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

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 technology be applied in sandy soil areas

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Bio-fermentation for the production of organic soil amendments is an alternative technology that helps restore degraded land caused by intensive use and return it to a fertility level that can produce crops effectively.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Bio-fermentation for the production of organic soil improvement amendments is an alternative technology that helps restore degraded land caused by intensive use and return it to a fertility level that can produce crops effectively. A study was carried out in Prachinburi Province, Thailand, where there are chemical and physical degradation problems on the land. The area is lowland, with very sandy soil. The soil structure is poor and drainage is very slow. The organic matter and plant nutrient contents and soil fertility are low. Rice is grown but it gives very low yields. Farmers have changed their rice fields to orchards and grow fruit and other edible crops such as durian, banana, lemon, vegetables (including Acacia pennata – Cha-om). They developed the land by digging ditches to make 1m-wide beds for growing crops and 0.8m-wide x 0.8m-deep drainage ditches. Farmers apply high rates of chemicals for both pest/weed control and fertilizers, continuously. This is the main reason why farmers find the productivity of their land decreasing, caused by chemical soil degradation, and their farm investment has become unprofitable.

Organic agriculture has been found to be their solution. Farmers have learnt to develop their own bio-fermentation technology to produce organic fertilizers for soil improvement. There are three types of biological fermentation: (1) production of bio-fermented solution from discarded fish by-products by using microbial activators, (2) production of photosynthetic microorganisms, and (3) production of bio-fermented water from rice flour water. They use the three types of bio-fermentation products to improve the soil by mixing at a rate of 1:1:1 per 200 L of water and applying to the soil during the first 3 years of fruit-tree planting. The use of bio-fermentation to improve the soil involves a number of important activities: one is the process to produce bio-fermented solutions and the other is how to apply such solutions.

The impacts of the technology that the farmers have found are that it makes the soil more fertile, and organic matter and microorganisms in the soil (incl. earthworms) increase. The benefits from nutrients in the soil increase, as durian saplings can be grown which can be sold at a high price (e.g. 180 THB/sapling). The cost of the technology is low because the farm’s waste materials are used. The farmers’ income increases; farmers enjoy better life with no debts – they are self-reliant as they are using environmentally friendly technology. There are reasons why farmers like this technology. This technology comprises the knowledge derived from experiential/ practical experiments in the area of farmer-prototype technology users who can see the real results from using it. The methods/procedures are not complicated; it is therefore easy to use. The technology is available through many channels, so farmers can access it easily. But there are some reasons why farmers still do not agree with this technology, i.e. there have been no technical documents with analytical data of plant nutrients or other effective ingredients to support it. Other farmers generally lack the motivation to adopt the technology.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos 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:

1997

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 land users' innovation

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• preserve/ improve biodiversity

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

Comments:

-

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Comments:

-

3.4 Water supply

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

• rainfed

Comments:

-

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

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

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Integrated farming with both fruit trees and vegetables

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Overuse of chemical fertilizer

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:

Many years of overuse of chemical fertilizer

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):

THB

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

32.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	The production process	before and in between growing period
2.	The using steps of bio-fermented solution	before and in between growing period

Comments:

the use of technology before harvesting period

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	labor for bio fermentation solution production	Person	2.0	300.0	600.0	100.0
Labour	labor for pipe sprinkler /fertigation system	Person	2.0	300.0	600.0	100.0
Equipment	pipe and irrigation system	Clas	50.0	40.0	2000.0	100.0
Equipment	water pumping machine	Pump	1.0	8000.0	8000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	fermentation tank	pc	3.0	500.0	1500.0	80.0
Fertilizers and biocides	molasses	litre	120.0	12.0	1440.0	80.0
Fertilizers and biocides	fish fraction /fruit and vegetable fraction/Waste	kg	40.0	10.0	400.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	eggs,MSG,shrimp paste /Yakult/sugar	-	1.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	LDDื ืno.2 innoculant	pc	1.0	14.0	14.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					14654.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					457.94

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

Prachinburi Land development Station

Comments:

LD station supported the bio fermented solution production inputs as tank ,molasses and microorganism

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	The use of bio-fermented solution	once a week
2.	The production process of bio-fermented solution	once in three months

Comments:

maintenance the equipment

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	labor for bio fermentation solution production	man	4.0	300.0	1200.0	100.0
Equipment	irrigation system equipment	pc.	50.0	40.0	2000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	molasses	liter	120.0	12.0	1440.0	80.0
Fertilizers and biocides	fish fraction /fruit and vegetable fraction/Waste	kg	40.0	10.0	400.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	eggs,MSG,shrimp paste /Yakult/sugar	kg	1.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	LDDื ืno.2 innoculant	pc	1.0	14.0	14.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					5154.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					161.06

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

-

Comments:

maintenance cost

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Raw material of bio-fermentation solution products as molasses

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

-

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

-

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Water quality is suitable for agriculture but not good for household use

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Broad number of crops and varieties such as durian, Longong, Pamelo Lemon Bean etc,

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

-

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)

Specify:

สิทธิในการใช้น้ำเป็นแบบเปิดเนื่องจากเป็นประปาของชุมชนไม่มีระเบียบว่าอย่างไรแต่เสียค่าใช้จ่ายตามปริมาณใช้จริงและส่วนใหญ่การใช้น้ำในพื้นที่มาจากบ่อของตนเองเป็นหลัก

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

Comments:

-

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

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	summer	increase	not well
annual rainfall		increase	moderately
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	increase	not well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
flash flood	moderately

Comments:

ปีนี้ฝนประจำปีมาเร็วขึ้นทำให้ผลไม้ติดผลลดลงเนื่องจากฝนตกลงมาช่วงออกดอก

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)?

Comments:

The fertigation system will be invested only in the first year; there is no cost for the next 4-5 years.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

Only Muang District, Prachinburi Province

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

• 0-10%

Comments:

est. number of visitors of the learning center.

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:

• changing markets

Specify adaptation of the Technology (design, material/ species, etc.):

Increase in safe food products / more demand of organic products.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
The methods/ procedures are not complicated.
The technology is available through many channels, so farmers can access easily.
The technology is easy to use.
Have knowledge base from real people and real conditions.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The method of production is not complicated.
The application of the technology is easy and convenient.
-

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?
This technology (bio-fermentation/ bio-extract) does not have any nutritional status verification	A laboratory service for checking quality should be set up.
Farmers generally lack the motivation to use the technology.	Public awareness is much concerned.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Farmers generally lack the motivation to use the technology.	Public awareness is much concerned – more demonstration of the technology is encouraged.
Farmers, who use this technology, must have confidence, diligence and patience, because it takes time to receive the good results of use.	The government sector should cooperate with farmers to provide and disseminate awareness and guidelines

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 online information

Title/ description:

-

URL:

-

7.4 General comments

-