Title of document: Guideline on SRI Practice in Irrigated Paddy Fields in Laos Authors: Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. in association with NIACONSULT, Inc. & Lao Consulting Group Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Department of Planning; Northern Rural Infrastructure Development, Sector Project; ADB Year of publication: 2012 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: System of Rice Intensification The System of Rice Intensification, known as SRI, is an innovation in rice production systems by raising productivity of the land, labor, water and capital. SRI is a set of modified practices for managing rice plants and the soil, water and nutrients. SRI can produce more paddy yield with less external inputs. Furthermore, SRI is environment-friendly. SRI method can be adopted to any type of rice variety (local variety, HYV, hybrid variety). SRI is an innovation that is constituted entirely of knowledge, but not depending on external inputs and materials.   Read More

Title of document: Case Studies of Rural Development and Clean Agriculture in Lao PDR Author: Sachika Hirokawa Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development Year of publication: 2013 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Organic Agriculture The study examines the kind of actors and resources that empower small-scale farmers to promote sustainable agriculture. It also analyzes the reasons given by farmers who changed their farming methods. In 2004, the Department of Agriculture launched a project for the Promoting Organic Farming and Marketing in Lao PDR (PROFIL). PROFIL tried to develop market opportunities for Lao’s organic products and supported the local organic farmers. I conducted field researches at Nonte village in Vientiane Capital twice in 2008. The researches indicated that “Clean Agriculture” is one of the new challenges for farmers. Thus, this research focuses on the observation of how local organic farmers adapt to a new method and cope with problems. Information as knowledge from community groups and external actors such as local institutions and experts might help villagers to have choices in terms of farming methods, which gave them positive choices in terms of health and an agricultural environment. Since the government has the recognition of comparative advantages of clean agriculture, farmers may have the opportunity to gain a large market of organic farm products if they can develop distribution channels. This study encourages the positive contributions of challenges of sustainable agriculture in Lao PDR.   Read More

Title of document: To till or not to till? The diffusion of conservation agriculture in Xieng Khouang province, Lao PDR Authors: Guillaume Lestrelin, Khamla Nanthavong, Etienne Jobard, Anousith Keophoxay, Pascal Lienhard, Chanxay Khambanseuang, and Jean-Christophe Castella Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: IRD UPV Montpellier; NAFRI; CIRAD; CIFOR Year of publication: 2010 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Conservation Agriculture Over the past decade, efforts have been made to promote conservation agriculture as an ecologically sound alternative to tillage-based agriculture in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). This paper assesses some of the outcomes of a five-year research project aimed at developing sustainable no-till cropping and pasture systems and promoting their adoption by smallholders in Xieng Khouang province. Based on extensive household surveys in 20 villages, it highlights key environmental and socioeconomic factors influencing the adoption and diffusion of conservation agriculture. Finally, it provides policy recommendations to facilitate agricultural innovation and provide greater incentives for farmers to shift towards more sustainable farming practices.   Read More

Title of document: Lao National Agro-Ecology Programme PRONAE PCADR / Development and Implementation of Direct Seeding Mulch-Based Cropping Systems in South-East Asia / Case studies from the Lao National Agro-Ecology Edited by: F. Tivet, H. Tran Quoc, P. Lienhard, A. Chabanne and K. Panyasiri Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: NAFRI; Cirad Year of publication: 2005 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Conservation Agriculture Farming is changing throughout Laos, with traditional slash-and-burn giving way to more modern agricultural methods in many areas. In southern Xayabury for example, traditional rotational cultivation has been replaced by cash crops such as maize, rice-beans, peanuts, Job’s tears and sesame. Such development, when not carefully managed, can quickly deplete soils and nutrients. Maize is now widely sown and spreads to new areas every year: more than 15,000 ha was sown in southern Xayabury in 2004. Land preparation based on burning residues and ploughing on steep slopes has allowed for cultivation of large upland areas. However, within a few years this generates heavy soil degradation and depletion of natural resources, especially when crop rotation is abandoned. In many degraded areas of southern Xayabury, smallholders have modified conventional land preparation and are shifting from ploughing to herbicides.   Read More

Title of document: UPDATE STUDY ON AGRARIAN CHANGES AND THE STATUS OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE IN SOUTHERN SAYABOURY PROVINCE Guillaume Lestrelin June Author: Guillaume Lestrelin Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Cirad; DALaM; AFD; European Union Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Conservation Agriculture Between 2001 and 2009, the four districts of Boten, Kenthao, Paklay and Thongmixay in southern Sayaboury Province have been targeted by two AFD-funded projects dealing with research and extension of Conservation Agriculture (CA), namely the “Programme National Agro-Ecologie” (PRONAE) and the “Programme de Capitalisation en Appui à la Politique de Développement Rural - Point d'Application du Sud de la province de Sayaboury” (PASS). PRONAE was essentially focused on technical research and experimentation on Conservation Agriculture in a few localities while PASS was engaged in the dissemination of the research results among farmers of the four districts. In 2008, PASS had set up CA farmer groups in 44 villages, involving about 1100 households and 1500 ha of land cultivated with direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems.   Read More

Title of document: KNOWLEDGE CAPITALIZATION ON THE CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT FUND IN SAYABOURY PROVINCE (2008-2014) Author: Guillaume Lestrelin Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Cirad; DALaM; AFD; European Union Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Conservation Agriculture Between 2001 and 2009, the four districts of Boten, Kenthao, Paklay and Thongmixay in southern Sayaboury Province have been targeted by two AFD-funded projects dealing with research and extension of Conservation Agriculture (CA), namely the “Programme National Agro-Ecologie” (PRONAE) and the “Programme de Capitalisation en Appui à la Politique de Développement Rural - Point d'Application du Sud de la province de Sayaboury” (PCADR-PASS). PRONAE was essentially focused on technical research and experimentation on Conservation Agriculture in a few localities while PCADR-PASS was engaged in the dissemination of the research results among farmers of the four districts. In 2008, PCADR-PASS had set up CA farmer groups in 44 villages, involving about 1100 households and 1500 ha of land cultivated with direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems.   Read More

Title of document: AGRARIAN CHANGES IN SOUTHERN SAYABOURY PROVINCE 2005-2014 AND THE STATUS OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE Authors: Dr. Guillaume Lestrelin (EFICAS-NUDP/CA); Mr. Xayavong Chantasone (CADF Secretariat); Mr. Bounmy Rattanatray (CADF Secretariat) Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: Cirad; DALaM; AFD, European Union Year of publication: 2015 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Conservation Agriculture This report aims at providing up-to-date information and analysis on the recent socioeconomic and agricultural changes and the current status of Conservation Agriculture (CA) in villages of southern Sayaboury Province targeted by the PRONAE and PCADR-PASS projects between 2004 and 2009. In 2008, these projects had set up farmer groups in 44 villages, involving about 1 100 households and 1,500 ha of land cultivated with direct seeding mulch- and maize-based cropping systems. Questionnaire surveys had also been conducted annually in 21 villages of Boten, Kenthao, Paklay and Tongmixay districts in order to monitor agro-economic changes and the adoption of CA. Before the end of the PCADR-PASS project in 2009, a Conservation Agriculture Development Fund (CADF) was set up to continue supporting agricultural extension activities. Since then, the CADF has been supplied by a 10 LAK per kilogram tax on maize sales and exports collected in 10 districts of Sayaboury Province. Between 2010 and 2014, the Fund supported traders and farmers associations, through field demonstration activities, capacity building of farmers in the field of CA, and promotion of contract farming systems for agri-input supply. Between November 2014 and February 2015, a study was coordinated by the EFICAS-NUDP/CA project in order to take stock of these experiences of promotion of CA. Under the supervision of the CADF Secretariat and in collaboration with the Agricultural and Forestry Offices, the 21 villages monitored by PCADR-PASS between 2005 and 2008 were revisited with questionnaire surveys conducted   Read More

Title of document: Status of Community Based Forest Management in Lao PDR Authors: Khamphay Manivong and Phouthone Sophathilath Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: RECOFTC; NAFRI Year of publication: 2007 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Agro-forestry Community involvement in forest management was (first) introduced in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in 1989 when the First National Forestry Conference declared the new forest policy direction toward sustainable forest management. In this policy the government officially recognized the importance of local people’s participation in forest management. To ensure the new forest policy’s direction, the Government developed a Tropical Forestry Action Plan (TFAP) in 1990 and officially adopted it one year later. It was the first forest development program that advocated people’s participation in forest management (DOF, 2000). Another important policy instrument that shaped community based natural resource management in the 1990s was the Land Use Planning and Land Allocation Policy, which recognized the rights of local people to use and manage natural resources. It also encouraged local people’s participation in the management planning and protection of the forest. Since then a number of community based forest management (CBFM) models have been developed, tested and applied under different forest and socio-economic conditions in the country. However, whilst various lessons and experiences have been gained from these different models, these experiences have not always been widely documented, exchanged and coordinated.   Read More

Title of document: Institutionalizing Agroforestry as a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy through Local Capacity and Policy Development in Southeast Asia Authors/collaborators: Lutgarda L. Tolentino, Philippine Agroforestry Education and Research Network, Philippines; Bao Huy, Vietnam Network for Agroforestry Education, Vietnam; Pramoth Kheowvongsri, Thailand Network for Agroforestry Education, Thailand; Anoulom Vilayphone, Lao Network for Agroforestry Education, Lao PDR; Awang Noord Ghani, Malaysia Network for Agroforestry Education, Malaysia. Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Agro-forestry Several studies and literature have indicated the relevance of agroforestry as one of the climate change adaptation strategies of the agriculture sector, particularly those in the marginal areas, which are the most vulnerable areas to the impacts of climate change. This report highlights the experiences of PAFERN in implementing the project ‘Institutionalizing Agroforestry as a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy via Local Capacity and Policy Development in Southeast Asia”, with the hope of inspiring other regional and national institutions in Southeast Asia to collaborate and come up with proactive and more intensive information dissemination and capacity-building programs to enhance the capacities of the upland farmers, agricultural technicians and extension workers of the local government units, academic and research institutions to adapt to the impacts of climate change.   Read More

Title of document: Indigenous Agroforestry Practices of Northern Laos Year of publication: 2003 Geographic focus: Laos School of agroecology: Agro-forestry Shifting cultivation is the most common agricultural practice among farmers in the northern uplands of the Lao PDR. Alongside this agricultural practice many types of indigenous agroforestry systems have been practiced for many decades as people use the forests and forested land to grow different crops. Such practices range from a few silvicultural treatments in the natural forest to get a desired product to highly advanced systems where trees, animals and plants grow together so that they can benefit from each other. This article focuses on describing key indigenous agroforestry systems practiced in northern Laos.   Read More