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)

FAO Bangladesh (FAO Bangladesh) - Bangladesh

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

Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) (Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI)) - Bangladesh

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

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:

Natural Vegetative Strips (NVS) are narrow strips of naturally growing grasses and herbs intentionally left unploughed along the contours of slope land to serve as buffers that prevent soil erosion during heavy rains.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) covers an area about 13,181 km2 and occupies about 76% of total 12% upland areas of the country and is endowed with natural beauty and potential economic benefits. Shifting cultivation or jhum has been practiced in CHT for many hundreds of years by the local people. Shifting cultivation is a form of agriculture, in which an area of ground is cleared of vegetation, and cultivated for a few years and then abandoned for a new area until its fertility has been naturally restored. Many cultivators practice slash-and-burn in jhum as one element of their farming cycle. Shifting cultivation and its associated fires destroyed about two thirds of the previously existing forests in CHT, which has accelerated soil erosion. While it was an environmentally suitable land use in the past when population pressure was low, it has gradually become an environmentally incompatible land use system with the shortening of fallow periods. In addition to increasing population pressure, low investment in agricultural technology, and poor management of land rights have also negatively impacted the forests. One of the best ways of adapting to these issues is the adoption of Natural Vegetative Strip (NVS) technique on cultivated slopes.
NVS are narrow strips of naturally growing grasses and herbs intentionally left unploughed along the contours of hilly-sloped lands. On gentle slopes, every 4-meters a 1-meter wide strip of NVS is made along the natural contours of the slope. These strips serve as buffers that prevent the soil from eroding during heavy rains and intensive cultivation. Over time, these strips form stable terraces along the contours. Vegetables and other crops can be cultivated in between two NVS.
The Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Center in Meghla, Bandarban has implemented demonstration plots of this sustainable land management technique. Here the use of NVS has improved morphological and reproductive characteristics. They reduced soil erosion by more than 90% and NVS’s were easy to establish as they were incorporated during land preparation, and thus required minimal labour. They did not entail additional cost, as there was no need for additional planting materials, since the grasses naturally grew on the farm.
In addition to minimizing soil erosion, NVS plays a vital role in improving plant growth, crop productivity, and fruit length and weight. The strips also filter pesticides, nitrates and soluble phosphorus thus prevent runoff. As they improve water infiltration during heavy rains, subsequent land preparation and crop management become easier. One limitation of NVS is that it reduces the available cropping area by about 10 to 15%, depending on the steepness of the slope. The steeper slope require more wide vegetative strips for erosion protection. Typically the strips do not cause weed problems as long as the farmers regularly cultivate within the NVS area and maintain a 50 cm buffer around the area. If farmer-maintenance is good, no weed problems occur. NVS is a promising practice to mitigate soil erosion and improve crop cultivation in CHT.

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:

• during experiments/ research

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Center demonstrate the NVS technology in hill slope of Bandarban area to study the impact of this practice on erosion.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• reduce risk of disasters

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Nee

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

Comments:

Shifting cultivation practiced in the slopes through slush and burn which triggered extreme soil erosion

3.4 Water supply

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

Manual irrigation in the dry period from the stream

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• cross-slope measure

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

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

BDT

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

84.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Cleaning	March-April
2.	Making contour line	March-April
3.	Planting	April-May

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Cleaning	person-days	15.0	600.0	9000.0	100.0
Labour	Making contour line	person-days	8.0	600.0	4800.0	100.0
Labour	Making pit	person-days	8.0	600.0	4800.0	100.0
Labour	Fertilizer application	person-days	2.0	600.0	1200.0	100.0
Equipment	Spade, Knife, Basket	lump sum	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds of vegetables	kg	0.6	4000.0	2400.0	100.0
Plant material	Bamboo stick to support plant	pcs	1500.0	2.0	3000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Urea	kg	450.0	16.0	7200.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	TSP	kg	150.0	22.0	3300.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	MoP	kg	200.0	15.0	3000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Cow dung	lump sum	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	pesticides	lump sum	1.0	2000.0	2000.0	100.0
Construction material	Fencing	lump sum	1.0	3000.0	3000.0	100.0
Other	Transportation	Lump sum	1.0	2000.0	2000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					55700.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					663.1

Comments:

The Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Center bear all the costs of this documented practice as land user

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Maintenance of the natural vegetative strip (weeding the crop bed, repair the natural vegetative strip)	Before onset of the monsoon

4.6 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	weeding the crop bed and repair the natural vegetative strip	person-days	5.0	600.0	3000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					3000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					35.71

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The cost depends on the slope. Steep slopes require more natural vegetative strips to reduce soil erosion. Hence, the cost is higher for steep slopes.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

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

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Normally land users will apply the Technology as households or small groups. In the case here documented, the Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Center in Bandarban applied the technology for research purposes

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

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

Land ownership:

• state
• communal/ village

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)
• leased

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Ja

Specify:

As per Chittagong Hill Tract regulation act

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

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	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well
seasonal temperature	summer	increase	well
annual rainfall		increase	well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	well
local thunderstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	moderately
land fire	moderately

Biological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
insect/ worm infestation	moderately

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

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

• 0-10%

Comments:

The Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Center, Bandarban applied the technology for research purposes and found that the practice reduces up to 90% soil erosion in slope cultivation. The department of agricultural extension now planning to start piloting the practice in hill areas.

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
Natural Vegetative strips are easy to establish. They are incorporated during land preparation, and thus require minimal labor.
They do not entail additional cost as there is no need for additional planting materials.
The natural strip reduces top soil erosion and retain the soil fertility.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The natural strips filter pests and also acts as a barrier to fire.
The natural strips eventually formed terraces for crop cultivation.
The practice improve water infiltration during heavy rains.

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?
The NVS reduces the available cropping area by about 10 to 15%.	Non timber forest products like Broom grass can be planted in the natural strip to generate additional income to the farmers
Farmers regularly need to maintain the weeds of natural strip otherwise it may spread in the productive areas and reduces crop yield.	If farmer-maintenance is good, no weed problems occur

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Steep slope requires more wide natural vegetative strips and reduces the production area	Eventually the NVS formed wide bench terrace and allow more space for cultivation

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Annual report 2018-2019, SOIL CONSERVATION & WATERSHED MANAGEMENT CENTER (SCWMC), SOIL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (SRDI)

Available from where? Costs?

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH

7.4 General comments

The questionnaire addressed all the key aspects of the technology