Small bench terrace (Thailand)

Description

This approach is 'the way' or 'how' the small bench terrace has been implemented on sloping land in northern Thailand.

Aims / objectives: The small bench terrace is a kind of soil conservation measure constructed on sloping land. The main feature is that flat beds are constructed out of the land which is not level primarily to facilitate working in the field, but with benefit of conserving soil at the same time. Normally farmers will implement by themselves with their own fund. In few cases there can be some initiation from some organizations and some help will be provided. This approach has been imported from Taiwan from where some tea bushes were brought to grow in Chiang Rai Province.

Location

Location: Chiang Rai, Thailand

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 99.625, 20.166

Initiation date: n.a.

Year of termination: n.a.

Type of Approach
.

Approach aims and enabling environment

Main aims / objectives of the approach
The Approach focused on SLM only

1. To facilitate cultivation of crops, 2. To ease working in the field, 3. To reduce soil erosion, 4. To increase crop yield.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: Steepland in the North, where rainfall is high, has been brought to cultivation. There apparently was a sign of excessive runoff from the land, farmers therefore constructed the small bench terrace, the idea of which was brought from Taiwan.
Conditions enabling the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
Conditions hindering the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
  • Availability/ access to financial resources and services: To construct the small bench terrace it costs money. Poor farmers cannot afford. Treatment through the SLM Approach: There is no treatment at present. Farmers may need to borrow money to do it.

Participation and roles of stakeholders involved

Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles
What stakeholders / implementing bodies were involved in the Approach? Specify stakeholders Describe roles of stakeholders
local land users/ local communities Specific ethnic groups: E-kaw, Lahu, Lisu, Mien, Khin, Thai Yai, Haw Chinese, H'mong Farmers do it by themselves. Farmers feel it is necessary to construct the small bench terrace to facilitate crop cultivation and working conditions so they do it despite their poverty.
Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach
none
passive
external support
interactive
self-mobilization
initiation/ motivation
x
planning
x
implementation
x
responsibility for major steps
monitoring/ evaluation
x
Research
x
Flow chart

Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology

Decisions were taken by

  • land users alone (self-initiative)
  • mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists
  • all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach
  • mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users
  • SLM specialists alone
  • politicians/ leaders

Decisions were made based on

  • evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
  • research findings
  • personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

Technical support, capacity building, and knowledge management

The following activities or services have been part of the approach
Advisory service
Advisory service was provided
  • on land users' fields
  • at permanent centres
  • Farmer to farmer
Name of method used for advisory service: Farmer to farmer; Key elements: Simplicity, Low cost, Functionality

Financing and external material support

Annual budget in USD for the SLM component
  • < 2,000
  • 2,000-10,000
  • 10,000-100,000
  • 100,000-1,000,000
  • > 1,000,000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Approach costs were met by the following donors: other (Personal fund): 100.0%
The following services or incentives have been provided to land users
  • Financial/ material support provided to land users
  • Subsidies for specific inputs
  • Credit
  • Other incentives or instruments

Impact analysis and concluding statements

Impacts of the Approach
No
Yes, little
Yes, moderately
Yes, greatly
Did the Approach help land users to implement and maintain SLM Technologies?

Construction of the small bench terrace

x
Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?

It is being used by farmers in other areas too, but probably not to a wide extent.

x
Main motivation of land users to implement SLM
Sustainability of Approach activities
Can the land users sustain what hat been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

Conclusions and lessons learnt

Strengths: land user's view
  • Easy to do the farm work.
  • Can obtain relatively high yield.
  • Soil fertility is improved.
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
  • Reduce soil loss in large areas grown to horticultural crops and bush-type crops (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Inspect the field during/after rain to see how efficient they are in SWC & repair as necessary.)
  • Easy to improve soil fertility, whereby the crop yield is sustained
  • Easy to do the work in the farm.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
  • Have to pay for its construction The government may help after some time.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
  • Water channels if not well planned may scour the land and gyullies may appear. Plan the water channels well.
  • A part of the cropped area may be lost. No way.

References

Compiler
  • Philippe Zahner
Editors
Reviewer
  • Fabian Ottiger
Date of documentation: Jan. 12, 2009
Last update: Julie 6, 2017
Resource persons
Full description in the WOCAT database
Linked SLM data
Documentation was faciliated by
Institution Project
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International