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)

Department for Agronomy, University of Ljubljana - Slovenia

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

1.4 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:

It is based on 5 years crop rotation, full absence of artificial plant protection products and mineral nitrogen and the circulation of nitrogen via organic manure, crops and residues.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

1.The technology is applied in the flatlands of Ljubljana with an average altitude of 350 m.a.s.l. The average annual precipitation is 1400 mm. The area is characterized with often stormy precipitation events and occasional droughts. Silty loam soils in the area are moderately deep to deep with medium soil organic matter. Area has good availability of surface water and groundwater of good drinking quality. Area has medium biodiversity without salinity and flooding problems. Sedentary agriculture with mixed or commercial agriculture is practiced with less than 10 percemt from off-farm activities. The examined farm household has an average wealth and is mechanized/motorized. The farm is run by middle aged and elderly mens. The farm household has good access to all services and infrastructure. Farm is of medium scale with land partly owned by the land users and partly leased from other private owners.

2. Main characteristics are
(1) full 5 year crop rotation
(2) at least 0.5 livestock units
(3) circulation of nitrogen via organic manure
(4) cycle of other nutrients closed as much as possible
(5) absence of artificial plant protection products and mineral nitrogen.
(6) nitrogen fixation leguminous in crop rotation
(7) production of local traditional species (buckwheat)

3. Purpose of the technology is to manage the land in a sustainable way with closed nutrient cycles and to increase the biodiversity. Organic matter increases organic matter and fertility of the soils. Reduced soil acidificatino, pollution, salinization and alkalinization. Reduced soil compaction, slaking and crusting of soils. Increased bio-productive function of soils. Increased vegetation cover, biomass and improves habitats with better quantity of species and its composition and diversity. The purpose is also to offer customers food of local and well known products without any use of chemically based plant protection.

4. Major activities:
(1) keeping of farm animals in stables for closing the N-balance
(2) a lot of further manual farm and cultivation work. Some of it is replaced by new machinery. This causes additional costs at the moment of establishment
(3) regular manual checking for pests, diseases.

5. Benefits are the closed N cycle and the CO2 sequestration - high organic matter content, lower loss of nutrients, higher biodiversity.

6. Farm users dislike lots of costs connected with the new machinery, lots of paper work for the certification, the pressure on productivity, a great deal of work with planning crop rotations and nutrient management, coping with pests and diseases. But they like the better price on the market.

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:

2008

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation

• Common agricultural policy

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The land user saw the opportunity of capital city market and rising market of organic food in Slovenia. The subsidy payments accelerated the whole process of transformation from conventional to organic farm.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

Comments:

Main crops (cash and food crops): cereals (wheat, barley) / buckwheat / peas / alfalfa / corn / potato / vegetable / in winter cover crops
Main animal species and products: Dairy cows (milk, cheese). Due to the dispersed land parcels they are not able to implement grazing.

3.4 Water supply

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

• rainfed

Comments:

Vegetable on limited area is also irrigated.

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
• integrated soil fertility management
• integrated pest and disease management (incl. organic agriculture)

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
• reduce 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

other/ national currency (specify):

EUR

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Exclusion of artificial chemiclas (plant protection products)	all year around
2.	Only organic N in use	all year around
3.	5 year rotation	all year arround
4.	Winter cover crops	in autumn, winter
5.	Working with papers, records	all year around
6.	Animal stall reconstruction	first year
7.	machinery (cultivator, grubber, harrows)	first three years
8.	Plant protection preparations (for diseases and pests)	First year
9.	Further cost for diverse supplement activities (50% more work)	all year around

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	Working with papers, records	hour	20.0	6.25	125.0	20.0
Labour	Further cost for diverse supplement activities	hour	700.0	6.25	4375.0	100.0
Equipment	machinery (cultivator, grubber, harrows)	pcs	3.0	4000.0	12000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Copper preparations (diseases)	ml	100.0	0.2	20.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Naturalis (potato, vegetable) (Beauveria bassiana)	ml	100.0	0.2	20.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Neemezal (potato, vegetable)	ml	100.0	0.2	20.0	100.0
Construction material	Animal stall reconstruction	pcs	1.0	60000.0	60000.0	100.0
Other	Regular certifiaction control for organic production	pcs	1.0	400.0	400.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					76960.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					76960.0

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Working with papers, records	all year around
2.	Equipment maintenance	all year around
3.	Only organic N in use	all year around
4.	Winter cover crops	autumn, winter
5.	5 year rotation	all year around
6.	Buying plant protection products	all year around
7.	Further cost for diverse supplement activities (35% more work)	all year aroud

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	Working with papers, records	hour	20.0	6.25	125.0	100.0
Labour	Further cost for diverse supplement activities	hour	490.0	6.25	3062.5	100.0
Equipment	regular maintenance of machinery	hour	1.0	50.0	50.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Copper preparations (diseases)	ml	100.0	0.2	20.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Naturalis (potato, vegetable) (Beauveria bassiana)	ml	100.0	0.2	20.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Neemazal (potato, vegetable)	ml	100.0	0.2	20.0	100.0
Other	Regular certifiaction control for organic production	pcs	1.0	400.0	400.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					3697.5
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					3697.5

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

The reamining costs are coverd by subsidy payments.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour availability, price of organic plant protection products and fertilisers, price of the machinery

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 used 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
• 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

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

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	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	not known
seasonal temperature	summer	increase	not known

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:

It is important that land user is engaged on market with self-promotion and good quality of product.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

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

• 91-100%

Comments:

It is self-initiated as farm has its land on a water protection zone with many restrictions in management.

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
Lower use of plant protection products - less impact on bidiversity and water sources.
Quality of products.
Demand over organic food on the market is high, Farm is close (1 km) to capital city market.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Food produced without chemicals is of better quality and more interesting for the market.

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?
Working force, especialy in vegetable production	New machinery, rotation
Shortage of nitrogen	fabaceae (legumes) as part of crop rotation

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
A lot of work force and expensive specialized machinery needed.	This is part of this technology. This can be overcome with higher prices of products.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information