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)

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

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

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

A field at risk for erosion by water is divided so that a grass strip prevents soil loss and further damage to the field and the streets during a heavy rainfall.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The technology applied is an individual idea of a land user whose one field provides many problems whenever there is a heavy rainfall event. Because of the slope and the cultivation it is mostly at risk during summer when there are tempests. To minimize the risk of soil and crop loss the land user decided to leave a part of the filed unemployed and planted a seam of grass and flowers to stabilize the soil. Whenever there is a rainfall event, the grass strip stops the flow of water and eroded top-soil and speed is reduced. Consequently, erosion is highly minimized and the damage to the field, crops and the street underneath stays small.

Purpose of the Technology: The aim of the technology is to prevent erosion and soil loss, especially from heavy rainfall events during summer. Crop loss is also a consequence, so the land user loses not only top-soil and organic material but also crops and in the end money. The reduction of this high risk is the reason for the implementation of a grass strip on this problematic field.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: In the beginning seeds and a seeding machine were required. There is a specially designed mixture for field seams in Switzerland which the land user has to apply. After the first growing period the land user has to cut the grass with a special mowing machine. During the next two years the grass has to be cut every month. This is called the cleanup-cut. After the first two years the grass only needs to be cut twice a year. The grass must be led away.

Natural / human environment: The most important conditions for this technology are a moderate slope on a field which is endangered by erosion through rainfall. The technology can stop and slow down the flow of water over the field to a neighbor field or onto the street and therefore minimize the risk and costs of soil loss and its consequences.

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:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The seam was first seeded in spring 2014 by the land user. He had no help with the development and was the first of his family to change something on the endangered field after a heavy rainfall which took away his top-soil and accumulated on the street underneath the field.

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

Cropland

• Annual cropping

• Main crops (cash and food crops): Other crops: Arable farming and vegetable gardening

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 200Longest growing period from month to month: April to September or October

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Run-off during rainfall causes often much soil erosion because of the many slopes in this area. As a consequence of erosion there is soil loss and within this also loss of fertility of the soil.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): The intensification of agricultural fields is the main problem for the land user. Through a intensely use of the soils the risk for erosion increases. However, one must always also do as much as possible for protecting endangered fields of part of it. This is the solution.

3.4 Water supply

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

Water supply: rainfed, mixed rainfed - irrigated, full irrigation

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• cross-slope measure

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

vegetative measures

• V2: Grasses and perennial herbaceous plants

Comments:

Main measures: vegetative measures

Type of vegetative measures: aligned: -linear

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

• Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
• Wm: mass movements/ landslides
• Wo: offsite degradation effects

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Wo: offsite degradation effects

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Wm: mass movements / landslides

Main causes of degradation: soil management (machines and moment of tillage are highly important regarding compaction of soil), crop management (annual, perennial, tree/shrub) (Crop rotation must be adapted to the situation and problems, sometimes also short to the weather), Heavy / extreme rainfall (intensity/amounts) (Heavy rainfalls were the trigger for the first soil loss and erosion)

Secondary causes of degradation: other human induced causes (specify) (Heavy machines lead to compaction of soils), change in temperature (It was observed that there are longer hot weather conditions), change of seasonal rainfall (It was observed that there are longer wet weather conditions), governance / institutional (Politics and agrarian policy lead to an intensification of land use)

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

Comments:

Main goals: prevention of land degradation

Secondary goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

Swiss Franc

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

1.0

4.3 Establishment activities

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

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

Comments:

The costs were calculated for the field of 0.22 ha where the land user has now a grass strip in order to prevent run-off and erosion.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The most determinate factor affecting the costs are the labour and the seeds at the beginning. After the implementation of the seam on this agricultural field the costs are remarkably smaller. Furthermore, the land user gets a small amount of subsidies after the implementation of a seam on agricultural fields. But this amount is not that high that it would be profitable to change from rotation farming to agricultural seams.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Slopes on average: The average slope in the area treated is moderate (6-10%) however the problematic field is situated in a rolling slope (8-16%) there run-off can gain more and more speed during a heavy rainfall event.

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 texture is medium (loamy/silty) (Soil texture in this area is mostly sandy loam)
Soil fertility is high
Soil drainage/infiltration is medium
Soil water storage capacity is medium

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:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users
Difference in the involvement of women and men: In swiss agriculture land users are mainly men. Women or their wives play also an important role especially in case of decision-making, investment and family.
Population density: 100-200 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 1% - 2%
Level of mechanization is mechanised and manual labour (weeding in biological agriculture must be made manual)

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:

• communal (organized)
• individual

• government

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

• government

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

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)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

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

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

1

Comments:

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

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: The agrarian policy of Switzerland with its subsidies for different conservation technologies is beneficial for the adoption of this technology.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

7.1 Methods/ sources of information