FINAL REPORT of the FPAR 2017 in LAOS June to December 2017

This project is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Agriculture Organization A project implemented by the Asian European Union and Forestry of the United Nations Institute of Technology

FINAL REPORT OF THE FPAR 2017 IN LAOS June to December 2017

SUSTAINING AND ENHANCING THE MOMENTUM FOR INNOVATION AND LEARNING AROUND THE SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION (SRI) IN THE LOWER MEKONG RIVER BASIN

Farmer’s Participatory Action Research in the Lao PDR In the wet season from June to December 2017

FINAL REPORT

Table of Contents

1. BACKGROUND ...... 3

2. CONTACT DETAILS ...... 5

3. PRIORITY LIST OF PROBLEMS ...... 8

4. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION ...... 11

5. SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF PROJECT STRUCTURE AT A PROVINCIAL LEVEL...... 13

6. OBJECTIVES OF THE FPAR...... 13

7. EXPECTED OUTPUTS FROM FPAR ...... 14

8. ORGANIZING AND FUNDING BODY ...... 14

9. DATES, LOCATION AND SCHEDULE ...... 14

10. PARTICIPANT AND ORGANIZATION ...... 15

11. PREPARATION FOR FPAR ...... 15

1. BACKGROUND

The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT, www.ait.asia) is leading a European Union-financed project entitled “Sustaining and Enhancing the Momentum for Innovation and Learning around the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in the Lower Mekong River Basin (SRI-LMB: http://www.sri-lmb.ait.asia/), The project is implemented, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Oxfam America, SRI-Rice Cornell University in USA, the University of Queensland in Australia, government ministries and national universities of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand - AIT has been implementing a “more intelligent pathway” for cultivating healthy and profitable rice under climate change scenario. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an emerging alternative set of principles and methods to conventional rice cultivation techniques that instills a social dimension to farming to produce healthy and profitable crops using less water and less seed, and through skillful management of plants, soils, water, nutrients, pests and labour. The Project is being implemented in food-insecure rainfed rice production areas of the Lower Mekong River Basin countries. The objective is to develop location-specific practices using the principles of SRI and Farmer Field School platforms by initiating and facilitating farmers’ participatory action research. Documenting the results and sharing them with the immediate farming community and communities at large through an inclusive participatory process from local to national and regional level represents the core modus operandi of the project. The government policies within the context of sustainable agriculture development and climate- resilient, food-secure rainfed smallholder systems have been taken into consideration while designing the project activities. Evidence-based policy options for a better set of policies are being generated through a participatory consultation process working closely with all relevant stakeholders, including policy-makers in the country. Within the context of the project, a series of activities were undertaken in Lao PDR (in three selected provinces: Vientiane, Khammouan and Savannakhet) since June 2014. These included the scoping of problem identification, Baseline Survey, focused group discussion to collect information on the challenge and opportunities faced by cultivated rice farmers, trainers and farmers. This was conducted in December 2014 in three selected provinces. A number of

constraint related to rice crop management were identified in this process among others are: the need to develop knowledge and capacity of farmers to improve rice productivity with sufficiency quality by using appropriated technique, technology, and input production focusing on conservation of natural resources base, enhancing and sustaining soil fertility, and enhancing water management, using local wisdom and resources availabilities is foreseen as the key approach to address the small holder farmers. This is also important to address the challenge of providing alternative sources of making income for rain-fed farmers, and especially for the landless farmers, women and young farmers without leaving their home town.

These locally identified challenges were utilized to develop learning curricula in the Central Farmer’s Participatory Action Research (CFPAR) process so as to develop capacity of the Farmer Trainers to work with the communities to develop location-specific technology beginning January 2015. The CFPAR activities were implemented in the three provinces during the dry season rice production in year 2015 and were aimed at boosting capacity of farmer trainers to initiate design of experiment while involving other farmers from their communities in initiating science-based action research. These research/demonstration activities, so called Farmer’s Participatory Action Research (FPAR), focus on development of location-specific technologies and best management practices under ambit of SRI. These FPAR activities started during the wet-season 2015 and continued in 2016 led by Farmer Trainers working with other farmers in their communities. A next and final cycle of FPAR activities was planned for implementation during 2017 wet season. The FPAR 2017 activities were conducted in 82 sites with the intervention design including data gathering from farmer control plots around the FPAR demonstration plots.

2. CONTACT DETAILS

AT REGIONAL LEVEL:

The regional coordination unit of the project is hosted by the Asian Center of Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (ACISAI), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Ground Floor, Administrative Building, Khlong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand. The National Coordinator of the Project in Lao PDR is hosted by the Department of Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives (DAEC), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), and staffed by the Project Management Unit (PMU) Coordinator and National Training Expert.

Name: Dr. Abha Mishra Designation: Regional/PMU Coordinator Address: ACISAI Center, Gr. Floor, Outreach Building AIT, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand Phone: +66-2-524-582 Email: [email protected]

Name: Mr. Ashwin Mysore Designation: Action Research Coordinator Address: ACISAI Center, Gr. Floor, Outreach Building AIT, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand Phone: +66-2-524-5827 Email: [email protected]

Name: Mr. Jan Willem Ketelaar Designation: Action Research Expert, and point person from FAO for SRI- LMB Address: FAO IPM, FAO-RAP Office, Vientiane, LAO Email: [email protected]

AT NATIONAL LEVEL:

Name: Mr Viengxay PHOTAKOUN Designation: Project Management Unit Coordinator Address: Department of Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives, Lao PDR Phone: +856-20-55521454 Email: [email protected]

Name: Mr. Kongsy Xayavong Designation: National Training Expert Address: Department of Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives

Email: [email protected] Phone: +856-20-22883747

AT LOCAL LEVEL

Vientiane Province

Name: Miss. Keo Uodone Sixomxuean Designation: Provincial Project Coordinator Address: Provincial Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives, Vientiane Province Email: [email protected] Phones: mobile: +856-20-55291571; +856-20- 99997220

Khammouan Province

Name: Ms. Khampheuth Vonlattana Designation Provincial Project Coordinator Address: Provincial Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives, Khammouan Province Email: [email protected] Phones: Office: +856-51-496005; mobile: +856-20-58804699

Savannakhet Province

Name: Mr Chanlakhone Xayalath Designation Provincial Project Coordinator Address: Provincial Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives, Savannakhet Province Email: [email protected] Phones: Office: +856-41-496005; mobile: +856-20-22437771

PROJECT PARTNERS AND THEIR KEY STAFFS

FAO

Name: Mr. Jan Willem Ketelaar Designation: Action Research Expert, and point person from FAO for SRI-LMB Address: FAO IPM, FAO-RAP Office, Bangkok, Thailand Email: [email protected]

Name: Ms. Vornthalom Chanthavong Designation: Programme Development Officer Address: FAO IPM, Vientiane, Lao PDR E-mail: [email protected]

OXFAM

Name: Ms. Keo Keneka Designation: Policy and Communication officer Address: Oxfam Regional Office for the East Asia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Email: [email protected]

PROJECT ADVISORS

Name: Prof. Norman T. Uphoff Designation: Advisor (Project Associate) Address: SRI-RICE Cornell University, USA Email: [email protected]

Name: Prof. Maxwell J. Whitten Designation: Advisor (Project Associate) Address: University of Queensland, Australia Email: [email protected]

3. PRIORITY LIST OF PROBLEMS

Baseline information, especially pertaining to crop management, was utilized to develop crop calendars for each district. Using these crop calendars as a guide, a focused group discussion with farmers and district trainers were organized to establish the “cause-effect” relationship among practices and inputs used and observed crop performance, incidences of pests and diseases and finally the overall crop yield. The following Tables below present and summarize economically important problems, unpredictability of farmer’s condition, to include the limited knowledge ,know-how and skill of farmers to manage their rice farming, high cost of production, and depletion of the rice field fertility. Soil fertility was the top problem of farmer experiences and facing it nowadays. Other problems were also listed in the Table such as seasonal disease and crop pests outbreak, low productivity per unit is the common issues of rainfed rice.

Table 1: Summary of prioritized issues Problem Vientiane Khammouan Savannakhet Remark Province Province Province

Technique and technology ++++ +++++ +++++

Soil deterioration +++ +++++ +++++ Rice pest and Snail eating young +++++ +++ +++ seedling. Rice variety +++++ +++ +++ Water management +++ +++ +++

Drought and flood ++ +++ ++++

Mechanization ++ ++++ ++++ More labor and more time ++ ++ ++++ Limitation of land + + ++

High cost, low productivity +++ +++++ ++++

Whereas: lowest +, highest +++++

Table 2: Summary of prioritized issues related to growing rice in Vientiane Province

No Problem/Constraints for rice production Ranking

1 Farmers did not know what kind of rice varieties are suitable for their 1 cultivated land, every year farmers used their own selected rice seeds 2 Every year farmer are facing rice pests, diseases and insects attack on 2 rice crop 3 Limited knowledge, know-how about appropriated technology by 3 farmers growing rice 4 The cultivated rice land are infertile, with soil deterioration increasing 4 from generation to generation 5 Low productivity per unit hectare of cultivated rice land due to soil 5 deterioration 6 Farmers are facing rice weeds with, no plan on weed management 6 control

Table 3: Summary of prioritized issues relate to growing rice in Khammouan province No Problem/Constraints for rice production Ranking

1 Farmers lack know-how, knowledge, and technical skill on rice 1 production. 2 Families Lack capital for rice production including costs for chemical 2 fertilizer, labor and purchase of new rice seed varieties. 3 Rice field fertility is depleted, and no management or treatment is 3 undertaken to improve soil fertility, and soil deterioration. 4 From year to year we face problems with insects, rice pest and diseases 4 outbreak during the rice growing stage. 5 Effect of climate change, mainly drought during July and August, dry 5 spell, and flood in September and October damaged rice production. 6 Migration of agricultural labour, lack of sufficient family labour to 6 work in rice field, seasonal labor shortage. 7 Limitation of land for rice cultivation, land utilization competition 7 between food crop (rice, tuber) and non-food crop production

Table 4: Summary of prioritized issues relate to growing rice in Savannakhet province No. Problem/Constraints for rice production Scoring Ranking

1 Farmers lack techniques skill, knowledge, and know- 1 how on rice production 2 Rice field fertility are depleted, soil lack in organic 2 matter, No management and treatment are undertaken to improve soil fertility by farmers themselves 3 Farmers continued to use rice varieties saved by 3 themselves for long and selected rice seeds based on their own experiences, and traditional method 4 Main problems include diseases and other pests 4 including snails and insects attacking during the growing stage 5 Climate change is inevitable Problem of drought and 5 flooding exists every year and this issue is leading to food insecurity and insecurity of families income generation

4. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Sustaining and Enhancing the Momentum for Innovation and Learning around the System of Rice Intensification 2 CFPAR plot in Khammuoan province

3 Vangvieng

Nakay Fouang 4 6 Gnommalat CFPAR plot in Meun Vientiane Mahaxay province Sonnabouly

Champhone

Songkhone CFPAR plot in Savannakhet province

Scaling out FPAR from 2015 to 2017

2015 2016 2017 No. of No. of FPARs FPARs No. of No. of FPARs with No. of FPARs No. of No.of No.of No.of No.of No. of No.of with same with same FPARs No.of No. of % of old Women same group of with new Women Women FPARs sessions farmers FPARS sessions farmers FPARs group of group of with new sessions farmers farmers farmers from 2015 groups farmers farmers groups Provinces Districts from 2015 from 2016 Muen 4 4 102 53 8 4 4 4 215 120 12 4 4 4 4 300 150 20 Fouang 2 4 46 26 4 2 2 4 118 58 8 2 2 4 4 200 100 30 Vientiane Vangvieng 4 4 97 63 8 4 4 4 208 145 12 4 4 4 4 300 200 20 Gnommalat 2 4 50 28 4 2 2 4 103 48 8 2 2 4 4 200 100 30

Mahaxay 4 4 100 49 4 4 0 4 112 43 8 4 0 4 4 200 100 30 Khammouan Nakai 4 4 100 54 4 4 0 4 105 54 8 4 0 4 4 200 100 30 Champone 2 4 56 23 6 2 4 4 158 67 10 2 4 4 4 250 100 30 Songkhone 4 4 111 57 4 4 0 4 98 44 8 4 0 4 4 200 100 20 Savannakhet Xonnabury 2 4 56 27 4 2 2 4 110 49 8 2 2 4 4 200 100 20 28 718 380 46 28 18 1,227 628 82 28 18 36 4 2,050 1,050

5. SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF PROJECT STRUCTURE AT A PROVINCIAL LEVEL

Farmer Participatory Action Research1

th 4 FPAR 5th FPAR 3rd FPAR 1FT

1FT 1FT

6th FPAR 2nd FPAR

1FT 1FT

7th FPAR District 1st FPAR 1FT

1FT

8th FPAR

th 12 FPAR 1FT 1FT th 9 FPAR

11th FPAR 10th FPAR 1FT

1FT 1FT

6. OBJECTIVES OF THE FPAR • To learn and apply a range of crop management options like soil-water-plant relationship; growing healthy root systems using SRI methods to counter the challenge of weather extremes like floods and droughts; soil ecology; in-situ water conservation methods; • To develop abilities for critical thinking and reinforcing a local ‘science culture’; • To be able to communicate and act in groups to articulate farmer needs through the innovation platform to policy makers and scientific institutions for getting their cooperation and support;

As 46 FPAR activities were completed in 2016, a total of 82 FPAR activities will be implemented during the 2017 wet season. This will include continued FPAR work at the 46 old sites and establishment of 36 new FPAR sites in the 9 districts in the 3 provinces covered by this project.

• To be able to produce according to demands and specifications of the market, for achieving better marketability of their produce. • To develop training curricula or materials on SRI for farmers.

7. EXPECTED OUTPUTS FROM FPAR

• Locally appropriate lost-cost technology to produce quality produce is available while conserving and enhancing production base (soil, water, local varieties) utilizing SRI principles; • Increased understanding of soil-water-plant relationship and its direct application in their own fields to be able to produce well even under extreme weather conditions of drought or flood; • Critical thinking ability developed to undertake need-based research; • Effective communicator to be able to articulate needs through local innovation platforms to the policy makers and institutions ; • Produce available per market demand. • The training curricula will provide to farmer in all 9 district and other.

8. ORGANIZING AND FUNDING BODY

FPARS were implemented by Department of Technical Extension and Agro Processing (DTEAP) under Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and its line Department at the local levels (PAFO, DAFO) with funding and technical support by FAO and AIT within context of the EU funded SRI-LMB Project implemented by the ACISAI Center, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand.

9. DATES, LOCATION AND SCHEDULE

Actually, the original work plan for FPAR from 2015 to 2017 mentioned 108 FPARs to be implemented (36 FPAR*3 years). Only 28 FPARs were implemented in the year 2015 due to project implementation delays as detailed in earlier FPAR reports.

In 2016 PMU in Laos could not develop concept note in time. However, the FTs and PAFO and DAFO continued implementation of FPAR activities during the 2016 wet season. Therefore in the year 2016 only 18 new FPARs were implemented, with 46 FPARs implemented in total. This year (2017) the number of new FPAR was 36 plots. Therefore, in year 2017 82 FPAR (2015= 28 FPAR, 2016= 18 FPAR, 2017 =36 FPAR) were implemented in total.

The FPARs, 82 plots within 3 provinces, were established in Fouang district, Meun district, Vangvieng district, (Vientiane province), Yommalat district, Nakay district, Mahasay district (Khammouan Province), Champhone district, Xonnabuly district, Songkhone district, Savannakhet Province from June to November 2017. The 82 FPARs (46 old & 36 new) were

organized in 4 intensive time slots tentatively coinciding with the transplanting, tillering, flowering and harvesting stage of the rice crop.

The table showed number of FPAR each year. 2015 to 2017

No Province 2015 2016 2017 Total 1 Vientiane 10 10 12 32 2 Khammuane 10 02 12 24 3 Savannakhet 8 6 12 26 Total 28 18 36 82

This wet season 2017 were implemented 82 FPARs include old FPAR and a new 36 FPAR.

10. PARTICIPANT AND ORGANIZATION

The FPARs were facilitated by a team of 2 Farmer Trainers (one farmer trainer from CFPAR training and one farmer trainer from FPAR training) during the wet Season (June to December 2017). District Coordinator Trainers, Province Coordinator, (LMU) Coordinator and National Training Expert were available for providing support and ensuring smooth conduction of the training and field demonstrations for the entire period. The Regional Coordination Unit of AIT and other resource persons, as and when needed, visited to support conduct of the SRI technical. A total of 82 FPAR sites were established in this year. In each site, a demonstration/field experiment was carried out and expected to participate in by 25 farmers/FPARs plots.

11. PREPARATION FOR FPAR

11.1 Methodology During wet season 2017, a total of 82 FPARs, 46 at old sites plus 36 at new sites, were established in the three Lao provinces; One FPAR site have had a rice crop area of around 1,000-1,600 m2 . Adjacent to SRI plot, a Farmer Plot (FP) was established. The average size of the FP plots was 1,000 m2 (Two demonstrations per one FPAR). The FP plots were used as Control for the comparison purpose. We conduct SRI and FT in the different plots. Mean that we conducted in the different plots, but the same rice field. FP was set up beside the SRI demonstration plots or we were conducted SRI and FP in the difference bund.

Some 2,050 farmers were joined in the 82 FPAR activities throughout the wet season (25 farmers per FPAR site). Each FPAR comprises two farmer trainers and 25 farmers (SRI) under technical assistant from District Trainer and Project Management Unit team. Four intensive sessions were conducted over wet Season 2017 and the SRI LMB in Laos curriculum we were developed this wet season. The total farmer 2,050 person have learned SRI technique and after this season they will do SRI at their own fields. For example, Mrs Somsamay in HouayNgam Village VangVieng

district, Vientiane province in the wet season 2018 she is continue doing SRI practice in her rice field.

SRI SRI Plot

Somsamay’s rice field in HouayNgam village, VangVieng district, Vientiane Province

11.2. FPARs location selection In each province, three targeted districts have been selected. The Farmer Trainers and District Trainer were discussed about selection of the FPAR location by using SRI project guidelines. To find an appropriate location for conducting FPAR experiment, it was very important that the Trainers and local authorities conducted a meeting to discuss and identify the good location for FPAR experiments. The FPAR sites were comfortable to access; located near the villages, have adequate resource to set up experiment to support training even in rainy season, farmers and local authorities have a strong participated and cooperated. During the 2017 wet season production, FPAR work was continued at the same 46 FPAR sites established in 2016 whereas 36 new sites selected for scaling up the FPAR work in the wet season 2017.

11.3 Participants selection For the participant’s selection, the Trainers communicated with the local authorities - especially the village head (Nai Ban) to identify the village. After this process, the meeting was organized to talk with farmers who are interested to voluntarily participate (50% women) in FPAR. During the meeting, farmers were informed about the project and the process of FPAR, role responsibility of farmers and their participation in carrying out experiments. This was done by

the local trainers (Farmer Trainers) residing in the same village and a new village anymore. Whereas many of the farmers having participated in the 2016 FPAR activities continued to involve in the 2017 FPAR cycle, other/new farmers were invited to participate in the 2016 FPAR work in the same 46 communities. Mean that some a new FPAR plots were implemented in the same village where the villages have opportunity. This was allowed for information and experience sharing among old and new FPAR farmers and facilitates the scaling up of SRI adoption and adaptation in the same rural communities.

11.4 Prioritized list of problems The FPAR curriculum design and field experiments were focused on problems identified during earlier baseline surveys. Problems encountered, solutions, economic efficiency, practices and inputs used, observed crop performance, incidences of pest and diseases and finally the overall crop yield was informed the design of the FPAR curriculum and learning activities.. Facilitators asked participants about their cultivation practices, cropping calendar and problems through Focused Group Discussion. After identifying problems, participants were participated in the design and implementation of relevant FPAR experiments that address their location and situation specific problems and production challenges. We have used FPAR curriculum to the 4 training courses of the four stages SRI’s activities.

11.5 Experiments In each district (total 3 provinces x 3 districts), all 82 SRI Demonstration and farmer control 82 Demonstration were set up using similar practices so as to allow the proper analysis of the data. Variety, Spacing, Water management, Seedling-age, manure fertilizer use and other management was kept similar for all 12 SRI demonstrations and 12 Demonstration farmer control in each district. For knowledge smaller experiments in pots and/or plot could be set us, if there were some questions that needed to observe through experimentations Each FPAR was SRI demonstration and Farmer Control Demonstration the minimum size of plot is 1,000 square meters. FPAR experiments will evaluate the use of younger seedlings (10-14 days old), singly planted and spacing of hills were used from 25cm X 25cm or 30cm X 30cm. Depend on the soil fertile or location. Rice seed can selecting local variety and improved variety, depending on local farmer preferences. Some group using chemical fertilizer only or some group using manure and some group will not use fertilizer.

For FC, the plots size the same size as SRI plots and we will suggest farmers to do in the FC the same as SRI plots. For example: 1) preparing seedbed in the same areas; 2) Transplanting stage suggest farmers used seedling 30 days old; 3) using 3-5 seedling; 4) Spacing 25 cm x 25cm or 30 cm x 30cm depend on location 5). Using the same variety of rice. 6). Data collection were conducted four time as SRI plots. (Please see the table below). Data collection

Data collection at FPAR was carried out three times - at tillering stage, flowering stage and ripening stage. The main data collected for the tillering and flowering stages were the same: number of tillers per hill for transplanting or number of plants per 2 square meter, plant height, and insect pests and natural (enemies see annex 2). At the field level Farmers Trainers conducted random method sampling for data collection at 5 locations in the field.

The data collection of the ripening stage were: number of productive tillers per hill or number of productive tillers per 2 square meter, number of spikelet per panicle (unfilled and filled), length of panicle, weight of 1000 grains, and weight of grain per 2 square meter

Farmer in Meun diststrict

11.6 FPAR Diary The FPAR Diary was very important in helping the reader understand about the FPAR process. All events or problems happening during FPAR and activities or topics in each session was recorded. Comments from participants, Facilitators and visitors were also written down. Data collected from the field were recorded in the Data Sheet FIELD EXPERIMENTS FOR FPAR The following experiments were established in the FPAR which were based on series of problem findings steps carried out in Vientiane, Khammouan and Savannakhet Provinces

Designing of FPAR SRI and Farmers practice Demonstration

SRI Plot Farmers practice Plot

Sample Sample Sample Sample Site 1 Site 5 Site 1 Site 5 (2 sq. (2 sq. (2 sq. (2 sq. meter) meter) meter) Sample Site Sample 2 Site 2

(2 sq. (2 sq. meter) meter) Sample Site Sample Site Sample Sample 3 4 Site 3 Site 4 (2 sq. (2 sq. (2 sq. (2 sq. meter) meter) meter) meter)

Areas: 1,000 m2 Areas:1,000 m2

Figure: 1. Farmer practice plots were separated from the SRI plots

Table 1: FPAR design and treatment details for Vientiane Province Item SRI Plot Farmers practice SRI plot 1,000square meter 1,000square meter demonstration site Wider Spacing 25 cm X 25 cm 20 cm X 20 cm Number of seedling 1 seedling per hill 4 - 5 seedling per hill per hill Rice variety improve variety TDK8, Local improve variety TDK8, variety Local variety Seedling age 12 to14 days 28 to 30 days Fertilizer manure (for Vientiane manure (for Vientiane province some SRI plots province some plots without without chemical fertilizer) chemical fertilizer) Water management One week dry during 5 – 10 cm during vegetative vegetative stage (after stage transplanting 25-30 days)

Table 2.: FPAR design and treatment details fort Khammuane and Savanaket Province Item SRI Plot Farmers practice SRI plot 1,000 square meter 1,000 square meter demonstration site Wider Spacing 25 cm X 25 cm 20 cm X 20 cm Number of seedling 1 seedling per hill 4 - 5 seedling per hill per hill Rice variety improve variety TDK8, Local improve variety TDK8, variety Local variety Seedling age 12 to14 days 28 to 30 days Fertilizer Chemical fertilizer or manure Chemical fertilizer or manure. Basal 15-15-1= 20kg and Urea = 16kg/2time Basal 15-15-1= 20kg and Urea = 16kg/2time Water management One week dry during 5 – 10cm during vegetative vegetative stage (after stage transplanting 25-30 days)

1. For data collection was used 5 (five) points, site of point: 2 square meter area would be randomly marked. 2. At each observation site (of 2 meter square), 5 sample plants was marked by bamboo stick and data as per data sheet was collected at three growth and development stages of the crop tillering, flowering and harvest stage in FPAR diaries 3. Each SRI demonstration (12 plot per districts) have had 25 to 30 women and men farmers (12 demonstration x 25 or 30 farmers = 300 to 360 farmers per district per FPAR cycle) 4. Each Province would set 36 FPARs in 3 selected districts (12 FPAR sites per District with a total of 12 demonstrations)

Note: 1) In Vientiane Province some SRI plots were cultivated in the wet season only. For the dry season the farmers grown vegetables and they used organic fertilizer. There in wet season the farmers grow rice in the same areas as vegetable production. The form rice – vegetable production.

2) In Khammuane and Savannakhet Province most Farmers used chemical fertilizer and manure, because they observed their rice yield are decreased to compare with the rice yield in 2015. Other factor the soil in Khammuane and Savannakhet soil not fertile compare to soil in Vientiane Province. In Khammuane and Savannakhet some FPAR plots grow in wet and dry season. They grow rice two times per year.

3) For the field preparation for SRI and FP: SRI and FP we conducted ploughing 1 time and second time the same, but for the harrowing and leveling we conducted difference time, because transplanting time was difference. FP and SRI we separated plot by bund.

4) Manure the farmers were got from the cattle farms the cost 10,000 kip per sack, rate 500 kg per 1000 square meter.

The results of FPARs practice in the wet season 2017. Please see attached files. Results

5 4.43 600.00 4.04 3.92 477.78 4 500.00 420.39 3.20 343.42 2.63 2.81 400.00 3 284.15 300.00 2 140.36 149.07 200.00 1 100.00

YIELD YIELD (T/HA) 0 0.00 Khammouan Savannakhet Vientiane Khammouan Savannakhet Vientiane

Province Province Province NET (USD/HA) RETURN Province Province Province

SRI FP SRI FP

Figure: Key Results-Yield and Net returns The above figures are showing the key results of yield and net return of three provinces namely Khammouan, Savannakhet and Vientiane. The results depicts clearly that in all the provinces the SRI fields achieved higher rice yields and net returns than that of normal farmers the differences in the rice yield and net returns at SRI and normal plots, were most prominent in the Khammouan province. The SRI farmers in Vientiane performed better in all aspects i.e rice yield and net returns on both of farms (normal and SRI) was higher that other provinces.

Constraint of FPARs Implementation in Laos 2017 Lesson Learnt Work plan activities planned in advance at PMU level with project partners to have the necessary technical review and administrative action. Communication between the key units PCU, PMU, LMU and FAO is very essential. Capacity building played important role in project activities specially in field activities. To exchange knowledge professionals and experience of farmers, workshops and farmer congress are necessary. Some farmers also experienced more weed problems in their weed management due to very less or no rain after transplanting. There is one example of a farmer named Mr. Saly in Muangkai village head of the Farmer group has shared his experience that he used SRI principle and he used young seedling 7-10 days to transplant rice, he observed that during the tillering stags this approach more tillers than seedling 14 days. Using young seedlings, single seedling and wider spacing during transplanting and drained water out for two weeks during vegetative growth stage can provide yield advantage in rice cultivation

Example: farmers in Ngommalath district used net to collect snails in their rice filed.

Conclusion Figure: The farmer in Ngommalath District Weed control

Farmer’s Impact Story of the SRI-LMB Mr. Theun is Farmer Trainer in Naphaphai Village, Meun District, Vientiane Province. The total 6 people in his family: (he, his wife and 4 children). His family has two main labours working in the field. He has 2 ha of rice filed and 3 ha of grassland for his 5 cows. Before joined the CFPAR in 2015, he grown rice the old method. After he became member the CFPAR in 2015 until 2017, he deep understand about the SRI-LMB by using FFS approach. He conducted FPAR plot in his rice field in order to train to other farmers. He divided his rice field into parts: One part he grow rice by SRI and second part rice filed he grow rice by traditional method. Impact: He said that the SRI gained yield more than traditional method as 4,9 ton/ha and Traditional gained 3,8 ton/ha. Cost and benefit. He spend 1,500,000kip /ha for land preparation and seed. Mean 1,1Ton/ha x 2,500kip/kg= 2,750,000kip= 324 U$= 10,000 B/ha. Scaling out the impact of the SRI-LMB’s activities. After the project completed he will continue to use SRI technique.

Recommendation In Laos, SRI based practices provided assistance for farm mechanization by conducting trials exploring direct-seeded and/or single seedling transplants and weed management can help families deal with labour shortage; this especially will be useful for those families where male members migrate away from their farms in search of employment. In Vientiane province many farmers adopted SRI principle in farming without using any chemical fertilizers, organic farming with SRI practices can be promoted through these farmers. On the other hand, these farmers can enhance their incomes by linking their organic farming to market. SRI practices are also famous for rice seed production like farmers trainers of Songkhone and Xonaboouly districts have experience in rice seed production. Apart from rice farming, SRI practices should be involved with other area also like duck and fish rearing that increases rice yield and their income. The design of the rice-fish farms should allow for regular draining of fields for purposes of creating alternate wet and dry conditions, as key SRI practice to promote soil and crop health.