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)

Sustainable Soil Management Programme, Nepal (SSMP)

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

Department of Agriculture, Soil Management Directorate, Hariharbhawan Lalitpur (doasoil) - Nepal

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

HELVETAS (Swiss Intercooperation)

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

06/11/2008

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

Yes

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Promotion of botanical pesticides for organic pest management and liquid manure

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Production of fresh vegetable is often hampered by pests which may reduce production and badly affect farmers’ income. Chemical pesticides are available and are used, sometimes excessively, to combat these pests in parts of Nepal’s midhills. Botanical pesticides prepared from a variety of plant ingredients soaked and fermented in cattle urine provide a suitable alternative to chemical pesticides, at least for subsistence and semi-commercial vegetable producers. These pesticides are based on farmer’s traditional knowledge and are emerging as alternatives to the
application of chemical pesticides.
All the ingredients for these pesticides are available locally; in some cases the plants are considered as weeds. Crofton weed (banmara) grows in abundance along roads and paths, and on forest floors and suppresses the growth of other more valuable species. It is believed to have pesticidal effects and is often used in botanical pesticides. The Nepali names of other plants commonly used in the tonics are asuro (malabara tree), titepati (mugwort), bakaino (Persian lilac), timur (Nepali pepper), patina (field mint), tulsi (sweet basil), neem, sisnu (stinging nettle), ketuke
(century plant), and khirro (tallow tree). In general it is said that herbs and plants that are bitter, pungent, or ‘hot’ or that produce a strong odour are most effective in botanical pesticides.
The botanical pesticide is diluted with water before applying to vegetable crops. The dilution ratio depends on the age and type of the plant being treated with a higher dilution for seedlings in nurseries than for mature plants. While botanical pesticides do not kill all pests, they do combat soft-bodied insects such as aphids and act as a repellent against larger insects like cutworms, various larvae, and red ants. They are not usually effective against plant diseases.
In some places innovative farmers have started to produce and sell botanical pesticides for pest management and as a liquid manure for foliar application.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

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

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• Cheaper pest management

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Intensifying cultivation practices and the increasing demand for fresh and off-season vegetables have increased the
incidence of pests. These pests are controlled mainly by chemical pesticides where available, and where they are not
available entire crops can be destroyed and farmers’ livelihoods endangered.

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• integrated pest and disease management (incl. organic agriculture)

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• reduce land degradation

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: low

Technical knowledge required for land users: low

Main technical functions: reduction in application of chemical pesticides, reduction in application of chemicalfertilisers

Secondary technical functions: supplementary irrigation

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• US Dollars

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Different plants with pesticidal properties are collected and chopped into small pieces. Only tenderparts should be used to facilitate decomposition.	Management
2.	Other materials like ginger powder, green chilli, ash, and mustard cake are mixed with the chopped plant material	Management
3.	The material is placed in a plastic drum or earthen pot and soaked in cattle urine at the rate of about one kilogramme of solid material per 2 litres of cattle urine.	Management
4.	The drum is close as air-tight as possible and put in a shady place.	Management

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour	Persons/day	2.0	2.0	4.0	100.0
Equipment	Drum	pieces	1.0	6.0	6.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					10.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	The botanical pesticide needs to be stirred with a wooden stick about every 15 days.	Management
2.	The prepared pesticide is normally ready for field application after about 35-40 days of fermentation/preservation.	Management
3.	The pesticide is diluted with water 1:4 (1 part pesticide solution: 4 parts water) for mature plants and 1:8 for nurseries and applied with a jug, sprayer, or broom.	Management

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

Comments:

Cost as in January 2007

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Slopes on average: Also moderate (6-10%), rolling (11-15%) and hilly (16-30%)

Landforms: Also footslopes

Altitudinal zone: Also 1000-1500 m a.s.l., 1500-2000 m a.s.l. and 2000-2500 m a.s.l.

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Off-farm income specification: In most farm households off-farm income plays at least a minor and increasingly a major role. Occasional opportunities for off-farm income present themselves in the form of daily labour wages. Some households’ members receive regular salaries whilst an increasing number of Nepalis are working in India, the Middle East, Malaysia and elsewhere and sending remittance incomes home.

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

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

Land ownership:

• individual, not titled
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• leased
• individual

Comments:

Sharecropping between owner and tenant

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Income and costs

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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

Comments:

Comments on spontaneous adoption: It is adopted by small to medium scale, 50% of SSMP trained/organised groups and 10% of local farmers from outside the SSMP groups were using the technology.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Organic pest management using botanical pesticides reduce the expense of pest control How can they be sustained / enhanced? Further promote the benefits of organic pest management
Organic pest management reduces the negative impact of chemical pesticides How can they be sustained / enhanced? Further promote the benefits of organic pest management

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

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Labour intensive preparation often at inconvenient times as the botanical pesticide has to be prepared fresh for each crop and can only be stored for a limited amount of time	Develop methods that reduce labour requirements and highlight possibilities for bulk production and adequate storage without losing effectiveness
The reagents that are effective in the botanical pesticides have not been identified	Carry out applied research into the different reagents and their effect on different pests
The botanical pesticides are not effective against all pests	Carry out applied research into and document the effects of different botanical pesticides on different pests

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Neupane, F.P. (2056 BS - 1999/2000) Insect Control by Herbs. Kathmandu: Sajha Publications

Available from where? Costs?

SSMP

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Several pamphlets on different tonal tonic compositions are available in Nepali from SSMP

Available from where? Costs?

SSMP