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)

Chaire Unesco-GN, Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines, Université Moham (Chaire Unesco-GN, Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines, Université Moham) - Morocco

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

15/09/2008

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:

Contour planting of olive trees with crops, legumes and vegetables intercropping

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

On gentle slopes of the Sehoul municipality, heavy or prolonged rainfall causes runoff and erosion on cultivated lands cleared at the beginning of the 20th century. In the last 10 years, in some plots, land users have started to implement contour plantations separated by intercropping strips with annual crops. Only the immediate tree surroundings involve harvesting and storing rainwater and runoff. No additional water harvesting structure has been built. A fence around the plot prevents livestock from entering.

Purpose of the Technology: The economic objective of the technology is to improve income, because cultivation of cereals only gives low yields (500-600 kg/ha). Olive trees can provide an attractive yield and can be an alternative to crops especially during drought. As the olive tree is considered a revered tree, the technology is also beneficial from a social viewpoint. Environmental objectives include surface protection against erosion as well as the maintenance and improvement of soil fertility.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: To implement the change, a boundary of barbed wire (Chabkka) or cactus to form a natural hedge is installed in order to prevent livestock intrusion. Plantation work includes breaking up the soil, digging holes along the contour and planting the trees. Animal manure and chemical fertilizers are used as inputs. Weeding, pesticide application and manual watering are required regularly to support tree growth. As a drip-irrigation technique, watering cans with perforations are left to drop water continuously until the cans are empty.

Natural / human environment: The plantations are on a fragile substrate of marl underlying Plio-Quaternary and loamy-stony deposits with more than 40 cm of fersialitic and sandy soil on low-angled slopes (<10 %). The climate is Mediterranean with a semi-arid trend. The socio-economic environment is characterised by a medium-density population (10-50 persons/km2) and scattered homesteads. The traditional production system (cultivation of cereals and extensive breeding) is dominant, as well as the use of traditional techniques and practices. Tillage is performed using animal traction.

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:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The technology has been implemented by the Development of rainfed agriculture project (Projet de Mise en Valeur Bour, MVB) in Shoul. Later, land users have adopted this technology voluntarily and some of them have even been trained about the technology.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• create beneficial economic impact

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Irregular rainfall and drought, lack of surface water and depth of the groundwater table are major environmental problems. Excessive runoff causes gullying in the event of exceptional heavy rainfall. All fields on slopes are subject to soil loss because of sheet erosion, especially in early autumn, when lands are bare and without a plant cover due to summer grazing. Gully erosion also results from concentrated runoff from bare ground upslope, especially on steep slopes. There is a lack of support from the authorities and agricultural services and insufficient knowledge about water conservation. Technologies for surface water harvesting do not exist.

Future (final) land use (after implementation of SLM Technology): Mixed: Mf: Agroforestry

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: Cultivation system consists of olive trees on stripes and annual intercropping

If land use has changed due to the implementation of the Technology, indicate land use before implementation of the Technology:

Cropland: Ca: Annual cropping

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• rainfed

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 270; Longest growing period from month to month: October to June

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• area closure (stop use, support restoration)
• improved ground/ vegetation cover

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 0.4 km2.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Type of agronomic measures: better crop cover, mixed cropping / intercropping, green manure, breaking crust / sealed surface, contour tillage, pits

Type of vegetative measures: aligned: -contour

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Wg: gully erosion / gullying, Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content, Pc: compaction

Main causes of degradation: crop management (annual, perennial, tree/shrub) (predominance of soil exhausting cultivations (cereals))

Secondary causes of degradation: other natural causes (avalanches, volcanic eruptions, mud flows, highly susceptible natural resources, extreme topography, etc.) specify (sandy and loamy soil, coming from a crumbly substrate), poverty / wealth (Lack of rehabilitation and improvement means. Land partition.), education, access to knowledge and support services (Low agricultural knowledge. Population having originally a semi-nomadic way of life, until early 20th century)

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:

Secondary goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

The spatial arrangement of olive trees planted symmetrically (at 6m intervals) with intercropping. The beans grow in the stripes, and there is a barbed wire fence and cactus hedge to prevent livestock intrusion.

Location: Shoul. Salé

Date: 22/3/2008

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: high

Main technical functions: improvement of ground cover

Secondary technical functions: control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap, reduction of slope angle, increase of infiltration

Better crop cover
Material/ species: olive tree
Quantity/ density: 256 plants
Remarks: on countours

Mixed cropping / intercropping
Material/ species: beans
Quantity/ density: 36 /m²
Remarks: cultivation with alternate stripes

Green manure
Material/ species: animal manure (sheeps)
Quantity/ density: 4 to 6 t
Remarks: manure spreading

Breaking crust / sealed surface
Remarks: continuous tillage prevents from crusting

Contour tillage
Remarks: for the beans cultivation

Aligned: -contour
Vegetative material: F : fruit trees / shrubs
Number of plants per (ha): 256
Vertical interval between rows / strips / blocks (m): 0.6
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 6
Vertical interval within rows / strips / blocks (m): 6
Width within rows / strips / blocks (m): 1

Fruit trees / shrubs species: olive trees vith intercropping beans

Slope (which determines the spacing indicated above): 10%

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

Moroccan Dirham

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

10.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Holes preparation	Vegetative	manual
2.	Manure burying and holes stopping up	Vegetative	manual
3.	Plantation	Vegetative	manual
4.	Soil preparation tillage	Vegetative	mechanical

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	Soil preparation tillage	machines/hour	1.0	250.0	250.0	100.0
Labour	Hole preparation	persons/day/ha	25.0	205.0	5125.0
Labour	Hole stopping	persons/day/ha	3.0	50.0	150.0
Labour	Plantation	persons/day/ha	3.0	170.0	510.0
Equipment	Plough	pieces	1.0	300.0	300.0	50.0
Equipment	Horses	pieces	2.0	10000.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Pulverizer	pieces	1.0	360.0	360.0	100.0
Equipment	Sape	pieces	1.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Equipment	Gathering tools	pieces	2.0	100.0	200.0	100.0
Equipment	Animal traction	animals	3.0	50.0	150.0	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	pieces/ha	256.0	12.0	3072.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Manure	kg/ha	4000.0	0.2	800.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					31017.0

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 12 month(s)

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Early tillage for breaking up the soil	Agronomic	before first rainfall of september
2.	Sowing of beans	Agronomic	October-November
3.	Harrowing for aeration of the soil and weeding	Agronomic	After weed growing
4.	Treatment against bean parasites	Agronomic	after each parasite attack
5.	Harvest and collection of grains	Agronomic	early summer
6.	Early tillage for soil preparation	Vegetative	September
7.	Manure spreading around the olive tree plants	Vegetative	Autumn
8.	Pruning of olive trees	Vegetative	January
9.	Treatment of olive tree against disease	Vegetative	After each disease
10.	Olive harvest	Vegetative	October-November

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	Early tillage for breaking up the soil	machine/hr/ha	1.0	250.0	250.0	100.0
Labour	Sowing of beans	persons/day/ha	1.0	40.0	40.0	100.0
Labour	Sowing of beans	animals/day/ha	2.0	50.0	100.0	100.0
Labour	Harrowing	persons/day/ha	1.0	50.0	50.0	100.0
Equipment	Labour: Harrowing	animals/day/ha	1.0	50.0	50.0	100.0
Equipment	Labour: Treatment against bean parasites	persons/day/ha	1.0	50.0	50.0	100.0
Equipment	Labour: Harvest and collection of grains	persons/day/ha	3.0	60.0	180.0	100.0
Equipment	Labour: Harvest and collection of grains	animals/day/ha	2.0	50.0	100.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	pieces/ha	80.0	5.0	400.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Biocides beans	ml/ha	200.0	0.5	100.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Compost/Manure	kg/ha	4000.0	0.2	800.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Biocides trees	ml/ha	250.0	0.32	80.0	100.0
Other	Labour: Early tillage for soil preparation	machine/hour/ha	1.0	250.0	250.0	100.0
Other	Labour: Manure spreading around the olive tree plants	persons/day/ha	2.0	40.0	80.0	100.0
Other	Labour: Manure spreading around the olive tree plants	animals/day/ha	2.0	50.0	100.0	100.0
Other	Labour: Pruning of olive trees	persons/day/ha	2.0	50.0	100.0	100.0
Other	Treatment of olive tree against disease	persons/day/ha	1.0	40.0	40.0	100.0
Other	Labour: Olive harvest	persons/day/ha	2.0	50.0	100.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					2870.0

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: Cover crops, harrow, sape, plough, chisel, pulverizer, sickle, Sape, plough, chisel, pulverizer, pruning shears

Costs are calculated on the basis of initial expenses for buying tillage tools and seedlings, and maintenance expenses for tillage, seedlings buying and fertilizers.

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour and seedlings are the most determining factors affecting the costs.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Altitudinal zone: Altitude is higher in the South-West

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 texture (topsoil): Soil with a mixed texture and a predominance of silt and sands

Topsoil organic matter: Soil with a mean to poor organic content (1.5 to 2%). This content is higher in tree plantation fields than in cereal cropland

Soil fertility is medium - low (rich silted soil and poor in organic content)

Soil drainage / infiltration is poor - medium (Bad drainage, signs of hydromorphy (ferruginous concretions))

Soil water storage capacity is medium - low

5.4 Water availability and quality

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Ground water table: Lower groundwater level in summer, due to its exploitation. In Winter > 50 m

Availability of surface water: Medium when groundwater table in the depressions. Also poor/none

Water quality (untreated): Good drinking water when well water and sources, otherwise the quality is poor.

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Decrease of the natural vegetation and of the wildlife

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Difference in the involvement of women and men: no

Population density: 10-50 persons/km2

Annual population growth: negative

1% of the land users are very rich and own 5% of the land.
5% of the land users are rich and own 27% of the land.
12% of the land users are average wealthy and own 25% of the land.
82% of the land users are poor and own 43% of the land.

Market orientation of production system: The goal of the technology implemented is to bring self-congratulation and to obtain additional incomes

Level of mechanization: Most of the labour is manual but also animals are often used. Only the preparation tillage is mechanised

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:

• individual

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

Comments:

small properties due to heritage

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

Climate and disaster risk reduction

Other ecological impacts

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)

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
ruissellement	well

Comments:

Olive trees are tolerant of variations typical of the Mediterranean, but the yield differs from one year to the next; extremely low temperatures in some winters can make the yield very poor; the low amount of rain in spring can also be very detrimental.

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)?

Comments:

over the long term, increase in olive production creates great financial resources

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

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

10 percent of stated area

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

• 10-50%

Comments:

Comments on acceptance with external material support: General agricultural census in 1996

30% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: This technology is a new agricultural practice which becomes more and more interesting for land users.

There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: This technology is rapidly growing because it is a promising alternative to combat climatic irregularities and rural poverty.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
over the long term, it is a cultivation activity more profitable than cereals How can they be sustained / enhanced? Promotion of olive tree plantation by subsidies
Olive tree plantations are a less sensitive to irregular rainfalls than other cultivations How can they be sustained / enhanced? search for drought resistant species

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Ecological balance: olive tree plantations allow soil conservation through reduction of the erosion risks. It also provides benefits on water resources due to infiltration improvement How can they be sustained / enhanced? Intensification of olive tree plantations and support of individual plantation projects, manure and fertilizers buying and technical supervision
Improvement in socio-economic conditions: olive tree plantations provide more financial resources for land users, and provide high added value activities How can they be sustained / enhanced? By promoting awareness-raising and technical supervision

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?
conflicts occur because of protected areas	Allowing access for livestock
faible rentabilité des oliviers à court terme	Giving farmers subsidies for fodder, seeds and engravings

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Decrease in breeding activities because of protected areas and grazing land reduction	Additional fodder supply and promotion of fodder cultivation and stalling
Insignificant economic benefits provided by the technology over the short term	Promotion of intercropping to overcome the period before production begins, and give land users subsidies for fodder, seeds and fertilizers
Owing to limited water resources, irrigation can be difficult during a dry year	Support in localized irrigation implementation (drip system)

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Nafaa R. (1997) : Dynamique du milieu naturel de la Mamora : paléoenvironnements et évolution actuelle de la surface. Thèse d’Etat en géographie physique, FLSH Rabat, 275p.

Available from where? Costs?

Bibliothèque de la Faculté des Lettres et Science Humaines, Rabat, Maroc

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Antari M. (2007) : Mesure de l’érosion et du ruissemellent dans le micro-bassin versant Matlaq et essai de modélisation (Région de Rabat, Maroc). Thèse de Doctorat, Université Mohammed V-Agdal, Faculté des Lettres et Science Humaines, Rabat. 218p.

Available from where? Costs?

Bibliothèque de la Faculté des Lettres et Science Humaines, Rabat, Maroc

Title, author, year, ISBN:

DPA (2001) : Projet de mise en valeur bour des Shouls. Direction Provinciale de l’Agriculture, Rabat.

Available from where? Costs?

Direction Provinciale de l’Agriculture, Rabat.

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Ghanem H. (1981) : Contribution à la connaissance des sols du Maroc. Genèse et répartition des sols des régions des Zaers, de la basse Chaouia et des Shouls (Méséta marocaine). Cahiers de la Recherche Agronomique n°37&38, INRA, Rabat.

Available from where? Costs?

Bibliothèque de l’Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Maroc

Title, author, year, ISBN:

DPA (2002): Étude de l’analyse des sols dans le périmètre de mise en valeur en bour des Shouls. Evaluation de la fertilité des sols et fertilisation des cultures. Marché négocié 01-2002-DPA-36.

Available from where? Costs?

Direction Provinciale de l’Agriculture, Rabat.