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

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

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

leveled mountain terraces [Yemen]

organized collective action at a high pace for building agricultural terraces to improve livelihoods in resource-scarce regions in the ground

• Compiler: ahmed algalal
• 09/18/2013 midnight

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Old flat terraces were built in accordance with the contour lines and surrounded by stones to create a suitable environment for the growth of crops, slope stabilization and reduce the risk of runoff and increasing water harvesting.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The Yemeni farmer challenged the nature cruel and adopted to cope with the needs and requirements, including the construction of agricultural terraces utilizing all the resources available in the region, where he worked first on the extraction of soil located on the slopes of the mountains and booked by building a wall of stones around where were collected and brought stones from different places. Walls were built in very geometric creativity very well designed so that they work to minimize the risk of soil erosion and increase the use of water runoff without damages to the established terraces so through the construction of terraces along contour lines and making outlets in each terrace to drain excess water.

The process of building terraces using stones according to the contours, which works to prevent soil erosion and erosion, as well as help to increase soil moisture as a result harvest runoff, which leads to meet the needs of crop water and thereby increase production.

The main objective of building terraces is to increase production. The soil depth at the beginning of the establishment of the stands to be very shallow and increasing soil depth as a result of increasing deposits the soil.This process is booked by increasing the height of the wall that range between 1-3 meters, and a width runway between 1-6 meters As for the length of the runway It is 5 - 80 meters according to the contour line, which runs on reserve deposits and protect the soil from erosion.. Finally terraces are planted with annual crops mainly cereals crops, as well as perennial trees such as coffee, diamond, Qat and other perennial trees.

The terraces of the projects long-term where you need a long time to build due to the use of hands in the construction process as a result you cannot use the mechanisms, for maintenance operations in view of the building stands on the regions of steep and where the rate of runoff high result of heavy rains in a short time in addition to Regression factor that leads to increase the speed of the flow of water, which operate on a cliff erosion terraces in the event of lack of maintenance, which makes the process of ongoing maintenance is an urgent need to ensure the preservation and sustainability of the stands.

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:

Yemen

Region/ State/ Province:

Hajah Governorate

Further specification of location:

Kahlan Afar

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 5.4 km2.

The study area is located in the south west of Fort Kahlan Afar and stretches along the projected water severe slope, and include seven villages spreading from the highest peak of the mountain until the bottom of the valley respectively: Bait guardian, Al Qimmeh, Bait Al Farawi, Al-ubal, Fara'ah, Bani Bram , Wadi (Valley) EabrHajr.

Map

×

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• more than 50 years ago (traditional)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

Comments (type of project, etc.):

too old since approximately 2000 BC

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

Cropland

• Annual cropping
• Tree and shrub cropping

Annual cropping - Specify crops:

• cereals - barley
• cereals - maize
• cereals - other
• cereals - wheat (spring)
• legumes and pulses - beans

• lentils

Tree and shrub cropping - Specify crops:

• coffee, open grown

• Qat, Diamond

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 2

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 240

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): severe slopes that works to increase the speed of runoff, which leads to soil loss

3.4 Water supply

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

• rainfed

Comments:

Also mixed rainfed - irrigated

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• cross-slope measure

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

agronomic measures

• A3: Soil surface treatment

structural measures

• S1: Terraces

Comments:

Secondary measures: agronomic measures

Type of agronomic measures: contour tillage

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

• Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
• Wg: gully erosion/ gullying

biological degradation

• Bc: reduction of vegetation cover

water degradation

• Ha: aridification

Comments:

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Ha: aridification

Main causes of degradation: over-exploitation of vegetation for domestic use, Heavy / extreme rainfall (intensity/amounts) (severe rainfall in a short time), other natural causes (avalanches, volcanic eruptions, mud flows, highly susceptible natural resources, extreme topography, etc.) specify (severe slopes)

Secondary causes of degradation: overgrazing, droughts (As a result of the fluctuation of rainfall), poverty / wealth (Poverty)

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• USD

4.3 Establishment activities

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 12 month(s)

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

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

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: Shovel, local plow and a leveler, Shovel, Big hammer

calculated costs an average length of 60 meters along the wall stone and rising 2.5 meters. other operations were calculated per hectare considering that the land users who will carry the implemented works. with respect to maintenance has been calculated taking into account the fact that the stands terraces are considered investments long term and not subject to erosion annually, but in the event of a severe rain storm.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Collecting and transporting stones
Severe slopes

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• convex situations

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Slopes on average: 30-80%

Altitudinal zone: 1600- 2700 m a.s.l.

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 (topsoil): Silty Clay loam

Soil fertility is very low

Soil drainage / infiltration is medium - good

Soil water storage capacity is high

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: physically women to carry hard work, so the man who does the work on the farm and women are household.

Population density: 200-500 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 3% - 4%

20% of the land users are average wealthy and own 30% of the land.
65% of the land users are poor and own 50% of the land.
15% of the land users are poor and own 20% of the land.

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:

• leased
• individual

• Waqf

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

• Waqf

Comments:

There are three types of land ownership owned, hired and Waqf by 74%, 19%, 7%, respectively.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

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

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

• > 50%

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

994 households covering 100 percent of stated area

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

• 91-100%

Comments:

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

There is a little trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: because the technology is adopted in the whole Yemen, but there is difficulty with regard to the sustainability of technical maintenance due to lack of financial resources and poverty which leads to migration and lack of interest in the land

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

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Mountain terraces study in the Kahlan Afar region (Mashreqi, et, al 2003)- 44. General Census of Population, Housing and Establishment (Census, 2004).- 45. Guide of agricultural climate in Yemen (Al Khorasani, 2005).

Available from where? Costs?

Agricultural Research and Extension Authority, AREA Central Bureau of Statistics.Agricultural Research and Extension Authority, AREA