1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Decision Support for Mainstreaming and Scaling out Sustainable Land Management (GEF-FAO / DS-SLM)

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Book project: where people and their land are safer - A Compendium of Good Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (where people and their land are safer)

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Book project: where the land is greener - Case Studies and Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation Initiatives Worldwide (where the land is greener)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Land Development Department LDD (Land Development Department LDD) - Thailand

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

Nee

Comments:

The alteration of an inappropriate area from rice to vegetables, with a pump well installed for irrigation. Farmers could rotate the vegetables with paddy rice.

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Land use change from rice to vegetables was started by a group of farmers with the help of the LDD who provided irrigation from groundwater through a 28m deep bore hole. This enables the groundwater level to be lowered preventing salination in the discharge area lower down.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Changing flooded rice to salt-tolerant vegetable production as recommended by LDD researchers was started 25 years ago by a group of farmers at Ban Kaonoi Village, Pueaiyai Sub-district, Non Sila District, Khon Kaen Province. The land is located in the recharge area, which is nonsaline, with groundwater that has a salinity level of 0.7 dS/m. Groundwater that moves downslope picks up salt - and deposits salt in low-lying areas, causing off-site salinization. The LDD supports the land use change from rice to vegetables for higher income while at the same time lowering groundwater levels. When rice is grown through flood irrigation the groundwater level rises. With vegetables, farmers try to use minimal amounts of water to prevent salt accumulation – a weekly rate of 90 m3/rai (560 m3/ hectare). The objectives of changing rice to vegetables are to (a) decrease water use (b) get higher incomes from growing salt-tolerant vegetables, and (c) prevent off-site salinization. Without a drainage system, the following slightly to moderately salt-tolerant vegetables are recommended: varieties of basil (Ocimum spp), celery (Apium graviolens) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum). Planting starts with land preparation and making beds 1 m wide and 0.3 m high, mixed with 500 kg/rai (3125 kg/hectare cow dung, with 0.3m wide irrigation furrows between the beds.

The vegetables are divided into two groups: long- and short-duration crops. Long-duration crops (e.g. basil) take 5 months before harvest. The first crop is planted mid-January and harvested at the end of May; the second crop is planted mid-July, and harvested mid-December. The short-duration crops of coriander and Chinese celery need a 75-80 day growing period. The first sowing starts late January/ February and harvest is mid-April; the second sowing is late July, with harvest early October. Only short-duration crops can be planted after the rice harvest in December or earlier. Maintenance includes weeding (by hand) and fertilizer application. Labour is required for supplementary irrigation - by spraying water on the leaves as required – and once a week irrigation is applied through the furrows. The costs and benefits are calculated; the costs include seed, fertilizer, and labour for land preparation, planting, irrigation, maintenance, and harvesting. The farmers favor the technology because the crops can grow well in such circumstances and the products meet the market’s demand. In such way, farmers get higher income compared with rice, while crop residues and weeds can be used as animal feed.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• 10-50 years ago

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• through projects/ external interventions

• as part of a traditional system over 25 years

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Technology was developed by the farmers and disseminated in the area as a traditional system and then further developed and disseminated through the project by Land Development Department Region 5.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Comments:

Farmer constructed the pump well where they plant vegetables. Also, they can use the pump well for paddy rice in a drought year such as in 2018.

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• Yes (Please fill out the questions below with regard to the land use before implementation of the Technology)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Nee

Comments:

Vegetables were mainly growing in some paddy areas in the uplands. Moreover, farmers will grow vegetables after rice harvesting in lowland fields.

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

The area is under rainfed agriculture but farmers set up the pump well to support cultivation.

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
• integrated crop-livestock management
• ground water management

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Farmers applied farmyard manure for soil improvement in the vegetable area. All or most households keep cattle so they have manure for such use.

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

The area where such technology is applied is located in a slightly saline and recharge zone.

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation
• adapt to land degradation

Comments:

Reducing and adapting to land degradation and climate change.

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

THB

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

32.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Drilling a pump well	May-July
2.	Preparation of plots to produce vegetable seedlings	May-July
3.	Vegetable planting	May-July
4.	Fertilizer application	before planting

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Preparing vegetable garden	rai	1.0	1200.0	1200.0
Labour	Harvesting cost	person	12.0	300.0	3600.0
Plant material	Parsley seeds	gram	300.0	0.183	54.9
Plant material	Celery seeds	gram	400.0	1.375	550.0
Plant material	Sweet basil seeds	gram	800.0	0.25	200.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Compost 1.25 THB/kg, application rate 1,000 kg/rai	time	1.0	1252.0	1252.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Urea fertilizer 12 THB/kg, application rate 50 kg/rai	time	1.0	600.0	600.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					7456.9
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					233.03

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

Land Development Department

Comments:

Note: where a well is dug the cost is USD 310 (approx)

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Fertilizer application	2 times/crop
2.	Irrigation for parsley and celery	90 days/crop
3.	Irrigation for sweet basil	180 days/crop

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Irrigation for parsley and celery	day	16.875	300.0	5062.5
Labour	Irrigation for sweet basil	day	11.25	300.0	3375.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Urea fertilizer 12 THB/kg, application rate 25 kg/rai	time	5.0	300.0	1500.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					9937.5
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					310.55

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Drilling a pump well because water is the most important factor for the production.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Ja

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Nee

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Ja

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		decrease	well
annual rainfall		increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• > 50%

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 51-90%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Ja

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• labour availability (e.g. due to migration)

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Get higher income from land use change from rice to vegetables.
Decrease water use compared to rice cultivation.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Lowering groundwater level.
Increasing farmer income.
Prevents salination at the discharged low-lying area.

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Farmers need to find the market by themselves.	Expanding the vegetable plantation area will draw merchants to come and buy in the community.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Some farmers prefer rice cultivation to growing vegetables.	Provide more information on land use change and create understanding of salination effects by the farmer.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Land Development Department

Available from where? Costs?

http://www.ldd.go.th/

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

where the land is greener - Case Studies and Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation Initiatives Worldwide

URL:

https://www.wocat.net/library/media/27/

Title/ description:

where people and their land are safer - A Compendium of Good Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (where people and their land are safer)

URL:

https://www.wocat.net/en/projects-and-countries/projects/drr

7.4 General comments

The questionnaire is very complicated.