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

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Cultivation of mixed organic vegetables utilizing natural fertilizers and homemade pesticides so as to reduce expenditure on external agriculture inputs, as well as produce organic vegetables that safeguard both the producers’ and consumers’ health. This practice is mainly suitable for the maintenance and improvement of the soil’s fertility.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Cultivation of mixed organic vegetables or agriculture based on natural principles is a system which utilizes raw materials, including green plants, animal manure, farm wastes as well as medical plants. All of these materials can be found locally. It avoids the use of any chemical substances or insecticides for the elimination of insects. The implementation of this technology ensures the health of humans, animals, and organisms living in the soil, thereby also securing the soil’s fertility. Moreover, it helps to improve the household economy by reducing the costs of buying chemical fertilizers and other materials (MAFF, 2012, MoEYS & VVOB Cambodia, 2013, Social Compass, 2017).

Ms. Teav Chat is one of the farmers growing organic vegetables who was selected to be interviewed for this case study. She has won the national award of best farmer in the production of organic vegetables. She lives in Thma Reab village, Pongro commune, Rolea B'ier district, Kompong Chhnang province, Cambodia. The production of mixed organic vegetables has been implemented since 2004, under the initiative of the Cambodia Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC). Around her house she currently grows vegetables on 0.70 ha of land. During the study, she was cultivating mixed organic vegetables including lettuce, cucumbers, yard-long beans, Chinese mustard, pok choi, choy sum, morning glory, spring onions, luffa gourds, wax gourds, holy basil, sweet basil, lemon grassand okra. The most important vegetables out of this group are lettuce, cucumbers, yard-long beans, cabbage vegetables, morning glory and spring onions.

The fundamental components of this technology are the production, and utilization of natural fertilizers (cow manure, dry compost and liquid compost), the combination of medical plants containing natural poisons to combat pests, a natural irrigation source (such as digging a well or a pond), multi cropping, intercropping, as well as crop rotation. As she raises cows, only cow manure is used as fertilizer. Dry compost is made from fresh manure, the leaves of woody herbs or other green leafed plants, rice straw and biochar. Then, the liquid compost is mixed with cow manure, woody herbs, fish heads, boraphed, and cow’s urine. Remarkably, the farmer places these ingredients mixed together with cow’s urine that is collected daily without addition of water. Regarding the production of insecticide, she created a mixture of chili, galangal, together with the leaves or shells of the downy thorn apple.

The main purpose of this technology is to obtain mixed organic vegetables and generate a more regular household income by also reducing the expenses involved in buying chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In other words, organic vegetables have a solid domestic market, consisting of home-based buyers, and so the farmer spends less time for selling her production. The crop diversification respectively mixed organic vegetables supports the farmer also in reducing the exposure to market fluctuations. This means that she should have a wide range of organic vegetables in order to supply the market during all seasons, thereby being able to generate an income throughout the year. In this way the farmer earns a net income 3,330,000 Riel per year. Beside this, the cultivation of organic vegetables using natural fertilizers improves the soil’s fertility. In this way the soil gets rich in microorganisms such as earth worms and other micro-organisms (bacteria or fungi) which play a vital role in decaying organic matter which transform into nutrients for the plants.

In this case study, the natural fertilizer cow manure was used whilst drying the soil in the field or when ploughing the soil in order to expose it. The dry compost is generally applied at the base of the crop roots when the vegetable are planted. Furthermore the liquid compost is used as a fertilizer once the crop begins to grow by irrigating it every three days in the evenings. About 100 ml of liquid compost is mixed with 10 liters of water in order to irrigate the rows with a width of 0.5 meters and a length of 10 meters. For regular maintenance, the fertilizer is added to each of the vegetable crops depending also on the quantity of natural fertilizer that is available. Natural pesticides are also used to ward off insects or to prevent them from destroying the crop.

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:

2004

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Under the initiative of the Cambodia Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC).

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

Comments:

The farmer cultivated main crops, such as lettuce, cabbage, morning glories and yard-long beans.

3.4 Water supply

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

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

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

The farmer used natural fertilizers such as cow manure, dry compost, and liquid compost to preserve the soil fertility for the vegetable growing. She also uses botanical pesticide to prevent crops from harm by insects.

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 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

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.	Bring the soil on the implementation area	During the dry season
2.	Soil preparation	During the dry season
3.	Make shelter for planting the seedlings	1 day
4.	Building house for dry compost	1 day
5.	Buying the jar for making the liquid compost	1 day

Comments:

The farmer starts growing vegetable in June of the year.

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	Bring the soil on the implementation area	person-day	3.0	20000.0	60000.0	100.0
Labour	Soil preparation	person-day	6.0	20000.0	120000.0	100.0
Labour	Make shelter for planting crop	person-day	1.0	20000.0	20000.0	100.0
Labour	Building house for dry compost	person-day	1.0	20000.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Watering cans	pair	4.0	25000.0	100000.0	100.0
Equipment	Spade	piece	1.0	20000.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	piece	2.0	25000.0	50000.0	100.0
Equipment	Pumping machine	set	1.0	800000.0	800000.0	100.0
Plant material	Chinese mustard	package	1.0	2000.0	2000.0	100.0
Plant material	Morning glory	can	1.0	2000.0	2000.0	100.0
Plant material	Lettuce	package	1.0	4000.0	4000.0	100.0
Plant material	Pok choi	package	1.0	2000.0	2000.0	100.0
Plant material	Choy sum	package	1.0	8000.0	8000.0	100.0
Plant material	Cucumber	can	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Plant material	Yard-long beans	can	1.0	2000.0	2000.0	100.0
Plant material	Luffa gourds	can	1.0	2000.0	2000.0	100.0
Construction material	Net	piece	3.5	28000.0	98000.0	100.0
Construction material	Bamboo	stem	50.0	5000.0	250000.0	100.0
Other	Holy basil	package	1.0	2500.0	2500.0	100.0
Other	Okra	package	2.0	2500.0	5000.0	100.0
Other	Sweet basil	package	1.0	2500.0	2500.0	100.0
Other	Corn	kg	1.0	4500.0	4500.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1579500.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					394.88

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Soil preparation for vegetable cultivation	6 days
2.	Seedling transplantation	3 days
3.	Watering (self-implemented)	everyday
4.	Apply the liquid compost	Once per 3 days
5.	Weeding	every day

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	Soil preparation for vegetables cultivation	person-day	6.0	20000.0	120000.0	100.0
Labour	Seedling transplantation	person-day	3.0	20000.0	60000.0	100.0
Labour	Weeding	person-day	15.0	20000.0	300000.0	100.0
Labour	Irrigating the liquid compost	person-day	3.0	20000.0	60000.0
Equipment	Repair equipment to repair the water pumping machine	set	1.0	260000.0	260000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Biochar	bag	10.0	1000.0	10000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Cow manure	kg	10.0	250.0	2500.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Woody herbs	kg	10.0	600.0	6000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					818500.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					204.63

Comments:

For the woody herb, she usually doesn't buy, because she can be found in the village.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The farmer has to change the bamboo construction as it lasts only for 2 years.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

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.

The soil texture of the land area for implementing this technology is medium (loamy, silty) and Pratash Lang soil, which has pH 6.5.

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 used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• communal/ village

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

6.2 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	well
annual rainfall		increase	well

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
extended growing period	well

Comments:

The dry season is extended, so the growing period of vegetables is extended accordingly.

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%

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

10 households

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

• 91-100%

Comments:

10 households adopted the technology without receiving any materials incentive/payments, they paid by themselves.

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
The farmer is able to grow vegetables based on market demand, and mixed organic vegetables are easy to sell, and so it is possible to generate a higher income throughout the whole year.
The soil is fertile because of the use of natural fertilizer compared with the previous use of chemical fertilizer which caused crusting.
It is an adaptation to climate change, so that water resources are available for crop irrigation in times of drought.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The farmer obtains organic vegetables for daily household consumption and generates an income.
Improve and maintain the soil’s productivity through the use of natural fertilizers.
Reduce expenditure on external agricultural inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

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?
Lack of dry compost and liquid compost for vegetables.	Increasing the manufacture of both dry and liquid compost.
Presence of numerous insects.	Manufacture insecticide from medicinal plants containing natural poisons.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The farmer met difficulties of implementing the technology in cultivating mixed organic vegetables.	Under the initiative of the Cambodia Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC).
A lack of labor to grow and maintain organic vegetables.	Use of drip irrigation to save time and labor.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

MAFF. (2006). Technology stardardize: Home gardening. In Khmer. (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Finsheries(MAFF). Phnom Penh.

URL:

Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3kkBprEzhDoMWtPeXZUNE4teTQ/preview

Title/ description:

MAFF. (2012). Principle introduction for extension workers on organic vegetable production. (1st Edition). Phnom Penh: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Finsheries(MAFF). In Khmer.

URL:

Retrieved from http://www.maff.gov.kh/agri-tech/40-ការដាំដុះដំណាំ/ដំណាំបន្លែ/1635-ផលិតកម្មដំណាំបន្លែសរីរាង្គ.html

Title/ description:

MoEYS & VVOB Cambodia. (2013). Teaching Methodology for Agricultural Life Skills Education for Teacher Training Centers:Part 3 Organic gardening (1st edition). Phnom Penh: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.

URL:

Retrieved from http://www.vvob.be/cambodia/sites/default/files/content_manual_part_3_organic_gardening.pdf

Title/ description:

Social Compass. (2017). An Organic Story (Khmer w/Eng subtitle).

URL:

Retrieved February 5, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZMsgQxcEWM&feature=youtu.be