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

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

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

Community Organizations and Mobilization for Soil and Water … [Ethiopia]

Community mobilization for soil and water conservation work in a watershed planning unit is an approach for collective action by organizing all active labor forces living in the kebele/peasant association into development group of 20-30 members and further divide into 1:5 work force to implement construction of soil and water …

• Compiler: Gizaw Desta Gessesse
• 03/14/2014 middernag

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Closing the degraded land to let it to regenerate by excluding human and animal interference ans speed up the regeneration process by applying some SWC activities and undertake enrichment plantation.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Area closure is suitable for degraded lands. Degraded areas are excluded from animal and human contact and integrated with activities that speed up regeneration process such as SWC activities, agronomic measures, vegetative and management measures.

Purpose of the Technology: Area closure improves the productivity of degraded lands and protects down stream fields and properties from flooding and improves ground water recharge.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: Management and utilization plan prepared and agreed. Planning and design of supplimentary measures are integrated.

Natural / human environment: Area closure is applicable in all areas that have lost vegetation cover and has low soil fertility.

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

Country:

Ethiopia

Region/ State/ Province:

SNNPR

Further specification of location:

Lemo

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 10.5 km2.

Communities develop positive attitude towards activities implemented and results obtained such as livestock feed, fuel wood, bee forage, farm implements and construction materials.

Map

×

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 projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

It is introduced technology.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Ja

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agro-silvopastoralism

Cropland

• Annual cropping
• Perennial (non-woody) cropping
• Tree and shrub cropping

Annual cropping - Specify crops:

• cereals - barley
• cereals - maize
• cereals - other
• legumes and pulses - beans
• root/tuber crops - potatoes

• wheat, teff, legumes, haricot

• Enset, Desho, phalaris

Tree and shrub cropping - Specify crops:

• coffee, open grown

• chat, Acacia saligina, Acaccia decurrens, Omedila, Grevillea robusta

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 2

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 180 Longest growing period from month to month: Apr - Nov Second longest growing period in days: 150 Second longest growing period from month to month: Jan - May

Is intercropping practiced?

Ja

If yes, specify which crops are intercropped:

maize & haricot bean

Forest/ woodlands

• Tree plantation, afforestation

Products and services:

• Timber
• Fuelwood
• Grazing/ browsing
• Nature conservation/ protection

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Overgrazing, low awarness of land users, lack of management plan for communal lands and low level of diversification of land users activities.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Shortage of grazing lands, lack of common understanding of the management of common resources.

Semi-nomadism / pastoralism: Yes

Grazingland comments: Inspite of decreasing grazing lands, farmers still want to own some heads of livestock. Grazinglands as a result are highly pressurized. Land users cut grass from area closures and carry them home to feed their livestock. Some land users who have few polts for grazing close them to grow grass.

Plantation forestry: Yes

Problems / comments regarding forest use: Natural forests do not exist. Planted forests are managed by the community. In the SWC area, a larger area was planted some 20 years ago but at present the planted forests have been cleared for cultivation. This is the result of high population growth. Some of the planteed forests have been cleared by demobilizing soldiers.

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: Cereals - Legumes - Cereals

Constraints of infrastructure network (roads, railways, pipe lines, power lines)

3.4 Water supply

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

• rainfed

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• area closure (stop use, support restoration)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

• Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
• Wg: gully erosion/ gullying
• Wo: offsite degradation effects

chemical soil deterioration

• Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)

physical soil deterioration

• Pu: loss of bio-productive function due to other activities

water degradation

• Ha: aridification

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Wg: gully erosion / gullying

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Wo: offsite degradation effects, Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content, Pu: loss of bio-productive function due to other activities, Ha: aridification

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

Comments:

Secondary goals: prevention of land degradation, mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

Birr

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

8.6

4.3 Establishment activities

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 24 month(s)

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

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

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: hoe, shovel, gaso

The cost is calculated for labour needed to the construct SWC activities to rehablitate one hectar of degraded land.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Higher slopes and shallow soil depths increase the cost of construction.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Altitudinal zone: 2001-2500 m a.s.l. ( <2400m a.s.l., ranked 1) and 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l. ( >1900m a.s.l., ranked 2)
Slopes on average: Rolling (ranked 1), hilly (ranked 2) and gentle, moderate and steep (all ranked 3)

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 depth on average: Also moderately deep (ranked 2) and shallow (ranked 3)
Soil texture: Fine/heavy (mainly clay loam, ranked 1) and medium (ranked 2)
Soil fertility is medium (ranked 1), low (ranked 2), high (ranked 3)
Soil drainage/infiltration is good (ranked 1) and medium (ranked 2)
Soil water storage capacity high (ranked 1) and medium (ranked 2)

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 200-500 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 3% - 4%
6% of the land users are rich and own 15% of the land.
45% of the land users are average wealthy and own 40% of the land.
35% of the land users are poor and own 30% of the land.
12% of the land users are poor and own 20% of the land.
Off-farm income specification: Some land users are engaged in small trading and some are daily labourer when they are free from field activities.
Level of mechanization: Animal traction (oxen plough system, ranked 1) and manual work (hoe and gaso, ranked 2)
Market orientation of forest production system: Mixed (ranked 1, individual plantation for market and domestic consumption), subsistence (ranked 2, individual woodlots plantation for domestic consumption) and commercial/market (ranked 3, community plantation for sale)

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

Land use rights:

• individual

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

3990

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

• 0-10%

Comments:

97% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

3800 land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

Comments on acceptance with external material support: estimates

5% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

190 land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: estimates

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: The farmers have made some modifications in order to increase the effectivness of the technology, by making fences around enclosures.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

7.1 Methods/ sources of information