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)?

10/05/2016

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

Yes

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Physical and chemical treatment saline soil

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Physical amendment by loam soil or adding agricultural gypsum which represents the chemical ammendment

Purpose of the Technology: Generate soil suitable for different kinds of plants creating a diversity in sources of income providing a safety net for farmers.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The maintenance activity began by digging pits with different depth which depended on the type of fruit the farmers were planting. farmers then replaced the soil with loam soil.

The chemical amendment started with different measurements like Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP) Cation Exchangeable Capacity CEC and Electrolyte Conductivity (EC) and then a suitable amount gypsum was added based on this these measurents.

Natural / human environment: The area is located on the near the Blue Nile which means there is a source of irrigation water. When the pumps are broken they use ground water which makes it worse because it saline.

The area is semiarid, flat topography with deep clay soil. It is mainly cropland.
Land owners of between 2 to 20 hectares employ poor farm hands who are paid small wages.
These farm hands use mainly hand held hoes.

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.):

4 years

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• create beneficial economic impact

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Saline soil, saline ground water, mainly one type of vegetation(fodder)

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Saline soil, saline ground water, mainly one type of vegetation(fodder)

Future (final) land use (after implementation of SLM Technology): Cropland: Cp: Perennial (non-woody) cropping

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:

• full irrigation

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• rehabilitate saline soil

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 100 km2.

Under research

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Secondary measures: vegetative measures, structural measures

Type of agronomic measures: mixed cropping / intercropping, soil conditioners (lime, gypsum), pits

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main causes of degradation: droughts (Evaporation of water leaves behind mineral salts)

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• reduce land degradation
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: high (Very specific monitoring)

Technical knowledge required for land users: low

Main technical functions: increase of infiltration

Secondary technical functions: increase in organic matter, increase in nutrient availability (supply, recycling,…)

Mixed cropping / intercropping
Material/ species: fruit trees, sorghum and fodder

Soil conditioners (lime, gypsum)
Quantity/ density: 4km/m2

Pits
Material/ species: 2*2*3
Quantity/ density: 1tree/pit

Retention/infiltration ditch/pit, sediment/sand trap
Spacing between structures (m): 8
Depth of ditches/pits/dams (m): 3
Width of ditches/pits/dams (m): 2
Length of ditches/pits/dams (m): 2

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	unit	1.0	64.0	64.0	100.0
Equipment	Machine use	unit	1.0	120.0	120.0	100.0
Equipment	Tools	unit	1.0	20.0	20.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fertilizer	unit	1.0	250.0	250.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Compost/manure	unit	1.0	200.0	200.0	100.0
Construction material	Earth	unit	1.0	200.0	200.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					854.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The soil type

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

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 fertility is very low

Soil drainage / infiltration is poor

Soil water storage capacity is high

5.4 Water availability and quality

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Water quality (untreated): Also poor for drinking

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly Leaders / privileged

Difference in the involvement of women and men: farmers

Population density: < 10 persons/km2

60% of the land users are very rich (own more then 5 ha or more).
40% of the land users are rich (2 ha).

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, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

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	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	not well
local windstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	not well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	not well

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
reduced growing period	not known

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
There is is no need to apply it regularly

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
There is increase in plant diversity
There is a decrease in land salinity
The soil becomes more fertile
there is reduction soil compaction

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?
High costs are involved

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Not applicable for uneducated farmers
The returns are long term/ need time