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

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

ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) - Nepal

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

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

01/03/2013

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

Sí

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

A faster and more effective way to produce high quality compost in large quantities by surface composting using dry and green farm biomass piled in a heap.

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

Biodynamic denotes a method of organic farming that emphasizes a holistic understanding of the interrelationships between soil, plants, and animals in a self-sustaining system. It excludes the use of artificial chemicals and stresses the importance of integrating farm animals, the cultivation of crops, and caring for the land. Fermented herbal and mineral preparations are used as compost additives and field sprays.

Purpose of the Technology: Biodynamic composting is an inexpensive means of producing a large amount of compost within a relatively short time compared to other methods. It is ideal for farmers who require large amounts of compost, such as for orchards; or when several households get together to produce and share compost. This type of composting also helps to store soil carbon, assists irrigation practices that keep fields alternatively moist and dry, works to decrease the number of soil pests, and reduces methane emission. This practice not only enhances agricultural production as an on-site benefit to the land users but also contributes to the off-site benefits enjoyed by downstream land users, since it helps to reduce sedimentation and increases water availability.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The biodynamic compost is prepared as a surface heap rather than in a traditional pit. The heap is built on a flat, dry site away from shade trees and other elements that would promote water logging. The farmer marks out a rectangular plot of land according to his needs and places a set of logs or PVC pipes lengthwise in the middle of the rectangle to facilitate air circulation and help aerate the pile. Alternating layers of dry and green biomass are added on top. Rock phosphate and crushed slaked lime are added to the middle layers to enhance decomposition and to supplement the mineral content. Once the layering is complete, the pile is sealed using a paste made from soil and cow dung. Over the ensuing two months, the pile is watered weekly (through holes made in the plaster layer which are then resealed) and is monitored; any cracks that appear in the external plaster are sealed. At the end of this time, the compost is tested to check if it is ready by taking samples from a few different locations in the heap. When a crushed sample smells like forest soil, it indicates that the degradation is 80% complete and that the compost is ready to use.

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:

• 10-50 años atrás

2.7 Introducción de la Tecnología

Especifique cómo se introdujo la Tecnología:

• durante experimentos/ investigación

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

• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo

• Access to fertilizer

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

Comentarios:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Crop productivity is limited by poor soil fertility, intense cropping, and a scarcity of irrigation water. Farmers in the hills notice a marked decrease in the health of their crops and degraded soil conditions when chemical fertilizers are overused. Biodynamic composting is a low input response to this problem.

Forest products and services: fuelwood

Other forest products and services: fodder

Constraints of Scrubland

3.4 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• manejo integrado de la fertilidad del suelo

3.5 Difusión de la Tecnología

Especifique la difusión de la Tecnología:

• aplicada en puntos específicos/ concentrada en un área pequeña

Comentarios:

Demonstration Plot at ICIMOD Knowledge Park

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

3.7 Principales tipos de degradación del suelo encarados con la Tecnología

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:

• prevenir la degradación del suelo

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Especificaciones técnicas/ explicaciones del dibujo técnico

Layering of the different materials in a biodynamic compost heap

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate (technicians as well)

Main technical functions: increase in organic matter, Increase Soil fertility and Productivity, Improve Physical condition of the soil

Secondary technical functions: increase of infiltration, increase / maintain water stored in soil, Improve the physical properties of the soil

Other type of management: Improve Compost Quality

4.3 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

Especifique cómo se calcularon los costos e insumos:

• por unidad de Tecnología

otra / moneda nacional (especifique):

NPR

Indique la tasa de cambio de USD a la moneda local (si fuese relevante): 1 USD =:

71,0

4.4 Actividades de establecimiento

	Actividad	Tipo de medida	Momento
1.	include cow dung, crushed lime, rock phosphate (or bone meal), and dry and green farm matter. The compost heap is assembled in less than one day and the compost is ready to use within two months (under weather and temperature conditions similar to those at the ICIMOD Knowledge Park).Note: If rock phosphate is not available, crushed stone dust can besubstituted.	Manejo	2 month

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	unit	1,0	80,0	80,0
Equipo	Shovel, chopping machine, bucket, bamboo, rope	unit	1,0	20,0	20,0
Material de construcción	cow dung	kg/unit	300,0	0,1	30,0
Material de construcción	lime and rock phosphate	kg/unit	25,0	0,8	20,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología					150,0

4.6 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Tipo de medida	Momento/ frequencia
1.	The compost heap is punctured weekly in order to add water; after watering, the punctures are resealed using cow dung.	Manejo	weekly

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	unit	1,0	25,0	25,0
Material de construcción	Compost / manure	unit	1,0	10,0	10,0
Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología					35,0

4.8 Factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Describa los factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

All costs and amounts are rough estimates by the technicians and authors. Exchange rate USD 1 = NPR 71 in May 2011. This was a demonstration project conducted by ICIMOD.

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografía

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 fertility is medium

Soil drainage / infiltration is poor

Soil water storage capacity is medium

5.4 Disponibilidad y calidad de agua

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre calidad y cantidad de agua:

Water quality (untreated): Also good drinking water

5.5 Biodiversidad

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre biodiversidad:

695 species of flora and 230 species of fauna have been documented within the Park's 30 ha area

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

Indique otras características relevantes de los usuarios de las tierras:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Population density: < 10 persons/km2

(Neighbouring communities are poor).

Off-farm income specification: >50% of all households around the demonstration site have off-farm income

Market orientation of production system: In the vicinity of the demonstration site

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

• government

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• comunitarios (organizado)

Derechos de uso de agua:

• comunitarios (organizado)

5.9 Acceso a servicios e infraestructura

6.1 Impactos in situ demostrados por la Tecnología

Impactos socioeconómicos

Producción

Ingreso y costos

Impactos socioculturales

Impactos ecológicos

Suelo

Otros impactos ecológicos

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)?

Comentarios:

The land user enjoys both short and long-term benefits; in the short term there is a reduced need for costly chemical/mineral fertilizers and in the long term the health of the soil improves. Locally available dry and green biomass can be used for making biodynamic compost. The only extra costs arise from the need for lime, rock phosphate, and labour.

6.5 Adopción de la Tecnología

• casos individuales / experimentales

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

Experiment

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

• 0-10%

Comentarios:

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: The biodynamic composting technique found a high rate of acceptance with orchard and vegetable farmers. ICIMOD provided farmers from the Godavari and Bishankhunarayan Village Development Committee areas with training on biodynamic composting. The farmers who need a large amount of compost, such as those who have orchards, have adopted the technique and are now producing the compost themselves.

Drivers for adoption:
• The technology is simple and inexpensive; it can be implemented using local materials.
• The biodynamic method is faster and produces more compost than traditional methods.
• The conditions promote complete decomposition and help to reduce the incidence of soil pests.

Constraints
• There is some initial investment cost in terms of the labour needed to collect biomass/soil and to construct the heap.
• This composting method is limited to farmers who keep livestock because fresh cow dung is needed.

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
The main advantage of this method is that the composting process is completed within 60 days, whereas the traditional method requires more than 120 days. The biodynamic compost itself is very fine and decomposition takes place uniformly from top to bottom in the heap. How can they be sustained / enhanced? Share experiences with a wider audience and provide training to replicate the technology.
The quality of biodynamic compost is better than that of traditionally prepared compost. The nutrient content of N, P, K, and organic matter, and the C/N ratio, are higher How can they be sustained / enhanced? Share experiences with a wider audience and provide training to replicate the technology.
This method is suitable for producing large amounts of compost How can they be sustained / enhanced? As above
Promotes organic production of desired crops and avoids the need for chemical fertilizers How can they be sustained / enhanced? As above

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?
Large amounts of biomass are not always available	Rice and wheat straw can also be used if forest biomass is not easily available.
Rock phosphate is not always available	crushed stone dust can be substituted.

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Biodynamic farming and compost preparation, Diver, S, 1999