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: Making sense of research for sustainable land management (GLUES)

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

The Future of Okavango (TFO / GLUES)

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

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

01/03/2001

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

Sí

1.4 Declaración de la sostenibilidad de la Tecnología descrita

¿La Tecnología aquí descrita resulta problemática en relación a la degradación de la tierra, de tal forma que no puede considerársela una tecnología sostenible para el manejo de la tierra?

No

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

Conservation agriculture using permanent water-harvesting planting basins, or rip-lines and fertilizer/manure application on low fertility dryland soils.

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

Farmers in north-eastern Namibia practice shifting/semi-permanent subsistence cropping, concentrating on pearl millet cultivation. Here, conservation agriculture (CA) was promoted to sustain and improve production and to reduce conversion of woodland to crops. CA comprises the three principles of minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and rotation. CA was tested on small plots with volunteers trained by a local NGO. The technology was characterized here by: (i) Early (pre-rains) preparation of the land with two alternative techniques; either: a) basins with a defined spacing opened by a hand hoe, with composted manure added (biochar has also been tested), or b) rip-lines prepared with oxen in lines and with manure application within the rip lines; (ii) Mulching the soil with crop residues, branches or sunnhemp, specially grown for the purpose; (iii) Protection against grazing of crop and mulch by livestock; (iv) Intercropping with vegetables or legumes. (v) Weeding.

CA has been promoted for four seasons, and now trained farmers are transferring their knowledge to others. The technology was promoted to substantially improve the low yields of traditionally practiced agriculture by improving fertility and soil structure as well as better capturing runoff. It was also aimed at avoiding further expansion of croplands into dry woodlands on low fertility arenosols. Eventually it is hoped that the well-being of local subsistence cropping communities will be improved and outmigration reduced.

Knowledge about CA comes from Zambia, where it has been has been practiced successfully for many years by small-scale farmers. A local NGO was engaged by an international project (www.future-okavango.org) which searched for volunteer farmers in the Kavango area. The first CA planting took place in 2011/12. These pioneer farmers were backstopped regularly and the number of farmers trained increased. The NGO monitored crops with contact farmers. 45 more farmers showed interest and were then trained by the contact farmers. Training and backstopping continued until August 2015.

The natural environment is semi-arid. Rainfall is concentrated from November to March. Mean annual precipitation is 570 mm, and mean air temperature is 26.2°C in the hottest month (October) and 16.2°C in the coldest month (July). The landscape forms part of the extended Kalahari basin in central-southern Africa. Deep and extended sands restrict people to living in areas close to surface water. Villages are located along the Okavango on the elevated river terraces – where they produce crops. Here, sedimentation of fine-grained soils, the accumulation of calcium carbonates in the subsoil and the activity of termites have resulted in soils of medium fertility which could potentially ensure yields of 500 kg/ha of millet, if well managed, and assuming good rainfall. Due to the growing population and restricted land availability, cultivation patterns have changed from shifting to semi-permanent and expanded to the adjacent woodlands on the deep Kalahari sands. Here, rapid degradation of soil fertility has caused further expansion and reduced crop yields to very low levels (ca. 150 kg/ha on average). Livestock graze and browse vegetation on the floodplains and in the woodlands. Due to night-time kraaling of livestock, manure is available as fertilizer: thus sustained cropping can be supported. The importance of the woodlands for ecosystem services including timber and firewood, for thatching grass, medicinal plants and biodiversity means they must be conserved and this acts as a reason to support the search for alternative crop production systems such as CA.

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:

• mediante proyectos/ intervenciones externas

Comentarios (tipo de proyecto, etc.):

Introduction in the area by Community Economic Development Programme (CEDP) TFO-project in 2011

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

• mejorar la producción
• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo
• conservar el ecosistema

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

Comentarios:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Low and very variable yields per ha; ongoing expansion of fields to less fertile woodlands due to nutrient depletion of originally fertile plots; years with dry spells
Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Crop wilting and poor yields, opening new areas in search of better fields, cutting down trees, slushing and burning residues
Type of cropping system and major crops comments: Under CA, sunhemp for residue and nitrogen fixing has been grown as green manure and fodder for livestock.

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: 135, Longest growing period from month to month: Nov to March

Densidad del ganado (si fuese relevante):

1-10 LU /km2

3.4 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• manejo integrado de la fertilidad del suelo
• medida de pendiente transversal
• cosecha de agua

3.5 Difusión de la Tecnología

Especifique la difusión de la Tecnología:

• distribuida parejamente sobre un área

Si la tecnología se halla difundida homogéneamente en un área, indique el área aproximada que cubre:

• < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)

Comentarios:

SLM technology was applied by trained smallholders on small plots

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Type of agronomic measures: early planting, mixed cropping / intercropping, mulching, green manure, legume inter-planting, manure / compost / residues, rotations / fallows, minimum tillage, pits

3.7 Principales tipos de degradación del suelo encarados con la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Main causes of degradation: soil management (Missing nutrient returns)
Secondary causes of degradation: over-exploitation of vegetation for domestic use (Grazing and burning of crop residues), population pressure (Expansion of croplands to less fertile soils)

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:

• restaurar/ rehabilitar tierra severamente degradada

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Especificaciones técnicas/ explicaciones del dibujo técnico

Scheme of CA field with basins
Within the fenced area, basins are dug per hand-hoe in lines with about 15 cm width, 35 cm length and 15 cm depth and in 70 cm distance. To keep the line and position, a rope with knots every 70 cm is used. Each basin is refilled with 2 cans of manure mixed with part of the soil material. Maize or pearl millet - two stages shown on the graph
Location: Mashare. Kavano East/Namibia

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate
Technical knowledge required for land users: low
Main technical functions: increase in nutrient availability (supply, recycling,…)
Secondary technical functions: increase / maintain water stored in soil, increase of biomass (quantity)

Early planting
Remarks: Planting basins prepared in dry season, planting can occur by first rainfalls (earlier than plough-d

Mixed cropping / intercropping
Material/ species: Maize / Millet /Cowpea
Remarks: Cultivated in parallel lines

Mulching
Material/ species: Grasses & crop residues & sunhemp
Remarks: sunhemp cultivated on the CA field and cut to produce mulch

Green manure
Material/ species: branches of fertilizer tree

Manure / compost / residues
Material/ species: Composted manure from cattle post

Rotations / fallows
Material/ species: Maize / Millet /Cowpea
Remarks: Planted in lines and shifted annually

Minimum tillage
Material/ species: Riplines by oxen

Pits
Material/ species: planting basins by hand hoe

Retention/infiltration ditch/pit, sediment/sand trap
Spacing between structures (m): 0.7
Depth of ditches/pits/dams (m): 0.15
Width of ditches/pits/dams (m): 0.15
Length of ditches/pits/dams (m): 0.35

Structural measure: ripline
Spacing between structures (m): 0.7
Depth of ditches/pits/dams (m): 0.25
Width of ditches/pits/dams (m): 0.1

For water harvesting: the ratio between the area where the harvested water is applied and the total area from which water is collected is: 1:8,3
Change of land use practices / intensity level: More specific soil management; crop protection by fencing; earlier seeding
Major change in timing of activities: To a large part, land preparation can be carried out throughout dry season, independent of rainfall level

4.3 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

otra / moneda nacional (especifique):

Nam $

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

15,5

4.4 Actividades de establecimiento

	Actividad	Tipo de medida	Momento
1.		Manejo	dry season

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	1104,0	1104,0	100,0
Material de construcción	Wire for fencing	ha	1,0	224,0	224,0	100,0
Material de construcción	sticks & poles	ha	1,0	1114,0	1114,0	100,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología					2442,0

Comentarios:

Duration of establishment phase: 3 month(s)

4.6 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Tipo de medida	Momento/ frequencia
1.	Repairing fences and de-bushing of the fields	Agronómicas	(May - July)
2.	Gatering and spreading of mulch cover	Agronómicas	July - Dec
3.	Cutting sunhemp and applying as additional mulch	Agronómicas	Feb-Mar
4.	Re-digging the planting basins	Agronómicas	August
5.	Manure collection, Planting & fertilizer application	Agronómicas	September - December
6.	Sowing of main crops and sunnhemp and fertilizer application	Agronómicas	November - December
7.	Intercropping with legumes like groundnuts and cowpeas normally two weeks after germination of cereals.	Agronómicas
8.	Weeding	Agronómicas
9.	Harvesting	Agronómicas	April - May

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	848,0	848,0	100,0
Material para plantas	seeds	ha	1,0	22,0	22,0	100,0
Fertilizantes y biocidas	fertilizer	ha	1,0	159,0	159,0	100,0
Fertilizantes y biocidas	compost/manure	ha	1,0	276,0	276,0	100,0
Material de construcción	Wire for fencing	ha	1,0	220,0	220,0	100,0
Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología					1525,0

Comentarios:

Machinery/ tools: Values above are for manual CA using a hoe; an external worker earns 4 N-$ per working hour; above, family labour was multiplied by 4 to estimate the “value” of the family labour invested
The costs are based on labour needs of one year and 500 kg/ha of fertilizer

4.8 Factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Describa los factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

CA was designed to require minimal financial investments; theoretically, everything apart from wire for the fences and inorganic fertilizer can be created or gather by the household. This turns CA into a very labour intensive farming practice. The high Dollar values above result from multiplying the (free) family labour invested in farming with the typical hourly wage rate of an external worker

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografía

5.3 Suelos

5.4 Disponibilidad y calidad de agua

5.5 Biodiversidad

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: 10-50 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 1% - 2% (One farmer to our knowledge could be considered wealthy). (Few average farmers). (Mostly CA farmers are poor).

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

Tenencia de tierra:

• estado
• comunitaria/ aldea

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• comunitarios (organizado)

Derechos de uso de agua:

• comunitarios (organizado)

Comentarios:

parallel existence of state and communal laws

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

Ciclo de agua/ escurrimiento de sedimento

Suelo

6.3 Exposición y sensibilidad de la Tecnología al cambio climático gradual y a extremos relacionados al clima/ desastres (desde la percepción de los usuarios de tierras)

Extremos (desastres) relacionados al clima

Desastres climatológicos

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
sequía	bien

Comentarios:

Dig basins at 20cm (0.20m) deep; and extra water harvesting basins at 0.45m in-between the rows. For the ox-ripped lines, use ripper wings to open a wider farrow for water harvesting

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

Comentarios:

SLM Technology has been applied by own interest of smallholders
100% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support
There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra
Saves labour over time
Can use less land compared to conventional system for the same harvest/yield

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
A strength of the system is the timely land preparation
The advantage of permanent planting stations results from the higher availability of nutrients to crop roots.
The moisture retention within the rooting space is improved by the surface structure and the increase in soil organic matter
The rotations of crop rotations is encouraged
All inputs can be used precicely, there is less wastage of inputs

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

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
The weed management is labour intensive and the impact of pests might be a future challange.	The application of more mulch and the weeding regularly in the first part of the season is supposed to reduce weeds.

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
To start with this technology is labour intensive at the beginning. In this moment, the hard pan caused by years of ploughing has to be loosened.	Because the basins/riplines are permanently maintained in CA, the preceding land preparations become easier. Also since land preparation starts before on-set of rains, one can spread labour by starting just after harvesting crop
There is a general problem of constructing fences around fields in communal lands, as state authorities declare this land as being owned by the state.	By agreeing with the local leadership to allow those doing CA to fence off their fields for proper keeping of residues and basins/riplines that might be prone to free livestock grazing after crop harvests.

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Groengroeft, A., et al. (2013) A method for yield assessment on rainfeld dryland agricultural fields.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

Biodiversity & Ecology 5:279 - 286

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Kowalski, B. et al. (2013) Mashare - The People.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

Biodiversity & Ecology 5:121-128

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Pröpper, M. et al. (2010) Causes and perspectives of land-cover change through expanding cultivation in Kavango.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

Biodiversity in southern Africa. Volume 3: Implications for landuse and management, eds. M. T. Hoffman, U. Schmiedel and N. Jürgens. Göttingen & Windhoek: Klaus Hess Publishers.

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Pröpper, M. et al. (2015) The Future Okavango – Findings, Scenarios and Recommendations for Action.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

Research Project Final Synthesis Report 2010-2015, 190. Windhoek: University of Hamburg