Good practice and lesson learned in promoting vetiver as solution for slope stabilisation and erosion control in Thailand

Abstract

Landslide and soil erosion are critical issues and an undoubtedly dreadful potential for mountainous areas worldwide. These issues are magnified when they are faced by lower-income countries, countries that experiences intense rainfalls, or countries that face both of these realities. In any of these cases, solutions for disaster management should be simple, economical and cost-effective. The application of vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizaniodes) has been widely promoted in tropical regions as a cost-effective and environmental-friendly solution for slope stabilisation and erosion control for many years. Despite its potential, vetiver grass utilisation has not been widely accepted by disadvantaged agricultural communities at landslide hazard areas. The failure to promote vetiver grass use in these areas is primarily caused by a lacking of a sustainable model for vetiver grass implementation in rural communities. The purpose of this ex-post facto research is to examine the good practical model in two communities that have successfully established vetiver grass utilisation for land and water conservation. Research findings revealed that there are two important key elements in the success of these two communities. First, creation of community potential in the forms of human resource and leadership enhanced the community’s support in finding an appropriate solution to solve their own problems. Second, networking and assistance from government and non-government organisations in marketing campaign gave the communities the resources they needed to effectively implement vetiver grass use. Together, these two key elements form a sustainable model in which communities will receive the support they need in order to achieve sustainable short-term and long-term vetiver grass utilisation.