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

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

Scaling-up SLM practices by smallholder farmers (IFAD)

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

08/11/2016

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

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

Comments:

This technology serves many purposes but particularly tackles problem of land degradation due to soil fertility decline, waterlogging and soil surface crust

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Managing calcareous soils through combined structural measures and chemical amendments methods for improving soil productivity and reduce land degradation

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The technology is applied to facilitate drainage in calcareous soils (high calcium carbonate soils) that in addition suffer water logging. The technology is tested in research plots and then demonstrated on farmers field. The research and piloting is carried out by the Soil and Water Research Institute of Egypt. The technology is applied in agricultural fields where variety of cereal crops and vegetables and livestock feed is grown. These fields have been continuously farmed (soil nutrients mining) and have been exposed to varying land uses. The technology area is dominantly owned by smallholder farmers, who are forced to use the land for growing crops for their livelihoods (consumption and market). the fields could be under cultivation for two or more cropping annually and are exposed for varying degradation risks.

farm fields that are degraded by water logging and high calcium carbonate content (increase in the pH) are treated first in constructing surface drains that are laid out at sloping gradients towards the outlet, so that excess water is safely drained from the field. Ammonia gas 82% is ingested in the soil after seedbed preparation to lower the pH content of the soils. Excess water after irrigation is drained by the drains placed in the field at intervals.

The soils that degrade from water logging and high pH are treated by the combination of measures that are part of the technology. Water is drained by the drains and alkalinity treated by soil amendments in injecting ammonia.

Benefits of the Technology are reduced soil degradation, improved soil quality and health, and productivity increase (crop and fodder).

Land users liked the technology as it helped them increase crop and fodder production. water logged crop fields are safely drained becuse of the drains that remove excess water from the field to safe outlets

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:

• 10-50 years ago

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• during experiments/ research

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• 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:

In the area, land management is the most indispensable investment, without which livestock and crop productions becomes virtually impossible.

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

Land use could change in such a way that some years the land is used for cropping and on the other used to grow fodder for animals (cultivated - pasture- cultivation)

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• full irrigation

Comments:

2-3 crops could be irrigated in a year depending on the type of crop

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 2

Specify:

Minimum 2 or 3 in most cases

Livestock density (if relevant):

Livestock are mostly stallfed and sometimes let to seasonal grazing after harvest

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• integrated crop-livestock management
• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)
• water diversion and drainage

• sustainable soils management

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

Comments:

Research and farmers fields demonstration

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Soil conditioners such as ammonia hydroxide for reducing the pH of soils.

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• reduce land degradation
• adapt to land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

The dimensions of the drains vary from (0.5 m - 1.5 m wide) depending on the spacing of the drains. In the case of narrow spacing's of the drains the width is smaller and when the spacing is larger then the width of the drains gets larger as well (7 - 20m). The depth of the drains is normal bigger near the outlets it could range from 0.3 m at the beginning and could be as deep as 1 meters near the outlet

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

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

18.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	land preparation / seed bed preparation	Structural	October -November
2.	constructing drainage ditches	Structural	November
3.	injecting soil conditioners	Management	November
4.	stabilizing drainage banks	Vegetative	November
5.	planting	Vegetative	Nov - Dec
6.	weeding and cultivation	Agronomic	Dec-Jan
7.	harvest	Management	April

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	land tilling	Structural	2-3 times a year
2.	cultivation and weeding	Management	2 times
3.	repair in channel and ditch breaches	Structural	ones a year
4.	removing silt from main drains	Structural	ones in a year or ones in 2 years

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Yes

Specify:

Due to sea water entrusion along the mediterranian coast and in areas where there is no adequate irrigation water

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users could be of both gender. It could be used by all age groups but more dominant users are the middle aged as they have the labor that is needed to do all kinds of farm operation or the land could be contracted out to companies or cooperatives.

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:

• company
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• individual

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

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

• 10-50%

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

• 0-10%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Yes

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• labour availability (e.g. due to migration)

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view

The technology has the advantages primarily of reclaiming water logged farm fields to more crop friendly environment. It is not very costly because the drains could be easily made by farm implements the land users have or could be easily rented from cooperatives or companies that provide the service. The amendments used are also within the reach of land users to purchase them and are available in the near vicinities

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?

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Require frequent maintenances. Take away substantial segment of the farm out of cropping interfere in farm operations (pose difficulties for farm machineries and tools to be easily maneuvered as they restrict free turning of machinery and the tractors pulling them.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information