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)?

17/05/2017

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:

Dry season rice cultivation on flat areas of stream banks aiming towards replacement of harmful shifting cultivation practices in the upland areas and to improve livelihoods.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Technique on dry season rice cultivation on the banks of stream has been initiated by a Project of Oxfam Australia. Previously, the slash and burn agriculture was a main livelihood activity of local land users in mountainous areas and they had no experience regarding the cultivation of lowland rice. This, in fact, affected food insecurity among the local communities with limited arable land whilst population growth and increasing land pressure in the hill area. As a result, a Project supported by Oxfarm Australia that has been working in Ta Oy District since 1996 with the aim to reduce encroachment of isolated areas in natural forests. The Project e.g. has established the Natural Disaster Management Committee at village level. The project played an important role in providing options regarding permanent livelihood activities for local communities. Dry season rice cultivation along banks of streams was one of the potential alternatives for livelihood improvement particularly to ensure food security and to reduce the workload. At the beginning, the Project provided training to the local land users on how to use buffalos for ploughing as they never used this approach before. The Project also provided rice seedlings, agricultural tools (hoes and shovels) for the land preparation. During the first phase of the Project, there were only few households interested to participate as they were afraid that it would impose negative impacts on local culture and tradition. This because the land users believed that rice cultivation has only to grow in higher land areas and rice stems should not be soaked in water. Nevertheless, there were a number of households who decided to participate in the trial phase of the Project anyway. The Project encouraged them to contribute labour for the whole rice paddy development process and mainly also to support the excavation needed for the land preparation along the streams. Areas suitable to this technology should be on relatively flat land at similar level to the stream which allows simplified access to water. Usually, the land users start land preparation on December to January during the dry season. Before dry season, the land gets flooded every year and in consequence brings fertile deposits to the soils. Later, many land users expressed their interest to implement dry season rice cultivation on the river banks. As a result, village residents have expanded rice paddies wherever suitable. These terrains include stream areas very near to the village. Finally the land users got very happy to have own their paddies so near to the village. Inappropriate beliefs have been gradually eradicated prior to cultivate now lowland rice. Actually, households have more rice for household consumption although
it may be insufficient for all year round. This means that many land users still need to cultivate additional areas in the uplands due to limited land in the lowlands. But the general purposes of reducing significantly the swidden agriculture in the uplands and also to decrease labour for these activities has been achieved anyway. In addition, the land users could benefit from increased animal fodder in the form of rice straw during dry season and the rice straw for soil cover in the vegetable gardens to retain soil moisture. Moreover, people from neighbouring villages also learnt from this initiative and implemented it in their villages too.

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

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 projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The Oxfarm Australia Project

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• 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:

• rainfed

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• area closure (stop use, support restoration)
• water harvesting

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

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

1. Dig to make flat land along to the banks of stream on December to January
2. Seedling preparation (January to February)
3. Ploughing
4. Transplanting of rice seedlings
5. Rice harvesting on April to May

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.	Flattening of soil bank terrain	Management	December to January

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 flattening (not paid)	person day	60.0	50000.0	3000000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	piece	2.0	30000.0	60000.0	100.0
Equipment	Shovel	piece	2.0	20000.0	40000.0	100.0
Equipment	Buffalo	head	1.0	7000000.0	7000000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					10100000.0

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

The Oxfarm Australia support 1 buffalo per household

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Labour for ploughing	Management	December to January
2.	Seedling preparation	Agronomic	End of January
3.	Transplantation of the rice seedlings	Agronomic	One month after seeding
4.	Rice harvesting	Management	May

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 for seedling preparation	person day	2.0	50000.0	100000.0	100.0
Labour	Labour for transplanting	person day	14.0	50000.0	700000.0	100.0
Labour	Labour for harvesting	person day	14.0	50000.0	700000.0	100.0
Plant material	Seed of rice	kg	10.0	4000.0	40000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					1540000.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The preparation of the land takes lot of time and require more labour.

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?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

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, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

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

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

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	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well
annual rainfall		increase	well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	increase	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

• more than 50%

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

• 10-50%

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
Reduction of slash and burn cultivation areas through allocation of permanent agriculture land for local villagers.
Increased food security for households.
Change local belief and perceptions who never cultivated lowland rice and didn’t want to cultivate rice in flooded land.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The land user can use rice straws for animal fodder particularly during dry season due to limited natural grass for livestock. Besides this, rice straw provides a number of benefits including the use to cover on vegetable plots to retain soil moisture.
Reduce time and workload in relation to the paddy field is close to the village.

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?
Insufficient suitable land availability along streams for lowland rice paddy.	Use the excavator for extend larger areas where possible.
Rice yields from dry season remain low due to issues with land availability thereby rice shortages persist within some households.
Pest outbreaks, including aphids, grasshoppers, birds, and rats.
The local land users lack of technical skills for dry season rice cultivation.	Training by agriculture experts

7.1 Methods/ sources of information