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)

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

Makerere University (Makerere University) - Uganda

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

12/07/2017

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:

A minimum tillage technology where the garden is cleared by slashing and crops are planted without opening the land. Only the spot where the seed is planted is dug. The rest of the land is left undisturbed.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Soil tillage, which is practiced traditionally to prepare fine seedbeds and control weeds, bears several undesirable side effects that have forced land users to rethink and develop other sustainable management strategies such as reduced tillage or no-till (see photo below). Tillage as a practice damages soil and leaves it exposed to erosion, particularly by wind and water. Yet weeding using tillage methods is often laborious and costly. In parts of northern Uganda, minimum or reduced tillage is used to ease land preparation.

Labor is an important factor that determines the size of gardens that farmers can prepare and work on. With this technology, immediately after crop harvest, the field is cleared by slashing residues (weeds and crop residues) present in the field. It is a good practice to cut the vegetation before they produce seeds to ensure that few weed seeds germinate. After slashing down crop residues, planting holes for the subsequent crop are dug following the given recommendations for the crop to be planted.

This practice ensures that the residues provide mulch, which in turn reduces surface runoff and soil erosion. The decomposing residues provide humus and replenish nutrients into the soil. Plants can also escape harsh weather conditions since they can be planted in time. This technology is still new among the farming communities in northern Uganda, thus its proper use requires extension advisory support.

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

Indicate year of implementation:

2015

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• through projects/ external interventions

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• conserve ecosystem
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact

• ensure early planting

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:

• rainfed

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 2

Specify:

Two rainy seasons

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• minimal soil disturbance

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

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:

• reduce land degradation
• adapt to land degradation

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Grasses are slashed to ground surface. Only the spot onwhich the seed is to be planted is dug to create conditions for good germination.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology unit

other/ national currency (specify):

uganda shillings

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

3600.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Slashing	Management	dry season

Comments:

This is an activity in replacement to land preparation by tillage

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	Personnel	persondays	9.0	5000.0	45000.0	100.0
Equipment	Slashes	pieces	3.0	6000.0	18000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					63000.0

Comments:

Farmer can use hoes instead of slasher for slashing the grass. If grasses are tall and mature, the farmer prefers to use a hand hoe of equivalent cost

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

Comments:

This technology is not maintained, it is repeated. That is it is to be done prior to every planting season.

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

Comments:

This technology is not maintained, it is repeated every season

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Farm labour, although this technology reduces the labour demand in general

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, not titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

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 rainfall		decrease	very well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	decrease	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	very well

Biological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
insect/ worm infestation	moderately

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)?

Comments:

In real sense, this technology its not maintained but it is done each and every season for annual crops for land clearence

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
Reduction of labour demands
More land can be cleared
Less farm activities

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Reduction in soil disturbance hence increase in soil life

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?
more weeds	proper control of weeds, before they produce seeds

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Leached nutrients are not brought to surface	plant deep rooted crops

7.1 Methods/ sources of information