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)

GREAD (GREAD) - Niger

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:

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Pastoralism, as practiced in the case study area, is the traditional mode of extensive livestock husbandry, based on the movement of herds between the rich pastures in the northern pastoral zones (rainy season) and the southern areas (dry season) according to seasonal availability of water and grazing land / fodder (including residual vegetation of cropland).

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Both forms of pastoralism – nomadism and transhumance – are facing increasing water and fodder availability problems, due to a variety of reasons: change of climatic conditions, expansion of cropland, overstocking and overgrazing, amongst others. In view of these problems, the govern¬ment of Niger has defined by law a pastoral zone, where crop production is limited to subsistence. Within this area ‘Pastoral Modernization Zones’ have been implemented, based on a new concept of semi-pastoralism to assure the sustainability of the pastoral land use system. Several practices are promoted at field level: improved distribution of water points, establishment of water harvesting structures, improved passage ways for herds, improved fodder production, etc. An optimal and efficient network / distribution of water points is a key element of modern sustainable pastoralism: it assures a balanced distribution of herds, and thus avoids overuse of vegetation around a limited number of wells. Since 1998, the number of traditional wells within the 3,000 km2 of Akoubounou pastoral area has increased from 7 to 58: Construction is done by the local community – through trained well diggers. Support is provided by different development actors (government and NGOs). Well committees on community level are responsible for proper management of the wells. A fund for maintenance is established and is topped up through contributions of well users. As a result of the improved well distribution, pastoral areas have been utilised in a more balanced manner, and overgrazing problems have been reduced by 30-40% compared to the situation in 1990.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

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

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Soil erosion by water, soil erosion by wind; biological degradation (overgrazing), change of climatic conditions, expansion of cropland, overstocking and overgrazing

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• rainfed

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• pastoralism and grazing land management
• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 3000 m2.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: management measures

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: perte du sol de surface par l’eau, Et: perte du sol de surface, Pc: compaction, Bc: réduction de la couverture végétale

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

Comments:

Main goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation, rehabilitation / reclamation of denuded land

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: low

Main technical functions: improvement of ground cover, improvement of topsoil structure (compaction), increase of biomass (quantity)

Layout change according to natural and human environment: efficient network / distribution of water points

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• US Dollars

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Information and awareness raising campaign in village. Participatory planning (1-2 days) / Identification of sites by population, accompanied by field technicians	Management
2.	Formation and training of members of well management committee: laws, responsi¬bilities, steering, evaluation, organization, etc. (3-4 days) / Training of traditional sinkers (by external experts 1998-2000, then farmer-to-farmer training)	Management
3.	Dig well shaft: 0.8-1.5 m in diameter and 20-60 m deep (using pickaxe, shovel, bucket)	Management
4.	Installer un dispositif de mesure (en cuir de vache ou pneu ; fils et piquets) / Facultatif : tapisser le conduit du puits avec des pierres / ciment (p. ex. si le sol n'est pas assez compact)
5.	Construire un mur de protection en pierres et ciment autour du puits (0,2-0,3 m de large et 0,5-1 m de haut)

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	Information and awareness raising campaign in village. Participatory planning	campaign	1.0	800.0	800.0	9.0
Labour	Construction of well (labour, equipment, material)	well	1.0	1200.0	1200.0	9.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					2000.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	De-silting of wells	Management	Beginning of rainy season; May-June
2.	De-silting of wells	Management	End of rainy season, Oct.-Nov
3.	Reinforce walls of wells with cement	Management	End of rainy season, Oct.-Nov
4.	Deepen the well in case of descending groundwater level	Management

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	De-silting of wells	wells	1.0	280.0	280.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					280.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

A management fund is established and managed by each well committee. Well users contribute annually, or each time maintenance work is needed. Amounts of contribution are not fixed, but up to the individual and generally proportionate to herd size. Committee can fine land users who damage the wells.

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.

Topsoil organic matter: Mainly low soil organic matter but high in swampy area

Soil drainage / infiltration is good but low in case of soil crusting

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

Population density: < 10 persons/km2

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:

• communal (organized)
• individual

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

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)

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	not well

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

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

• 0-10%

Comments:

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: 50 wells have been built in 12 years within a pastoral area of 3000 km2. Implementation is based on incentives (establishment costs mainly paid by projects). However, there is a medium trend towards spontaneous adoption (by new actors)

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Reduction of overgrazing problem by 30-40 % with regard to the situation in 1990
Sustainable use of pastoral areas

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 cost of implementation and maintenance	active participation of pastoralists in establishment and maintenance activities; public investments; national funding system.
Extinction of pastoral culture and traditional practices	integrate pastoralists into structural transformation process; promote capacity building of pastoralists

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Hiernaux P., E. Tielkes, E. Schlecht. 2001. Elevage et gestion des parcours au Sahel, Proceedings de l’atelier organisé par Eric Tielkes et Abdoulaye Sambo Soumaila, Verlag Ulrich E. Grauer, Beuren, Stuttgart, Allemagne, 2001

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Project documents and annual monitoring reports of develpment projects by ADN Nourriterre and HEKS EPER Suisse (2003-2009)

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Jochen Suchantke, Abdoulaye Sambo Soumaila (2001) : Etude cadre pour le programme NIGETIP IV, KfW, Niamey, Niger, 2001

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

Soumaila A.S. 2003. Base de données du code rural

URL:

www.case.ibimet.cnr.it/den/Documents/code_rural/start.html