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

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

Land Development Department (Land Development Department) - Thailand

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

19/10/2018

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

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Promotion of continuous bench terraces for sustainable tea plantations in steep areas of the northern region highlands.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

The approach is to develop and promote sustainable agriculture on steep slopes by establishing continuous bench terraces. Under this system, hilltribe farmers can produce good quality Chinese tea, and send their product to a processing factory nearby, which will create stable and high incomes and raise the quality of life. This production/ conservation system aims also to reduce deforestation and shifting cultivation problems, which lead to the degradation of soil and land. As such, soil and water conservation in this upstream sloping highland should promote and encourage appropriate sustainable land management to preserve natural resources and the environment.
In the early stage, Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station initiated this project to develop and promote Chinese tea cultivation on steep land, with close cooperation from the Land Development Department (LDD) to design the continuous bench terraces instead of the cold-climate fruit trees, which had greatly deteriorated. Local officers had allocated land (without ownership) to Palaung hilltribe people who were selected and guaranteed by the community leader for their aptitude and ability to cultivate Chinese tea according to the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Guidelines, and set up a Chinese tea producers group at Plot 2000. Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station organized this programme and trained them and also arranged for some local officers to advise on soil management, fertilizer use, and disease and pest control. Vetiver grass planting was introduced to maintain the terrace and road edges; compost was produced to use for improving soil properties and reducing their production cost, and cultivation materials were supplied to all land users through disbursement under the management of Doi Angkhang Agricultural Cooperatives. Local officers also supported marketing through purchasing at the guaranteed price according to the quality of the tea, and set up tea processing factories in this area. The project encourages all land users to observe and maintain their tea bushes and the land around them. Currently all land users are aware of how to sustainably use and maintain their land and soil resources. Moreover, local officers advise how to repair bench terraces themselves; however, if the damage is serious, the LDD officers will come in to help them repair.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.4 Videos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The first objective is to enable hilltribe farmers, through suitable soil and water conservation measures, to produce good quality Chinese tea on the highland. The second objective is to create a stable income and raise the quality of life, where it is very important to ensure sustainable landuse without damaging natural resources and the environment. The third is to reduce forest encroachment problems in the highland and watershed areas of the northern region of Thailand.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	interactive	Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station created continuous bench terraces as a soil and water conservation measure in the former degraded cold-climate fruit tree plot. They informed all land users about land allocation and zoning for suitable economic crops and trees, including Chinese tea in Plot 2000.
planning	interactive	Almost all land users (Palaung hilltribe) have been allocated land for planting Chinese tea with good agricultural practices (GAP) system in Plot 2000.
implementation	none	The LDD has been responsible for conducting soil and land survey, designing and constructing soil and water conservation measures, with close collaboration with Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station.
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	All Palaung hilltribe land users in this area have to maintain/repair the bench terraces in their allocated land.

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach

Explain:

-

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)

• Policies and legal measures

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

If relevant, specify gender, age, status, ethnicity, etc.

Both male and female

Form of training:

• farmer-to-farmer
• demonstration areas

Form of training:

• Mmonthly meeting

Subjects covered:

Implementation activities, how to solve some problems, maintain and repair conservation measure, vetiver grass plantation and others

Comments:

-

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields
• at permanent centres

Describe/ comments:

-

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, greatly

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

All land users (from the Palaung hilltribe) have been selected as members to promote and implement organic Chinese tea plantation with their awareness to maintain and take care of conservation measures for sustainable use of this land.

Specify type of support:

• financial

• budget in repair structure

Give further details:

The Angkhang station gives a support budget to repair the bench terrace about 500 baht per rai.

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station set up a monitoring and evaluation programme for the Chinese tea cultivation under bench terraces.

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

Yes

Comments:

-

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

No

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

Yes

If yes, specify type(s) of support, conditions, and provider(s):

LDD support with the supply of vetiver grass slips and technology to maintain the terrace including support the budget to repair terraces at 500 baht per rai per year.

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• labour

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

Comments:

-

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

Yes

Specify conditions (interest rate, payback, etc.):

No interest

Specify credit providers:

Cooperatives of Angkaung Royal Agricultural Station support in production materials

Specify credit receivers:

All land users are members of this cooperatives.

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

No

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• uncertain

If no or uncertain, specify and comment:

All land users need to work within the guideline of this project, maintain and repair the terrace, take care of Chinese tea until the period of harvest, and also soil and land fertility improvement.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
The continuous bench terrace is a highly effective measure to slow down runoff, and thus reduces soil erosion.
This system would reduce the amount of fertilizer application, as organic matter and plant nutrients still stay in the sloping area.
All land users can produce more agricultural products, thus will receive more income.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The bench terrace increases the amount of water to store in the soil, while the excessive amount of rain would gradually drain through the waterway.
This technology would reduce the amount of fertilizer application as it prevents plant nutrients from escaping from the area.
All land users can improve their life quality from increasing agricultural products/income.

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
The cost for constructing continuous bench terraces is very high.	It is possible only when the government and local officers support these activities.
The system needs expert in design and implementation.	Local government officers (LDD) support and perform these activities.
When the structure of bench terraces is damaged.	Local government officers (LDD) will help in doing the repair.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The cost for constructing bench terraces is very high, heavy machines are needed.	Government and local officers support these activities.
The system needs expert in doing the design and implementation.	Local government officers (LDD) support and perform these activities.
When the structure of bench terraces is damaged by heavy rain, runoff and other events.	Local government officers (LDD) support its reparation.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

-

Available from where? Costs?

-

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

การทำขั้นบันไดดินเพื่อการอนุรักษ์ดินและน้ำในพื้นที่ป่าต้นน้ำลำธาน (ความลาดชัน 35-60%)

URL:

http://www.dnp.go.th/watershed/ ส่วนอำนวยการ/จัดทำระบบอนุรักษ์ดินและน้ำ โครงการทำขั้นบันไดดิน.pdf