National Multi-stakeholder Workshop on Agroecological Transition

Vientiane, 2 - 3 June 2016

Sustainable Intensification

of Rice Production: Ecosystem-based

Approaches

Stephen Rudgard FAO Representative in Lao PDR

Background

• Objectives/Targets of Save and Grow-SIRP:

- Enhancing productivity and profitability;

- Increased resource use efficiency;

- Ecological sustainability;

- Climate-smart - Enhancing Resilience.

• Intervention: Capacity building through 13 Farmers Field Schools in 4 Lao rice producing provinces implemented during 2015.

• Implementation partners: MAF Plant Protection Center - Department of Agriculture, and National University of Laos.

Activities in 2015

- Baseline Surveys - February

- Curriculum Development and Training-of-Trainers - April

- Implementation of 13 FFSs (354 farmers including 112 women) in 4 provinces: April – November

- FFS Monitoring, and Trainers Exchange/Study tour – October

- FFS Results Assessment and Workshop – December

Save and Grow-SIRP improved management practices promoted in Farmers Field Schools

• Use of certified seeds and improved high-yielding varieties;

• Single, younger seedlings & wider plant spacing;

• Using natural biological control and natural pesticides, if needed;

• Balanced chemical fertilizer applications, including replacement with bio-fertilizers;

• Reduced labor through direct seeded method.

Field Experiment Design • 1,000 meter square plots,

replicated across 13 FFS sites, with Save and Grow good practices compared with conventional practices

• Yield estimates (tonnes/ha) at harvest time (through crop cuts and yield parameter assessments)

• Economic benefits assessments (revenue, total costs, gross margins (LAK/ha)

Targets to be achieved • Different provinces - different conditions

• Save and Grow approach adapted to local situation

• Separate productivity improvement targets set

Province Yield Labor Organic fertilizer

Chemical Fertilizer

Pesticides

Savannakhet Increase Reduce Increase

Better Balanced based on

crop needs

Not used

Champasack Increase Reduce Increase Better

Balanced/ increase

Not used

Xiengkhouang Increase Reduce Increase Better

Balanced Not used

Xaiyaboury Equal Reduce Increase Better

Balanced Reduced

Curriculum Development

17 week FFS curriculum developed to address production problems and inefficiencies of production input use based on location and situation specific baseline data

Farmer Field School Curriculum Overview: A typical weekly FFS session

• Regular field visit and crop monitoring

• Agro-ecosystem and Economical Analysis

• Icebreaker/Group dynamics

• Special Topics: Depending on location and situation specific learning priorities

Paddy Rice Yield by provinces

Control = Farmer practice

-

1,00

2,00

3,00

4,00

5,00

6,00

7,00

8,00

Control FFS

S&G

Control FFS

S&G

FFS

S&G

with fish

Control FFS

S&G

Control FFS

S&G

FFS

S&G

with fish

Champasack Savanakhet Xayaboury Xieng Khouang

To

n/h

a

Revenue and gross margin for Save and Grow in Savanakhet (LAK/ha)

-

2 000 000

4 000 000

6 000 000

8 000 000

10 000 000

12 000 000

14 000 000

16 000 000

18 000 000

20 000 000

Total cost Revenue Gross margin

LA

K/h

a

Control

FFS S&G

Returns on Investment Save & Grow vs. Farmer Practice

Return on Investment (ROI)

Farmer Practice Control

S&G – SIRP % change

Champasack 0.61 0.83 + 36

Savannakhet 0.67 1.05 + 56

Sayabouly 1.49 2.19 + 47

Xiengkhuang 1.23 1.96 + 60

• Farmers acquired new knowledge and skills in the FFSs;

• Results showed more efficient use of inputs, higher rice yields, and greater profits for farmers;

• In some provinces, production costs in Save and Grow interventions were higher but yields and profits increased;

• More efficient use of production inputs and no pesticides allowed rice-fish production, increasing land productivity and supporting food and nutrition security;

• Provincial and District Government officials highly appreciated FFS interventions and results.

Conclusions

Rice – Fish Systems

In Lao PDR

Rice Fields – More Than Rice

Food Security – Nutrition – Livelihoods

Consumption Survey

Location: rural villages in five provinces in

Laos

Timeframe: period of 10 days, September

2015

Participants: 239 people in 50 households

Method: families recorded the weight and

type of the aquatic resource (fish, plant, crab,

snail, etc.) before each meal, three times per

day. DLF officers recorded value at local

markets.

“Collecting this data caused me to think about my food in

a new way. I see the fish and think, ‘that’s money,’ or I see

the frogs and think, ‘that’s also money.’ If these resources

decrease, I understand more clearly how much I will have

to spend on food that was once free.”

- Mr. Boonthong, Farmer, Xieng Khuang province

Consumption Survey

87 kg 800,000 kip

78 kg 3,404,500 kip

61kg 1,982,500 kip

60 kg 1,680,000 kip

40 kg 1,452,500 kip

55 kg 1,265,000 kip 50 kg

2,700,000 kip

13 kg 162,300 kip

12 kg 376,700 kip

7.7 kg 179,000 kip

77 kg 807,900 kip

77 kg 693,000 kip

23 kg 229,800 kip 20 kg

260,000 kip

2.5 kg 1,500 kip

Xie

ngk

ho

un

g

Ou

do

mxa

i

Lau

ngn

amth

a

Sava

nn

aket

Ch

amp

asac

k

Lau

ngn

amth

a

Xie

ngk

ho

un

g

Ou

do

mxa

i

Sava

nn

aket

Ch

amp

asac

k

Sava

nn

aket

Lau

ngn

amth

a

Xie

ngk

ho

un

g

Ou

do

mxa

i

Ch

amp

asac

k

Fish Plants Aquatic (frogs, shell, crab...)

Summary of animal and plant consumption by 10 families in 5 Provinces (Kg)

Survey Results A

mo

un

t co

nsu

me

d b

y 1

0 f

amili

es

in 1

0 d

ays

(kg)

Survey Results Economic importance

Thank You!

19

http://www.fao.org/ag/save-and-grow/