Leaflets

Weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina, Hymenoptera) have been used for more than 2,000 years for the suppression of insect pests in Asian mango and citrus orchards, thus constituting the oldest known example of biological control in agriculture. Yet, in the Mekong Delta, pockets of smallholder farmers are still conserving weaver ant populations and relying upon these beneficial insects to keep pests at bay, especially in cashew plantations. Weaver ants are found naturally in organic plantations but their benefits are often unknown, as far as the possibility of increasing their population as a way to manage insect pests.

In Xiengkhouang, declining maize yields due to soil depletion combined with rising production costs are pushing smallholder farmers to shift to new crops. Many farmers are turning to banana cultivation. However, banana monoculture is not sustainable and therefore, a more resilient alternative is integrated farming, especially systems that combine bananas, fruit trees, and coffee.

The augmentorium is a netted structure (tent or cage) used to confine fruits that have been infested by fruit flies. It prevents adult fruit flies from escaping while allowing beneficial parasitoids, which destroy the fruit flies, to get in and out. It is both a waste management tool and a biological control. This technical leaflet presents step by step how to use an augmentarium for managing fruit flies in the mango plantations

A technical guide for composting composting animal waste and agricultural by-products. Composting manure with biological products is the process of decomposing animal and plant waste into organic matter that is easier for plants to digest after just a few weeks or months. This process reduces odor, disease germs, helminth eggs, and harmful bacteria.

Key Questions Explored: – Main criteria for new rice varieties – How to use and multiply varieties – Adaptation to current farming systems

Cattle fattening leads to rapid growth and a shorter rearing period to be slaughtered than conventional raising (4-6 months) by providing high-quality feed in abundance. It produces high-quality beef that meets market demands.

The technical leaflet introduces the rice–duck system, an agroecological practice that reduces chemical use by allowing ducks to control pests and weeds while naturally fertilizing the soil. It outlines the system’s economic benefits, showing how farmers can increase rice yields and earn additional income from duck sales. The leaflet also provides practical guidance, timelines, and cost estimates to support successful adoption.

Shade trees are key partners for tea producers when well managed. Keeping tea plants 3–6 meters from shade trees gives the best mix of yield, soil protection, and good tea quality. Too close, tea grows less but soils stay cool and covered; too far, yields rise but the soil loses protection.

Gliricidia sepium is a fast-growing, nitrogenfixing leguminous tree, highly valued for its adaptability in Northern Laos. It could serve as a resilient live fence, or intercrop, delivering multiple ecosystem services with minimal inputmaking it a cost-effective and sustainable agricultural solution on degraded, and acidic soils.

This leaflet explains simple techniques for producing natural insect repellents from local plants and household ingredients. It provides several herbal formulas, preparation steps, and application methods for different types of pests. The guide promotes safe, low-cost, and eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides for sustainable farming.