers’ expectations for the meat quality is necessary and recognised by the diversity of actors
North West Vietnam, cattle production, multifunctionality, ontology, AN2