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)

ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) - Nepal

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

HELVETAS (Swiss Intercooperation)

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

01/03/2013

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:

Riverbed farming can be used to increase household income and to improve the food security of landless and land-poor households in the Terai area of Nepal.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

It is estimated that about 8,000 hectares of riverbed land would be suitable for agricultural cultivation in the Kailali and Kanchanpur Districts in the Western Terai areas of Nepal. After the river water recedes in the post-monsoon season, vegetables are planted in ditches dug into the seasonal sand banks; the crops are harvested before the onset of the next monsoon. In 2006, Elam Plus of HELVETAS Swiss Inter-cooperation Nepal, assessed local practices of riverbed farming and piloted an improved approach with 670 farmers, mostly from the indigenous Tharu community. During the first year they cultivated 43 hectares. Since the initial results indicated that riverbed farming could increase the target population’s income significantly, the programme was expanded from the initial two districts (Kailali and Kanchanpur) to two new districts (Banke, and Bardiya). The number of households was increased to 2000 in 2008 and 3165 in 2012 after the initiative won a Global Development Market Place award from the World Bank.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: Requirements for riverbed farming:
• On average, the water table should not be lower than 1 m; when the water table is lower than this, too much labour is required.
• Plots are allocated perpendicular to the river flow in order to give each farmer access to a variety of land types (and moisture levels) suitable for different crops.
• Ditches are up to 1 m deep and 1 m wide. The length depends on how much land is available.
• A row-to-row spacing of 2–3 m (between the ditches) and plant-to-plant spacing of 0.5–1 m is required depending on the crop.
• The ditches are dug in an east-west orientation to maximize the amount of sunshine they receive and to minimise the collection of sand carried by the prevailing winds.
• Riverbed farmers can build shelters close to their plots so that they can be close at hand to fend off thieves and wild animals.

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

• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Rivers in the Terai region change their course frequently and when they do, the adjacent lands are flooded. The riverbeds are flooded annually, while the riverbanks are only flooded during extreme events. The annually flooded riverbeds are seasonally dry (from September to May) and are a generally unused land resource. Landless and land- poor farmers can use this land to cultivate seasonal vegetables that are adapted to the environmental conditions prevalent on riverbeds.

3.3 Further information about land use

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period from month to month: November to May

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover

• use different type of land for cultivation

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 4 km2.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main causes of degradation: floods

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Plots for riverbed farming are allocated perpendicular to the river flow and the ditches are dug in an east-west orientation.

Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: increase / maintain water stored in soil, Support Income Generation

Secondary technical functions: improvement of ground cover, increase in organic matter, Stabilizes the soil

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• US Dollars

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Dig ditches in an east-west direction about 2 to 3 m apart. The ditches can be up to 1 m deep and 1 m wide; the length will depend on the shape of the land.	Structural
2.	Apply fertilizer: farmyard manure/compost about 12 tonnes; urea about 100 kg; di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) about 120 kg; and potash about 30 kg per ha.	Structural
3.	Plant seeds/seedlings using the appropriate row-to-row (RXR) and plant-to-plant (PXP) distance for at least one crop. A row-to-row distance of 3 m is required for bottle gourd, pumpkin, and water melon and 2 m for bitter gourd and cucumber; a plant-to-plant distance of 0.5 m is needed for cucumber and bitter gourd and 1 m for water melon, bottle gourd, and pumpkin.	Structural

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	Dig ditches and applying fertilizer and manure	ha	1.0	232.0	232.0	100.0
Equipment	Sprayer, watering cans,spade	ha	1.0	42.0	42.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Seeds, chemical fertilizer	ha	1.0	267.0	267.0
Construction material	Plastic bags,mulching material	ha	1.0	21.0	21.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					562.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Water new plots every 2 to 3 days; as the seedlings mature, water weekly or as needed depending on the weather and the soilconditions.	Structural
2.	Replace seedlings that have died and replant seeds in places where they have not germinated	Structural
3.	Top dress with nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium	Structural
4.	Mulch with straw and grass	Structural
5.	Weed and protect plants as needed	Structural
6.	Protect the riverbed areas throughout the growing season as they are prone to attacks by thieves and wild animals, mainly jackals and monkeys. However, note that the reported losses to date have been very minimal.	Structural

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	Maintaining plots	ha	1.0	42.0	42.0	100.0
Equipment	Sprayer, watering cans,spade	ha	1.0	28.0	28.0	25.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Seeds, chemical fertilizer	ha	1.0	84.0	84.0	25.0
Construction material	Plastic bags, mulching material	ha	1.0	11.0	11.0	50.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					165.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

All costs and amounts are rough estimates by the technicians and authors.

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 medium

Soil drainage / infiltration is good

Soil water storage capacity is low

5.4 Water availability and quality

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Ground water table: 30-50 m

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 200-500 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

• landless

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Income and costs

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Climate and disaster risk reduction

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)

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)

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	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

Comments:

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: The majority of riverbed farmers among the first few groups to learn the technique continued riverbed farming after support for the project ended. In the third year, 55 of the original 61 groups were still farming on the riverbed even though they did not receive any agricultural inputs with the exception of support from the local resource persons. The local resource persons have organized themselves into an independent organisation that now provides technical support through the Micro Enterprise Development Fund and through individual channels. Now that Nepali farmers have started to farm the riverbeds in the Kailali and Kanchanpur Districts, the number of Indian farmers who previously farmed these riverbeds has drastically diminished.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Riverbed farming provides a new source of income for landless and land-poor households How can they be sustained / enhanced? Continue to provide technical support through local resource persons. These persons can be supported through district-based instruments such as the Micro Enterprise Development Fund. Local governing bodies such as the district development committees, municipalities, and village development committees, can support riverbed farming with their own funds; can support farmers with the land leasing process, can help to identify primary stakeholders, and can also help by promoting policies that are favourable towards riverbed farming.
Riverbed farming has a very high cost-benefit ratio and a very low investment requirement. How can they be sustained / enhanced? Continue to promote this technology among primary stakeholders.
All services including the supply of quality seeds, tools, and materials are now processed through the local agrovets and agricultural extension is available through local resource persons. These are locally available and of high quality. How can they be sustained / enhanced? Agrovets, local resource persons, and their associations may need further capacity building through different channels such as the Micro Enterprise Development Fund, and/or the District Agricultural Development Office

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Competition from riverbed products originating in India and a glut during the season	Riverbed farmer groups need to improve their understanding of the value chain and their access to markets.
Mineral fertilizer and biopesticides are now used to ensure a good harvest	Promote sustainable soil management practices including the use of farmyard manure, urine collection, and bio-pesticides
Land ownership of riverbed land is often contested	Long term leasehold agreements need to be negotiated with land owners

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Riverbed farming manual and local resource person training modules. Kathmandu, Nepal, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Nepal