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)

Uganda Landcare Network (ULN) - Uganda

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

25/05/2017

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:

contour ploughing conserves soil from land degradation by erosion.

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Contour farming is a practice of ploughing and/or planting across a slope following its elevation contour lines. The contour lines create a water break which reduces rill and gully forms of soil erosion in case of heavy storms. The water break allows more time for more water to percolate/sink into the soil, thus reducing the amount of water left to run off the surface.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Improved Maize variety (Longe 10) is popularly grown in Northern Uganda due to its high yielding ability. Northern Uganda has a generally flat landscape although along the river banks it is slopy with high risk of soil erosion. This has motivated the land user to grow his maize along the slope using contour ploughing which is a sustainable land management practice. Contour farming is a practice of ploughing and/or planting across a slope following its elevation contour lines. The contour lines create a water break which reduces rill and gully forms of soil erosion in case of heavy storms. The water break allows more time for more water to percolate/sink into the soil, thus reducing the amount of water left to run off the surface. Northern Uganda has a tropical savanna climate with one growing season. Rainfall is usually moderate ranging from 1000-1500 mm per annum and sometimes occurs with heavy storms. Rainfall is received from April to November with a dry spell in June and July which affects crop growth.
The maize was grown for commercial purposes in a 25 x 25 acres of land on contour lines with the aim of controlling soil erosion, and increase plant nutrients, soil moisture, productivity and household income. The maize is planted along the contour lines at a spacing of 30 cm between the maize plants and of 1 meter between the rows that runs across the contour field. Holes for planting maize are dug at a depth of 30 cm along the contours with four maize seeds planted per hole and covered with soil immediately since the contours creates a water break which reduces the formation of rills and gullies during heavy water run-off which is a major cause of soil erosion.
The activities involved in establishing such a technology include clearing the field during the dry season in March and second ploughing in early April to alter the soil and allow proper decomposition of the grass and also creating contours during planting in early April at the onset of the rainy season. Weeding is done twice, first two weeks after maize germination in late April, and lastly in June.
Inputs needed to establish the technology include ox-plough, hoes, and pangas used to clear the field. Inputs for maintaining the technology include hoes for weeding the maize crop and also checking that the contours are not destroyed by the run-off.
The technology is liked because it is good at controlling soil erosion on the gently sloping field, increases plant nutrients and soil moisture, and increases productivity. But it is disadvantageous when contours collapse which is accelerating the speed of surface run-off.

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

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 visited other farmers and copied the ideas of contour ploughing. These farmers include Sam Kolo, Otema Awany amongst others.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

Comments:

contours prevent soil erosion by surface runoff

If land use has changed due to the implementation of the Technology, indicate land use before implementation of the Technology:

uncultivated land

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

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• minimal soil disturbance
• integrated soil fertility management

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

If the Technology is evenly spread over an area, indicate approximate area covered:

• < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

this technology improves soil nutrients and results in higher yields

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
• reduce land degradation

Comments:

contour maize growing promotes sustainable land utilisation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Contours are created on a gentle slope using ox-plough. Maize holes are dug at a depth of 30 cm and a spacing of 30 x 30 cm. The distance between the contours are 1 x 1 meter. The contours are helpful in improving infiltration rates and controlling soil erosion.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

UGX

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Clearing garden	Agronomic	March
2.	Ox-ploughing to create contours	Agronomic	April
3.	Planting	Agronomic	April
4.	Weeding	Agronomic	Late April
5.	Thinning	Agronomic	Late April

Comments:

Easy to establish the contours.

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Clearing land	days	30.0	5000.0	150000.0	100.0
Labour	Ox-ploughing	days	5.0	40000.0	200000.0	100.0
Equipment	Ox-plough	pices	5.0	20000.0	100000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoes for digging left over grass	pices	10.0	12000.0	120000.0	100.0
Equipment	Pangas for cutting tress in the field	pices	10.0	12000.0	120000.0	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	kgs	150.0	6000.0	900000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1590000.0

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

no one

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Weeding	Agronomic	Late April
2.	Thinning	Agronomic	Late April

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
Labour	Weeding	days	10.0	5000.0	50000.0	100.0
Labour	Thining	days	10.0	5000.0	50000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					100000.0

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

No one

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

High costs of weeding and thinning the crop.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• convex situations

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Gently sloped landscapes

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

fresh water is suitable for human consumption

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

.

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

Land ownership:

• individual, not titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

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

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

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	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	moderately
annual rainfall		decrease	moderately
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	decrease	moderately

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
tropical storm	moderately

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
heatwave	moderately
drought	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)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 10-50%

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

50

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

• 10-50%

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.):

improved maize variety longe 10

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
source of food
source of income

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
creates social interactions
promote food security

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?
drought prone	water harvesting within the garden
take long to mature	adapt fast maturing maize variety

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
pests and diseases	weeding and spraying to be done

7.1 Methods/ sources of information