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

1.4 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

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Intercropping in an orange trees orchard with no fertilization: Xixona, Alicante (Spain)

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

This technology is applied in a 40-year-old orange orchard located in Xixona, Alicante (Spain), near to the de la Torre River. It is within the municipality of Jijona, Alicante province, south of the urban area. The 0.2 ha farm is dedicated to home consumption, with a permanent orchard based on fruit trees, predominantly citrus, with other horticultural crops depending on the season, irrigated by water from the de la Torre River. The orange orchard has recently been expanded by the acquisition of orange tree seedlings (budlings) in 2000, which have added to the established, mature, twenty trees. The management of the plantation in the last 20 years, after a change of ownership, has been as follows. Ploughing to the depth of 20 cm with a motorized tiller to remove weeds, 2-3 times a year, keeping the plant material on the surface as a mulching cover. Flood irrigation is practiced in the orchard for both the citrus and the vegetables. Pest control avoids artificial pesticides and fungicides – with pests being prevented by encouraging the presence of natural predators. There are traps against the fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata), and an insect sticky trap has also been put to use. In recent years, there has been no fertilization of the orchard (the farmer believes it not to be necessary at present), although traditionally (before 2000) the manure from goats installed on the farm was used. In the main plot, between rows of orange trees, there are plant frames (10 x 10 m each) which are used for vegetables crops (lettuce, potatoes, fava beans, spinach, etc) in a crop rotation system (2 cycles per year). During a one-year cycle, annual crops are changed in rotational cycles: lettuce in summer, beans in winter. The main purpose of this technology is the improvement of soil structure and the organic matter content of the soil, while also preventing soil erosion from surface runoff. Using mulch from prunings or weed material has been a main route for improving soil organic matter, soil nutrient status and to prevent soil depletion by erosion. Carbon sequestration has been ensured by permanent green cover in the intercropping system. The land users are improving the technology continuously: minimizing the impact on the agro-ecosystem by avoiding the use of pesticides, intercropping and following a crop rotation.

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:

2000

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• reduce risk of disasters
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• mitigate climate change and its impacts

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

3.5 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)

3.6 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:

• prevent land degradation
• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

euro

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

0.99

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Soil preparation	winter
2.	Orange tree plantation	winter
3.	Vegetables plantation	winter
4.	Water irrigation	winter

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	soil preparation	1	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Labour	orange tree plantation	25	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Labour	Water Irrigation	1	50.0	1.0	50.0	100.0
Labour	vegetables plantation	1	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	1	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Equipment	shovel	1	1.0	15.0	15.0	100.0
Plant material	Orange tree	1	20.0	15.0	300.0	100.0
Plant material	Plants	1	25.0	2.0	50.0	100.0
Plant material	seeds	1	50.0	1.0	50.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					505.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					510.1

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	soil preparation	Winter
2.	orange tree re-plantation	1 time per year
3.	Water Irrigation	1 time per year
4.	vegetables plantation	1 time per year
5.	Weeding	few times per year
6.	Harvesting oranges	1 time per year
7.	Harvesting vegetables	2 times per year or vegetable cycle
8.	Prunning	1 time per year

4.6 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	soil preparation	1	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Labour	Harvesting vegetables	1	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Labour	Water Irrigation	1	50.0	1.0	50.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	1	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Plant material	vegetables plantation	1	2.0	10.0	20.0	100.0
Plant material	seeds	1	20.0	1.0	20.0	100.0
Plant material	orange tree	25	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Plant material	vegetables plant	1	25.0	2.0	50.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Prunning
Other	Weeding	1	4.0	10.0	40.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					220.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					222.22

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

It is flat terrain, approximately 1% slope.

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

Regularity:

episodically

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

It comprises a family with 3 members of different ages, the oldest is 70 years-old and the youngest 40 years-old

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:

• individual

Water use rights:

• individual

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

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	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	moderately
annual rainfall		increase	well
seasonal rainfall	autumn	increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	well
local hailstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
heatwave	well
cold wave	very well
drought	well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	well
flash flood	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

• single cases/ experimental

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

1 family

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

• 0-10%

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
local farm vegetables
Eating healthily
Saving money in vegetables and fruit orchards
Eating your own grow food

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Improvement in soil structure and minimizing soil compactation
Improvement in organic matter content
Controlling water erosion on surface
Maintaining soil surface with permanent green cover

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?
Manual work in terrain preparation	Family help on weekends
Pest control manual	Try new methods or assessing the correct moment to do the control
Controlling spontaneus plants manually	Diversify orchard to minimize the presence of weeds
Prunning vegetables manually	Family help on harvest season

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Inicial preparation of terrain	Overgone by saving cost in annual crop yield
Improving knowledgement in crop diversification	Giving technical advisor from experts
Problems in pest corntol	Improving the presence of beneficial insects or predators

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

López, J.D, El río Monnegre (Alicante). (2011) Un espacio singular. Revista El Ecologista n.º 68

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Rodà i de Llanza, F., P. i V. Joan. «L’ecologia del paisatge: un nou marc de treball per a la ciència de la conservació». Butlletí de la Institució Catalana d’Història Natural, febrero de 2004, p. 5-20,.

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.raco.cat/index.php/ButlletiICHN/article/view/163310; https://www.todostuslibros.com/libros/los-regadios-historicos-espanoles_978-84-491-1000-9

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Institut Cartogràfic Valencià

URL:

http://www.icv.gva.es/es

Title/ description:

Sistema de Información Geográfica de parcelas Agrícolas

URL:

https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/agricultura/temas/sistema-de-informacion-geografica-de-parcelasagricolas- sigpac-/default.aspx