This paper reviews cassava research in Indonesia prior to 2000 and presents the key achievements in farmer adoption of new technologies to increase cassava yields and income. The improved practices the authors examine include land preparation, erosion control, planting material, plant growth management through plant population and spacing, planting time, weed control, cropping systems and fertilization. The research highlights that cassava planting time is affected by cropping system, soil type and water availability.

Cashew is a major source of income for most farmers on the island of Flores. This article details the experience of developing organic cashew nut production in four villages in Flores based on a joint project between VECO Indonesia and Swisscontact. The project aimed to help farmers optimize the potential for cashew nuts through organic certification while maintaining a low input system of production.

Early weaning of Bali calves at six months of age increases herd reproductive efficiency and offers beef smallholders an opportunity to increase productivity and cash flow. This report assesses numerous feeding strategies aimed at increasing the growth rate of early weaned Bali calves in Sulawesi Tengah, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. Results demonstrate that simple feeding strategies available to farmers could increase growth rates from 0.1-0.2kg/d to over 0.4kg/d by including high protein feeds such a leucaena, sesbania or copra meal.

This paper examines the economic feasibility of best-bet feeding strategies to increase live weight gain of early weaned Bali calves to identify opportunities for increased profit above feed costs on-farm. The research evaluates 53 feeding strategies in 14 on-station experiments in Central Sulawesi, East Java, East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara. The best-bet feeding strategy at each site was implemented, monitored and adapted on-farm in villages for six months.

Small-scale beef cattle production in East Java, Indonesia, is mostly undertaken to generate household income to meet current farm-household needs. This article presents research undertaken to understand the factors affecting the prices, hence the incomes, received by small-scale cattle producers in East Java. Research was conducted in two sites (one irrigated lowland and one rain-fed upland) in 2010-11, involving monthly monitoring with 184 farmers. Data was recorded for each of the 353 cattle sold during the two-year period. Cattle were sold in the village to local or district traders.

Beef production is a major industry in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and, given the high rate of poverty, future development of the industry has the potential to significantly contribute to poverty reduction. This report outlines the potential of the NTT beef industry, the main value chain issues and options for possible interventions to improve smallholder returns. The author details numerous opportunities for improved productivity and development of the beef industry given the strong demand for NTT beef, established trading systems and the potential for expansion of grazing land area.

One of the major constraints to improving livestock production of Bali cattle is the quantity and quality of available animal feed. Improving feed quality by introducing higher quality forages can go a long way towards removing some of those constraints. This report provides an overview and analysis of six ACIAR-funded forage research projects in Indonesia, focused on increasing the adoption of productivity-improving technologies to enhance the incomes and livelihoods of crop-livestock smallholders in eastern Indonesia.

The Bali government has introduced three beef cattle development schemes in recent decades to increase the income of smallholder farmers by improving their productivity and to support high quality beef production through improved technology. These schemes are the Beef NES scheme (conducted under a contract farming system between farmers and finance providers), the Food Safety Credit scheme (providing subsidised credit to farmers) and the Food Safety Project (a cooperative-type arrangement under government credit).