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

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

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - Italy

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

02/06/2011

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

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Stone faced terraces are commonly constructed on cultivated lands. These are structural measural measures placed along the contour to control soil erosion and trap runoff.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Stone-faced soil bund is constructed during the dry period when the field is free from crops (after crop harvest). Soils in the woreda are light and are easily eroded. A contour line is marked on the ground first and a foundation placing stones is dug. The stone wall is placed in the foundation and the wall is raised until it attains a height of 0.50m at minimum. Then earth is dug on the upslope side by removing soil from it and make an embankment of soil on the upper side to support the stone wall. In the same way the stone is supported by the soil from the upper side. The embanked soil is lightly compacted to avoid collapse. The objective is to control concentrated runoff from causing soil erosion and to retain as much rainwater as possible in the soil for mazimizing crop production. Livestock are not let on the terraced land. Most land users feed their animals tethered. The bund is then stablized by planting grass. The most commonly used grasses for stablizing bunds in the area are phalaris and elephant grass. The purpose is to control runoff and soil erosion from cultivated lands. Grass is planted to stablize the bund and also help in providing fodder for animals. Some land users stablize the stone-faced bunds by planting fruit trees. Fruit trees are often planted at the homesteads for better management and protection. The income obtaoned from fruit trees is high. Sorghum fields are predominantly treated by stone-faced bunds while chat and coffee fields are treated by ridges and basins. Frequent maintenance and upgrading is required until bench is formed. Currently most of the fields in the woreda have a properly stablized terraces and as a result loss of soil and water by erosion is decreasing. Maintenance is done continuously until the structure stablizes well and inparticular after heavy rains, every time after tillage and cropping. The technology is suitable in areas where stones are avialable and soils are light.

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:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The technology was initially introduced by the extension implementation project of the Ministry of Agriculture and modified in the process of implementing the National Soil and Water Conservation Program in the country in the various phases of the land rehabilitation and afforestation project of the MERETproject (MOARD/WFP)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Land use problem is the result mainly of high population growth, improper land use and poor farming practices. Land not suitable for cultivation is put under use. Steepslopes on hillsides and mountain escarpments are cultivated. These have resulted in high runoff and sediment movment from the upper catchments which are dominantly devoid of vegetation and no conservation measures practiced.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): land shortage, loss of fertility and soil erosion on lands with no conservation measures.

Cut-and-carry/ zero grazing: grazing land is seriously shriniking owing

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: sorghum-beans or chat - sorghum, maize-beans

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

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 240 Longest growing period from month to month: Apr - NovSecond longest growing period in days: 150Second longest growing period from month to month: Feb - Jun

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• cross-slope measure

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:

• 100-1,000 km2

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 80 km2.

Information obtaned from annual activities and achievements reports. But at present the total technology area is more than the amount shown here and estimate is indicated as follows:

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content

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

Comments:

Main goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

Secondary goals: prevention of land degradation

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: reduction of slope length

Secondary technical functions: control of concentrated runoff: retain / trap, reduction of slope angle, increase of infiltration, increase / maintain water stored in soil

Early planting
Material/ species: sorghum, maize, chat
Remarks: on contour and row planting

Mixed cropping / intercropping
Material/ species: maize-haricot beans, chat-beans
Remarks: row planting and broadcasting

Contour planting / strip cropping
Material/ species: land tillage and cultivation
Remarks: contour cultivation

Legume inter-planting
Remarks: contour

Manure / compost / residues
Material/ species: animal dung and crop residue farming
Quantity/ density: 30-40 t/ha
Remarks: applied in between rows

Mineral (inorganic) fertilizers
Material/ species: chemical fertilizers (DAP and Urea)
Remarks: broadcasting

Contour tillage
Remarks: along the contour and made by oxen plough

Aligned: -contour
Vegetative material: T : trees / shrubs, F : fruit trees / shrubs
Number of plants per (ha): 400-500
Vertical interval between rows / strips / blocks (m): 1
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 10 m
Width within rows / strips / blocks (m): 3 x 3

Vegetative measure: aligned: contour
Vegetative material: G : grass
Number of plants per (ha): 5000
Vertical interval between rows / strips / blocks (m): 1
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 110 m
Width within rows / strips / blocks (m): 0.3 x 0.3

Vegetative measure: Vegetative material: G : grass

Vegetative measure: Vegetative material: G : grass

Vegetative measure: Vegetative material: G : grass

Trees/ shrubs species: grevillea, cordia

Fruit trees / shrubs species: guava, avocado

Grass species: elephant, phalaris

Slope (which determines the spacing indicated above): 10.00%

If the original slope has changed as a result of the Technology, the slope today is (see figure below): 3.00%

Gradient along the rows / strips: 0.00%

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	seed collection	Vegetative	dry season
2.	seedling production	Vegetative	dry season
3.	seedling planting	Vegetative	during rains
4.	weeding and cultivation	Vegetative	during 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	Labour	ha	1.0	125.0	125.0
Equipment	Animal traction	ha	1.0	46.6	46.6
Equipment	Tools	ha	1.0	5.5	5.5
Plant material	Seeds	ha	1.0	2.8	2.8
Plant material	Seedlings	ha	1.0	30.0	30.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fetilizer	ha	1.0	33.3	33.3
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					243.2

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 60 month(s)

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	primary tillage	Agronomic	onset of rains
2.	secondary tillage and seed bed preparation	Agronomic	in the middle of early rains and main rains
3.	weeding and cultivation	Agronomic	after germination
4.	thinning	Vegetative	after rains

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	ha	1.0	12.5	12.5
Equipment	Tools	ha	1.0	0.5	0.5
Plant material	Seedlings	ha	1.0	3.0	3.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fertilizer	ha	1.0	33.3	33.3
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					49.3

Comments:

length of stone faced bunds and the number of trees planted

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Slope: In steep slopes terraces get closer and the length of terrace per unit area /hectar/ increases and this increases the cost of construction. On soils of shallow soils digging becomes tough and this leads to increased costs

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Altitudinal zone: 1501-2000 m a.s.l. (dominant elevation, ranked 1) and 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l. (very small area, ranked 2)
Landforms: Mountain slopes (the dominant landform, ranked 1), foot slopes (dominanatly cultivated lands, ranked 2) and valley floor (mostly cultivated, ranked 2)
Slopes on average: Hilly (planted forestsand shrublands with degraded natural forests, ranekd 1), Rolling ( cultivated lands with perennial crops, ranked 2), moderate (cultivated lands with cereals (sorghum and maize) ranked 3), getnle (cultivated with teff and sweet potato, 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: Shallow (soils on mountain slopes , ranked 1), moderately deep (soils on foot slopes, ranked 2), deep ( soils on valley floors, ranked 3) and very deep (soils around homesteads, ranked 3)
Soil texture: Coarse/light (mountain slopes and foot slopes, ranked 1), medium (foot slopes, ranked 2) and fine/heavy (valley floor, ranked 3)
Soil fertility is low (mountain slopes, ranked 1), medium (foot slopes, ranked 2) and high (valley floor, ranked 3)
Topsoil organic matter is medium (impressions: on valley floors of cultivated lands, ranked 1) and low ( impressions:mountain slopes, ranked 2)
Soil drainage/infiltration is good (most of the mountain slopes and foot slopes, ranked 1) and medium (on valley floors, ranked 2)
Soil water storage capacity is low (on mountain slopes because of shallow soils, ranked 1) and medium (on foot slopes and valley floors, 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: 2% - 3%
(The rich hire labour).
(could get orgainzed in groups for labour sahring).
Off-farm income specification: The rich and average land users get engaged in other non farm activities because they have financial means
Level of mechanization: Animal traction (cereal crop fields are ploughed and cultivated by oxen plough, ranked 1) and manual work (chat and coffee plants are manually cultivated by hoe, ranked 2)
Market orientation of grazing land: Subsistence (self-supply). Animals are predominanatly kept for draft power requiremen and milk production.

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:

• state

Land use rights:

• open access (unorganized)
• 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

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

Comments:

90 % of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

1150 land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

Comments on acceptance with external material support: estimates

10% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: estimates