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)

CDE Centre for Development and Environment (CDE Centre for Development and Environment) - Switzerland

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

Comments:

The technology is useful in controlling soil and water runoffs under banana.

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Trenches commonly referred to as “fanny juu, fanya chini” increase water infiltration and reduce soil erosion.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Soil and water runoff is a major challenge encountered by farmers growing banana in Northern Uganda. As a remedy, farmers have started using trenches commonly referred to fanya juu, fanya chini. This is one of the technologies intended to help reduce soil and water runoff on cultivated and degraded land under banana in order to increase water infiltration and improve soil fertility.
The trenches are normally established during the dry season on small pieces of land of about 0.5 to 1 acre, with slopes ranging from 16 to 30% in areas with high rainfall. The trenches are measured, using a tape measure, 0.5 m deep and 50 m long banana planted at a spacing of 3 metres between plants to allow suckers to grow in addition to applying cow dung during maintenance which is locally obtained at no cost.
Implements and materials required to construct the trenches include ropes, spades, and hoes. Once the trenches have been constructed, natural grass can be allowed to grow or elephant grass planted on both sides of the trenches to stabilize the soils and reduce sediments falling into the trenches.
In this practice, the land user starts with identifying soil erosion hotspots within the banana plantation where the trenches are to be established. This is followed by looking for labour and money to pay for digging the trenches.
Trenches are effective in reducing soil and water runoffs under banana production immediately when it starts raining. It is worth to note that, the costs associated with paying labour for digging the trenches and buying inputs are higher during establishment compared to the costs of maintenance; this is because during maintenance the land user only needs to pay for labour to remove sediments from the trenches.
Establishing trenches under banana plantations requires the land user to be provided with prior knowledge and skills through training on the proper procedures on establishing the trench using the correct measurements of 0.5 m deep and 50 m long with banana planted at a spacing of 3 metres with the help of a tape measure, ropes, spades, and hoes and as required inputs.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos 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

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 land user started on his own after participating in a field visit in South Western Uganda and later supported by the extension agent through training.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• reduce risk of disasters
• create beneficial economic impact

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

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

• integrated soil fertility management
• improved plant varieties/ animal breeds
• water harvesting

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
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

Comments:

Trenches reduces the speed of water which when not controlled washes away the soil nutrients.
Desilitation restores fertility removed from the trench and taken back to the banana garden.

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):

UGX

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

3350.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Identify erosion hot spot area	During the dry season/ after heavy rains
2.	Look for the tools and labour	During the dry season
3.	Measure the size of trench	During the dry season/ before rains set
4.	Dig the trench	During the dry season/ before rains set
5.	Desilt when it fillsup with soil	During the dry season/ after rains

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	Persons days	persons	10.0	5000.0	50000.0	100.0
Equipment	Spade	Pieces		10000.0		100.0
Equipment	Wheel barrow	Pieces		10000.0		100.0
Equipment	Ropes	Pieces	1.0	3000.0	3000.0	100.0
Equipment	Tape measure	pieces	1.0	25000.0	25000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					78000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					23.28

Comments:

Planting material (natural grass or elephant grass planted on the trenches is obtained free and no costs involved on purchase of planting material.
Total costs for establishing trenches are much higher at the time of establishment compared to the costs of maintenance and the benefits are high both in the short and long term.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Desiliting	At least every year after heavy rains/ during dry season

Comments:

The farmer uses cow dung to maintain the technology which is locally obtained at no cost.

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	Labour	Persons	5.0	5000.0	25000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fertiliser	Kgs	2.0	3500.0	7000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Biocides	litres	2.0	3500.0	7000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					39000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					11.64

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour for digging trenches, desilting and re-applying the silt in the garden.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

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

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Trench making is a technology that is more labour intensive and is usually not appropriate for women to do.

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:

• group
• individual, not titled

Land use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

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

Soil

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	moderately
seasonal temperature	wet/ rainy season	decrease	moderately

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	moderately

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
landslide	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:

More costs for labour and inputs for digging trenches at estsblishment than costs required for maintaing and desilting.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

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

Those who have adopted are those that are outiside the group as a resulting of copying from the group.

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

• 11-50%

Comments:

Around 40%.

6.6 Adaptation

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

Yes

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• climatic change/ extremes

Specify adaptation of the Technology (design, material/ species, etc.):

By planting natural and elephant grass to reduce soil and water run off.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Good at reducing soil and water runoff.
The costs of maintaining trenches in a banana plantation are rather low compared to the costs of estsblishment. Costs may be only high when it comes to weeding the banana.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Trenches are effective in controlling soil erosion.

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?
Labour intensive with high costs at estsblishment than maintenance.	Work in groups.
Requires knowledge and skills which a farmer may not have at the time of establishment.	Consult extension agents to provide technical guidance. Provide trainings on proper procedures for estsblishment.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Trenches alone may not be a measure for reducing land degradation.	Plant agrofrestry trees (Callindra , Grivellea, and Elephant grass where trenches are established. Fodder).

7.1 Methods/ sources of information