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

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

10/12/2005

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:

It is a barrier of stone/wood/earth placed across a gully to control runoff and sediment passing through.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

A checkdam constructed from stone, wood or branches of trees. It has an average height of 1m and is spaced at 1m vertical interval. The purpose is to reclaim gully lands to productive lands by controllong the rate of runoff and trapping the soil. By plugging the gully using different checkdams the gully gradient is brought to a gentle slope and flow rates and soil movment is regulated. Constructing of checkdam in a gully starts with smaller checkdams which are regularly maintained and up graded of their heights. Gully plugging by checkdams and vegetative material is suitable to all agro-climatic conditions but the choice of material for establishment depends on the availability of material in the nearby and rate of flow. For a high rate and volume of flows stone checkdams are prefered to wooden or earth chekdams.

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:

• more than 50 years ago (traditional)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Introduced to the country about 30 years ago from other countries exprience.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• 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): Open grazing, bare land, high erosion risk

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): land slide, erosion

Nomadism: Yes

Grazingland comments: grazing lands are replaced by other land use system or degraded irreversibly and also the number and productivity of livestock is reduced due to shortage of feed and fodder.

Other type of forest: selective felling of natural forests: charcoal

Problems / comments regarding forest use: The communities assigned guards for area closures in order to protect them from illegal cutting and conversion to other land uses. Government or projects used to employ site guards for protecting the enclosures at the initial stage. When the communities started to get benefit from enclosures then decided to take responsibility to protecting them.

Forest products and services: fuelwood, grazing / browsing, protection against natural hazards

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: Barley-teff

Constraints of settlement / urban

Constraints of infrastructure network (roads, railways, pipe lines, power lines)

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:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 210 Longest growing period from month to month: May - Dec

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• cross-slope measure
• surface water management (spring, river, lakes, sea)

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 0.42 km2.

The area is calculated based on gully size.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: structural measures

Secondary measures: vegetative measures

Type of vegetative measures: scattered / dispersed

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: Wg: gully erosion / gullying, 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:

• reduce land degradation

Comments:

Secondary goals: prevention of land degradation, rehabilitation / reclamation of denuded land

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Amhara

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: high

Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap

Secondary technical functions: increase of infiltration, water harvesting / increase water supply

Scattered / dispersed
Vegetative material: T : trees / shrubs
Number of plants per (ha): 400
Vertical interval between rows / strips / blocks (m): 1m
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 5m
Vertical interval within rows / strips / blocks (m): 1m
Width within rows / strips / blocks (m): 5m

Vegetative measure: plantation
Vegetative material: F : fruit trees / shrubs, G : grass
Number of plants per (ha): 2500
Vertical interval between rows / strips / blocks (m): 1m
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 1m
Vertical interval within rows / strips / blocks (m): 1m
Width within rows / strips / blocks (m): 1m

Vegetative measure: Vegetative material: F : fruit trees / shrubs, G : grass

Vegetative measure: Vegetative material: F : fruit trees / shrubs, G : grass

Vegetative measure: Vegetative material: F : fruit trees / shrubs, G : grass

Trees/ shrubs species: saligna, dicurense

Grass species: Bana, vetiver, serdo

Slope (which determines the spacing indicated above): 12.00%

If the original slope has changed as a result of the Technology, the slope today is (see figure below): 10.00%

Gradient along the rows / strips: 0.00%

Structural measure: checkdam
Vertical interval between structures (m): 1
Depth of ditches/pits/dams (m): 1
Width of ditches/pits/dams (m): 1
Height of bunds/banks/others (m): 1

Vegetation is used for stabilisation of structures.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

Birr

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

8.6

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	collect planting materials	Vegetative	onset of rain
2.	planting	Vegetative	during rain
3.	construction	Structural	dry season/after crop harvest
4.	fencing	Structural	dry season/after crop harvest
5.	Stone collection	Structural	January-March
6.	gully reshaping	Structural	January-March
7.	dig foundation	Structural	dry season/after crop harvest
8.	Fencing (live or wood)	Management	dry season

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	replanting	Vegetative	rainy season /as required
2.	fencing	Vegetative	dry season /once
3.	stone collection	Structural	as required
4.	construction	Structural	as required
5.	maintaining breaks in fence	Management	dry season / as required

4.7 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

Comments:

Length and width of the structure.

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

slope, labour, time of cost recovery payment (period), width (length) of the gully, availability of construction materials.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Altitudinal zone: It ranges between 1500-4033 m a.s.l.
Landforms: Mountain slopes (ranked 1), ridges (ranked 2) and plateau/plains as well as hill slopes (both ranked 3)
Slopes on average: Hilly (ranked 1), steep (ranked 2) and rolling (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: Very shallow (More in hilly slopes/steep slopes, ranked 1) and shallow (on rolling areas, ranked 2)
Soil texture: Fine/heavy (At gentle slopes, ranked 1), medium (rolling slopes, ranked 2) and coarse/ light (at the bottom of the gully)
Soil fertility: Medium (ranked 1), low (ranked 2) and high (ranked 3)
Topsoil organic matter is low (continuous cropping and erosion)
Soil drainage/infiltration is medium (steep slopes , ranked 1) and good (ranked 2)
Soil water storage capacity is medium (ranked 1) and high (clay soils, 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%
60% of the land users are poor and own 30% of the land.
40% of the land users are poor and own 20% of the land.
Off-farm income specification: No apparent differences could be observed.
Level of mechanization is aniaml traction (ploughing using oxen, horses and cow, ranked 1) and human labour (digging by hoe, ranked 2)
Market orientation of production system: Also mixed (subsistence/ commercial), subsistence in agro-silvopastoralism (farm implements, feul, charcoal)

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
• individual, not titled

Land use rights:

• 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

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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?

• 90-100%

Comments:

35 land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

There is a little trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Soil erosion control and prevention of gully expansion.
sources of fodder How can they be sustained / enhanced? plant more forage trees

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Fodder production and soil formation rate enhanced How can they be sustained / enhanced? make frequent maintenance
Moisture and water harvesting enhanced How can they be sustained / enhanced? plant useful trees/ nitrogen fixing trees

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?
rodents

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Ethiopia Federal RDS, Rural Rural Development policy Strategy and Methods. 2001.

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Soil and water management manual, Alemaya. 2003.