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)

Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) - Cambodia

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:

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

Comments:

This practice mainly focus on the use of natural manure, including pig, cow and chicken manure as organic fertilizers and drip irrigation system to reduce water consumption on the crops.

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The integrated farming system (IFS) includes basically the mixture of different farming components like crops, fruit tree cultivation, fish and livestock husbandry on the same farm plot. IFS help significantly to improve soil quality and crop production by using a minimum of external agricultural inputs.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Growing fruit trees is commonly practiced by Cambodian farmers, and there are different types of crops throughout the country. An integrated farming system is first of all an agricultural practice on a particular plot of land where crops, as well as livestock (pigs, and chickens), and fish are raised. The main purpose is to support and meet the farmers’ need in getting more benefits and at the same time to promote ecological balance in the region. The integration of all, crop production, fish and livestock, is a simple mixture that has been applied by most farmers. The case study here picks out one particular farmer who applied this technology on his orchard, in an area of less fertile soil. This soil bear normally lower yields e.g. also in fruit tree cultivation. The farmer grew four types of fruit trees within his orchard, which included 150 pomelo trees, 25 mango trees, 11 tamarind trees and 10 lemon trees. Furthermore he raised fish and livestock on his plot, both with the aim of improving the soil condition to get better yield and crop quality. The mixture of different farming components and the resources recycling within the orchard reduced the use of external agricultural inputs and led him to nearly closed material cycle on his farm. By this, he supports to a more balanced ecosystem in the farm surroundings. At the same time he became more resilient to climate change impacts. However it took the farmer several years to rehabilitate the soil conditions by applying this kind of integrated farming system.

On the 8,400 square meter plot, the farmer has established four ponds for irrigation and fish farming. The space between the pomelo and the lemon trees were 5 m. The mango and tamarind trees were grown along the ponds and the fence with a space of five meter shaped in square. The main product was pomelo; besides this, the farmer has also raised 11 pigs and 100 chickens placed in separate cages to avoid outbreaks of disease. In order to promote the growth of his fruit trees, he applied manure from his pigs, cow dung and chickens. The ground around the trees was covered by rice straw to improve the soil moisture. In addition he had installed drip irrigation pipes to minimize the workload and to save water. For this kind of integrated farming system it is necessary to divide up the plots for the purpose of growing crops, livestock and fish farming; and these areas should interact within the farm.

The farmer gains a large number of benefits from the integrated farming in terms of household consumption and income. It also helps to regulate the natural environment by providing windstorm protection. Another purpose is not to use chemical fertilizer by using manure from livestock. And finally, Pomelo represents an important income source for the farmers and it has a strong market demand. It can be harvested twice a year; From the fourth year of cultivation the yield of one pomelo tree is about 70 to 200 fruits depending on its size ; per fruit the farmer gets about 6000 Riel (2017). The challenge of this technology is the considerable amount of time and money to for establish the technology. Anyway, the farmer expressed difficulties in raising capital to invest into the technology.

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:

1998

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• during experiments/ research

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The farmer has practiced this technology based on his own experience and innovation. He was used to fail due to the high flood in 2014 when the orchard remained only around 20%.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• create beneficial economic impact

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agro-silvopastoralism

Comments:

Pig and chicken, fish, pomelo, mango, sweet tamarind and lemons on same agricultural plot (Integrated Farming System)
Livestock density: 11 pigs, pig house is 42 square meter.

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)

Comments:

Before, forest land was kept for a long time on this plot.

3.4 Water supply

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

When there is a lack of water, ponds are needed, as water from the river is to far away (0.5 km) and the water from the dam is even farer away (3km).

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• integrated crop-livestock management
• integrated soil fertility management
• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)

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
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

Comments:

As the topsoil is of quite bad quality for the crop growing in the area. Thus, the land user has to buy soil from other areas and bring it into his soil for improving the soil fertility there.

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):

KHR (Riel)

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

4000.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Forest clearing	Dry season
2.	Dig pond	Dry season
3.	Land preparation and tube system	Dry season
4.	Create circular earth bund around each fruit tree trunks and the soil mixed with organic fertilizer (pigs, cow dung, and chicken manure)	During September
5.	buying seedling	During September
6.	Growing fruit seedlings	During September
7.	Building the pig house and tube system to flow the manure	Dry season
8.	Buying pig	Dry season
9.	Buying pig fodder	Dry season

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	Forest clearing and land preparation	person-day	7.0	20000.0	140000.0	100.0
Labour	Digging pond	person-day	170.0	20000.0	3400000.0	100.0
Labour	Tube system installation	person-day	10.0	20000.0	200000.0	100.0
Labour	Planting of fruit trees	person-day	7.0	20000.0	140000.0	100.0
Equipment	Pumping machine	Set	3.0	1600000.0	4800000.0	100.0
Equipment	Knife	Piece	1.0	20000.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Ax	Piece	1.0	25000.0	25000.0	100.0
Equipment	Two handled basket	Pair	1.0	14000.0	14000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	Piece	1.0	20000.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Tube system	Package	1.0	8000000.0	8000000.0	100.0
Plant material	Pomelo tree	Tree	30.0	60000.0	1800000.0	100.0
Plant material	Mango tree	Tree	25.0	6000.0	150000.0	100.0
Plant material	Lemon	Tree	10.0	15000.0	150000.0	100.0
Plant material	Tamarind	Tree	11.0	80000.0	880000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Cow dung and pig manure	Bag	33.0	3000.0	99000.0	100.0
Construction material	Pig house	Piece	1.0	16000000.0	16000000.0	100.0
Other	3 mother pigs and 1 boar	Number	4.0	1200000.0	4800000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					40638000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					10159.5

Comments:

There are four ponds surrounding the orchard. Three of them were excavated by external labour force. The farmer spent 200,000 Riel per hour while the digging required 17 hours in total equal to 3,400,000 Riel (in the cost table above, the indications of this item has been converted into person-day). Another one was dug by removing the land for farm preparation when the orchard was established in 1998. Although farmer cultivates 150 pomelo on his plot, he bought only 30 trees from outside, 120 trees he had already on his farm.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Watering once per week, if hotter, 4 days per week	32 weeks
2.	Cow dug once per 6 month	Once per 6 months
3.	Pesticide spraying	Presence of insects
4.	Branches and leaves cutting	Clearing per year
5.	Grass clearing	one week

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	Maintaining labour	Person-day	240.0	20000.0	4800000.0	100.0
Plant material	Diesel	Liter	315.0	3000.0	945000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Organic fertilizer (pigs, cow dung, and chicken manure)	Bag	50.0	44000.0	2200000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					7945000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					1986.25

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The farmer spent a lot of money on building pig house which cost 16,000,000 Riel equal to 4000 USD, tube system cost 8,000,000 Riel equal to 2000 USD, pumping machine cost 4,800,000 Riel equal to 1200 USD. In addition, he also spent on digging pond which cost 3,4000,000 Riel equal to 850USD. These components of the technology affects the costs for the establishement very much.

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

Regularity:

episodically

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

It was not inundated over the last 3 years. The farmer uses four ponds for watering.

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

The land user is 47 years old and his wife is a seller of grocery nearby district market.

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:

• 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

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		increase	moderately
seasonal temperature	wet/ rainy season	increase	very well
seasonal temperature	dry season	decrease	moderately
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	increase	well
seasonal rainfall	dry season	increase	not well at all

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
tropical storm	moderately
extra-tropical cyclone	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
heatwave	moderately
drought	moderately

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	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

• single cases/ experimental

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

• 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

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

Yes

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

• climatic change/ extremes

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
High market price for the products.
He spends almost all his free time to work in the farm to relax and enjoy farming.
More income for the land user's family.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The soil’s quality is improved due to integrated farming and the use of organic fertilizer.
The crops are long-lasting and can continue to be harvested annually.
Labor and time are saved by using an irrigation system.

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?
The high expense on digging the ponds.	Taking time and money before practicing the technique.
Pomelo could not be able to grow in the wet soil.	Change crop varieties.
During the drought period, the technology practice has an increase in the number of insects, and they sometime could not be able to control like happening in 2015.	Use pesticide to kill the insects.
The soil within the farm is difficult to convert from less fertile soil to fertile soil, and take many years to be ready for cropping. It is called Prateah Lang soil.	Change the type of soil for cropping by using a mixture of animal manure and mountain soil.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Need to invest more capital.	This should be done step by step.
Less fertile soil	Soil conversion by mixing animal manure and fertile soil and spreading this on the area’s crop land.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Seng, V. (2010). Agricultural Best Practices for Sustainable Land Management in Cambodia. Phnom Penh: Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute.

Available from where? Costs?

CARDI