• Sipaseuth, Sipaseuth
• Inthavong, Thavone
• Phengvichith, Vanthong
• Schiller, John
• Vorlasan, Sysavanh
• Thiravong, Khammone
• Phiovlamoun, Panya

Abstract

This ACCA-SRA project achieved and exceeded its three objectives:1) the facilitation of on-farm testing of mechanised rice establishment options in regions of Lao PDR and Cambodia; 2) the creation and dissemination of Lao language training materials; and 3) supporting five Masters students; two in Lao PDR and three in Thailand. In 2013 on farm testing activities of the dry direct seeder in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR and the drum seeder in Svay Rieng and Prey Veng Provinces in Cambodia were successfully completed, facilitating 127 households (66 in Lao PDR and 61 in Cambodia) to test mechanised rice establishment methods on their farms.These on-farm demonstrations have enabled risk averse farming communities to explore, with support from research and extension communities, the potential benefits of direct establishment methods of rice, in particular in terms of labour savings and ability to reduce farmers’ exposure to climate risk. In addition to the original project objectives, dry direct seeding activities in Lao PDR were extended in 2014.Following feedback from farmers about their experiences in 2013 the project’s second year of on-farm trials further investigated options for weed control and fertiliser placement.The project contributed to the development in Lao PDR of a locally manufactured dry direct seeder in which fertiliser could be placed in the soil with seed.Farmers are attracted to the potential labour savings of mechanised rice establishment compared to traditional transplanting practices.Gross margin analyses of results show that, where weeds are well controlled, DDS can provide economic benefits of up to 22 per cent over PTR due to reduced labour requirements.Additionally mechanised planting tools have the potential to reduce farmers’ exposure to risks associated with increased climate variability and change. Information and training materials have been produced and used in farmer field days and training and exposure events in Savannakhet, Attapeu, Saravane, Khammouane and Vientiane Provinces.The learnings from the ACCA-SRA project underpinned contributions from the research team into IFAD training manuals on dry direct seeding in Lao PDR. The ACCA-SRA supported five Masters students in Lao PDR and Thailand, contributing to an increase in researcher capacity and knowledge across the region.As a result of new skills gained one student, Mr Sysavanh Vorlasan, has successfully received funding from the ACIAR-funded Lao Small Research Grants program to continue researching questions around dry direct seeding in Lao PDR. Farmer enthusiasm and interest in the direct establishment methods for wet season rice crops remain high in both Cambodia and Lao PDR and a rapidly expanding number of households outside case study areas, in both the project provinces and other key “rice bowl” provinces continue to take up the technologies as a result of ACCA-SRA project activities.

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