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)

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

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

A simple, inexpensive and practical method for raising healthy plant seedlings

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

During the winter in Nepal’s middle mountains, the soil temperature generally remains at 5-10 degree celsius above the ambient air temperature. This principle was used to design a simple, inexpensive, and effective nursery technology for raising vegetable and horticulture seedlings in colder regions. The polypit technology allows seedlings to be raised by protecting them from the freezing temperatures that occur mostly at night.
Polypits are about 1m deep pits dug into the ground and covered with semitransparent polythene sheets, preferably UV stabilised and supported on bamboo frames. A 30 cm high mud wall is built across the slope on the upper side of the pit. The polythene sheet is sealed on the upper side of the pit, leaving three sides unsealed but held down with stones that can be lifted to access the pit. The base and sides of the polypit are left as they are with no form of plastering.
The polythene sheet covering the pit reduces the photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) by around 30% inside the pit, still allowing sufficient sunlight to reach the plants inside. The polythene is usually removed during the day from 11 am to 4 pm to allow full sunlight to reach the plants except on rainy and very cold days. A modified version of these polypits - only 70 cm deep - were used in the Jhikhu Khola watershed to grow vegetable seedlings during the winter. The pits can be made of any reasonable size depending on the number of seedlings to be grown and the layout of the land. The Jhikhu Khola pits were about 3m long, 1.5m wide, and 0.7m deep.
Since the polypits are closed at night, the CO2 released by the plants and soil microbes accumulates and increases to well above levels outside the pit. In a completely sealed polypit, the CO2 concentration could reach up to 3000 ppm during the night which would be harmful for plants. Thus the polythene cover is only loosely sealed along the edges at night to regulate and maintain the concentration of CO2 at about two to four times the ambient concentration.
The warmer protected conditions and CO2 enrichment leads to extra growth and biomass gain for plants grown inside the pits during the winter. This technology is easy to maintain with the only maintenance costs being to repair damaged polythene sheets and frames.
The polypit technology is useful for mountain farmers where water scarcity and low temperatures limit the potential to raise quality seedlings. The technology is being promoted in the northwest Indian state of Uttarakhand, although only a few farmers have adopted it so far. It is a very promising technology and its use should be encouraged by hill farmers and research and development organisations engaged in raising seedlings. The technology needs more participatory action research to improve it and to encourage more farmers to adopt it spontaneously.

2.3 Fotografías de la Tecnología

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

País:

Nepal

Especifique más el lugar :

Kavrepalanchowk district/Jhikhu Khola watershed

Especifique la difusión de la Tecnología:

• aplicada en puntos específicos/ concentrada en un área pequeña

Comentarios:

The technology was tested in the farmers field at Lamdihi and Spice Crop Development Centre. atTamaghat.

Map

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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.):

The technology is developed by G.B Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED) in Almora (India) for raising healthy plant saplings, named as polypit (Palni et al. 1994).

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

• mejorar la producción

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

Tierras cultivadas

• Cosecha anual

Cosechas anuales - Especifique cultivos:

• cereales - maíz
• leguminosas y legumbres - otros
• cultivos de semillas oleaginosas - girasol, colza, otros
• vegetales - otros

• rice, wheat

Número de temporadas de cultivo por año:

• 3

Especifique:

Longest growing period in days: 150; Longest growing period from month to month: Jun - Oct; Second longest growing period in days: 120; Second longest growing period from month to month: Nov - Feb

Comentarios:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Production is limited due to insufficient water during winter and the pre-monsoon season (from Nov-May); insufficient
farm income due to small landholdings; increased inputs of chemical fertilisers

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Irrigation shortage during pre-monsoon and monsoon months.

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: Maize -vegetables/wheat-vegetables

3.4 Provisión de agua

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

• mixta de secano – irrigada

3.5 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• full year planting

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

medidas estructurales

• S4: Acequias niveladas, fosas

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

Especificaciones técnicas (relacionadas al dibujo técnico):

Poly pit covered with semi transparent plastic sheet which is supported on a bamboo farme.

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: low

Technical knowledge required for land users: low

Main technical functions: protecting seedlings from frost, reduction of water loss, carbon dioxide enrichment

Structural measure: pit
Depth of ditches/pits/dams (m): 0.7m
Width of ditches/pits/dams (m): 1.5 m
Length of ditches/pits/dams (m): 3 m

Construction material (earth): a mud wall is made about 30 cm high from the ground, sloping on the two sides.

Construction material (wood): to place semi transparent plastic on a frame.

Construction material (other): plastic sheet: to cover the pit, rope, wire: frame preparation

Autor:

Madhav Dhakal, A.K. Thaku

4.2 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

Especifique cómo se calcularon los costos e insumos:

• por unidad de Tecnología

Especifique la moneda usada para calcular costos:

• USD

4.3 Actividades de establecimiento

4.4 Costos e insumos necesarios para el establecimiento

Comentarios:

Duration of establishment phase: 4 month(s)

4.5 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

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

Comentarios:

Machinery/ tools: wooden/iron peg, spade, shovel ,knife, and saw

The cost was calculated only for unit technology , and it can not be extrapolated on hectare basis as in 2006.

4.7 Factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Describa los factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

The plastic sheet , but it is easily affordable by the land users.

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografía

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre topografía :

Altitudinal zone: 850 m a.s.l.

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: Variable

Soil texture: Fine/ heavy (clay) is red soil with high clay content but medium (loamy, silty) is non red soil

Soil fertility is medium

Soil drainage / infiltration is medium

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, but more in rainy season (June- September), less in April/May; source: natural spring.

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: 200-500 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 2% - 3%

100% of the land users are average wealthy and own 40% of the land.

Off-farm income specification: In most farm households off-farm income plays at least a minor and
increasingly a major role. Occasional opportunities for off-farm income present themselves in the form of daily
labour wages. Some households’ members receive regular salaries whilst an increasing number of Nepalis are
working in India, the Middle East, Malaysia and elsewhere and sending remittance incomes home.

Market orientation of production system: About 50 percent of the product , especially vegetables are grown commercially.

Level of mechanization: Manual labour for planting, irrigation, harvesting; Animals are used for field preparation and in valley bottom machines can be used for field preparation

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, con título

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• individual

Derechos de uso de agua:

• comunitarios (organizado)

6.1 Impactos in situ demostrados por la Tecnología

Impactos socioeconómicos

Producción

Ingreso y costos

Impactos socioculturales

Impactos ecológicos

Suelo

Otros impactos ecológicos

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

Extremos (desastres) relacionados al clima

Desastres climatológicos:

Desastres climatológicos

Desastres hidrológicos

Otras consecuencias relacionadas al clima

Otras consecuencias relacionadas al clima

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 investment costs can be recouped within one season leading to positive results due to higher production.

6.5 Adopción de la Tecnología

• casos individuales / experimentales

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

2 households

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

• 0-10%

Comentarios:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

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

Comments on acceptance with external material support: survey results

There is no trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: There were not enough dissemination and awareness raising activities to inform farmers of the benefits of the technology and convince them to use it.

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

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

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Bhuchar, S. (2004) Polypit: a Green-chamber for Poor Farmers, an article prepared for PARDYP Quarterly e-Newsletter-8, ICIMOD, Kathmandu

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

ICIMOD

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Palni, L.M.S.; Bhuchar, S.; Kothyari, B.P. (1994) ‘A Simple Polypit can Greatly Reduce Nursery Time of Tree Seedlings”. In Journal of HIMA-PARYAVARAN, 6(2):10-11

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

GBPIHED- Almora

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Vyas, P.; Bisht, M.S.; Bhuchar, S.; Sharma, S.; Palni, L.M.S. (1999) ‘Polypit: An Improved Technique for Raising Nursery Plants’. In Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 8(1): 43-59

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

GBPIHED- Almora