Forestry and AgroEcology in Lao rural Uplands FORAE

Forestry and Agro-Ecology in Lao rural Uplands (FORAE) Viengkham District, Luang Prabang Province, RDP Laos. National multi stakeholder workshop “towards an agroecology transition” 2 nd to 3 rd of June 2016 1

Agro-ecology in brief… Agro-ecology is a systemic approach to agriculture, taking into account the economics of farms, but also environmental and social impacts of their activities, in order to insure their sustainability. ü Limiting pressure on environment, ü Sustainable management of natural resources ü Promotion of local knowledge/know-how ü Food security and improvement of nutrition ü Social and socio-professional organization enhancement ü Creation of incomes ü Improvement of agricultural productivity ü Reduction of production expenses 2

Agro-ecology in family farms… When promoting Agro-ecology as a sustainable model of agriculture for family farming, we have to analyze how the farm is connected to its environment in order to propose adapted solutions to specific problems. 3

For example, in Viengkham Reforestation and NTFP domestication Green fence District… Fruit trees plantation Expected results: Home gardening Crop association and improved fallow Problematics: Decreasing forest cover Livestock pasture Ø Ø Protect the soil against erosion and Land-use planning Food diversification and income generating üü Erosion and low soil fertility Ø Food diversification and income generating Ø Protection of natural resources (soil, water, Soil fertility and yield improvement Rotational crops on Improve big livestock Protection of natural resources üüØPoor livestock management biodiversity) crop against roaming animals activity Improvement of family incomes slopes üü Decrease of water quantity and nutrition and health Ø Income generating activity ü Improvement of family food quality security ü Food insecurity ü Climate-change mitigation Malnutrition and low food diversity Roaming animals in the village and the fallows Low access to clean 4

Food crops Challenges: Expected results: Agro-ecology practices: Ø -ü Additional labour work for leguminous see Improvement of soil fertility Cover crops with rice bean and harvesting -ü Decrease of soil erosion and soil losses Intercropping of leguminous with food Ø - Roaming animals destroying leguminous Protection against roaming animals crops (peanut, soy bean) Ø -ü Vulnerable to rats and lack of water Crop diversification and better nutrition Green fence Ø - Need new market opportunities for legum Additional sources of incomes 5

Animal fodder Challenges: Agro-ecology practices: Expected results: Ø High costs for fencing (labour and Animal pasture at village scale -ü Animal control and Health materiel) ü Green strips on contour lines with improvement Ø Lack of motivation to create - nepia and guinea grasses Soil protection against erosion collective pasture area (prefer Green fence -ü Village Land Use Planning individual) implementation Ø Low access to inputs, such as - Improvement of family incomes fodder seeds and barbwires 6

Vegetable gardening Challenges: Agro-ecology practices: Øü Lack of water for irrigation Expected results: Production of organic fertilizers Øü Lack of manure for fertilization -Water-saving techniques: bowl farming and mulching Crop diversification and better nutrition -Crop associations Additional sources of incomes ü (roaming animals) Integrated pest management: production of bio-pesticides, Øü Lack of space for gardening within repellent plants. . . the village area ü Off-season production: raised nursery 7

Agro-Forestry Challenges: Ø Agro-ecology Lack of maintenance on fruit trees (low practices: Expected results: ü Plantation of fruit trees -fertilization and weeding) Crop diversification and better nutrition Øü Fruit tree orchards following contour lines - Additional labour work to install the contour Additional sources of incomes ü NTFP domestication -lines Protection of vegetal biodiversity and forest cove Ø ü High mortality on transplanted wild stock Maintenance: Bamboo fence, biopesticides, mulching, cutt (rattan) Ø Difficulty to protect NTFP against roaming animals Ø Long-term investment for farmers before generating incomes 8