Sustaining and Enhancing the Momentum for Innovation and Learning around the System of Rice

Intensification (SRI) in the Lower Mekong River Basin

Presented by SRI-LMB Project team Lao PDR:•Dr. Somnuek Thirasack DDG of DAEC • Mr. Phatnakhone Khanthamixay PMU Coordinator• Mr. Kongsy Xayavong National Training Expert

Regional Review and Planning Workshop, date 2-3 June 2015, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Progress Report and Planning of SRI Project

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Welcome to LAOS

Project Background

• National Inception Workshop 16-17 June 2014• Project was endorsed by MAF on 24 July 2014• Forced to an agreement between DAEC and FAO

Lao in August 2014 • Implementation stage (conduct CFPAR and prepare

for the FPARs in coming rainy season

Project Coordinator• At Central level:1. Dr Somnuck Thirasack DDG of DAEC is appointed to be National

Project Director2. Mr. Phatnakhone Khanthamixay Project Management Unit

Coordinator3. Mr Kongsy Sayavong Training Expert• At Provincial level:• Vientiane Province:1. Mr Chansamone Douangdara PC2. Mr. Phongsit Vongkhounsy Fouang DC3. Mr Khamphai Sivannalom Muen DC4. Ms Moukdavanh Chanthavong Vangvieng DC• Khammouan Province:1. Ms Khamphert Vonglatthana PC2. Ms Onekeo Homsombath Mahaxay DC3. Mr Souk khien Khounphengmouang Yommalat DC4. Mr Phetvilay Onexaysy Nakay DC• Savannakhet Province:1. Mr Chanlakhone Xayalath PC2. Mr Mixay Khoutthavong Champhone DC3. Ms Ammone Chanthalacksa Sonnabouly DC4. Mr Khanya Zanoulath Songkhone DC

Organization chart

DAEC

PAFO

DAFO

Farmers

Project Management Unit

Provincial Management Unit

District Management Unit

SRI LMB Project

CFPAR/FPAR

District Province

1 Vangvieng

Vientiane2 Fouang

3 Meun

4 Nakay

Khammouan5 Yommalat

6 Mahaxay

7 Songkhone

Savannakhet8 Champhone

9 Sonnabouly

4 6

Sustaining and Enhancing the Momentum for Innovation and Learning around the System of Rice Intensification

(GCP/RAS/288/AIT)2

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Nakay districtNakay district

Yommalat districtYommalat district

Mahaxay districtMahaxay district

Vangvieng districtVangvieng district

Fouang districtFouang district

Meun districtMeun district

Sonnabouly districtSonnabouly district

Champhone districtChamphone district

Songkhone districtSongkhone district

Activities (Project Document)1) Setting of Project structure (PMU, LMU),

Project management and Inception workshop, Project Steering Committee

2) Set up and conduct CFPAR (ToT, PRA, Site selection, Farmer selection, baseline survey, designing CFPAR, curricula, field day, review of CFPAR

3) Conduct FPAR4) Monitoring, Evaluation, Impact study5) Documentation6) Link learning with National Extension

System and with wide audience7) AR4D (Partnership,…)

Work Plan of SRI LMB Project

1. Formulation of CFPAR, FPAR2. Planning stage3. Technical implementation (4

intensive training of Trainers in dry season

4. Monitoring and Evaluation of field measurement and observation

5. Reporting

SRI Principles

• Early, quick and healthy plant establishment (young age of seedling)

• Reduced plant density (spacing)• Effect of single seedling• Improved soil conditions through enrichment with

organic matter• Reduced and controlled water application • Reduce cost

SRI methodology is based on four main principles that interact with each other

Agricultural strategy 2016-2020

1. Food security2. Agricultural commodity3. Sustaining forest and natural resources

management

Some main DAEC strategy• Promote sustainable appropriate technique, and technology

to grow crop and livestock husbandry• Strengthening farmer group, farmer association,

cooperatives • Promote small and medium agricultural business and

enterprise• Promote Agricultural mechanization, shift from traditional

into modernization• Human resources development (extension worker, village

technician, farmers)• Farmer capacity building through training, demonstration,

exchange visit, farmer to farmer learning, etc…

Establishment CFPAR in Dry season for Fiscal Year 2014-2015

Criteria CFPAR site selection• Locate at central of three selected district

area • Sufficient water supply from Irrigation system• Voluntary farmers, and has an interest to

explore SRI system to their own farm• Good of Road accessible and transportation• Provide an adequate resource to set up

experiment to support training even, facility for meeting/workshop

• Strong support of local authority

Plan of CFPAR Activities in Dry season

Date Activities27-28 January 2015

1st intensive ToT preparation of seedling, transplanting

23-24 March 2015 2nd intensive ToT at tillering stage

20-21 April 2015 3rd intensive ToT at 50% of flowering stage

12-13 May 2015 4th intensive ToT at harvest stage

Not yet Field-Day visit and Planning for FPAR

Establishment FCPAR in dry season 2014 Farmer Criteria selection1. Enthusiastic rice farmers and engaging in rice farming,

have an access to supplementary irrigation water supply

2. Strong interest of farmers to participate the project activities, especially the Farmer Field School

3. Has a strong will to learn and share experience/knowledge/know-how from participation to activities

4. Willing to apply learning from project to their own farm5. Growing rice per year and owning their own land6. Basic communication and literacy skill, but unlettered

are welcome to participate the CFPAR7. As a objective a mix of 50:50 men and women

participation the project activities

1st CFPAR location in Vientiane Province

CFPARMeun distri

ct

Foung district

Vangvieng District

10 Farmers

10 Farmers

10 Farmers

2nd CFPAR location in Khammouan Province

CFPARNakay distri

ct

Mahaxay district

Yommalat District

10 Farmers

10 Farmers

10 Farmers

3rd CFPAR location in Savannakhet Province

CFPAR

Champhone distri

ct

Sonnabouly district

Songkhone District

10 Farmers

10 Farmers

10 Farmers

Farmer Participatory Action Research

CFPAR District 1

District 2

District 3

1st FPAR, 2

FT

2nd FPAR, 2 FT

3rd FPAR, 2

FT

4th FPAR, 2

FT

4th FPAR, 2

FT

1st FPAR, 2

FT

2nd FPAR, 2 FT

3rd FPAR, 2

FT

1st FPAR, 2

FT

2nd FPAR, 2 FT

4th FPAR, 2

FT

3rd FPAR, 2

FT

Progress of SRI LMBin Lao PDR

• Completed Inception Workshop, organized in Thalat Vientiane Province 16-17 June 2014

− Steering Committee− Acceptance new Project sites (three Provinces

Vientiane, Khammouan and Savannakhet)− Three Districts of each Province were selected

as follow:− Vientiane Province: Vang Vieng, Fouang, and

Meun Districts.− Khammiuan Province: Nakay, Yommalat and

Mahaxay districts− Savannakhet Province: Songkhone,

Champhone, and Sonnabouly districts.

Progress of SRI Project (cont.)

• One CFPAR is establishing in Fouang district, Vientiane Province,

• The first CFPAR intensive training on 27-28 January 2015 at the transplanting stage,

• The second CFPAR intensive training conducted on 23-24 March 2015 at the tillering stage,

• The third CFPAR intensive training conducted on 20-21 March 2015 at flowering stage,

• The fourth CFPAR intensive training conducted on 12-13 May 2015 at harvest stage.

Progress of SRI Project (cont.)

1. Comparing SRI and Farmer’s practice with bio-fertilizer,2. Comparing SRI and Farmer’s practice with chemical

fertilizer,3. Comparing farmer’s saved variety with 15 cm x 15 cm

spacing and improved variety with 25 cm x 25 cm spacing,4. Comparing effects of spacing or improved variety with

difference spacing 25 cm x 25 cm and 15 cm x 15 cm,5. Comparing the effects of different soil types and different soil

water condition on rice plant growth.

Five experiments were set up to train 30 Farmer Trainers

Key learning from CFPAR

• Basic technical theory on SRI principle,• experimentation on SRI and Farmer practice

comparison, • data collection and analysis, • calculation of cost-benefit ratio. • For the technical detail of field learning element are

included: No. of Tillers/hill, plant height, no. of panicle per m2, grain, 1000 grain weight and yield calculation.

Materials supporting from Project

• Computer desktop 3 sets for three Provinces• Computer laptop 2 sets for PMU Coordinator and

National Training Expert• WIFI internet adapter

Baseline Survey conducted in December 2015(Picture from, Nakai district, Khammouan

Province)

Typical rice field in dry season Baseline survey, woman contributed her priority problem on rice

The 1st CFPAR intensive training

Transplanting rice in experiment plot

Central Farmer Participatory Action ResearchCFPAR

Farmer Field School

CFPAR

The 4th CFPAR intensive training, Fouang district, Vientaine Province May 2015

Data collection at the harvest stage

Some natural enemy of rice found during the experiments

Golden snails at transplanting stage

Insects, stem borer

birds

Comparison baseline and SRI experiment

seed rate per ha seed age no of tiller per hiill0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

80

30

5614

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Baseline SRI

seedling age No. of seedlings per hill

Comparison baseline and SRI experiment

Baseline SRI0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

2.5

3.9

yield per ha

yield per ha

CFPAR graduation for Farmer Trainers in Fouang district, Vientaine Province on 3rd May 2015

CFPAR Certificates handover ceremony, honor by DAFO head

Way forward

• Conduct Two CFPARs in both Provinces Khammouan and Savannakhet with two experiments of each to train 60 Farmers Trainers before starting FPARs in coming rainy season.

• To set up 36 FPARs group with 2 Farmer Trainers of each to conduct 288 FPARs experiments plus 36 full SRI plots

• Farmer Field Days in October 2015• National Workshop On November 2015• Reporting

Experiment design

SRI

25 cm x 25 cm

SRI

25 cm x 25 cm

SRI

25 cm x 25 cm

SRI

25 cm x 25 cm

FP

20 cm x 20 cm

FP

20 cm x 20 cm

FP

20 cm x 20 cm

FP

20 cm x 20 cm

One FPAR is designed to implement one experiment with one or two factors under 8 replication experiment plus one full SRI with an area at least one Rai 1,600 m2

Plan for rainy season 2015

Activities Semester 1 Semester 2 Output Budget/ resources

Person responsibility

months 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 CFPAR in Khammouna FPAR to educate 30 farmer trainers 9,400 Mr. Kongsy

Ms Khampheuth CFPAR in Savannakhet FPAR to educate 30 farmer trainers 9,600 Mr. Phatnakhone

Mr. Chanlakhone FPAR in three provinces 288 FPARs to train 900 farmers 30,896.64 LMUs+PMU Farmer Field Day 80 people for two provinces 2,000 All stakeholders National Workshop 31 people attending workshop,

reporting, planning on SRI, lesson learn

3,200 PMU, LMU, stakeholders

Reporting Documentation on SRI PMU, LMU Office management cost Performance service 3,520 PMU+LMU Total: 58,616.64

SWOT analysisStrengths:

Clear Government policy to support SRI project regarding capacity building, transfer technique and technology on rice production to farmers

Of around 80% of total agricultural rice cultivated land in the country are rainfed

Farmers participation and interest to the project is high Farmers have a good soil to do experiments Qualified SRI experiment can be disseminated through Lao

extension approach to other farmers’ Opportunity to get new seed variety through experiments Government supporting, technical advisory, follow up from

project team (FAO, AIT)

Weakness: Wide nation traditional habit in rice cultivation, It is challenging to transfer new technique and technology due

to low education of rural farmers, some of them are unlettered Lack of trained person Lack of skill and capacity of local trainers, Limitation of providing data for analyzing constraint and

problem because lack of recorded data Soil infertile in some places Shortage of water in dry season, and lack of small irrigation

scheme for water supply when needed in hilly areas.

Opportunity: It is chance for local farmers to learn new know-how,

technology to increase their rice productivities, make income generation,

Farmer Field School based action research provides learning opportunity for farmers to learn new technique and technology, share experiences, and adapt new idea from others to improve their current status

To motivate and mobilize group dynamics among farmers (sharing, discussion to find the way and resolution to manage their resources at rice farm,

Using less water, less seed and less chemical fertilizer, reduce production cost.

Threat: Explanation on SRI is needed for Government Officers for

more understanding on SRI technique, Farmer field school is really need to educate farmers, and local

district Officers as well, Farmer exchange visit is needed to bright people to understand

about SRI, Convincing all stakeholders about SRI need time and strong

effort (and nothing better than documenting and sharing results at local and national workshops which is part and parcel of project design)

Build capacity not only production technique but also post-harvest, and marketing

Group dynamics (farmer skill improvement)

Thank you

ຂອບໃຈ

Mr Touan, the best Farmer Trainer during conduct CFPAR, from Meun district

Consultation/Discussion