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)

HELVETAS (Swiss Intercooperation)

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

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:

A low cost and an easy activity for protecting agricultural lands, gardens and public infrastructure from the damages of flash flood.

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

Lack of vegetation coverage in the hills and mountains of Saighan district has become the source of destructive flash floods. Harvest of shrubs and other vegetation for fuel wood and the uncontrolled grazing of animals in upper catchment areas are some of the reasons for the loss of vegetation. Flash floods, that mainly occur during the spring and summer seasons, destroy many hectares of agriculture lands and gardens,damage public infrastructures and sometimes threatens lives.

The plantation of long root trees in lower catchment areas is an effective and low-cost technology. Its objective is to prevent flood damage. Trees 
hold the soil in place with their root structures decreasing land degradation and soil erosion. It is a low cost activity that can be 
alternative option to protection walls which are more costly, both in terms of establishments and maintenance. Additional benefits of the technology are the increased availability of wood beams for 
construction, of fuel wood and of fodder. This technology, coupled with information campaigns, may help to provide a strong disincentive against 
cutting shrubs and grazing in upper catchment areas. In addition, increasing the number of indigenous trees help reduce the negative effects of climate change. The trees also serve as wind breaks.

Having mobilized the community, areas along the watercourse that have been damaged by floods as well as unproductive lands were selected. Based on their ability to adapt well to the local environment, cuttings of Salix (or Willow) and Populus (or Poplar) were selected for planting. Cuttings were provided from the district. Each participating household planted 400 cuttings (2 m long size). The cuttings were planted at a distance of 25 cm and the line to line distance was 100 cm. For the first year, wooden belts, placed along the plating line may protect the new saplings from flood damages, ensuring that the sapling are able to grow. Protection by fencing with barbed wire in two first years also prevents grazing of leaves and new branches by animals.

Interested households should be introduced by the Community Development Council members through a transparent selection process and considering the following criteria:
•the household should be interested to plant long root tree cuttings;
•the household should have enough degraded / riverbank and waste land to plant cuttings;
•Willingness to invest.

The cost of applying riverbank stabilization (plantation of Salix and Populus) is estimated to be 10 AFN/cutting. One person can plant over 500 cuttings per day. In this case, 50% of the cutting cost was contributed by HELVETAS projects and 50% of the cost of the cuttings was contributed by the participating households.

Participating households maintain the plantations. They are responsible for irrigating the cuttings and for protecting them from grazing animals for the first few years. In addition to improved flood protection, participating households increased their understanding riverbank stabilization and energy plantation and managing cuttings (selection, land preparation, fascine and palisade plantation).

Bamyan province is a remote province of Afghanistan with a high poverty rate. It has a semi-arid climate with cold winters and hot and dry summers. During winter, temperatures can drop below -22 degrees. Summer temperatures can reach 34 degrees in the month of July. The average annual rainfall in the area is about 230 mm and some years can be very dry. 90% of the population relies on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods and off-farm activities are marginal. The growing season in Saighan district is relatively short from April to October and farmers can produce only one crop per year. Farmers with access to irrigation water cultivate cash crops, for example potato and vegetables, in addition to staple crops (wheat) and fodder crops. Those without access to irrigation water cultivate wheat and fodder crops only. Water scarcity during May to September may result to lack of high value crops.

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.):

When the people migrated in other provinces, they saw over there and learnt. Since 2011 HELVETAS introduced this activity for alternative option of cutting shrubs and low cost protection wall against flood damages.

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

• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo
• reducir el riesgo de desastres naturales

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

Comentarios:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Lack of sustainable land management, uncontrolled overgrazing of animals and collection of woods and bushes for fuel by the people in the upper catchment area. Occurrence of flash floods which damage public infrastructure, gardens and farm lands the sources of livelihoods downstream areas.
Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Population increase and lack of resources and service delivery during the war caused over exploitation of resources in upper catchment areas. Increase in flock sizes to improve incomes which resulted to overgrazing.
Semi-nomadism / pastoralism: People move their flocks to other provinces and graze also in the area hill and mountaines
Cut-and-carry/ zero grazing: Provide fodder from agriculture land and graze in unimproved pasture areas. People have less animals like sheep, goat and cows

Number of growing seasons per year: 1
Longest growing period in days: 90, Longest growing period from month to month: April to June; Second longest growing period in days: 120, Second longest growing period from month to month: July to October
Livestock density: 1-10 LU /km2

3.3 ¿Cambió el uso de tierras debido a la implementación de la Tecnología?

¿Cambió el uso de tierras debido a la implementación de la Tecnología?

• Sí (Por favor responda las preguntas de abajo referidas al uso de la tierra antes de implementar la Tecnología)

3.4 Provisión de agua

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

• totalmente irrigada

3.5 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• manejo de agua superficial (manantial, río, lagos, mar):
• protección/manejo de humedales

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Type of vegetative measures: aligned: -along boundary

3.7 Principales tipos de degradación del suelo encarados con la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Main causes of degradation: deforestation / removal of natural vegetation (incl. forest fires) (Cutting shrubs of upper catchments increased naked area, so flash flood and drought years resulted), overgrazing (Free grazing of animals in spring and summer seasons resulted that domestic plants have eaten by animals before producing seed), floods (Naked area of upper catchments is the source of comming multi times flood per year), population pressure (Increasing population demanded more), war and conflicts (War limited services and caused less availability of fuel)
Secondary causes of degradation: droughts (No vegetation coverage increased temprature of the area and reduced deep moisture of soil), poverty / wealth (Poverty is the reason of destroying natural resources), governance / institutional (Lack of good governance for having development strategy)

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
• reducir la degradación del suelo

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

otra / moneda nacional (especifique):

Afghani

Si fuera relevante, indique la tasa de cambio de dólares americanos a la moneda local (ej. 1 U$ = 79.9 Reales Brasileros): 1 U$ =:

64,0

4.3 Actividades de establecimiento

	Actividad	Momento (estación)
1.	Cutting preparation and plantation	5 days (April)

4.4 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	54,6	54,6	100,0
Otros	cutting	ha	1,0	1562,5	1562,5	50,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología					1617,1
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología en USD					25,27

Comentarios:

Duration of establishment phase: 0.33 month(s)

4.5 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Momento/ frequencia
1.	No maintenance cost is required so far.

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

Comentarios:

Riverbank establishment cost is calculated here assuming that the soil is soft, gulleys have not formed and the cuttings are available within the villages and cost efficiently provided by the farmer.

4.7 Factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Describa los factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

The severity of erosion, hard soil and lack of long root cuttings are the factors which effect the cost of riverbank establishment the most.

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
Difference in the involvement of women and men: In Afghanistan societies women don't work in such hard works, although now women work out of their homes but they work as teacher, staff of organizations, self professionals and etc.
Population density: 10-50 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 3% - 4%; 3%
60% of the land users are very rich and own 30% of the land (Able to purchase cutting and hire worker).
30% of the land users are rich and own 40% of the land (Able to purchase cutting and hire worker).
10% of the land users are average wealthy and own 30% of the land (Able to purchase cutting and work by themselves). (Mainly they do not have land).
Off-farm income specification: Those people who not applied such technology, their lands are under threat of flood and to provide fuel wood should pay more in a year

5.7 Área promedio de la tierra usada 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:

• individual, sin título

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• individual

• individual/communal

• individual/communal

Comentarios:

The water use rights is determined by hours on 2000m2 land area.

5.9 Acceso a servicios e infraestructura

6.1 Impactos in situ demostrados por la Tecnología

Impactos socioeconómicos

Producción

Impactos socioculturales

Impactos ecológicos

Suelo

Biodiversidad: vegetación, animales

Reducción de riesgos de desastres y riesgos climáticos

6.2 Impactos fuera del sitio demostrados por la Tecnología

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)

Cambio climático gradual

Cambio climático gradual

	Estación	Incremento o reducción	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
temperatura anual		incrementó	bien

Extremos (desastres) relacionados al clima

Desastres climatológicos:

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
tormenta de lluvia local	bien
tormenta de viento	bien

Desastres climatológicos

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
sequía	no muy bien

Desastres hidrológicos

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
inundación general (río)	no muy bien

Otras consecuencias relacionadas al clima

Otras consecuencias relacionadas al clima

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
periodo reducido de crecimiento	no muy bien

Comentarios:

During the first years, as the roots are still undeveloped, saplings should be protected by a stone wall from floods. During drought years saplings
should be irrigated at least 2 times per week over two years.

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:

Expenditure occurs mostly during the establishment of the technology. After a few years, benefits (including production) increase without significant expenditure.

6.5 Adopción de la Tecnología

• > 50%

De todos quienes adoptaron la Tecnología, ¿cuántos lo hicieron espontáneamente, por ej. sin recibir nada de incentivos/ materiales:

• 91-100%

Comentarios:

It was applied as extension activity but when the others families learnt and saw the good results, they applied by themselves without any external supports
985 land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support
The land users also decided to extend this activity in other place lands which they have.
There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology
As this technology is applicable by each family and has good results, many other people has trend toward the spontaneous adoption of the technology.

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra
Increasing fuel wood
Prevents occurrence of flash floods in the agricultural lands

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
Applicable by rural community members.
Low cost technology to prevent damage of floods in comparison with concrete protection wall.
A good option for reducing shrubs cutting in the upper catchment areas.
Prevent soil erosion by winds
Contributes in the greening of the environment

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?
Lack of good and improved cuttings	Production of good species in wood lot or nurseries
Small landholdings per households (limiting the establishment of the technology)	Group decision and motivating and involving larger group of people to apply the technology
Saplings are vulnerable towards floods in the first two years because still they have not long roots and saplings are as well small	Protection by a stone wall belt in the way of coming flood for 2 first years

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

HELVETAS Swiss IntercooperationSaighan field officeILRC and GS projects 2012 to 2015

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, Afghanistan