King of Thailand Vetiver Awards - Call for papers

These prestigious awards relating to the Vetiver System have been awarded, since 1996, every four of five years as part of the International Conferences on Vetiver (ICV). The next award, as announced, in this flyer will be made in October 2020 at the time of ICV7. The six awards are made for outstanding research and development presented at the conference.  Please share this announcement.  Coincident with these awards TVNI makes some awards the details of which will be announced shortly. Note ICV7 theme will be "Vetiver for Soil and Water Conservation". A second announcement relating to conference details can be expected in the next few months.

CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM FOR VETIVER INITIATIVES

We welcome the initiative of the Vietnam Vetiver Network for setting up a crowdfunding platform for global vetiver initiatives.

Vietnam is a coastal state, three quarters of which is made up of low mountains and hilly regions. An average of 10 typhoons and tropical depression hit the country annually, causing major erosional hazards, resulting in disastrous landslides and other events that damage nearby schools, houses, and crops; destabilizing infrastructures such as roads, bridges, and influx of salt water; and often results in contaminated land and water. Fortunately, the Vetiver System has been developed and used in Vietnam for disaster mitigation, infrastructure protection, and clean up of contaminated land (including remediation of (Agent Yellow) dioxin contamination) and water for more than 10 years. Currently with an increased awareness and demand for vetiver, Vietnam Vetiver Network has moved to a new phase in its promotion — this new website included with a crowdfunding platform is one part of it. This crowdfunding platform will offer individuals, community groups, or non-profit organizations a chance to successfully carry out their Vetiver programs to conserve soil and water, improve soil fertility, remove contaminants from land and water resources, stabilize soil based structures, and provide community trainings, etc. For those reasons, we hope to have your support and participation in developing and advancing this Vietnam initiative. For more information visit https://vetiver.com.vn/ and for the crowdfunding mechanism: https://vetiver.com.vn/how-it-works/

The Vietnam Vetiver Network is a registered organization falling under the Danang Vetiver Foundation. It has full backing and support of the Vetiver Network International.

Use vetiver for cleaning up diesel and other oil contaminanted land

Agronomic and economic evaluation of Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) as means for phytoremediation of diesel polluted soils in Israel (2018) Nativ Dudai et al

ABSTRACT: Soil pollution in Israel, due to diesel contamination, is a major concern, with gas stations, factories and refineries being the main polluters (>60%). Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) is a perennial grass belonging to the Poaceae family, and is recognized world-wide for its potential as a plant with phytoremediation traits to contaminated soils. It is demonstrated here to decrease diesel contamination in field and court-yard trials. Chemical soil analysis indicated up to a 79% decrease (P < .05) in diesel pollution of contaminated soil planted with Vetiver; and at high soil contamination levels of 10 L/m2, a significant (P < .05) reduction of 96, 96 and 87% was recorded at soil depths of 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm, respectively. Furthermore, in field plots contaminated with diesel and planted with Vetiver, weeds' biomass recovered to non-polluted levels following 8 to 9 months of Vetiver treatment. An economic evaluation conducted based on the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) principles, utilizing the Net Present Value (NPV) compared phytoremediation to other currently used decontamination procedures. The economic comparison showed that phytoremediation cleanup costs are lower and more beneficial to society at large, primarily from an ecosystem services perspective. Combining the results of the agronomic examination with the economic valuation, this research pointed out that phytoremediation with Vetiver has a non-negligible potential, making it a good solution for cleansing diesel from soils on a state-wide scale in Israel and worthy of further research and development.

Philippines - Farmer Feedback on the use of Vetiver - what they thought of Vetiver in the 1990s

The following are observations by Vetiver) users given  during a 1996 community workshop at Matalom, Leyte, Philippines. Note in this part of the Philippines vetiver is known as “Mura” or “Mora”. (Prepared by , Program Field Coordinator, FARMI, ViSCA, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines). 

Leon Pen, Barangay Chairman, Templanza, Matalom, Leyte.....”I got my first Mura (Vetiver) planting materials from one of my barangay councilmen Jacinto Gerona. I planted Mura in my farm near my house. Mura is easy to plant with minimal maintenance. It grows very well and effectively controls the down flow of soil during the rainy season. At present, the contour plots of my farm have been leveled off. In addition, I am also using Mura to cure high blood pressure in my work as Tambalan (local medicine man). The only comment I have with Mura, is that my carabaos (water buffalo) do not like to eat it”. (If you cut your Mura regularly, say once a month, your carabaos will love it...Ed)

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On Farm Soil Loss and Rainfall Runoff During Major Rainfall Events

One of the consequences of climate change is that rainfall events are often less frequent and more intense.  During the 1980s a series of studies relating to vetiver grass and soil and water conservation were carried out by Dr. G.M. Bahrad of Akola University in Maharashtra, India. Here is a summary of some of that work;

Drs. G.M. Bharad and B.C. Bathkal from PKV University in Akola, Maharashtra, India have provided the Network with another season’s data on the impacts of vetiver grass hedgerows on soil loss and surface runoff.

Figures 1 and 2 show the soil loss (total and maximum one day soil losses) and surface runoff from the plots over three years and Figure 3 compares these rates to the control plot (ACROSS) from the top 10% largest storms over the three years. The individual treatments are : ACROSS = across slope cultivation only; BUND = a graded (0.2%) earthen bund at a 1 meter vertical interval with contour cultivation; LEUCAENA = Leucaena leucocephala contour hedgerows at a 1 meter vertical interval with contour cultivation; and VETIVER = Chysopogon zizanioides contour hedgerows at a 1 meter vertical interval with contour cultivation. Plots are approximately 0.35 ha, slopes are less than 2%, soils are vertisols, climate is semiarid.

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