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)

Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research, and Development (LI-BIRD) - Nepal

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

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

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

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 (documented using WOCAT)

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

A technology that uses hedgerows to help establish terraces on sloping land; farmers learn improved methods to manage a cultivation practice that stabilizes the soil, enhances food production, and adds to on-farm cash income.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Hedgerow technology provides options and opportunities for farmers working on sloping land. These hedgerows are a soil conservation measure but they also help to generate additional biomass and fodder and/or income for marginal farmers; in addition, they offer the added benefit of helping to balance the ecosystem and to address climate change by encouraging biodiversity. This improved version of a local technology makes maximum use of indigenous knowledge and adds to it by making available the latest scientific knowledge.

Purpose of the Technology: Farmers have traditionally selected plants for hedgerow cultivation based on practical considerations such as the availability of seeds and seedlings, how well seeds germinate, how well the plants grow and how well they can be coppiced, their branching habit, the amount of biomass they can produce, and how much cash the crop can generate. They made these choices without the benefit of any external input or scientific knowledge, relying solely on what they have been able to observe locally over the years. The participatory technology development process aims to help farmers by providing them with scientific input to augment their traditional knowledge on the selection, plan, and design of hedgerows. Over a very short time, the farmers learn to make good use of the new information and start enjoying the benefits that the improved agriculture yields in terms of social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The following steps outline how hedgerows can be established on sloping land:
• A participatory designing and planning process is used to choose which sloping lands will be cultivated and to select which hedgerow species are to be planted. Trained manpower is recruited with the help of farmers and other related stakeholders.
• The necessary materials such as A-frames, seeds, and seedlings are prepared.
• The technology is implemented in the field by trained manpower.
• The hedgerow seedlings are regularly maintained.
• The land users participate in periodic monitoring and evaluation of the technology. They report on progress and provide feedback.

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:

• during experiments/ research

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agroforestry

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Noticeable soil erosion, decreased soil fertility, diminished productivity, and lower moisture content in areas that have sloping lands and in areas where shifting cultivation is or was practised. Plots that had previously been farmed by the method of shifting cultivation, where plots are allowed to lie fallow for a number of years, are now cultivated annually. This land use change is worrying because shifting cultivation has traditionally been practised in areas where the quality of the soil is poor and cannot support annual crop production year on year.

3.4 Water supply

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

• rainfed

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• cross-slope measure

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main causes of degradation: soil management, deforestation / removal of natural vegetation (incl. forest fires), Heavy / extreme rainfall (intensity/amounts), droughts

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 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:

• USD

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	The equipment that is needed for planting is collected and prepared; this can include such things as A-frames, spades, and sickles.• The hillside where the technology is to be implemented is first cleaned and groomed to make way for the new hedgerows.• Contour lines are demarcated.• The seeds and/or seedlings are planted along the contour lines.

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Prepare and plant along the contour lines	persons/day/ha	10.0	2.7	27.0	100.0
Equipment	Tools	ha	1.0	32.0	32.0	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	ha	1.0	68.0	68.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					127.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					127.0

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	The hedgerows are weeded and cleaned to discourage unwantedplants and pests.• Enrichment planting• The hedgerows are pruned and the clippings are mulched.• Manuring

4.6 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	Maintenance of hedgerows	persons/day/ha	26.0	2.7	70.2	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	ha	1.0	34.0	34.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Compost / manure	ha	1.0	20.0	20.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					124.2
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					124.2

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The cost of implementing this technology is dependent on the gradient of the slope (and other geographical features), the local cost of the seeds or seedlings, and the availability of labour.

The technology has a low to average cost for implementation. Locally available seeds and seedlings and locally trained manpower and resources are valuable low-cost inputs for implementation. The technology has a higher likelihood of adoption in some social and physiographic areas, especially where land users can integrate their own expertise with scientific knowledge. Many factors play a role in determining whether the technology is effective and sustainable and whether farmers are willing to adopt it; these include that if the technology is demand driven, it is more likely to be adopted, and if land users can use inexpensive local resources they are more likely to try it.
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 low

Soil drainage / infiltration is poor

Soil water storage capacity is low

5.4 Water availability and quality

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 10-50 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 3% - 4%

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, titled

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Other ecological impacts

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)

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	not well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	well

Comments:

Farmers selected species with deep root to adopt to climate extremes

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

• 11-50%

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

450 households in an area of 1- 10 sq km (10 - 50 persons per sq km)

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

• 91-100%

Comments:

25% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

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

Comments on spontaneous adoption: One quarter of the total land users (about 450 families) in the areas studied adopted this technology voluntarily without any external support.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Effective control of soil erosion on sloping land How can they be sustained / enhanced? This vegetative measure of planting along contour lines can be sustained in the long run by initially selecting species preferred by farmers and by continuing to maintain them
Improved soil fertility How can they be sustained / enhanced? Hedgerows help to increase soil fertility because they trap water and sediment on the terraces; leguminous hedgerow plants fix nitrogen in the soil and when they are mulched their residues increase organic matter in the soil.
Quality fodder and forage production How can they be sustained / enhanced? Hedgerows produce fodder and forage for livestock
Bioterracing How can they be sustained / enhanced? When leguminous plants with deep roots are used in the hedgerows they help to anchor the edges and over time, as the soil accumulates, bioterraces are established.
High adoption potential How can they be sustained / enhanced? This technology is simple to implement using only local resources and is assured of replication since it was demand driven

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?
Hedgerows are difficult to establish on steep slopes and in areas where the soil is dry and degraded	Increase moisture in the soil by mulching the hedges
Hedgerows take a long time to establish	Increase the amount of manure (compost, crop residue) added to the hedgerows and add more frequently. Increase the frequency of weeding and cleaning.
It is difficult to establish bio-terraces on steep land	Reduce the spacing between hedgerows and grow tree species. Remember that that this technology is not recommend for very steep slopes
High initial cost	Make maximum use of local resources and local labour
Hedgerows threatened by free grazing of animals	Control grazing in the area

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Factors responsible for acceptance or rejection of SALT and other technological options suitable for shifting and sloping land cultivation areas, Technical Paper submitted to Hill Agriculture Research Project (HARP), Regmi, BR; et al. (2004),

Title, author, year, ISBN:

A resource book: Integrated hedgerow technology (in Nepali), Sharma, G; Regmi, BR; Tamang, BB; Shrestha, PK (2008)

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Manual on contour hedgerow inter-cropping technology, ICIMOD, 1999

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Impact of contour hedgerows: A case study, Focus on Godavari No 3. Kathmandu, Nepal: ICIMOD, Ya, T; Murray, AB (eds) (2004)