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)

Scaling-up SLM practices by smallholder farmers (IFAD)

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

Makerere University (Makerere University) - Uganda

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

17/07/2017

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

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

CF basins are constructed in the field to act as water storage containers. Water is conserved within the basins and plants can survive with this conserved water during periods of little rainfall and dry spells.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Farmers in Northern Uganda are observing changes in weather patterns. Rainfall has become unpredictable and unreliable for sustainable farming This forces farmers to adapt to these changes using available conservation farming technologies such as Conservation Farming (CF) basins.
CF basins are water conservation structures constructed in the garden during dry seasons. The basins store rainwater during rainy seasons and ensure water availability for plants during periods of little or no rainfall.

During construction of the basins, plant residues in the field are slashed and retained within the garden. A common hoe is used to excavate rectangular holes of about 30cm x 20cm, having a depth of 15cm. The top soil is put on one side of the basin while the subsoil is put on the other side. When the basin is ready, the top soil is put back into the hole to cover about half of the total basin depth. The basin is now ready for planting at the onset of rains. The spacing between basins depends on the type of crop to be planted. For groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea) it's 30cm x 30cm. The number of seeds per hole (seed rate) also depends on the crop. For maize, 3 plants per hole are to be planted, for groundnut, 6-8 plants per hole and for beans 6-8 plants per hole.

The basins are particularly important during critical growth periods such as germination, flowering and fruit seting if a sudden drought occurs. The basins conserve water, reduce surface runoff and support extended crop growth during dry seasons. After harvesting crop residues are put back into the basin to decompose so to build up humus in to basin.

Farmers who practice this technology have reported healthy crop growth and reduced risk of crop failure. However, construction of CF basins is labour intensive because good basins need to be constructed in the dry season when the soil is hard. However, this challenge is outweighed by the fact that basins only need to be constructed once every 3-4 years.

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

Indicate year of implementation:

2016

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• during experiments/ research

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Funded through CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic 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:

• rainfed

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 2

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• water harvesting
• surface water management (spring, river, lakes, sea)

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

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:

• reduce land degradation
• adapt to land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

CF basins
1. Rectangular: 30cm x 20cm
2. Depth: 15cm
3. Spacing between basins: 30cm depending on crop
4. Seed rate: 3-8 plants per hole depending on the crop

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

Uganda Shillings

Indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (if relevant): 1 USD =:

3600.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Slashing the field (clearence)	Agronomic	dry season
2.	Constructing basins	Structural	dry season
3.	Planting crops	Agronomic	onset of rains

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	Slashing	person days	15.0	5000.0	75000.0	100.0
Labour	Construction of basins	person days	30.0	3000.0	90000.0	100.0
Labour	Planting	person days	15.0	5000.0	75000.0	100.0
Equipment	CF hoe	no	5.0	12000.0	60000.0	100.0
Equipment	Slashers	no	5.0	6000.0	30000.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	kg	30.0	5000.0	150000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					480000.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Clearing soil from basins	Structural	3 years of establishment

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	Labour	person days	15.0	3000.0	45000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					45000.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour for digging during establishment and clearing soil from basins during maintenance

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:

• communal (organized)
• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

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 temperature		increase	well
seasonal temperature	wet/ rainy season	increase	moderately
annual rainfall		decrease	very well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	decrease	very well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	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

• 1-10%

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

• 90-100%

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 land user’s view
Constructed once every 3-4 years
Does not require technical skills or sophisticated equipment to construct the basins
Reduced chances of crop failures due to droughts

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Water storage efficiency is high
Plant roots can easily access water from the soil
Crop residues have additional functions to retain soil moisture

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?
Difficult to construct the basins	Use a CF hoe

7.1 Methods/ sources of information