1.2 Detalles de contacto de las personas de referencia e instituciones involucradas en la evaluación y la documentación de la Tecnología

Nombre del proyecto que financió la documentación/ evaluación de la Tecnología (si fuera relevante)

Book project: where the land is greener - Case Studies and Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation Initiatives Worldwide (where the land is greener)

Nombre de la(s) institución(es) que facilitaron la documentación/ evaluación de la Tecnología (si fuera relevante)

CSIRO (CSIRO) - Australia

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

¿Cuándo se compilaron los datos (en el campo)?

01/06/2001

El compilador y la/s persona(s) de referencia claves aceptan las condiciones acerca del uso de los datos documentados mediante WOCAT:

Sí

1.5 Referencia al (los) Cuestionario(s) de Enfoques MST

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

An ecologically sound and practical grazing management system, based on rotation and wet season resting.

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

Open eucalypt woodlands cover approximately 15 million hectares in the semi-arid plains of north-east Australia, and support about a million head of cattle. Keeping these grazing lands productive and healthy demands good management, and getting the right balance between stock numbers and the forage resource is a considerable challenge.
Land in good condition has a healthy coverage of so-called ‘3P grasses’: native perennial, productive and palatable grasses, important to cattle and to the health of the landscape. Less palatable plants include annual grasses, native and exotic forbs and shrubs. The heterogeneity of the pasture resource results in uneven utilisation, and thus overgrazing in parts.
In order to prevent pastures in good condition from degrading, or to restore/improve deteriorated pastures, utilisation needs to be adjusted according to climate and the state of the ‘3P grasses’. In practice, the only means of manipulating pasture composition over large areas are grazing, resting from grazing, and burning.
The flexible Ecograze system includes wet season resting, and is based on the establishment of three paddocks with two herds within a rotational system. The key is that all paddocks get some wet season rest two years out of three. Wet season rests are divided into two phases: (1) The early wet season rest starts after the first rains in November/December and continues for 6-8 weeks, it is particularly good for perennial grass recovery; (2) the late wet season rest lasts until March/April and aids both seed set and vegetative recovery.
Average paddocks of around 3,000 ha in size are sub-divided into three relatively equal sizes, though some flexibility is required to balance variation in the productive capacity of different land types within the paddock. The paddocks are fenced and extra water points through polythene piping and additional water troughs, and where required, pumps are established. The return on investment can be realised within a few years.
The main management challenges are: (1) the timing and length of the early wet season rest, which depends on how effectively the early rains promote vegetative growth of perennial grasses, and (2) the movement of animals during the wet season. The number of stock movements are fixed - but the timing is flexible and should be responsive to the situation: the challenge is to learn to assess the pasture condition, read the situation, and schedule the timing and length of the rest period accordingly. The main criterion is the recovery state of perennial grasses.

2.3 Fotografías de la Tecnología

2.5 País/ región/ lugares donde la Tecnología fue aplicada y que se hallan comprendidos por esta evaluación

2.6 Fecha de la implementación

Si no se conoce el año preciso, indique la fecha aproximada:

• hace menos de 10 años (recientemente)

2.7 Introducción de la Tecnología

Especifique cómo se introdujo la Tecnología:

• durante experimentos/ investigación

Comentarios (tipo de proyecto, etc.):

Meat and Livestock Australia initiated the project to improve the understanding of the effects of grazing, spelling, fire and climate on the condition and productivity of open eucalyptus woodlands in north-eastern Queensland.

3.1 Propósito(s) principal(es) de la Tecnología MST

• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo

3.2 Tipo(s) actuales de uso de la tierra donde se aplica la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Over the last 20 years there has been a decline in the condition of grazing lands in north-east Australia. The evidence is a decline of palatable, perennial, productive grasses (‘3P grasses’), reduced ground cover and an increase in sediment and nutrient movement into streams. As a consequence of economic pressures and over-optimistic expectations of good rains, stocking rates have often been too high.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): same as above (combined)

Ranching: Yes

3.3 Información adicional sobre el uso de tierras

Provisión de agua para la tierra donde se aplica la Tecnología:

• de secano

Número de temporadas de cultivo por año:

• 1

Especifique:

Longest growing period in days: 120 Longest growing period from month to month: Nov - Apr

3.4 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• sistemas de rotación (rotación de cosecha, cosecha rotatoria con descanso, agricultura migratoria)
• pastoralismo y manejo de tierras de pastoreo

3.5 Difusión de la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 10 m2.

study terminated after 8 years (2000-2001).
The paddocks of an average size of around 30 km2 are subdivided into three paddocks of an average size of 10 km2. The technology is therefore documented on one of the subdivided paddocks. The 10 km2 is the area per subdivided paddock, each farm (localities) has 10 km2 (respectively 3*10km2) area, where the technology is applied.

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

3.7 Principales tipos de degradación del suelo encarados con la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Wg: gully erosion / gullying, Wo: offsite degradation effects, Pc: compaction, Pk: sealing and crusting, Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Bs: quality and species composition /diversity decline

3.8 Prevención, reducción o restauración de la degradación del suelo

Especifique la meta de la Tecnología con relación a la degradación de la tierra:

• reducir la degradación del suelo

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Especificaciones técnicas/ explicaciones del dibujo técnico

The drawing refers to the ‘two herd/three paddock Ecograze system’. Paddock A is rested in the early wet season, while Paddocks B and C are grazed. Paddock B is then rested for the late wet season while Paddocks A and C are razed. Paddock C is then rested for the dry season and the next early wet season while Paddocks A and B are grazed. Paddock A is then rested for the late wet season and the rotational cycle continues in this fashion for the three years of the full rotation. Early wet season spelling should commence after the first significant rains in November/December and should continue for 6-8 weeks, depending on how effectively the early rains promote vegetative growth of perennial grasses. Late wet season rest typically last until March/April, depending on length of growing season.

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: improvement of ground cover, increase in organic matter, increase / maintain water stored in soil, improvement of soil structure

Secondary technical functions: control of concentrated runoff: retain / trap, increase in soil fertility

Scattered / dispersed
Vegetative material: G : grass

Grass species: 3P grasses (native perennial, productive and palatable grasses)

Change of land use practices / intensity level: rotational system, timing and length of resting period, timing of animal movement

Control / change of species composition: grazing, (wet season) resting from grazing and burning

4.4 Actividades de establecimiento

	Actividad	Tipo de medida	Momento
1.	Paddocks first need to be surveyed to understand the various plant communities and soils	Vegetativas
2.	Paddocks first need to be surveyed to understand the various plant communities and soils.	Manejo
3.	Based on the survey and location of water points, and the most practical location for fences, a paddock design is developed: paddocks are subdivided into relatively equal sizes.	Manejo
4.	Fencing the paddocks Material: metal barbed wire or plain wire for electric fences, steel fence posts, wooden or steel end assemblies (poles) to strain the fence, energisers (for electric fences).	Manejo
5.	Provision of extra water points through polythene piping and additional water troughs - and where required, pumps.	Manejo

4.5 Costos e insumos necesarios para el establecimiento

	Especifique insumo	Unidad	Cantidad	Costos por unidad	Costos totales por insumo	% de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras
Mano de obra	Labour	ha	1,0	4,0	4,0	100,0
Equipo	Tools	ha	1,0
Material de construcción	others (specify): metal, wire, wood	ha	1,0	6,0	6,0	80,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología					10,0

Comentarios:

Duration of establishment phase: 48 month(s)

4.6 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Tipo de medida	Momento/ frequencia
1.	Monitoring pastures and soils	Vegetativas
2.	Mustering (gathering) and shifting (moving) livestock	Manejo
3.	Monitoring pastures and soils.	Manejo
4.	Repair fences (wire, poles, etc)	Manejo

4.7 Costos e insumos necesarios para actividades de mantenimiento/ recurrentes (por año)

	Especifique insumo	Unidad	Cantidad	Costos por unidad	Costos totales por insumo	% de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras
Mano de obra	Labour	ha	1,0	1,0	1,0	100,0
Equipo	Tools	ha	1,0
Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología					1,0

Comentarios:

Current average paddock size is 3,000 ha - commonly 6 km x 5 km. To sub-divide the paddock into three requires two internal fences, each of 5.0 km. Costs of fencing and associated gates are about US$1,200 per km. Labour for fencing is also approximately US$1,200 per km (Note: while this looks expensive, because of the large paddock size, on a per hectare basis this is equivalent to US$ 4.0 per hectare).

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografía

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre topografía :

Landforms: Also hill slopes (ranked 2) and ridges (ranked 3)
Slopes on average: Aslo moderate (ranked 2) and flat (ranked 3)

5.3 Suelos

Si se halla disponible, adjunte una descripción completa de los suelos o especifique la información disponible, por ej., tipo de suelo, pH/ acidez de suelo, capacidad de intercambio catiónico, nitrógeno, salinidad, etc. :

Soil depth on average: Also Shallow (ranked 2) and deep (ranked 3)
Soil fertility: Low
Soil drainage/infiltration: Good (ranked 1) and poor (ranked 2)

5.6 Las características de los usuarios de la tierra que aplican la Tecnología

Indique otras características relevantes de los usuarios de las tierras:

Off-farm income specification: usually constitutes off-farm financial investments (eg shares in companies, investment properties, etc)

5.7 Área promedio de la tierra que pertenece a o es arrendada por usuarios de tierra que aplican la Tecnología

5.8 Tenencia de tierra, uso de tierra y derechos de uso de agua

• individual

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• arrendamiento
• individual

6.1 Impactos in situ demostrados por la Tecnología

Impactos socioeconómicos

Producción

Ingreso y costos

Impactos socioculturales

Impactos ecológicos

Suelo

6.2 Impactos fuera del sitio demostrados por la Tecnología

6.4 Análisis costo-beneficio

¿Cómo se comparan los beneficios con los costos de establecimiento (desde la perspectiva de los usuarios de tierra)?

¿Cómo se comparan los beneficios con los costos de mantenimiento/ recurrentes (desde la perspectiva de los usuarios de tierra)?

6.5 Adopción de la Tecnología

Si tiene la información disponible, cuantifique (número de hogares y/o área cubierta):

15005

De todos quienes adoptaron la Tecnología, ¿cuántos lo hicieron espontáneamente, es decir, sin recibir incentivos/ pagos materiales?

• 0-10%

Comentarios:

60% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

5 land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

5% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

15000 land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

There is a little trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: There are indications that around 700 (of a total of 15,000) farmers across northern Australia have already adopted some aspects. Surveys indicate spontaneous adoption beyond the region as well. In time a large number of farmers are expected to adopt it.

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
Increased perennial grass cover, improved pasture productivity, increased animal carrying capacity and associated increased profit How can they be sustained / enhanced? Wide and long-term adoption of Ecograze system.
Improved soil cover reduces erosion and sediment flow into streams and dams How can they be sustained / enhanced? Manage pasture condition through Ecograze to maintain ‘3P grasses’.
Greater stability of forage supply leading to less problems and less stress in farm management How can they be sustained / enhanced? Wide and long-term adoption of Ecograze system.
Soil carbon reserves maintained/improved How can they be sustained / enhanced? Wide and long-term adoption of Ecograze system.
Plant biodiversity protected How can they be sustained / enhanced? Wide and long-term adoption of Ecograze system.

6.8 Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos de la Tecnología y formas de sobreponerse a ellos

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
Adoption of technology needs long-term approach to accommodate for slow rate of change by ranchers	Continue to demonstrate the advantages of the technology.
Implementing rotational grazing incurs (moderate) investment costs in the form of fencing and new water points	Investigate government subsidies and educate about long-term economic benefits.

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Ash A, Corfield J and Taoufik T (undated) The ECOGRAZE Project: developing guidelines to better manage grazing country. CSIRO, Meat and Livestock Commission and Queensland Government

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Tothill JC and Gillies C (1992) The pasture lands of northern Australia: their condition, productivity and sustainability Occasional Publication No.5, Tropical Grassland Society of Australia, Brisbane

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Tothill J and Partridge I (1998) Monitoring grazing lands in northern Australia - edited by Occasional Publication No.9, Tropical Grassland Society of Australia, Brisbane