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

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

Decision Support for Mainstreaming and Scaling out Sustainable Land Management (GEF-FAO / DS-SLM)

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

Ministerio de Ambiente y Agua Ecuador (MAAE) - Ecuador

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

Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería Ecuador (MAG) - Ecuador

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

Organización de la Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura Ecuador (FAO Ecuador) - Ecuador

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

20/11/2018

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

Ja

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

Nee

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Los cultivos en terrazas son una técnica agrícola de manejo y conservación del suelo originaria de los pueblos andinos. Consiste en cortar el perfil de una pendiente (paisaje montañoso) de manera escalonada para, en el suelo horizontal resultante, sembrar (hortalizas, arbustos o arboles) y cultivar especies agrodiversas que se den en la zona.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Esta tecnología consiste en la siembra de pastos o arbustos en hileras que tienen la característica de tener las raíces profundas que les permiten sostener la tierra que se desliza por la pendiente y labores culturales que realizan en el terreno, las hileras de pastos o arbustos deben ser sembradas con curvas de nivel con un distanciamiento desde los 5 hasta los 20 m dependiendo de la pendiente. La erosión de los suelos es considerada uno de los problemas ambientales más significativos del sector rural, asimismo, dicha problemática está asociada a una disminución de la productividad y eficiencia de los suelos, provocada por una baja retención tanto del agua como del suelo, cuya tendencia a escurrir se manifiesta en mayor medida en terrenos con pendientes pronunciadas. La incorporación de las técnicas de conservación de aguas y suelos demanda un importante esfuerzo técnico y económico, por lo que los conocimientos referentes a esta temática y los estudios que se han realizado al respecto, son escasos. Este esfuerzo, está dirigido a pequeños propietarios agrícolas y forestales de sectores semiáridos de nuestro país, y que tiene por objetivo el ofrecer nuevas tecnologías de conservación de aguas y suelos, que permitan actuaciones más acordes con el medio ambiente físico y social y que hagan posible acercarse hacia un desarrollo sostenible.

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:

• more than 50 years ago (traditional)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• reduce risk of disasters
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

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:

• 2

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• agroforestry
• integrated soil fertility management
• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)

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:

• < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• prevent land degradation
• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Para construir una terraza se la debe mantener a nivel con una regla en A.
Se pueden construir soportes de piedra, o únicamente se lo deja con el talud de tierra.
La distancia entre las terrazas depende, en muchos de los casos, de los cultivos que se van a sembrar. Generalmente tinene 1 metro de ancho y entre cultivos, si son hortalizas, se siembra de 20 a 30 cm entre cada planta.
Las terrazas son una manera excelente de aumentar el área cultivable de un huerto familiar a largo plazo.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology unit

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• US Dollars

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Limpieza de terreno	Vegetative	inicio
2.	Transporte de materiales	Structural	logistica
3.	Preparación de terreno	Agronomic	implementación
4.	Siembra de pasto o arbustos	Agronomic	implementación
5.	Riego y mantenimiento ( 6 meses)	Management	implementación

Comments:

Un jornal equivale a un día de trabajo pagado a razón de 15 dólares.

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Limpieza de terreno	jornal	4.0	15.0	60.0	100.0
Labour	Transporte de materiales	jornal	3.0	15.0	45.0	20.0
Labour	Preparación de terreno	jornal	40.0	15.0	600.0	50.0
Labour	Siembra de pasto o arbustos	jornal	3.0	15.0	45.0	100.0
Equipment	Riego y mantenimiento	jornal	10.0	15.0	150.0	100.0
Equipment	Semilla de pasto	kg	3.0	15.0	45.0	100.0
Equipment	Pala	unidad	2.0	10.0	20.0	100.0
Equipment	Barreta	unidad	2.0	10.0	20.0	100.0
Equipment	Vehiculo	flete	2.0	15.0	30.0	100.0
Plant material	Arboles frutales	planta	25.0	3.0	75.0
Plant material	Semillas de hortaliza	kit	5.0	10.0	50.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1140.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Limpieza	Management	mensual
2.	Acondicionamiento de terrazas	Structural	mensual

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

If possible, break down the costs of maintenance according to the following table, specifying inputs and costs per input. If you are unable to break down the costs, give an estimation of the total costs of maintaining the Technology:

219.0

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Limpieza	Jornal	6.0	15.0	90.0	100.0
Labour	Acondicionamiento de terrazas	jornal	10.0	15.0	150.0	100.0
Equipment	Machete	machete	2.0	10.0	20.0	100.0
Equipment	Pala	pala	2.0	10.0	20.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					280.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

El factor más determinante en esta técnica es la mano de obra.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Nee

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Nee

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

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
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• leased
• individual

Water use rights:

• leased
• individual

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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 rainfall		increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
landslide	very well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

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

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Nee

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Las terrazas permiten sostener la tierra que se desliza por la pendiente y labores culturales que realizan en el terreno.

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Deslizamientos	Cálculo adecuado del tamaño del bancal teniendo en cuenta el porcentaje de pendiente.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Demanda un importante esfuerzo técnico y económico

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

URL:

http://www.fao.org/americas/en/

URL:

http://www.fao.org/americas/en/