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)

Interactive Soil Quality assessment in Europe and China for Agricultural productivity and Environmental Resilience (EU-iSQAPER)

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

Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) - Greece

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

09/09/2016

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

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The technology consists of shaping the land in small ridges followed an interspaced part in which the main cultivation work of the crop is carried out. Ridges are the place where the plants are growing.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The technology is mainly applied in cultivated land, preferable in vineyards. The main characteristics are (a) shaping the land in ridges of about 25 cm high and 35 cm wide (b) leaving an interspaced part of the land of 200-220 cm. Ridges are the place where the plants are growing, while the interspaced part is used for carrying out all the necessary cultivation practices and harvesting of grapes. The purposes of the technology is to interrupt surface water runoff and to carry out easily the various cultivation works. It can be applied in a sloping land with slope gradient not higher than 12%. The major activities to establish the technology are to use a machine (a tractor) with the appropriate cultivation instrument (a plate) for shaping the land. The benefits of the technology are: (a) reduction in soil erosion, and (b) easily carrying out the various cultivation practices. The land users like it since their work is carrying out easily and store water runoff in the rootzone.

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:

• through land users' innovation

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

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

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

Irrigation water can be supplied during early spring or July-August when the climate is very dry

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

It is related to perennial crops

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• cross-slope measure
• water harvesting

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

If the Technology is evenly spread over an area, indicate approximate area covered:

• < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)

Comments:

The technology can be applied in slightly to moderately sloping land (2-12% slope gradient)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

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:

• prevent land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

The ridges are shaped by a tractor using a plate with an angle of 30° with respect the line of cultivation. The shaped ridges have a width of about 25 cm and 35 cm and 10-15 cm high, leaving an interspaced part of the land of 200-220 cm. Ridges are the part of the land where plants are growing. The slope gradient can range from 2-12% or a little higher.

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.	Shaping the land	Structural	Winter-early spring
2.	Planting	Vegetative	Winter-early spring

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	Clearing the land	person-days	1.0	40.0	40.0	100.0
Labour	Shaping of ridges	person-days	0.5	40.0	20.0	100.0
Equipment	Tractor including shaping instrument (plate)	machine hours	1.0	70.0	70.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					130.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Reshaping ridges	Structural	Winter-early spring

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	Reshaping ridges by shovel	hours	3.0	5.0	15.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					15.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Costs are affected mainly during installment (shaping the land and planting materials)

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?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

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:

• leased

Water use rights:

• leased

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

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	moderately
annual rainfall		decrease	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

• 1-10%

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

• 90-100%

6.6 Adaptation

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

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Increase in water storage and decrease in soil loss

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Increase in water storage and decrease in soil loss

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 erosion rates under heavy rainfall	covering the soil with a grass.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Gully erosion under heavy rainfall	Cover grass

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

No references

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

No references