The Ecological Farm
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The Ecological Farm
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The idea of the ECOFARM - Tropical Ecological Farm was started by the British scientist, Dr.
Thomas R. Preston at the end of 1995 in Vietnam. The idea was to
create a farm that made maximum use of natural resources, where all
wastes were recycled, and best use
was made of what was available locally, rather than depending on bought and imported
inputs. The farm has served as a test lab to develop technologies for
sustainable use of natural resources, with
livestock playing a major role in the farming system, which is both kind to the environment and
beneficial to small farmers and their families. At the end of 1996 the
University of Tropical Agriculture Foundation started activities in
Vietnam and its base was the ECOFARM. The Tropical Ecological Farm was moved to the campus of the Royal University of Agriculture -RUA- in Chamcar Daung, Dangkor Distric, Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA in July 1999. The ECOFARM is the home of the University of Tropical Agriculture Foundation - UTA. The Ecological farm is more than a place it is also the home for a "team of people" who live and work there. In 2002 the ECOFARM concept started to be developed in collaboration with the NGO Awareness Cambodia as a home for orphan children. |
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The entrance to UTA |
UTA in Cambodia |
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| An integrated approach to resource utilization begins efficient use of solar energy | |||
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Cassava crop under continuous harvest |
Cassava
before harvesting (60 days old) |
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Harvesting cassava |
Cassava leaves silage with sugar palm |
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Pig pen |
Pen
for lactating sows |
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Forrowed sow |
Plastic
biodigester connected to one |
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Effluent
from the plastic biodigester is pump every day to the forage crops and
aquatic plats |
Duckweed
ponds fertilized with effluent |
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Cattle experimental pen |
Biodigester
connected to the cattle pen |
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Use of rice straw as basal diet |
Residue
from the cattle feed (mainly rice straw) being moved to the chicken pen |
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Chicken
pen, semi-scavenging system |
Use
of feed residues as a way to increase the scavenging base in
semi-scavenging systems |
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Duckweed
ponds inside the chicken pen |
Local hen raising its own chicks and added exotic chickens |
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Harvesting duckweed |
Use of duckweed as poultry feeding |
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Students house |
Use of biogas at the students house |
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View of students room |
Direct connection to internet in each room |
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General view of the students house |
Toilets
of the students house connected to plastic biodigesters |
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Lateral view of students house and crop area |
Internal way in UTA |
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Experimental
goat pen |
Digestibility
cages for goats |
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Floor of goat pen |
Goat
pen connected to the plastic biodigester as a way to recycle goat urine |
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Thomas
P, Lylian R and Sofia P house and use of solar panels |
Use of biogas: reservoir bag |
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Multipurpose kiosk: for meetings and garage |
Commercial
goat pen, made with recycle wood: 60 animals |
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Trees nursery |
Facilitators house |
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Biogas materials shop |
Pig pen |
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Corral
de cerdos |
Corral
de cerdos |
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Experimental pig pem |
Local breed from Vietnam: Mongcai |
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Biodigester connected to the pig pen )picture taken during the rainy season |
Dike built during 2001 to avoid the flood |
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General view of the office, classroom and laboratory |
UTA poster |
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Office and classroom |
Entrance to the classroom |
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Asian costume: leave the shoes outside the classroom |
Class room |
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Each MSc student get a portable computer |
Use of the LCD projector for teaching |
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Office, TR Preston, Director and Julio Ly, visiting scientist |
Sam Kol, Researcher |
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Computers and library |
Julio Ly and Lylian Rodriguez, Coordinator |
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Laboratory |
Internal view of the laboratory |
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Experimental areas |
Crop area |
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Experiment
in the use of different levels of Nitrogen Sources for water spinach (ipomea
aquatica) fertilization |
C=control,
Urea, N= N from effluent from plastic biodigester and NH3= calculation
based on the NH3 content in the effluent |
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Cassava and mulberry |
UTA
is located in " Chamcar Daugn" and its meaning is coconut
plantation |
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Housing for UTA people: students, researchers and staff |
Mulberry |
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| UTA staff in Cambodia | ||||
| 1 | Dr Thomas R Preston, PhD | Director | ||
| 2 | Ms Lylian Rodríguez, MSc | International Coordinator/IFS Research Grant/PhD Student | ||
| 3 | Mr Khieu Borin, MSc | National Coordinator/IFS Research Grant /MEKARN PhD Student | ||
| 4 | Dr Julio Ly, PhD | Head of Laboratory | ||
| 5 | Mr Chiev Phiny | Manager and Researcher | ||
| 6 | Mr Pok Samkol | Laboratory Assistant and researcher | ||
| 7 | Ms Poev Vanmolika | Administrative Assistant | ||
| 8 | Mr Hieng Vuth | Manager assistant | ||
| 9 | Mr Chea Kimly (Pout) | Field Assistant | ||
| 10 | Ms Prouch Yet | Field Assistant | ||
| 11 | Ms Thoeun Sokroeun | Field assistant | ||
| 12 | Mr Phin Pheoun | Field Assistant | ||
| 13 | Ms Chhieng Maly | Cleaner |
| UTA Students/researchers 2002 | |||||
| 1 | Mr Siv Kong | Undergraduate Student | Animal Production / RUA - BSc Thesis | ||
| 2 | Mr Chan Noeng | Undergraduate Student | Agronomy/RUA/ BSc Thesis | ||
| 3 | Mr Sam Sok Chea | Undergraduate Student | Animal Production / RUA | ||
| 4 | Mr Try Van Vuth | Undergraduate Student | Fishery / RUA | ||
| 5 | Mr Keo Sath | Undergraduate Student | Animal Production / RUA | ||
| 6 | Mr Tong Sokhom | Undergraduate Student | |||
