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)

Soil protection and rehabilitation for food security (ProSo(i)l)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

GIZ Bénin (GIZ Bénin) - Benin

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:

Gmelina trees as a basis for an agroforestry system help increase the soil's organic matter content, foster associated biodiversity, optimize the hydrological cycle, mitigate soil erosion, and generate income.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Gmelina arborea trees are used in agroforestry systems. This technology serves multiple purposes, including:
- Restoring and preserving soil fertility
- Enhancing the microclimate
- Mitigating soil erosion and degradation caused by runoff water
- Reducing the soil's reliance on mineral fertilizers
- Acting as a windbreak to mitigate damage from strong winds

The planting process begins with clearing, staking and drilling. The seedlings are then planted at intervals of 2 m within rows and between 2.5 and 3 m between rows, resulting in a density of just over 1,000 seedlings per hectare.
To optimize the use of the plots where Gmelina seedlings are introduced, producers adopt the taungya system where seedlings are planted within annual crops like soybeans or maize. This approach offers the advantage of reducing initial plantation maintenance costs.
With respect to management procedures, weeding is conducted once or twice annually, and firebreaks are set up to mitigate the risk of bush fires. Additionally, clearing, pruning, and thinning operations are carried out. The thinning performed by producers reduces the number of trees per hectare to 750 and 450 for the first and second thinning respectively. They do so to leave the most vigorous trees standing for the production of economically valuable timber at the final cut. The harvests consist of poles.
The third and fourth thinning operations, which result in the production of logs (sawn timber and/or poles of various diameters), will take the plantation to around 250 and 150 trees per hectare respectively. It is worth noting that since the documented plantation was established, thinning has been carried out at intervals of 5 to 7 years, depending on the site's productivity index (soil production capacity).
For producers, the implementation of this technique generates several income-generating activities. These include both timber and non-timber products. Producers even install beehives.

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:

2016

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

It was popularized by the Soil Rehabilitation and Restoration Project financed by the German Cooperation Agency.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• mitigate climate change and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agroforestry

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

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

• Yes (Please fill out the questions below with regard to the land use before implementation of the Technology)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agroforestry

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

• forest plantation management
• agroforestry
• windbreak/ shelterbelt

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 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

Franc CFA

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

615.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Cleaning (mowing, grubbing)	April-May
2.	Staking	May-June
3.	Hole digging	May-June
4.	Purchase of Gmelina seedlings	June
5.	Planting	June
6.	Cleaning (weeding and firewalling)	October

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	Cleaning (mowing, stump removal)	ha		30000.0		100.0
Labour	Staking	Unit	2550.0	50.0	127500.0	100.0
Labour	Hole digging	Unit	2550.0	50.0	127500.0	100.0
Labour	Planting	Unit	2550.0	50.0	127500.0	100.0
Equipment	Cleaning (weeding and firewalling)	ha	1.0	28000.0	28000.0	100.0
Plant material	Purchase of Gmelina seedlings	Plant	2650.0	100.0	265000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					675500.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					1098.37

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Cleaning (weeding and firewalling)	October
2.	Trimming	October-December

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	Cleaning (weeding and firewalling)	ha	1.0	28000.0	28000.0	100.0
Labour	Trimming	Seedling	2550.0	100.0	255000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					283000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					460.16

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Maintenance labour

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 used by land users applying the Technology

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

Land ownership:

• communal/ village

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

Specify:

The lands belong to families

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

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	not well
seasonal temperature	dry season	increase	not well
annual rainfall		decrease	well
seasonal rainfall	dry season	decrease	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

• 1-10%

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

• 11-50%

Comments:

Following the initial training facilitated by ProSOL, nearly 38% of the supported producers voluntarily sought out Gmelina seedlings.

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
Sustainable biomass-based soil fertility regeneration.
The leaves and bark are extensively used in therapeutic applications.
Collection of dead wood for heating purposes
Mitigation of plantation fires is achieved through the integration of annual crops into the plantation.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
High carbon fixation capacity
Slowing down erosion (water, wind, etc.)

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?
Very slow soil restoration process	Utilization of mineral fertilizers before the start of the fertilizing effect
Impossibility of establishing an annual crop after 5 years of planting	Conducting thinning treatments as soon as the plants have aged

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Very slow soil restoration process	Utilization of mineral fertilizers before the start of the fertilizing effect
Virtual non-existence of nursery gardeners producing seedlings	Identify and train a group of volunteer benchmark producers in the cultivation of forest seedlings
Ploughing becomes tedious where seedlings are present (to avoid destroying them)	Raise workers' awareness about the presence of forest seedlings in their fields

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, 2018, Compendium de fiches techniques du formateur

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, 2018, Mesures de Gestion Durable des Terres (GDT) et d’Adaptation au Changement Climatique (ACC) : Boîte à images pour l’animation des séances de formation avec les agriculteurs

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

YEMANE

URL:

https://tropix.cirad.fr/FichiersComplementaires/FR/Asie/YEMANE.pdf

Title/ description:

MEHU, 2012, Fiche Technique : Balivage du teck (Tectona grandis L.f.) au Bénin

URL:

http://www.slire.net/download/2164/ft_n_11_akouehou_et_al_balivage_teck.pdf