Soil-improving cropping systems for sustainable rice production in the Vietnamese Mekong delta (SUSRICE)

Albeit the increased use of mineral fertilizer and improved cultivars, rice productivity is gradually declining in the Vietnamese Mekong delta. The project aims at increasing crop production by introducing soil-improving cropping systems, while reducing inputs like water and fertilizer, and greenhouse gas emissions. Cropping systems in which rice is rotated with upland crops within one year instead of rice monocultures with three rice crops per year, and amending soil with organic waste materials like compost and biochar will be evaluated on farm.