(3) "Existing Local knowledge and Cropping Practices in Farming Systems in Laos: A Case Study in Ban Kadan of Champhone District, SavannakhetProvince"
           Farming systems in Ban Kadan (ban means “village”) were found to be complex systems, involving both ecological and socioeconomic relations. The practical technology interacts with the ecological relations, combining to produce sets of different farming practices by different farmers in response to various physical and socio-economic conditions. Their knowledge and practices have been taught over many generations in the village.
           Agricultural land is the most important source of economic activities, accounting for more than 85% of total village land. About 94% of the agricultural land is locally called na (paddy fields), and is used mainly for growing rice under a rain-fed environment in the village. The local land classification and land use patterns are mainly determined by topography, hydrologic conditions, soil characteristics, agricultural potential and other aspects of the surrounding environment.
           Six types of the paddy land were identified: nadon (high field), natinban (medium high field), nakhok (medium field), nathong (medium low field), naxe (low field), and nanong (very low field), respectively. The majority of farming households mainly transplant rice in the wet season (May-October), and then leave the paddy land fallow during the dry season (November-April). The major cropping patterns are transplanting wet season improved rice variety (IV) and then fallow land in the dry season, as well as another combination, wet season traditional rice variety (TV) and IV and then fallow land in the dry season. The double rice cropping can be done only in the lower fields, such as nathong and naxe. In addition to rice, wet season vegetable crops are grown in suan-khoa (home gardens) and suan-na (field gardens) located in the higher portions of each land type. Dry season vegetable crops are mainly grown in suan-had (riverside gardens). However, most vegetable production is used for home consumption and only a small portion is sold when cash is needed.
          However, local knowledge is facing the risk of extinction in the village today due to a lack of awareness and a failure to account for it in agricultural research and rural development planning strategies, even within the village. In particular, young peoples and new generations do not seem to have much interest in learning about or preserving local knowledge.
           To improve farming systems in Laos, and particular in Savannakhet province, it is suggested that both research and extension work should take local knowledge and the technology of local people into account. This local knowledge and technology can be valuable for scientists’ work in contributing to research planning and rural development programmes.