http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/agroecology-symposium-china/en/ Presentation of Hongyan Zhang, from China Agricultural University, on the Science and Technology Backyard (STB), a platform for smallholder farmers. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology in China, held in Kunming, China on 29-31 August 2016.

1. STB, a New Plateform for
smallholder farmers
Hongyan Zhang, Xiaolin Li and Fusuo Zhang
China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

2. Outline
1.Background
2.What is STB
3.Work of STB
4.Summary and perspective

3. Farm size
• Household num.: 2.5×109
• Ave. ferm size: 0.5 ha
• Land pieces per family: 5.7
1.Background
Smallholder farmer, working for food security of China
Farmer
• Less educated
• Mainly women
and old people
Field
• large variation
Crop production
• Low yield and
low efficiency

4. Contribution of selected management and soil factor on maize yield gap among
farmers(n=153)(Zhao et al, unpublished data)
Soing-date Growth-period density N-rate P2O5-rate K2O-rate Total-N Olsen-P Available-K SOM pH EC
Maizeyieldgap%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
• Management practices Soil characteristics
Maizeyieldgap(%)

5. 2.What if STB?
STB= Science and Technology Backyard
2009-
4 towns
10 villages
10 STBs,
Science and
technology small
backyard
2009-
3 T:
Eat together
Work together
Live together

6. Investigations about the factors limit crop yield
and resource use efficiency Conduct field experiment with farmers
3. Work of STB
• Optimization of the Double high technologies
The optimized DH techniques for winter wheat
Wheat Variety
Maize Variety
Planting density of maize
Seeding date and rate on wheat
Seeding date on maize
Harvesting date on maize
Rate of Nitrogen application on wheat
Rate of Nitrogen application on maize
Top-dressing date on wheat
Deep tillage for wheat
A. Yield gap between good
practice and bad practice
9.4%
19.8%
20.6%
6.3%
15.0%
14.4%
11.6%
7.5%
6.2%
5.8%
0%10%20%30%
(Zhang et al, Nature, 2016)

7. platform Information transformation Extension
Demonstra
tion
STB
Farmer
Training
Hand by
hand Service
Got help
Farmer
Organization
See
possibility
See
technology
effect
Arise
need
Understand
technology
Arise
willing
use
Decision
Large
scale
extension
Comp
any
Local
ext.
Depart.
farmer
Projec
t
Gover
nment
• Transfer new technology from scientist to
farmer’s field

8. Composition of the STBY DH technique
extension system in Wangzhuang
village,Situan town, Quzhou county
Step1: Built up demonstration zone and show the effect of
the DH techniques
Field day
STSBY
Experiment
Demonstra
tion zone
Wangzhuan
g village

9. Step2: Train the farmers through different ways: face to
face
From 2009.5-
10 towns , 323
villages
587 trainings ,
37865 farmers
Field school
Farmer training
Technology corridor

10. Step3: Organization of the farmers: develop agricultural
producers’ cooperative
land machine farmers
①Land transference ②Machinery cooperative ③Farmers’ cooperative

11. Step4: Give the farmers hand by hand service during the
growing seasons
tweeter blackboard
motor tricycle Field service

12. Step5: Cooperate with local government and Fertilizer
company to enlarge new technology extension
Mr Bai, the head
of Quzhou
County,
introduced the
DH organized by
STB to Mr Zhang,
the vice governor
of Hebei
province
①STB and new technology
give confidence to local
government and the action of
STB became the action of
local government
②STB help fertilizer industry
optimize their products and
training staff to improve there
service to farmers
New
fertilizer
Compan
y staff
training
Fertilizer
introduc
ed to
farmer

13. Changes of the wheat and maize yield in Quzhou county
(Data source: Statistic bureau of Quzhou county)
2009
+61%
+43%
Year
Wheat
Maize
STB established
Yield,t/ha
Award by local
government
Preliminary results

14. “ 万 亩 方 田 麦 进 仓 ， 农 民 个 个 喜 洋 洋 。
今 年 丰 收 来 不 易 ， 老 天 天 气 帮 倒 忙 。
冬 雪 早 下 春 天 寒 ， 过 年 双 冻 接 连 三 。
看 着 小 麦 要 绝 产 ， 农 民 上 头 做 了 难 。
领 导 重 视 经 常 看 ， 农 大 师 生 第 一 线 。
广 播 宣 传 地 里 转 ， 科 学 管 理 送 田 间 。
地 头 打 起 抗 大 学 ， 取 得 粮 食 来 高 产 ，
比 打 日 本 还 作 难 ， 地 头 老 师 来 上 课 ，
科 学 管 理 来 普 及 。 换 来 这 样 的 好 良 田 。
平 均 产 量 千 把 斤 ， 高 产 地 块 更 高 产 。
农大扎根在曲周，
科技指导保丰收，
玉米囤满麦屯鼓，
幸福生活有奔头，
吃水不忘挖井人，
农大功绩垂千秋
三夏当中人倍忙，
又收又种忙断肠，
科技指导是指南，
一天到晚不得闲，
千辛万苦保丰收，
农大功绩留诗篇
The most important: the farmers write poems for the
scientists to show there thanks

15. University
•Research
•Education
•Service
•Policy input
Leadfarmer
Cooperative
Farmer feedback & innovation
Managementtoolsre-fitting
Knowledge Action
A schematic illustration of the function of STB
4. Summary and perspective

16. wheat, maize, rice and other grain crops
cotton, potatoes, soybean and other cash crops
fruits and vegetables
81 STB in China
For food security: small holder---medium size---large scale (state farm)
For both food security and farmers income: grain---vegetable---fruit tree

17. Thanks