Lemon grass contour band a cross the slope in the banana field to control soil erosion. Between the contour space is 18m. (Baraba Godfrey (C/O DED Bukoba, P.O. Box 491 Bukoba, Tanzania))
The slope cross barrier technology in banana production is a 2m deep by 0.6 wide furrow at the less slope combined with lemon grass, vetiver grass contour strips at the greater slopes.. The lemon grasses and vertiver grass are planted in single row spaced 0.3m plant to plant. The distance between strips is about 18m at the slope category of 2%. The technology is applied on the cropland in the tropics, sub humid, dissected plain to flood plains, sandy clay loam over sand clay and deep to moderate deep soils. The land is cultivated manually using hand hoes in a mixed production system. The land ownership is communal and individual not titled. The establishment procedures includes planting of banana suckers, lemon grass, vetiver grass, fruit trees, construction of fanya chini and planting gravelia spps along the boundaries. The maintenance procedures require application of FYM at the rate of 24-36kg per plant. Grass mulch is spread across the slope at the thickness of 0.15m. The average establishment costs is US$ 3,531.42 per hectare while maintenance costs on average is US$ 351.77 per hectare. The technology was introduced fifteen months past ( March 2013) using Demonstration plots methodology. Common agronomic measures such as using improved banana suckers and banana weevils trapping can add extra effectiveness to the main technology.
Purpose of the Technology: The general purpose of the technology is to reduce soil erosion, reduce soil moisture stress and increase soil nutrient cycling and soil organic matters.
Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The establishment activities includes first, clearing and cultivation of land in May done manually using machete and hand hoes. Second, harrowing in May done manually using fork handhoes. Third is identification and demarcation of contour lines doneusing A-frame. Fourth is spacing and digging of holes for banana and fruit trees done manually done. Fifth is planting of banana suckers and fruit trees done manually. Sixth is planting of vertiver and lemon grasses along the demarcated contour lines done manually, seventh is digging the farrow and excavating soils to be placed at the lower side of the furrow done manually. The maintenance activities include; first, weeding the entire field using hands done in twice April and October. Second is manure application using plastic buskets done. Third is spreading grass mulch done manually, fourth is desuckering using chisel hand hoes done twice in April and October. Fourth is detrushing using machete and local made tools (rwabyo) done twice (May and January). Last but not least is harvesting of banana, lemon grass and fruits done on market demand.
Natural / human environment: The land ownership is communal and individual not entitled while the water use right is open access. The natural environments are 1184mm of rainfall.The technology is tolerant to drought and seasonal rainfall decrease. Soil fertility is low to moderate. Top soil organic matter is medium, Soil drainage is medium. Soil water storage capacity is medium.
Lugar: Bukoba, Tanzania, Tanzania, República Unida de
No. de sitios de Tecnología analizados:
Difusión de la Tecnología: distribuida parejamente sobre un área (approx. < 0.1 km2 (10 ha))
¿En un área de protección permanente?:
Fecha de la implementación: hace menos de 10 años (recientemente)
Tipo de introducción
| Especifique insumo | Unidad | Cantidad | Costos por unidad (USD) | Costos totales por insumo (USD) | % de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras |
| Mano de obra | |||||
| Labour | ha | 1,0 | 541,18 | 541,18 | |
| Equipo | |||||
| Tools | ha | 1,0 | 134,31 | 134,31 | |
| Material para plantas | |||||
| Seedling | ha | 1,0 | 2032,4 | 2032,4 | |
| Fertilizantes y biocidas | |||||
| Compost / manure | ha | 1,0 | 823,53 | 823,53 | |
| Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología | 3'531.42 | ||||
| Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología en USD | 3'531.42 | ||||
| Especifique insumo | Unidad | Cantidad | Costos por unidad (USD) | Costos totales por insumo (USD) | % de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras |
| Mano de obra | |||||
| Labour | ha | 1,0 | 153,73 | 153,73 | 100,0 |
| Material para plantas | |||||
| Seeds | ha | 1,0 | 1,96 | 1,96 | 100,0 |
| Fertilizantes y biocidas | |||||
| Grass mulch | ha | 1,0 | 196,08 | 196,08 | 100,0 |
| Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología | 351.77 | ||||
| Costos totales para mantener la Tecnología en USD | 351.77 | ||||
Cantidad antes de MST: 0
Cantidad luego de MST: 5
Banana first harvest
Mulch reduced moisture stress
Improved seeds and seedlings, FYM & grass mulch
Orchad as comlimentary enterprises
FYM and mulch applications demanded extra labour
Conseved land ensured soil improvement to ensure food availability, accessility and utilizations
AESA conducted during FFS
Equal chances for different gender considered in FFS formulation
The effective technology duration is too short to obeserve impacts, but we can say that, there is hope for the technology to contribute highly on livelihod and human wellbeing
Mulching
Mulching
Pitt and furrows
Mulching
Contours
FYM
Trushlines
Ditches traped running water down the slope
Farrow and bunds along contour lines minimized water run off in the area
