Apple trees with the house of the farmer in the background (Malgorzata Conder)

Silvo-pastoralism: Orchard with integrated grazing and fodder production (Tajikistan)

Description

Increased productivity of the land by planting fruit trees and conserving the land by restricting the access of livestock resulting in improved runoff retention

In Soviet times, this area of totally 40 ha comprised terraces and walnut trees in the steep foothills and pastures in the lower and flatter part. After the collapse of the Soviet Era, many similar areas got degraded due to uncontrolled grazing and overuse of natural resources. The area described in this documentation, in contrast, was taken over by a family in 1991. Within the whole area of 40 ha, roads were built to improve the access and 6000 trees were planted, whereof 1200 fruit trees were planted on the pasture, conversing it into an orchard.
At present, the 6 ha of orchard are mainly consisting of three types of apple (white, golden and red), some pear and cherry trees. Several trees must have dried out or have been cut, as the farmer counts currently around 1000 fruit trees. The whole orchard is combined with pasture land. The farmer let his livestock graze in the orchard, and cuts the remaining grass in autumn, if there is still left.
The integrated orchard with pastureland and fodder production is partially fenced to hinder livestock entering his property. Furthermore, the orchard is within the range of vision which allows the farmer`s family to guard it.

The farmer who is managing the orchard today obtained the property of his father in order to continue the family project by his own initiative. By farming he ensures the livelihood of his family. Hence, he felt responsible to progress and improve the quality of life of his own family. The main reason for establishing the orchard within the grassland and to install fences, was to increase productivity of the land, bringin along beneficial effects on soil quality. According to his land users certificate, the main purpose of this land is to provide the local market with food products.

After planting, some of the seedlings were stolen or eaten by livestock from neighbouring farms. Initial labour input in the newly established orchard consisted of getting and planting the seedlings and applying pesticides. The trees are being maintained by pruning. Soil is loosened and drainage provided to increase water infiltration and to protect the trees additionally from parasites. The pasture is grazed by the livestock of the farmer. As the family only has a small number of livestock, grass is cut afterwards and used as fodder. Half of the fodder harvest belongs to the hired worker, the other half belongs to the farmer. The other tasks are executed by the farmer and his family.

The climate is semi-arid with precipitation (800mm totally) mainly during winter and spring time. Altitude is around 1380 m asl. The plot is located at the foothill, with the wider riverbed and fan downstream and overgrazed hills upstream. Bordering with the property from above, a steep slope with a dense vegetation of grafted fruit trees and walnut trees stabilizes the soil.The farmer is living with the family on the property, near the village of Momandion. In the past many livestock from nearby entered the property and grazed there. Through better control and fences less livestock is entering. The property is located directly on the road to Muminabad, the center of the District with a market- 2 km away.Considering the establishment costs of the orchard, the farmer is a fairly whealthy man, nevertheless he had to rely on his family and friends in terms of the working input.The establishment phase was a time and money consuming

Location

Location: Muminabad, Khatlon, Tajikistan, Tajikistan

No. of Technology sites analysed:

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 70.03478, 38.08521

Spread of the Technology: evenly spread over an area (approx. < 0.1 km2 (10 ha))

In a permanently protected area?:

Date of implementation: 10-50 years ago

Type of introduction
Orchard with integrated grazing (Malgorzata Conder)

Classification of the Technology

Main purpose
  • improve production
  • reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
  • conserve ecosystem
  • protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
  • preserve/ improve biodiversity
  • reduce risk of disasters
  • adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
  • mitigate climate change and its impacts
  • create beneficial economic impact
  • create beneficial social impact
Land use

  • Cropland
    • Tree and shrub cropping: pome fruits (apples, pears, quinces, etc.), stone fruits (peach, apricot, cherry, plum, etc)
  • Grazing land
    • Semi-nomadic pastoralism

Water supply
  • rainfed
  • mixed rainfed-irrigated
  • full irrigation

Purpose related to land degradation
  • prevent land degradation
  • reduce land degradation
  • restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land
  • adapt to land degradation
  • not applicable
Degradation addressed
  • soil erosion by water - Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion, Wo: offsite degradation effects
  • physical soil deterioration - Pc: compaction
  • biological degradation - Bc: reduction of vegetation cover
SLM group
  • agroforestry
  • pastoralism and grazing land management
SLM measures
  • vegetative measures - V1: Tree and shrub cover
  • management measures - M1: Change of land use type, M2: Change of management/ intensity level

Technical drawing

Technical specifications
The orchard is situated within the farmers' property which is almost completely fenced by an artificial trench, thornbush fences, poplar trees and a natural steep slope. The orchard is 6 ha in size and consists of around 45 rows, with some 20 trees per row on average. In some places trees are missing due to drying out or cutting. Currently approximately 1000 fruit trees are growing. In between the tree rows and at the borders of the orchard, grass is growing and grazed by animals, and if not entirely grazed cut for haymaking in autumn.
The fruit trees grow at a distance of 7 meters. Around the trees the soil is loosened and a tiny trench is dug, the latter serving as a rainwater drainage.
Location: Momandion. Muminabad, Khatlon, Tajikistan
Date: 14.09.2012
Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate (Good knowledge for planting required, knowledge about maintenance activities is probably more widespread amongst farmers, idea of fencing is lacking)

Main technical functions: control of concentrated runoff: retain / trap, control of concentrated runoff: impede / retard, control of concentrated runoff: drain / divert, improvement of ground cover, improvement of topsoil structure (compaction), spatial arrangement and diversification of land use
Secondary technical functions: control of raindrop splash, control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap, control of dispersed runoff: impede / retard, stabilisation of soil (eg by tree roots against land slides), increase in organic matter, increase in nutrient availability (supply, recycling,…), increase / maintain water stored in soil, increase of groundwater level / recharge of groundwater, increase of biomass (quantity), promotion of vegetation species and varieties (quality, eg palatable fodder), reduction of dry material (fuel for wildfires)

Aligned: -contour
Number of plants per (ha): 200
Vertical interval between rows / strips / blocks (m): 7
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 7
Vertical interval within rows / strips / blocks (m): 7
Width within rows / strips / blocks (m): 7
Fruit trees / shrubs species: Apple, pear, cherry
Change of land use type: change of pasture land into an orchard with integrated pasture land and fodder production (Silvopastoralism)
Change of land use practices / intensity level: Fencing hence more extensive and controlled grazing
Author: Conder Malgorzata

Establishment and maintenance: activities, inputs and costs

Calculation of inputs and costs
  • Costs are calculated:
  • Currency used for cost calculation: Somoni
  • Exchange rate (to USD): 1 USD = 4.83 Somoni
  • Average wage cost of hired labour per day: 12.40
Most important factors affecting the costs
Apart from the orchard, the whole property was rebuilt with roads, fences and tree planting which caused high initial costs during the establishment phase.
Establishment activities
  1. Buying and transport of fruit seedlings (totally 6000 seedling, whereof 1200 seedlings on for the orchard of 6 ha) (Timing/ frequency: once)
  2. Planting fruit tree seedlings (totally 6000 seedlings, whereof 1200 seedlings for the orchard), cost according to planted trees (3 TJS per tree) (Timing/ frequency: once)
  3. Partial fencing (of around 200m) along the property, 10.5 days, 3-4 persons (Timing/ frequency: 1991)
  4. Building roads for access to the house (Timing/ frequency: 1991)
Establishment inputs and costs
Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit (Somoni) Total costs per input (Somoni) % of costs borne by land users
Labour
labour ha 1.0 194.9 194.9 100.0
Equipment
machine use ha 1.0 0.7 0.7 100.0
Plant material
seedlings ha 1.0 207.0 207.0 100.0
Construction material
fence ha 1.0 124.2 124.2 100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology 526.8
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD 109.07
Maintenance activities
  1. Pruning of 400 trees, ca. 40 days, 1 person, 3 TJS per tree (all trees pruned every 3 years) (Timing/ frequency: spring/ once a year)
  2. Soil loosening around 1000 fruit trees, ca. 25 days (5 h/day), 1 person (Timing/ frequency: spring/ once a year)
  3. Pesticides spraying once (should be done 2-3 times), 4 days (ca.5 h/d), 1 person (Timing/ frequency: End of May/ once a year)
  4. After several years: Harvesting fruits (mainly apples) (Timing/ frequency: September/every year)
  5. Cutting grass, by 10 people, one month, hours per day unknown. Half of straw harvest for owner, other half for the mowers as salary (4-5 Somoni/bundle). Total salary: 1000 bandles (Timing/ frequency: End of summer)
  6. Guarding the orchard (Timing/ frequency: all the time)
Maintenance inputs and costs
Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit (Somoni) Total costs per input (Somoni) % of costs borne by land users
Labour
labour ha 1.0 383.3 383.3 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides
pesticides ha 1.0 7.8 7.8 100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology 391.1
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD 80.97

Natural environment

Average annual rainfall
  • < 250 mm
  • 251-500 mm
  • 501-750 mm
  • 751-1,000 mm
  • 1,001-1,500 mm
  • 1,501-2,000 mm
  • 2,001-3,000 mm
  • 3,001-4,000 mm
  • > 4,000 mm
Agro-climatic zone
  • humid
  • sub-humid
  • semi-arid
  • arid
Specifications on climate
Totally 800 mm: 700mm in winter-spring, July-Sept dry season (At 1200m asl, weather station Muminabad)
Thermal climate class: temperate
Slope
  • flat (0-2%)
  • gentle (3-5%)
  • moderate (6-10%)
  • rolling (11-15%)
  • hilly (16-30%)
  • steep (31-60%)
  • very steep (>60%)
Landforms
  • plateau/plains
  • ridges
  • mountain slopes
  • hill slopes
  • footslopes
  • valley floors
Altitude
  • 0-100 m a.s.l.
  • 101-500 m a.s.l.
  • 501-1,000 m a.s.l.
  • 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
  • 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
  • 2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
  • 2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
  • 3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
  • > 4,000 m a.s.l.
Technology is applied in
  • convex situations
  • concave situations
  • not relevant
Soil depth
  • very shallow (0-20 cm)
  • shallow (21-50 cm)
  • moderately deep (51-80 cm)
  • deep (81-120 cm)
  • very deep (> 120 cm)
Soil texture (topsoil)
  • coarse/ light (sandy)
  • medium (loamy, silty)
  • fine/ heavy (clay)
Soil texture (> 20 cm below surface)
  • coarse/ light (sandy)
  • medium (loamy, silty)
  • fine/ heavy (clay)
Topsoil organic matter content
  • high (>3%)
  • medium (1-3%)
  • low (<1%)
Groundwater table
  • on surface
  • < 5 m
  • 5-50 m
  • > 50 m
Availability of surface water
  • excess
  • good
  • medium
  • poor/ none
Water quality (untreated)
  • good drinking water
  • poor drinking water (treatment required)
  • for agricultural use only (irrigation)
  • unusable
Water quality refers to:
Is salinity a problem?
  • Yes
  • No

Occurrence of flooding
  • Yes
  • No
Species diversity
  • high
  • medium
  • low
Habitat diversity
  • high
  • medium
  • low

Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Market orientation
  • subsistence (self-supply)
  • mixed (subsistence/ commercial)
  • commercial/ market
Off-farm income
  • less than 10% of all income
  • 10-50% of all income
  • > 50% of all income
Relative level of wealth
  • very poor
  • poor
  • average
  • rich
  • very rich
Level of mechanization
  • manual work
  • animal traction
  • mechanized/ motorized
Sedentary or nomadic
  • Sedentary
  • Semi-nomadic
  • Nomadic
Individuals or groups
  • individual/ household
  • groups/ community
  • cooperative
  • employee (company, government)
Gender
  • women
  • men
Age
  • children
  • youth
  • middle-aged
  • elderly
Area used per household
  • < 0.5 ha
  • 0.5-1 ha
  • 1-2 ha
  • 2-5 ha
  • 5-15 ha
  • 15-50 ha
  • 50-100 ha
  • 100-500 ha
  • 500-1,000 ha
  • 1,000-10,000 ha
  • > 10,000 ha
Scale
  • small-scale
  • medium-scale
  • large-scale
Land ownership
  • state
  • company
  • communal/ village
  • group
  • individual, not titled
  • individual, titled
Land use rights
  • open access (unorganized)
  • communal (organized)
  • leased
  • individual
Water use rights
  • open access (unorganized)
  • communal (organized)
  • leased
  • individual
Access to services and infrastructure
health

poor
good
education

poor
good
technical assistance

poor
good
employment (e.g. off-farm)

poor
good
markets

poor
good
energy

poor
good
roads and transport

poor
good
drinking water and sanitation

poor
good
financial services

poor
good

Impacts

Socio-economic impacts
Crop production
decreased
increased

fodder production
decreased
increased

fodder quality
decreased
increased

animal production
decreased
increased


As the area of the orchard with pasture is fenced it is not an communal pasture anymore as it was before

wood production
decreased
increased


From pruning

product diversity
decreased
increased

production area (new land under cultivation/ use)
decreased
increased

demand for irrigation water
increased
decreased

expenses on agricultural inputs
increased
decreased

farm income
decreased
increased

diversity of income sources
decreased
increased

Socio-cultural impacts
food security/ self-sufficiency
reduced
improved

health situation
worsened
improved

conflict mitigation
worsened
improved

contribution to human well-being
decreased
increased


Products for market leading to higher income, sharing of some knowledge about management of private land enhances dissemination and exchange of information/knowledge.

Ecological impacts
surface runoff
increased
decreased

soil moisture
decreased
increased

soil cover
reduced
improved

soil loss
increased
decreased

soil crusting/ sealing
increased
reduced

soil compaction
increased
reduced

nutrient cycling/ recharge
decreased
increased

soil organic matter/ below ground C
decreased
increased

biomass/ above ground C
decreased
increased

pest/ disease control
decreased
increased

fire risk
increased
decreased

Off-site impacts
downstream flooding (undesired)
increased
reduced

buffering/ filtering capacity (by soil, vegetation, wetlands)
reduced
improved

damage on neighbours' fields
increased
reduced

Cost-benefit analysis

Benefits compared with establishment costs
Short-term returns
very negative
very positive

Long-term returns
very negative
very positive

Benefits compared with maintenance costs
Short-term returns
very negative
very positive

Long-term returns
very negative
very positive

Family project to improve the quality of life of the family. Costs were high at the beginning with little outcomes, now there is less labour required and the outcome is high.

Climate change

Gradual climate change
annual temperature increase

not well at all
very well
Climate-related extremes (disasters)
local rainstorm

not well at all
very well
local windstorm

not well at all
very well
drought

not well at all
very well
general (river) flood

not well at all
very well
Other climate-related consequences
reduced growing period

not well at all
very well

Adoption and adaptation

Percentage of land users in the area who have adopted the Technology
  • single cases/ experimental
  • 1-10%
  • 11-50%
  • > 50%
Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have done so without receiving material incentives?
  • 0-10%
  • 11-50%
  • 51-90%
  • 91-100%
Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?
  • Yes
  • No
To which changing conditions?
  • climatic change/ extremes
  • changing markets
  • labour availability (e.g. due to migration)

Conclusions and lessons learnt

Strengths: land user's view
  • Giving good yield and "cash crop" hence having success in the project of the family
  • Better quality of fodder and less damages due to intrusive livestock
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
  • Thanks to the establishment time, right after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when land was generally well conserved, the technology worked as a preventive measure.
  • Silvopastoralism not only raises productivity of the same plot as an orchard and pasture is combined, but also enables mutual benefits (p.e.rooting system raises soil moisture, which is again improving vegetation cover).
  • The technology might work as exemplary model for other farmers
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
  • There is always work to do, without input no (good) output.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
  • For the farmer, the economic benefit is more important than the ecologic benefit. Especially, there is missing sensibility of the farmer concerning the application of pesticides (quantity, type). A workshop which provides guidelines on optimal use of pesticides (type and quantities of pesticides, timing and frequency of application etc.)
  • The establishment of orchards is more efficient on big plots of land, which often prevents poor farmers with small plots from establishing orchards. Creating incentives to change land use, by combining plots from different land owners, which will allow to share costs for establishment and maintenance. Yields should be clearly attributed to the individual farmers.

References

Compiler
  • Malgorzata Conder
Editors
Reviewer
  • Deborah Niggli
  • Alexandra Gavilano
Date of documentation: July 30, 2012
Last update: Aug. 4, 2019
Resource persons
Full description in the WOCAT database
Linked SLM data
Documentation was faciliated by
Institution Project
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International