1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) - Nepal

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research, and Development (LI-BIRD) - Nepal

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

01/07/2011

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

No-till is a farming system in which the seeds are planted directly into untilled soil which still contains the previous crop residues. No-till cultivation of garlic is practiced in the tropical lowland districts of western Nepal where garlic is sown directly into the soil after the paddy is harvested.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

No-till* methods minimize soil disturbance and allow crop residues or stubble to remain on the ground instead of being removed or dug into the soil. As practised in the western Terai of Nepal, the seedbed is prepared by leaving a 3–5 cm thick layer of rice paddy crop residue on the soil surface after the paddy harvest. Garlic seed is planted directly into the soil soon after the paddy is harvested at a spacing of approximately 15 cm and the entire field is then covered with a 10 cm (or more) layer of hay. The seeds germinate with the help of the ambient moisture. The frequency and timing of irrigation depends on need, but since there has been no tillage and the ground is covered with mulch, much of the ambient moisture is retained in the soil. The mature garlic is harvested in February–March. This technology is gaining in popularity because farmers can directly see the economic benefit of not having to till the soil.

Purpose of the Technology: No-till methods are important from the standpoint of environmental farming for a number of reasons. The fact that the soil is not tilled after the paddy is harvested and remains covered with crop residues leads to efficient erosion control (up to 90%) and increased biological activity in and on the soil. The technology helps to conserve moisture in the soil, to improve the infiltration of water (up to 60%), and to reduce soil compaction, and overall, it requires less energy for cultivation (Derpsch et al. 2010). Increasing soil organic matter also helps to sequester carbon and contributes to reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions; ultimately, it supports increased production and resilience to climate change. In addition to keeping carbon in the soil, in a recent study, no-till farming was found to reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by 40–70%, depending on the rotation.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: * No-till in this context means the soil is not tilled after the paddy is harvested and before the garlic seeds are planted. After the garlic is harvested, the soil is tilled before the next crop is planted. No-till is a form of conservation tillage, which refers to methods that leave at least 30% of crop residues in place.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Comments:

Future (final) land use (after implementation of SLM Technology): Cropland: Ca: Annual cropping

If land use has changed due to the implementation of the Technology, indicate land use before implementation of the Technology:

Cropland: Ca: Annual cropping

3.3 Further information about land use

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 3

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 240; Longest growing period from month to month: March - October; Second longest growing period in days: 100; Second longest growing period from month to month: November-January

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• minimal soil disturbance

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

If the Technology is evenly spread over an area, indicate approximate area covered:

• 1-10 km2

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: agronomic measures

Specification of other agronomic measures: no-till

Type of agronomic measures: zero tillage / no-till

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion

Main causes of degradation: soil management (poor soil management), change in temperature, change of seasonal rainfall

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

No-till garlic cultivation in fields where paddy has just been harvested.

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: high

Technical knowledge required for land users: high

Main technical functions: increase in organic matter, increase in nutrient availability (supply, recycling,…)

Secondary technical functions: increase of infiltration, increase / maintain water stored in soil

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• US Dollars

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	maintenance and recurrent activities are minimal. The seedling need to be watered, fertilized and weeded	Agronomic	October-March

4.7 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Maintenance	Persons/ha	6.0	4.23333333	25.4	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	kg/ha	10.0	0.7	7.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fertilizer	kg/ha	1.0	0.7	0.7	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Compost / manure	kg/ha	200.0	0.014	2.8	100.0
Other	Mulch	kg/ha	60.0	0.23333333	14.0	100.0
Other	Irrigation	ha	1.0	1.4	1.4	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					51.3

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil fertility is high

Soil drainage / infiltration is medium

Soil water storage capacity is high

5.4 Water availability and quality

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Water quality (untreated): ALso for agricultural use only (irrigation)

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Population density: > 500 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 2% - 3%

80% of the land users are average wealthy.
5% of the land users are poor.

Level of mechanization: Also mechanized

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, not titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	not well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	not well
local windstorm	not well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	not well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	not well

Comments:

can be made adaptive to the changing context by using improved varieties of seed which are resistant (tolerant) to environmental stresses like drought, increase in temperature or heavy precipitation

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 90-100%

Comments:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: This technology is widely adopted and practiced by a large percentage of household. All the household who practice this technology do so at their own cost.

There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: This technology has become popular among neighboring communities and districts.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Decreased soil erosion, diversification of income source and livelihood options; reduced expenses on agricultural input How can they be sustained / enhanced? Water needs to be available for irrigation and market linkages are needed to be able to fully profit from this cash crop
Soil conservation, improves water infiltration, increase organic matter in the soil; save effort and time How can they be sustained / enhanced? more awareness of the conservation value of no-till methods
Carbon sequestration reduced agricultural greenhouse gas emission and climate change adaptation How can they be sustained / enhanced? improved varieties of garlic that have stress resistance characteristics would help adaptation to climate change and would enhance environmental benefit

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Current status of adoption of no-till farming in the world and some of its main benefits,Derpsch,R;Friedrich,T;Hongwen,L;, 2010

Available from where? Costs?

www.fao.org/ag/ca/CA-Publications/China_IJABE.pdf