LoA Project Highlights Prepared by Nhem Sokha Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries GMS Working Group on Agriculture Impl. Agency: Department of Agricultural Engineering

Project Outputs - 8 Training courses: 256 participants include 240 farmers and 16 PDA staffs (46% are women) - 48 Field demonstrations: 240 farmers (48% are women)

Project Outputs - 8 Farmer’s field days: 451 participants (49% are women) - Biochar documents: - Leaflets: 6,000 sheets - Posters: 1,000 sheets - DVD video: 50 dishes - Reflection workshop: 45 participants (10% are women)

Project Outcomes - Economic (livelihood, income generation) Project Outcomes - Economic (livelihood, income generation) - Increase income 2 or 3 times more than before; - spend less money to take care their health. - Women participation and empowerment - Women participate at least 40% in the project; - Among of 48 demo farmers, there were 12 women and 5women became a farmer’s leader; - women are very strong decision making and financing. - Environment (climate change, reduce agrochemical use…) - biochar can save water for crops during draught season; - reduce or not use chemical fertilizer or pesticide. - Social (reduce violence, increase job, return from city to community) - no violence (conflict) in farmer’s families when they receive more income from their jobs; - have enough time for take care their children and allow them to go to school or university.

Lessons Learned - Lack points - Some of farmers are not well accepted with the concept of biochar technology; - - Good points (adoption by other farmers……) - In case of rice husk not available or have no biochar kiln, farmer can use by-product from gasifier or dryer that use rice husk for burning

Project Issues - During project implementation, it was draught by climate change; - In some communes, farmers have small land for agricultural production; - Rice husk is available, but it use for another purpose such as brick and tile production, energy production, heat production...etc.; - Agricultural tasks or operations are seasonal and have to do in time; - Project fund didn't allocate in time for project implementing.

key success Biochar can improve soil fertility and can amend soil structure (increase soil PH, reduce acid in soil…); Biohar (50%=2.5 t/ha) mix with slurry or compost or cow manure (50%=2.5 t/ha) is getting better yield than Biochar (100%=5 t/ha) and control (farmer’s habit); Rice husk vinegar can use as natural pesticide for spraying on agricultural crop, after keeping it for 3-6 months; Biochar + Slurry or Compost (50%+50%) can use as basal fertilizer because biochar can kill all batteries, fungi and diseases that exit in the soil; Biochar can add 1% into animal feed and add into cattle manure for digester.

Activities to be up scaled - Strengthening farmer’s knowledge on more field practice; - Dissemination of biochar technology to other provinces that have very poor soil (Kampong Speu, Prey Veng), use more chemical inputs (Kandal), have upland soil (Kampot) and 4 old target provinces; - Established farmer’s line to organic market; - Increased more organic products to market and reduced imported none organic product from neighboring countries; - Reduced and used properly chemical inputs; - Establish law, sub degree and standards for organic crop.

Thank you