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)

Projet de développement rural de Tahoua, Niger (PDRT)

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)

Université catholique de Louvain (Université catholique de Louvain) - Bélgica

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

Centre for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics (Centre for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics) - Alemania

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

ICRISAT International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - Níger

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

CDE Centre for Development and Environment (CDE Centre for Development and Environment) - Suiza

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

Université catholique de Louvain (Université catholique de Louvain) - Bélgica

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

1.5 Referencia al (los) Cuestionario(s) de Enfoques MST (documentados usando WOCAT)

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

A combination of three measures to stabilise dunes: area closure, the use of palisades, and vegetative fixation through natural regeneration as
well as planting.

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

In the Sahelian zone of Niger, sand dune encroachment can lead to loss of agricultural and pastoral land, and threatens villages. These dunes may form as a result of an increase in wind erosion, but more frequently originate from formerly stabilised dunes that have become mobile again following the disappearance of vegetation. Vegetation loss may occur through a combination of unfavourable climatic conditions and overexploitation by grazing and fuelwood gathering.

Purpose of the Technology: Sustainable dune fixation requires the regeneration of vegetation on the mobile parts of the dunes. For plants to establish, the dunes need to be protected by mechanical measures while being defended against any kind of use. Hence, the technique of dune stabilisation consists of a combination of three measures. These are as follows: (1) Area closure by wire fencing and guarding to prevent exploitation of the area during the rehabilitation phase until vegetation is sufficiently established (2-3 years). (2) Construction of millet stalk palisades arranged ideally in ‘checker-board’ squares, which act as windbreaks. These physical structures are a barrier to sand transport by wind, and thus are a prerequisite for revegetation. After two years the palisades fall apart and decompose - and the vegetation takes over the dune fixation function. Small erosion gullies can be controlled by check dams made from stone or millet stalks. (3) Natural regeneration, planting and seeding of annual and perennial plants (including Acacia spp. and Prosopis spp.) for soil stabilisation.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: As soon as vegetation cover is established on the denuded surfaces the dunes can be used for grazing or for harvesting of herbs and fuelwood. Period and frequency of use should be determined in common agreement with all actors involved. In addition the pasture on the dune can be used as a ’reserve’ for late dry-season grazing, depending on vegetation development and herd size. Between 1991 and 1995, just over 250 ha of sand dunes were stabilised in the case study area. Incentives were provided by the ‘Projet de Développement Rural de Tahoua’ (PDRT, see also ‘Participatory land rehabilitation’ approach). After 1995 no further dunes were stabilised due to the high cost of the wire fencing, which local communities simply could not afford themselves. However, as the objective of the fence is to keep out humans and animals during critical periods (the rainy season), the same effect could be obtained at no financial cost through ‘social fencing’, that is agreement between stakeholders on where there should be no grazing. Furthermore the technology itself - which works well - could be relevant to situations where higher investment can be justified for specific reasons.

2.3 Fotografías de la Tecnología

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

2.7 Introducción de la Tecnología

Especifique cómo se introdujo la Tecnología:

• mediante proyectos/ intervenciones externas

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

• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo

• reduce loss of land

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

Comentarios:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): The area suffers from an imbalance between availability of natural resources (constrained by soil fertility and rainfall) and the rapid growth of the human and livestock populations. As a result, there is chronic food insufficiency and an associated overexploitation of the natural resource base. Accelerated wind and water erosion further enhance the degradation of the soil resources. From the farmers’ perspective, the main problems are lack of grazing land, wood and drinking water (due to sinking water tables), insufficient and unevenly distributed rainfall. Sand dunes are fragile: when overexploited, they soon remain with only unpalatable plant species, eg Panicum turgidum. When the vegetation cover on dunes decreases even further, dunes start moving again, threatening fields, villages or depressions used for fruit and vegetable cropping.

Longest growing period in days: 90; Longest growing period from month to month: Jul - Sep

3.4 Provisión de agua

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

• de secano

3.5 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• veda de zona (detener uso, apoyar la restauración)
• cobertura de suelo/ vegetal mejorada

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

3.7 Principales tipos de degradación del suelo encarados con la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Main causes of degradation: droughts (manque de pluie; pluie mal répartie), land tenure, faim

Secondary causes of degradation: soil management (pas de jachère; pas suffisamment d'intrants. Mulching, engrais, mat. organique), deforestation / removal of natural vegetation (incl. forest fires) (combustibles), over-exploitation of vegetation for domestic use, overgrazing, population pressure (croissance de la population), poverty / wealth (Manque de moyens financiers), labour availability, education, access to knowledge and support services

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
• restaurar/ rehabilitar tierra severamente degradada

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

Especifique la moneda usada para calcular costos:

• USD

4.3 Actividades de establecimiento

	Actividad	Momento (estación)
1.	Construction of wire fence around the dune	December to June
2.	Palisade construction, 2000 m/ha.	December to June
3.	Guarding the fenced area	all year round

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	Enclose area and protect	ha	1,0	300,0	300,0	100,0
Equipo	Tools	ha	1,0	10,0	10,0
Material para plantas	Tree seedlings	ha	1,0	20,0	20,0
Material de construcción	Wire fence	ha	1,0	1120,0	1120,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología					1450,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología en USD					1450,0

Comentarios:

Duration of establishment phase: 36 month(s)

In the Sahelian zone of Niger, wind erosion constitutes one of the major causes of land degradation. Measures to combat wind erosion and sand encroachment were developed through a rural development project. However in this case the cost was too high to justify continuation: nevertheless the technology itself may be applicable in other situations

4.5 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Momento/ frequencia
1.	Harvesting of millet stalks , 2,000 bundles/ha (1 bundle = 6-10 kg).	October to February / initial establishment
2.	Seeding of herbaceous plants	May, just before rainy season / initial establishment
3.	Transplanting of locally available trees reared in a tree nursery	June to July, early rainy season / initial establishment
4.	Replanting of dead tree/shrub seedlings (20% replanting).	June to July /
5.	Guarding the area closure	all year round /
6.	Controlled grazing once the dune has been stabilised: for periods of between 1 day and a week every 2 to 3 weeks – as determined	/ between 1 day and a week every 2 to 3 weeks

4.6 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	Maintain area and guarding	ha	1,0	45,0	45,0	100,0
Material para plantas	Tree seedlings	ha	1,0	5,0	5,0
Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología					50,0
Costos totales para mantener la Tecnología en USD					50,0

Comentarios:

Labour (per ha, for establishment) includes installing wire fence (16 person days), collecting and transporting millet stalks and installing palisades (175 person days), sowing of herbaceous plants (2 person days), planting tree/shrub species (6 person days). Seedlings: under PDRT the tree nursery was financed by the project and the plants delivered to the ‘village’ - planting was done by the local population.

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 low

Soil drainage / infiltration is good

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: due to out-migration of labour, commerce and also arts and crafts

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:

• comunitaria/ aldea

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• acceso abierto (no organizado)

6.1 Impactos in situ demostrados por la Tecnología

Impactos socioeconómicos

Producción

Ingreso y costos

Otros impactos socioeconómicos

Impactos socioculturales

Impactos ecológicos

Suelo

Reducción de riesgos de desastres y riesgos climáticos

Otros impactos ecológicos

6.2 Impactos fuera del sitio demostrados por la Tecnología

Especifique la evaluación de los impactos fuera del emplazamiento (medidas):

Off-site benefits are difficult to assess and do not necessarily accrue to the local land users

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

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

• 0-10%

Comentarios:

There is no trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: There is no spontaneous adoption as the technology is too expensive, labour intensive, and implemented on communal land.

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
Technically it is feasible to prevent dune encroachment and hence reduce the danger it exerts on arable/pastoral land and villages How can they be sustained / enhanced? Prevent overexploitation, apply SWC measures that are technically and financially feasible (eg use cheaper fencing material or ‘social fencing’).
Decrease loss of arable/pastoral land How can they be sustained / enhanced? Prevent overexploitation.
Additional income to the land user How can they be sustained / enhanced? Planting multipurpose tree/shrub species on the protected dunes, encourage pasture management systems eg rotational grazing.

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?
Soil cover is very sensitive to overexploitation	In order to increase acceptance, involve the whole community in the planning and management processes of the stabilised dune.
Social conflicts between farmers and herders due to area closure	In order to increase acceptance, involve all actors, including pastoralists or their representatives, in the planning and management process of the stabilised dune.
Use materials for the palisades that do not have an alternative use as fodder (as millet stalks do) for example twigs of Leptadenia pyrotechnica). Plastic nets exist for making palisades, but these are very expensive. Labour requirements difficult to circumvent.	Initiate the establishment of sustainable management systems eg communally managed rotational grazing systems.
Area closure to prevent exploitation of stabilised dunes means restricted access to potential grazing areas	Involved actors can agree upon a local convention that prohibits access during rehabilitation – ‘social fencing’ – and restricted exploitation after this phase. PDRT started to plant Euphorbia balsamifera within the fence with the idea of eventually removing and using it on another site.
High costs for fencing

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información