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In mountainous areas of Southeast Asia, lowland paddy rice is often assumed to be the cornerstone of farming systems. Households production strategies are usually analysed by assessing access to two factors: lowland paddy and the rice self-sufficiency level of the household. Rainfed rice, pig raising and off-farm activities are associated with households that are deficient in paddy rice, whereas cash crops and the raising of large ruminants are described as a diversification process run by families who have already met their paddy rice needs (Castella et al, 2002). A survey of 73 households conducted in three districts of Xieng Khouang province revealed that traditional agriculture is being slightly modified by the emergence of new economic opportunities such as (i) increasing local and regional urban consumption demand, and (ii) better road access to markets. The survey divided households into ten different types according to their food security strategies. For paddy rice and marketable products, the labour and surface area allocated and the generated income by each type of product were all analysed. The labour and surface area allocated for both rice and market products, and the income generated by each product, are all assessed. When interpreting the difference in household response to markets, the local agro-ecological situation appears to be just as important as the level of rice self-sufficiency. In the highlands, lowland paddy rice remains the prevailing cropping system but livestock activities produce 80-90% of the generated income. In the warm valleys, lowland paddy rice also prevails but cash crops are becoming increasingly significant in terms of both generated income and dedicated labour force. More diverse cropping systems are present in the uplands and sloping areas, but in all cases the importance of the rice crop in achieving household food security is decreasing.

L'idée de ce dossier est née du constat suivant: de nombreuses informations sur les pratiques des agriculteurs ne sont ni capitalisées, ni traitées pour permettre aux vulgarisateurs de mieux les comprendre. Cet ouvrage n'est ni un manuel d'agronomie classique expliquant comment cultiver le riz pluvial, ni une présentation générale de la riziculture pluviale dans l'ouest de la Côte d'ivoire. Il s'agit d'un document voulant décrire comment des agriculteurs, en un lieu donné, cultivent le riz, comment ils le connaissent, comment ils en parlent, quelles justifications ils donnent à leurs pratiques et comment ils évaluent leurs résultats. Ce dossier pédagogique est conçu pour servir de support de formation à des agents chargés de programmes de vulgarisation et de conseil technique auprès d'agriculteurs. Après quelques présentations théoriques et méthodologiques, l'itinéraire technique pour la culture du riz pluvial est passé en revue sous forme de dix-sept fiches. Des tentatives de modélisation sont ensuite présentées. Enfin, le dispositif et les résultats du suivi agronomique sont détaillés. Le but de cet ouvrage est donc plus de susciter des questions chez le lecteur que d'apporter des solutions clés en main.