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)

Scaling-up SLM practices by smallholder farmers (IFAD)

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

National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) - Lao People's Democratic Republic

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

16/05/2017

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

Yes

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?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Making compost by burned rice bran to improve the soil fertility in vegetable home gardens.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Compost is used to improve soil fertility and increase crop production. Vegetable home gardens are generally implemented across the country as part of livelihood activity for food security and other source of household’s income for local people. In the past, local land users only used animal manure for improving crop yield and soil fertility. The amount of animal manure applied was dependent on the potential of each household to collect animal manure. In addition, most agricultural land is sandy with shallow depth and mixed with gravel which is not productive for agriculture. Most of vegetable home gardens are situated along streams or riverbanks near the village whereas arable land availability is an issue. In 2016, the Food Security and Nutrition Market Linkage Project supported by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) has encouraged local people and provided training on how to prepare and use compost with a view to soil improvement and increased crop yields that subsequently should increase food security. Compost is a simple process where local people can use available materials from their own farm production. Materials for compost production include 10 bags of partly burned rice bran (bran burned up to 50% / 15kg/bag), 200kg of animal manure, 50 litre of water, 15 table spoons of molasses or sugar, 5 table spoons of organic extract. All those materials has to mixed together, then should be putted it in a container which is made of cement or plastic (depth: 0,5 m /width: 1,5 m /length: 2 m). After, the compost material in the concrete tank should be flattened and then covered by a plastic sheet. The decomposing process usually takes between 1-2 weeks before the compost can be applied. Buckets or bags are used to carry the compost from the container to the home gardens where - during the land preparation - it is directly spread out on the vegetable plots by fork. Then, the compost will be mixed with the soil by hoe. Now, the soil is ready for planting. Vegetable cultivation may commence from the end of December to March (2-3 cultivation cycles per year). Most people use water from boreholes for the irrigation of the vegetables. In summary, the advantages of using compost are the improvement of soil fertility by adding more organic matters to the soil, increasing of soil nutrients and activation of the organic decomposition process. These positive effects on soil promote crop growth, and finally ends in increased crop yields. The compost production is not complicated, but it needs to be emphasized that attention should be paid to the cleaning of the storage tank and a careful maintenance of tools including shovels and watering cans to keep the costs as low as possible.

2.3 Photos 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

Indicate year of implementation:

2016

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The Food, Nutrition and Market Linkage (FNML-IFAD)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• full irrigation

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 3

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• integrated soil fertility management
• waste management/ waste water management
• home gardens

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

If the Technology is evenly spread over an area, indicate approximate area covered:

• < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)

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:

• prevent land degradation
• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Compost production process is following:
1. Husk burned 50% (incomplete carbonized) = 10 bags (approximately 150kg, or equivalent to 15kg per bag),
2. Animal manure = 10 bags (approximately 200kg or equivalent to 20kg/bag),
3. Water = 50L,
4. Molasses = 15 table spoons,
5. Organic extract = 5 table spoons.
6. Effective Micro-organism 0.5 ml
7. Mixed all material and put it in the cement tank then use plastic to cover tank.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

LAK

Indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (if relevant): 1 USD =:

8000.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Construction of compost container	Structural	End of December

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 for cement tank construction (Lumsum)		1.0	500000.0	500000.0	100.0
Equipment	Watering can	piece	1.0	25000.0	25000.0	100.0
Equipment	Water bucket	piece	2.0	7500.0	15000.0	100.0
Equipment	Shovel	piece	1.0	20000.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Bag for collecting the burned husk	bag	20.0	2000.0	40000.0	100.0
Equipment	Plastic sheet to cover tank	metre	3.0	10000.0	30000.0	100.0
Construction material	Brick	piece	100.0	4000.0	400000.0	100.0
Construction material	Cement	bag	7.0	40000.0	280000.0	100.0
Construction material	Sand	truck	0.5	300000.0	150000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1460000.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Collect the rice bran	Management	After rice harvest
2.	Collect the manure	Management	After rice harvest
3.	Preparing the material for the compost	Management	After rice harvest
4.	Spreading of compost on vegetable plots	Management	After rice harvest

4.7 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	Labour to prepare the material for making compost	person day	2.0	50000.0	100000.0	100.0
Labour	Labour to processing compost	person day	2.0	50000.0	100000.0	100.0
Labour	Labour to spreading of the compost on the vegetable plot	person day	2.0	50000.0	100000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Animal manure	bag	10.0	5000.0	50000.0	100.0
Other	Husk burned	bag	10.0	20000.0	200000.0	100.0
Other	Sugar	kg	1.0	10000.0	10000.0	100.0
Other	Organic extract	litre	1.0	10000.0	10000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					570000.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Construction of the compost container is the most important factors affecting the costs (if available, one can use the fish tank as compost container).

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

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

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• individual

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

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	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual rainfall		decrease	moderately

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

• 1-10%

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

• 0-10%

6.6 Adaptation

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

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Equipment and materials for compost production are available.
Application of compost on vegetable plots improves the soil's fertility and boost the plant's growth.
Land users had the opportunity to discuss matters directly with technical officers.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Compost can modify the soil's condition making it more fertile.
If a large quantity is produced, it can be applied over a more extensive area or be sold to generate household income.

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?
Compost production has so far only results in small quantities as it was still at the trail phase (2017).
It is bring benefits in the long term as it is a slow process for the compost to improve the soil/s quality (unlike the chemical fertilizer which have an immediately effective).
If farmers intend to produce compost for rice paddies, they may need quite a large quantity which requires an intensive input of labour in order to collect sufficient raw material.	It would be preferable to build cement tanks or a concrete containers that would enable farmers to stock a large quantity for more long term use.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Local people have not yet fully realized the benefits of using compost because the farmers have never used it before.	The compost production process and its benefits shall be disseminated throughout local communities, including knowledge exchange between those communities that have been using compost and those that have not yet started.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information