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

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Decision Support for Mainstreaming and Scaling out Sustainable Land Management (GEF-FAO / DS-SLM)

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Book project: where people and their land are safer - A Compendium of Good Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (where people and their land are safer)

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Book project: where the land is greener - Case Studies and Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation Initiatives Worldwide (where the land is greener)

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

Land Development Department LDD (Land Development Department LDD) - Thailand

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

2.1 Short description of the Approach

The approach is to develop a simple groundwater pumping model for irrigation, on the basis of cooperation and knowledge sharing between government agencies and farmers, that addresses the risk and prevention of off-site salination.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

The objective of groundwater pumping for irrigation is to lower the groundwater level in the recharge zone which in turn decreases soil salinity lower down in the discharge area. The extension and promotion of the approach has been done through the learning and training center. The goal is better understanding and public awareness of preventive measure against salinity, through the use of salt-tolerant crops, combined with mechanical measures of accessing groundwater for irrigation. This has been achieved in close cooperation among researchers, SLM specialists, local administration, and community volunteers on soil improvement. A group of farmers started this activity in 1996 under the Land Development Department (LDD)’s Project on Promotion of Integrated Salt-Affected Soil Management of Small Watershed Areas. The approach aims at scaling-out the model to farmers in the recharge areas with the objectives of sharing benefits that are to (a) persuade other land users to change their land use from rice which is a high water-use crop to low water-use crops such as vegetables, (b) prevent further off-site salination, (c) increase land users’ income, and (d) provide knowledge about integrated salinity management. Researchers and SLM specialists work closely with farmers in monitoring and evaluating the recharge area to prevent extensive salination in the discharge zone - as well as the use of groundwater for irrigation. This plan has been formulated to stimulate further promotion and extension to other areas with a similar environment, through training and public relations. The four stages were: first, the expert and agriculturalist of the LDD’s Regional Office 5 (LDDRO5) cooperated with the volunteer soil doctor and farmers in the community to design and plan the project; second, the officers of LDDRO5 set up a forum for exchange of knowledge and experiences between farmers who have been successful in producing vegetables through using shallow groundwater for agriculture, and are not affected by a salinity. Thirdly, the officers of LDDRO5 collaborated with the government office in the district to train farmers who had an interest in vegetable production. Fourthly, LDDRO5 created incentives for farmers to change areas that are not suitable for planting paddy rice to grow vegetables by supporting shallow groundwater well through pumping with solar energy. The stakeholders include the LDD, SLM specialists and researchers, local administrators, and community volunteers on soil improvement and land users. Land users like the project activities because they receive higher incomes – partially because they do not lose land to digging ponds, but instead irrigate from these deep wells from which they can irrigate all year round. The LDD has supported borehole drilling wells – but farmers are not so happy when they have to wait for over a year to get LDD’s borehole drilling due to budget limitations.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.4 Videos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The objectives of the approach are to persuade land users in the recharge zone to change their land use to low-water use such as vegetable cultivation, to prevent further off-site salination, to increase land users’ income and provide knowledge of integrated salinity management.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	interactive	Farmers had developed knowledge and technology by themselves
planning	self-mobilization	Cultivation planning by farmers
implementation	interactive	Farmers had implemented by themselves and were supported by the government
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	The government officers are monitoring and evaluating after the project was implemented

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• land users alone (self-initiative)

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

Form of training:

• farmer-to-farmer

Subjects covered:

Promotion of integrated salt-affected soil management of the small watershed area.

Comments:

The topic covered vegetable production and salt-affected soil management.

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

No

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, greatly

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

The learning and transferring center of land development technology was set up in the community to be used as a training facility, meeting, discussion, and sharing knowledge among farmers and officials.

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

Government officers, community volunteers on soil improvement and farmers.

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

Yes

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

No

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• 10,000-100,000

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

No

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• equipment

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• paid in cash

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

No

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

Farmers have a better understanding of off-site salination and they can develop the technology by themselves.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Farmers get higher income from vegetable cultivation.
Land users have water to use for agriculture all year round.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Increase the varieties of agricultural products.
Lower the groundwater level and control the salinity that might spread toward the discharge area.

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Farmers wait for more than one year to get help from LDD for borehole drilling due to limited budget.	Increase more government budget or farmers have to invest by themselves.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
High initial implementation cost if the farmers do not receive government support.	Farmers have to search for funds to invest by themselves.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Land Development Department

Available from where? Costs?

http://www.ldd.go.th/

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

where the land is greener - Case Studies and Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation Initiatives Worldwide

URL:

https://www.wocat.net/library/media/27/

Title/ description:

where people and their land are safer - A Compendium of Good Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (where people and their land are safer) URL:

URL:

https://www.wocat.net/en/projects-and-countries/projects/drr