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)

Makerere University (Makerere University) - Uganda

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

04/12/2017

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

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Cultivating leguminous crops in weed prone fields to help overgrow and kill the weeds

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Weeds account for a substantial proportion of crop yield losses among farming communities in northern Uganda. Weeds reduce farm and forest productivity, by depriving them of soil nutrients and water, the latter especially during dry seasons.

Majority of farmers in northern Uganda weed fields using rudimentary methods such as hand-hoeing and hand picking; both of which are manual and ineffective. Mechanized and herbicide weeding methods are out of reach of typical small scale farmers in the region. Moreover, alternative, more cost effective and environmentally augmenting natural weed control methods such as cover crops or living mulch exist, but are yet to be adopted widely in the region. Cover crops are creeping leguminous crops such as Macuna beans (mucuna pruriens) and local wild beans, which are planted in fields purposely to suppress weeds, control runoff and soil erosion, conserve soil moisture, fix nitrogen, regulate soil temperature, improve soil structure and provide fodder for livestock.

In northern Uganda, cover crops are usually planted at a spacing of 2 meter by 2 meter (see figure below) and in holes of 5 cm depth. Cover mulches are generally planted after the main crops have been harvested to minimize cover crop-main crop competition for resources. Nevertheless, planting while the main crop is growing in the field is also possible. However, the main crops should be given up to five weeks to establish before planting your cover crop.

The cover crop technology, being a natural phenomenon is usually affordable by typical small scale farmers in northern Uganda. The only challenge is to access to quality seed of suitable cover crops. Otherwise, after sowing the first and purchased seed, the farmer uses own seed harvested from previous crops for subsequent season sowing. However, the farmer needs to ensure that cover crops do not become invasive in cropping fields. This is done by clearing cover crops just before their fruits mature. As such, only a portion of the cover crop to be left for seed purpose is allowed growth to full maturity.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

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

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2013

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• create beneficial economic impact

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

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:

• 2

Specify:

Two rainy seasons

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• integrated pest and disease management (incl. organic agriculture)

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

Comments:

gardens ranging from 0.25 to 5ha

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

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Spacing between covercrop plants: 2m X 2m, plant one seed per planting hole.

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):

uganda shillings

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

3600.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Obtaining seed	Management	dry season
2.	Digging the holes for planting	Agronomic	onset of rains
3.	Planting covercrop seeds	Agronomic	onset of rains
4.	Clearing cover crops (partly)	Management	at fruit set
5.	Harvesting covercrop seed	Management	at seed maturity

Comments:

Most of the field is cleared, only a portion about 10m x 10m is left to grow to provide seed for saving

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	During planting	personnel	2.0	5000.0	10000.0	100.0
Labour	Clearing	personnel	6.0	5000.0	30000.0	100.0
Labour	Harvesting	personnel	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hand hoe	pieces	1.0	12000.0	12000.0	100.0
Equipment	Slashers	pieces	1.0	6000.0	6000.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	kg	2.0	8000.0	16000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					79000.0

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Planting	Agronomic	once after every 3-4 years
2.	Clearing	Management	once after every 3-4 years
3.	Seed harvesting and saving	Management	once after every 3-4 years

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	Planting	personnel	0.5	5000.0	2500.0	100.0
Labour	Slashing	personnel	1.5	5000.0	7500.0	100.0
Equipment	Handhoe	pieces	0.25	12000.0	3000.0	100.0
Equipment	Slashers	pieces	0.25	6000.0	1500.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					14500.0

Comments:

The cost is given as an estimate since it would be incurred once every 3-4 years. So, values of quantity per year is 0.25 of 4 years.

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour for slashing the covercrop

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

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

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

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

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	very well
seasonal temperature	dry season	increase	well
annual rainfall		decrease	very well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	decrease	very well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local windstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	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)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

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

• 90-100%

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
reduction of workload on the farmer during weeding
Reduction of erosion and improvement of soil fertility as the cover crop in most cases is a legume

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Sustainable source of green manure, animal manure
Farmers can save own seed

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?
Requires to be planted very early at onset of season
Can become invasive if not well managed

7.1 Methods/ sources of information