Participatory action by the community in sustainable land use management for agricultural systems on the Ban Eang watershed Saluang sub district Maeteang district, Chiang Mai province, Thailand

摘要

Participatory action by the community on the Ban Eang watershed in Saluang subdistrict Mae Teang district, Chiang Mai, Thailand was studied to assess soil chemical characteristics for the purpose of land use management for sustainable agriculture. This watershed has an area of about 830 ha and land uses were paddy rice, terrace paddy rice, orchard, field crop and forest. The community in Ban Eng watershed showed strong participatory action. Soils were developed from the residuum gneiss. Soil reactionwas very strongly acid (pH 4.84) to strongly acid (pH 5.30) in topsoil and very strongly acid (pH 4.89) to moderately acid in subsoil (pH 5.82). Organic matter decreased with soil depth in the range of very low (0.79 g/kg) to high (56.39 g/kg). The extractable phosphorus was low (5.36 mg/kg) to moderately high (21.52 mg/kg) in topsoil and very low (0.79 mg/kg) to moderately low (8.45 mg/kg) in subsoil. Extractable potassium was high (92.5 mg/kg) to very high (178 mg/kg) in topsoil and very low (25.7 mg/kg) to moderate (97.9 mg/kg) in subsoil and extractable calcium was low (617 mg/kg) to moderate (1099 mg/kg) in topsoil and very low (54.3-91.4 mg/kg) in subsoil and magnesium was low (106 mg/kg) to moderate (289 mg/kg) in topsoil and very low (35.3 mg/kg) to low (107 mg/kg) in subsoil. The community established a programme for soil management. Dolomite and organic fertilizer were recommended to improve soil properties. Moreover, mulching, vétiver grass strips and sprinkler technique were applied in this watershed as a basis for sustainable agriculture.