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 and water protection (EU-SOWAP)

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

Farmin & wildlife advisory group (FWAG) - United Kingdom

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

21/02/2005

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

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Surface cultivation of up to the top 10cm of soil but not complete inversion

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Machinery with discs or tines replace the plough for minimal cultivations of the soil. Equally crops may be established by no-tillage/ zero-tillage.

Purpose of the Technology: (i) soil protection (ii) improved crop establishment particularly through the speeding up of of operations.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: appropriate machinery, soil condition and following crop all determine establishment. Maintenance: on an annual basis.

Natural / human environment: SOWAP (ww.sowap.org) project working with farmer to protect environment and maintain economic viability

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:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

From the USA where in the 1930's the 'dust-bowls' necessitated the development of soil conservation in intensive agriculture.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Soil erosion and compaction caused by inappropriate land use and intensive grazing respectively
Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Soil erosion and capping of the soil
Type of cropping system and major crops comments: winter wheat - winter oilseed rape - winter wheat - beans - winter wheat

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• rainfed

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 300, Longest growing period from month to month: Sep - Jul

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• minimal soil disturbance

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 0.007 m2.
Farm is a total of 126ha of which 28ha are grazed, 9ha are under environmental stewardship and 7ha are set aside. The total SWC technology area represents a project demonstration plot.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Type of agronomic measures: early planting, mulching, mineral (inorganic) fertilizers, minimum tillage, breaking compacted subsoil

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main causes of degradation: other human induced causes (specify) (agricultural causes: focus on yields), labour availability (too much labour: attempting to maintain rural employment)
Secondary causes of degradation: education, access to knowledge and support services (lack of knowledge), insufficient time for farmers to consider the issu

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate
Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: improvement of soil structure
Secondary technical functions: control of raindrop splash, control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap, improvement of ground cover, increase in organic matter, increase in soil fertility

Early planting
Material/ species: crop
Quantity/ density: depends on
Remarks: residue chopped + spread over width of combine

Mulching
Material/ species: crop residue
Quantity/ density: up to 5t/h

Mineral (inorganic) fertilizers
Material/ species: N,P,K, trace elements
Remarks: broadcast

Breaking compacted subsoil
Remarks: when required

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

£

Indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (if relevant): 1 USD =:

0.56

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Year1: light cultivation with discs	Agronomic	3rd-4th week in August / per crop
2.	Year1: spray with non-selective herbicide (glyphosate)	Agronomic	late August/ early September / per crop
3.	Year1: drill	Agronomic	late August/ early September, 3-4 days after spraying / per crop
4.	Year1: roll (optional)	Agronomic	after drilling / per crop

Comments:

Additional info: - Year2: drill: mid September / per crop - Year2: roll: mid September / per crop - Year3: shallow sub-soil: November / per crop - Year3: drill: November / per crop

4.7 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
Equipment	Equipment (year1) machine hour	ha	1.0	148.0	148.0	100.0
Equipment	Equipment (year2) machine hour	ha	1.0	166.0	166.0	100.0
Equipment	Equipment (year3) machine hour	ha	1.0	113.0	113.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					427.0

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: Vaderstad Carrier, Vaderstad drill and roller

Only crop establishment costs are included as all other costs - seed, fertilisers, pesticides - are equivalent with those for conventionally mouldboard ploughing. The costs highlghted include labour. Equivalent crop establishment costs by ploughing are 225 (year1), 231 (year2), 190 (year3)

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

slope (steeper slopes require more horsepower), state of the soil, climate, crop

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 medium

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: < 0.5%
5% of the land users are very rich and own 20% of the land.
10% of the land users are rich and own 20% of the land.
85% of the land users are average wealthy and own 60% of the land.

Off-farm income specification: Contracting work forms greater part of income

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

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

• Other

Land use rights:

• leased

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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

Comments:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support
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: Driven by economics

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
ncreased work rate making operations quicker
Better trafficability
Less at risk of weather
Earlier drilling. It is a systems approach - minimum tillage combined with early drilling and low seed rates

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Increased work rate and cost effectiveness
Improved soil organic matter
Imrpoved water quality
Improved soil biodiversity

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?
Dependent on dry weather	Co-operation with other farmers or larger acreage
Machinery more complex and expensive	A combination of crop rotation, pesticides and stale seedbeds
Increasing grass weed populations	Does not necessarily mean spending money eg utilising old equipment on farm like subsoilers. However, need the right attitude
Need to be experimental	Accept advice for varying sources, talk to different people
Advice can be fragmented/ confusing

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Technological knowledge of farmer	Training and education, dissemination
Initial high capital investment	Extended finance
Possible increasing weed populations	More diverse management options - cultural and chemical
Need to expand acreage to cover capital costs	More diverse crop rotation but perhaps this is insufficient to retain economic viability

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory group)

Available from where? Costs?

www.fwag.org.uk

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

SMI

URL:

www.smi.org.uk

Title/ description:

L and D farming

URL:

www.landdfarming.co.uk

Title/ description:

Vaderstad machinery

URL:

www.vaderstad.com

Title/ description:

SOWAP project

URL:

www.sowap.org