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)

Soil protection and rehabilitation for food security (ProSo(i)l)

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

Alliance Bioversity and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Alliance Bioversity-CIAT) - Kenya

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

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Green manures are fast-growing legumes sown in a field, weeks or even months before the main crop is planted. These are plants that are deliberately grown for incorporation into the soil to improve fertility and organic matter content.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Green manures are grown with the prime purpose of building up as much biomass as possible. However, they also play a role in covering the ground and protecting it from solar radiation and soil erosion. These are plants that are deliberately grown for incorporation into the soil to improve soil fertility and organic matter content. They are generally fast-growing legumes sown in a field several weeks or months before the main crop is planted. Legumes are chosen due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, their drought tolerance, quick growth, and adaptation to adverse conditions. Green manures have the potential to restore soil fertility and have an ameliorating effect on climate change via the sequestration of atmospheric carbon.
Green manures supply the soil with great amounts of fresh biomass. After incorporation into the soil, the biomass is decomposed by soil organisms within a few weeks under humid and warm conditions. Most nutrients are then readily available to a new crop. A small proportion is also transformed into stable soil organic matter, contributing to better soil structure, better aeration, improved drainage, increased soil water and nutrient holding capacity, and reduced erodibility of the soil by wind or water. Soil microbial activity is increased, as is the availability of macro and micronutrients in forms that the plants can use. They also have a root system that holds the soil in place.

Green manures are often applied to degraded land that demands management interventions. The purpose of introducing the technology reported here is primarily to multiply seeds for the scaling out of the technology. Among the common green manure crops which are being used in Ethiopia are lupin and lablab. Land users benefit from the sale of the seed itself as well as the fact that green manures increase production and help to changes unproductive and abandoned land into productive assets. This technology has been distributed to virtually all Integrated Soil Fertility Management project (ISFM+) intervention woredas/regions as a component of intervention technologies/practices.

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:

2020

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The technology was introduced by the Integrated Soil Fertility Management Project (ISFM+) of the GIZ.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

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

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

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 crop-livestock management
• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• integrated soil fertility management

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
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

Comments:

It brings back degraded soil and revives its productive potential.

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):

ETB

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

53.12

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Land preparation	Dry season
2.	Planting	Sow the green manure seeds during the short rainy season in March/April, about 45-60 days before planting the main crop.
3.	Slash and plowing over	Plow in the green manure about 2 weeks before planting the main crop, i.e. in June/July.

Comments:

GM are ideally allowed to grow up to the flowering stage when biomass is the greatest and the plant material will still easily decompose, as it is still green and not yet woody.

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	Land preparation	PDs	3.0	200.0	600.0	100.0
Labour	Slashing and plow over	PDs	1.5	200.0	300.0	100.0
Labour	Planting	PDs	1.5	200.0	300.0	100.0
Plant material	Green manure seed	kg	37.5	8.0	300.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1500.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					28.24

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

The initial cost for introducing green manure seed is produced by ISFM+ of the GIZ.

Comments:

Labor and other input costs are frequently changing in current Ethiopia.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Labor for land preparation, planting, and slashing over.	Before planting the main crop.

Comments:

It is more important if green manure is frequently used to improve soil fertility. According to the land user, using green manure increased the harvesting of Faba beans by 50% from the indicated land unit.

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	Land preparation, planting, slashing and plow over	PDs	4.5	200.0	900.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	PDs	37.5	8.0	300.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					1200.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					22.59

Comments:

Once accessed, the land user is expected to retain seed for the other years to come. The cost estimated using a hectare of land is just to standardize using the SI unit and simplify understanding by the readers.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Cost is highly volatile in Ethiopia. It could be attributed to global and national economic crises and price changes.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

The topography has a rolling feature that consistently changes.

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

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

There is high habitat biodiversity in the nearby remnant forest.

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

The land user generates additional off-farm income is serving as a security guard for water depots that build for the nearby Bedele city.

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:

• state
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)
• leased

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

Specify:

The land user inherited the land from his father.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

Comments:

Apart from electricity, the land user is closer to other public facilities and services.

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

Specify assessment of off-site impacts (measurements):

As it is a recent introduction, the impact of the technology on the off-site is just conceptually judged.

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
annual rainfall		decrease	not well

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:

The technology needs land users knowledge and skills and less of financial expenses.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

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

• 0-10%

Comments:

Most adopters are member of the Farmers Research and Extension Group.

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
Improve soil fertility.
Reduce soil acidity.
Increase grain yield.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
It stops the soil from being carried away by wind and rain by providing ground cover during early season when flash rain/wind causes erosion.
Increases soil microbial activity, and the availability of macro and micronutrients in forms that the plants can use.
After the plow over, most nutrients are then readily available to a new crop.

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?
Labor demanding for establishment and maintenance.	Continues awareness raising work regarding the indirect benefits generated from the technology in terms of amending the soil fertility and reducing issues of soil acidity.
Lack of tangible benefit as most farmers expect yield.	Convince the land users about the indirect benefit accrued from using green manure.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Farmers may be unwilling to put in the labor or buy the seed needed.	Advocate the sustainable benefits triggered by using green manures so that the mindset of the land users would be changed.
Lack of awareness of green manuring as a soil fertility management option since it is a recent innovation in Ethiopia.	Create more awareness and institutionalize its benefit in the mainstream agricultural extension system to reach out to large number of beneficiaries.
Many farmers look for an immediate economic product, such as grains, from any crop that is grown.	Again, this need familiarizing the land users to the in kind benefits accrued from the application of green manure. Demonstrating the technology and arranging experience exchange visit is pivotal to scale out the technology/practice.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Managing Land: A practical guidebook for development agents in Ethiopia. 26. RELMA & MARD. 2005.

Available from where? Costs?

It is public resource.

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Green Manures

URL:

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/green-manures#

7.4 General comments

Some questions in the questionnaire are irrelevant to this particular technology.