The National Agroecology Programme (PRONAE) and the Southern Xayabury Application Point(PASS) of the Capitalization and Rural Development Support Programme (PCADR) have developed an approach in the provinces of Xayabury and Xieng Khouang that relies on direct-sowing mulch-based cropping systems (DMC). This approach has provided relevant alternatives to traditional agricultural practices which can no longer ensure the foundations of sustainable agriculture.In view of the results obtained, be they socio-economic or environmental, the Council of Ministers asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) to promote these techniques throughout the country, and called for this approach to be included in university and school courses. It is in that context that the Sector-based Agroecology Programme (PROSA), whose main aim is to define and implement a national strategy for the dissemination of Conservation Agriculture based on agroecological techniques (DMC), operates.This strategy is based on implementing an Agroecology Action Plan relying on the necessary incorporation ofnatural capital in rural development policies. The plan involves programming activities, setting in place decision-making and operational processes and bringing into play financial, material and human resourceson both a central and local level (province, district and sub-district). The finest level of intervention comprisesgroups of farmers linked to service centres set up by the government within the districts (Kum Ban Pattana). On each level, the agroecology action plan is to arise from an integrated and concerted approach, in which each category of rural development stakeholders is committed to a process in which their needs and skills are acknowledged by all. Likewise, on each level, it is necessary to define, in a concerted manner, the initiatives that have to be taken (diagnosis, planning, implementation, monitoring-appraisal), the tools required (training of the different stakeholders, organization and structuring of the State sector and of the private sector, contractualization between stakeholders) and the fields of involvement (extension, local development funding arrangements, management of natural resources, equipment management, organization of supplyand marketing chains, etc.). Each of the two pilot provinces, Xayabury and Xieng Khouang, is in the process of defining its Provincial Action Plan in Agroecology. An initial diagnosis of farming systems and their environmental impacts, along with the needs and contributions of each category of stakeholders, has been completed. The provinces then gave priority to defining decision-making and operational processes, and setting in place financial arrangements for the Provincial Action Plans. Initially, two funding tools are under consideration: constitution of a development fund, and agricultural credit. On a central level, the decision-making and operational processes are directly attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, notably via the Planning Department. The creation of a Research and ServiceProvider Centre in support of local and national development is envisaged. Likewise, on a central level, it is a matter of facilitating the implementation of training plans for the different stakeholders. Lastly, the inclusionof agroecology in university and school courses is under way. Also for the educational sector, it is necessary to define a training plan to strengthen the skills and abilities of teachers. The creation of a national, or even regional network associating agricultural faculties and agricultural schools would enable an economy of scale by more effectively taking advantage of complementarities and decentralization to a more functional local level.

The results of the WSA analysis are promising, highlighting the positive features of forage species like B. ruziziensis and S. guianensis, which seem able to aggregate smaller soil particles. Annual records should be made for B. ruziziensis, S. guianensis and others systems, and linked with analysis of microbial activities to show the beneficial functions of each species or system in soil aggregation.
It is difficult to interpret the positive features of species in regard to bulk density and soil permeability as interaction is complex and various parameters are involved. At the same value of bulk density, this parameter will be affected by article size and arrangement, and organic content.
In the case of rice and pine forest, the lower bulk density is mainly related to macro-porosity (high level of permeability). In contrast, B. ruziziensis and S. guianensis showed, for lower Da, a lower value of permeability probably related to an increase of micro-porosity. This characteristic has to be analysed during subsequent measurements of Da and soil permeability data as micro-porosity is a main component influencing water retention.

A case study in the Mekong Corridor

The results of these surveys show that there are currently more than 1,200 smallholders using DMC systems on a total of about 1,500 ha of cultivated land. Overall, the rates and levels of DMC systems’ adoption by smallholders appear more important in areas where the environment is the most degraded and/or particularly fragile (case of Nongphakbong village, Botene district).
In contrast, in less environmentally-degraded and less fragile areas, the level of DMC systems’ adoption is still rather limited. With more productive soils, mechanized mono-cropping can still provide high profits and, as such, retain the interest of a majority of farmers (case of Bouamlao village, Paklay district).

Currently, the main technical and socioeconomic constraints for a wide dissemination of DMC systems appear to be: 1) the credit and collection systems that have developed in southern Xayaboury province which continue to favour conventional, mechanized agriculture and prevent farmers from adopting technical alternatives, 2) lack of access to appropriate agricultural equipment,
and 3) poor communal land management (i.e. wildfires and grazing in dry seaason) which leads to the destruction of both crop residues and cover crops used in DMC systems.

With significant levels of crop diversification and engagement in off-farm or non-farm activities, livelihoods in general appear more diversified in the degraded and fragile areas. These trends can be considered as ‘risk avoidance’ strategies. By adopting DMC systems, smallholders attempt to avoid the environmental and economic risks associated with less sustainable systems
based on heavy mechanization and maize mono-cropping. In turn, by diversifying their livelihoods, smallholders attempt to limit their vulnerability to the potential failure of a single economic activity.

Case study in the mMekong Corridor

A farmer--group based approach linking research and development for the promotion of Conservation Agriculture in the Lao PDR

• 40 extension officers trained on research --development techniques and methodologytechniques methodology
• 2008: Around 2000 ha cultivated under no tillage for a total of 18000 ha within the 45 villages of intervention of intervention
• 150 ha of corn associated with beans have been implemented within the groups

DMC Systems for Rice--Beef Production in the Plain of Jars,Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR: Province, An Example of Creation--Validation

Methodological Approach

Institutional tools for the promotion of Conservation Agriculture in Lao PDR

This rice-beef system “creation-validation” process shows the need to maintain research activities to feed the development process and the merits of the approach for determining the potential for technology dissemination.

A sector-based program in agroecology for a national extension of DMC