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.

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)

In the four southern districts (Kenthao, Paklay,Boten, and Thongmixay) of Xayabury province, the current cropping systems are based on cash crop production. Maize is the main crop under rainfed conditions and covers more than 30,000 ha in the region. Land preparation is based mainly on plowing, which degrades soil and destroys infrastructures (paddy fields and roads). These deteriorations result from growing pressure on agricultural systems and farmers’ lack of access to affordable labour.

To ensure a sustainable strategy of development of the agroecology in Laos, it is necessary: • To precede in a integrative and participatory way since, only the direct and volunteer involvement of each actor will make it possible to make sure that the objectives and the means mobilized to achieve these goals are well shared and accepted by each one, • To approach jointly and in close interaction with the technical aspects all the socio-economic favorable conditions for the appropriation, the diffusion and sustainability of dynamic in progress

Changes in soil aggregation, soil water-holding capacity and soil biological activity under no-till systems and cropping sequences in the Lao PDR

The results of these trials show that using pigeon pea for pig feed had positive impact on the Average Daily Growth (ADG) rate. The ADG obtained after 150 days with Groups 2 (523 g/days) and 3 (529 g/days) were significantly higher (P

A sector-based program in agroecology for a national extension of DMC According to the results obtained by the Lao National Agroecology Program (PRONAE), the Council of Ministers asked, on the one hand, to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) to promote DMC technologies to the whole of Lao PDR and, on the other hand, that this approach is registered in he university and school courses. The national authorities required from Cirad and AFD a support for the implementation of a sector based program in agroecology

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.

ORCATAD. Developing a Database of Exemplary Practices in Conservation Agriculture

Formation d'un réseau Agroécologie pour l'Asie du Sud-Est pour réunir les données, organiser des ateliers et visites des terrains et créer un site internet. Creation of a netwwork in agroecology in order to organize workshop, meetings, fields visits and website.