Technologies

Road runoff management - Nyeri [Kenya]

MRP - soil conservation pilot project

technologies_1094 - Kenya

Completeness: 65%

1. General information

1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Key resource person(s)

State employee:
Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Kenya (MoA) - 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

2. Description of the SLM Technology

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

management of runoff water on the road and its environment to reduce land degradation

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

It encompasses agronomic, vegetative, structural and management aspects to minimise land degradation within the road catchment and its environment using participatory methods. The purpose of the technology was to improve on the managent of water from the road so that it does not cause degradation. Establishment and maintenance of the technology was done by the local community bordering the roads.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

Country:

Kenya

Region/ State/ Province:

Central

Specify the spread of the Technology:
  • evenly spread over an area
If precise area is not known, indicate approximate area covered:
  • < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)
Comments:

the area covered depend on the area of the road. In total the technology was duplicated in roads totalling about 33 kilometres

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.):

SWC specialists and land users

3. Classification of the SLM Technology

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

Cropland

  • Annual cropping
Number of growing seasons per year:
  • 2
Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 120Longest growing period from month to month: Mar - MaySecond longest growing period in days: 90Second longest growing period from month to month: Oct - Dec

Settlements, infrastructure

Settlements, infrastructure

  • Traffic: roads, railways
Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Declining soil fertility and soil erosion, land subdivision leading to small parcels of land

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Marketing/pricing of farm produce, high costs of inputs and lack of credit

Grazingland comments: stall feeding is the most common grazing system as there are no delienated portions for grazing , due to the small holdings

Type of grazing system comments: stall feeding is the most common grazing system as there are no delienated portions for grazing , due to the small holdings

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

  • water diversion and drainage

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

structural measures

structural measures

  • S4: Level ditches, pits
Comments:

Main measures: structural measures

Secondary measures: agronomic measures, vegetative measures, management measures

Type of agronomic measures: contour ridging

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

soil erosion by water

  • Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
  • Wg: gully erosion/ gullying
  • Wo: offsite degradation effects
chemical soil deterioration

chemical soil deterioration

  • Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)
Comments:

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

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content

Main causes of degradation: other human induced causes (specify) (road surface & Agricultural causes), roads

Secondary causes of degradation: education, access to knowledge and support services (Lack of knowledge), Lack of enforcement of legislat./authority

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

4. Technical specifications, implementation activities, inputs, and costs

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

Technical specifications (related to technical drawing):

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Main technical functions: control of dispersed runoff: impede / retard, control of concentrated runoff: retain / trap, control of concentrated runoff: impede / retard, control of concentrated runoff: drain / divert

Secondary technical functions: reduction of slope length, increase in organic matter, increase of infiltration

Grass species: napier grass

Slope (which determines the spacing indicated above): 0.00%

Construction material (stone): for scour checks in the waterway

Construction material (wood): small posts for scour checks

Construction material (other): grass, brush wood, live vegetative material

Lateral gradient along the structure: 8%

Vegetation is used for stabilisation of structures.

Change of land use type: exclusion of land under waterway

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

Kenyan Shilling

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

33.0

Indicate average wage cost of hired labour per day:

0.96

4.3 Establishment activities

Activity Timing (season)
1. planting napier grass cuttings after first rains
2. establish scour checks on set of rains
3. excavation dry spell
4. planting grass for stabilisation on set of rains

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 24 month(s)

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

Activity Timing/ frequency
1. contour ridging dry season / beginning of season
2. weeding dry spell /once per season
3. desilting channel dry season/each cropping season
4. gapping the grass wet season/each cropping season
5. slashing grass in channel wet season/each cropping season

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

Comments:

For the length of the waterway in metres. The length of the structure was kept constant

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The general ground slope determines the cost of the structures and the distance of the safe discharge point from the road

5. Natural and human environment

5.1 Climate

Annual rainfall
  • < 250 mm
  • 251-500 mm
  • 501-750 mm
  • 751-1,000 mm
  • 1,001-1,500 mm
  • 1,501-2,000 mm
  • 2,001-3,000 mm
  • 3,001-4,000 mm
  • > 4,000 mm
Agro-climatic zone
  • humid
  • sub-humid

Thermal climate class: tropics

5.2 Topography

Slopes on average:
  • flat (0-2%)
  • gentle (3-5%)
  • moderate (6-10%)
  • rolling (11-15%)
  • hilly (16-30%)
  • steep (31-60%)
  • very steep (>60%)
Landforms:
  • plateau/plains
  • ridges
  • mountain slopes
  • hill slopes
  • footslopes
  • valley floors
Altitudinal zone:
  • 0-100 m a.s.l.
  • 101-500 m a.s.l.
  • 501-1,000 m a.s.l.
  • 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
  • 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
  • 2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
  • 2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
  • 3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
  • > 4,000 m a.s.l.
Comments and further specifications on topography:

Landforms: Also valley floors

Slopes on average: Also moderate

5.3 Soils

Soil depth on average:
  • very shallow (0-20 cm)
  • shallow (21-50 cm)
  • moderately deep (51-80 cm)
  • deep (81-120 cm)
  • very deep (> 120 cm)
Soil texture (topsoil):
  • medium (loamy, silty)
Topsoil organic matter:
  • medium (1-3%)
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-high

Soil drainage / infiltration is good

Soil water storage capacity is medium-high

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Off-farm income:
  • less than 10% of all income
Relative level of wealth:
  • poor
  • average
Level of mechanization:
  • manual work
Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 200-500 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 3% - 4%

5% of the land users are rich and own 10% of the land.
50% of the land users are average wealthy and own 70% of the land.
25% of the land users are poor and own 15% of the land.
20% of the land users are poor and own 5% of the land.

Off-farm income specification: mainly from employment in the nearby urban areas

Level of mechanization: With hand tools

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

Land ownership:
  • individual, titled
Land use rights:
  • individual

6. Impacts and concluding statements

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

surface runoff

increased
decreased
Quantity before SLM:

50

Quantity after SLM:

20

Soil

soil loss

increased
decreased
Quantity before SLM:

25

Quantity after SLM:

15

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?
Short-term returns:

slightly positive

Long-term returns:

positive

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?
Short-term returns:

slightly positive

Long-term returns:

neutral/ balanced

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

  • > 50%
If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

210 households in an area of 10 ha

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?
  • 0-10%
Comments:

20% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

200 land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

Comments on acceptance with external material support: estimates

5% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

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

Comments on spontaneous adoption: estimates

There is no trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: technology adoption not spontaneous because of dependency on material support from donor

7. References and links

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

farm management handbook of Kenya. 1983.

Available from where? Costs?

SWC branch, MoA, Nairobi

Title, author, year, ISBN:

minor roads soil conservation project. Final report. 1992.

Available from where? Costs?

Ministry of Public Works. Nairobi.

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