Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy - MEL study in Laos

1. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Study
for understanding the pattern of change
resulting from SRI capacity building interventions
in Laos PDR
Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy
Independent Development Consultant, Chennai, INDIA
SRI-LMB REGIONAL WORKSHOP Bangkok, 01-02 November, 2018
Sustaining and Enhancing the Momentum for Innovation and Learning
around the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in the Lower Mekong River Basin
(SRI-LMB)

2. Document, analyse and understand;
• how SRI-guided crop management practices
will potentially affect crop performance / cropping systems
including both direct effects on the crop itself
(yield, maturity and tolerance of abiotic and biotic stresses)
and indirect effects on environment
• the pattern of change among different groups of farmers
(FPAR, non-FPAR and Control Groups)
due to direct and indirect effects of FPARs
• the patterns of change geographically and by Social Groups
Objectives of the MEL Study in Laos

3. Geographical Locations of the Study
Savannakhet
Vientiane
Khammouane

4. Province Districts Number of Village/s
Savannakhet
3 Districts (FPAR & NFPAR)
9 Villages
1 District (Control Group)
2 Villages
Xonnabuly 1
Champhone 4
Songkhone 4
Xaybuly (Control Group) 2
Khammouane
3 Districts (FPAR & NFPAR)
11 Villages
1 District (Control Group)
1 Village
Mahaxai 4
Gnommalath 2
Nakai 5
Thakhek 1
Vientiane
3 Districts (FPAR & NFPAR)
14 Villages
1 District (Control Group)
1 Village
Vang Vieng 9
Feuang 3
Meun 2
Phon Hong 1
Geographical Locations of the Study

5. Category-wise Farmer Respondents
Farmers responded included;
138 Women and 140 Men
259 from Laotai, 16 Hmong and 3 from Bor Communities.
Farmer Samples for the Study
Farmer (sample) Category Responses (Women/Men)
Practicing FPAR group farmers 75
Non Practicing FPAR group farmers 54
NFPAR and others 92
Control Groups 57
Total 278 (138 W / 140 M)

6. Average Landholding
Province Average Landholding by farmers
(Based on study samples)
FPAR/SRI NFPAR/NSRI Control Groups
Savannakhet 2,556 Sqm
(14.61% / 16.18%)
1.75 ha 1.58 ha
Khammouane 1,902 Sqm
(11.39% / 5.83%)
1.67 ha 3.26 ha
Vientiane 5,239 Sqm
(43.66 % / 34.93%)
1.20 ha 1.50 ha
Total Average
of Study Area
3,232 Sqm
(26.71% / 15.32%
1.21 ha 2.11 ha

7. Most farmers follow;
• Transplanting (96%),
• Direct Seeding (13%) and
• a handful farmers do Broad Casting (5%)
125 (47%) farmers use Seeds - 51-100 Kgs/ha
Only 35 (28%) farmers among them are FPAR / SRI Farmers
Some farmers do a combination and hence the
variance in the percentage
Usage of Seeds

8. Usage of Seeds – By FPAR / SRI Farmers
Province Seeds Used for Transplanting
(by FPAR / SRI Farmers)
Total
In Kgs/ha < 25 26-50 51-100 101-150 >150 Farmers
Savannakhet 1 6 15 5 2 29
Khammouane ---- 6 13 3 1 23
Vientiane 6 6 7 2 2 23
Total 7 (9%) 18 (24%) 35 (47%) 10 (13%) 5 (7%) 75

9. • 248 (89%) farmers are totally Rain-dependent
and claim Not to be irrigating their farms
• 6 (2%) farmers irrigated 1-2 times
• 1 (< 1%) farmer irrigated 3-4 times
• 23 (8.27%) farmers irrigated more than 5 times
65 FPAR / SRI farmers are totally rain-dependent
Normal / Above Normal rainfall – Previous Season
Irrigation

10. Irrigation Status
Province Irrigating Status by FPAR / SRI Farmers Total
FarmersFrequency None 1-2 Times 3-4 Times > 5 times
Savannakhet 28 ---- ---- 1 29
Khammouane 14 2 ---- 7 23
Vientiane 23 ---- ---- ---- 23
Total 65 (87%) 2 (3%) ---- 8 (10%) 75

11. Usage of Fertilisers
Use of Fertilisers FPAR /
SRI
Farmers
NFPAR /
NSRI
Farmers
Control
Group
Farmers
Total
Farmers
None 20 40 10 70
Only Organic
Manure
7 24 12 43
Both Chemical &
Organic
9 20 19 48
Only Chemicals 39 62 16 117
Total 75 146 57 278

12. Only 2 farmers, both of NFPAR, out of 278 farmers
ever used pesticides
One in Songkhone district of Savannakhet Province and
One in Nakai district of Khammouane Province
seems to have tried pesticides.
4 farmers, 2 of FPAR / SRI and 2 of NFPAR, out of 278
seem to be trying herbicides like the brands
CARATOP, FIPRONIL 80% WG and GOADI
(Sulfonylurea / Pyrazosulfuron-Ethyl)
All four are from Meun district, Vientiane Province.
Use of Pesticides and Herbicides

13. • Most SRI farms being comparatively smaller,
most farmers use only family labour. In rare
cases they hire outside help at times like
harvesting
• It is understood that Labour costs for NSRI farms
could be as higher as 200% than those for SRI
farms
Labour in Rice Cultivation

14. Average Tillers Per Sq. M.
Farmer
Category /
Tillers / Sqm
FPAR / SRI NFPAR /
NSRI
Control
Group
Total
Farmers
< 150 2 4 6 12
151-200 30 54 17 101
201-250 17 49 13 79
251-300 14 27 9 50
> 300 12 8 10 30
No Idea /
No Comments
----- 4 2 6
Total 75 146 57 278

15. Rice Yield / ha
A Comparison among Farmer Categories
42
18
12
7
12
9
32
21
12
11
7
18
19
16
9
17
9
29
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
< 2.0 t/h 2.1-2.5 t/h 2.6-3.0 t/h 3.1-3.5 t/h 3.6-4.0 t/h > 4.0 t/h
Comparison of Rice Yield by Farmers (in %age)
Control Group NFPAR/NSRI FPAR/SRI

16. Yield / ha by SRI method of Cultivation
6 6
2
14
5 5
2
12
4
0
3
7
4
6
3
13
2
5
0
7
8
1
13
22
0
5
10
15
20
25
Savannakhet Khammouane Vientiane Total SRI Area
District-wise Rice Yields by SRI Method
< 2 t/h 2.1-2.5 t/h 2.6-3.0 t/h 3.1-3.5 t/h 3.6-4.0 t/h > 4.0 t/h

17. Economic Returns for farmers
(Profit / Loss)
33
67
60
40
62
38
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Made Profit Made Loss
Profit / Loss made by Farmers (in %)
Control Group NFPAR / NSRI FPAR / SRI

18. Household Gains by following SRI
Gain YES NO No
Comment
Total
Farmers
Knowledge 73 1 1 75
Time 74 1 ----- 75
Improving
Relationships
70 4 1 75

19. • “Being asymmetric and mostly mountainous,
land is not really suitable for SRI”
• “SRI is labour oriented - getting timely labour
and the expenses make it difficult”
• “Since SRI follows single-seed method,
many a time snails and crabs eat away the
seeds that are sown for transplantation”
Mind-Sets for not Scaling up SRI much

20. Due to above normal rainfall and other disastrous climatic
conditions this crop season, the Laos government is taking several
steps to ensure food security for the people.
SRI Methodology could be the ideal answer, for such conditions in
future.
But mind-sets need to be overcome.
• To expand SRI to other districts of existing Provinces and
also taking up in new provinces
• Capacity Building, especially, in Crop Economics and
Commercial Farming and Marketing
• Continuous / regular hand-holding
with linkages to knowledge and markets
• Incentivise through Awards and
perhaps some feasible / reasonable subsidies
Some Suggestions for Way Forward

21. SRI-LMB-MEL Study in Laos
Thank you!