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)

ICARDA Institutional Knowledge Management Initiative

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

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) - Líbano

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

Comentarios:

This technology conserves soil and water; it reduces surface water and sediment losses from dryland watersheds. The technology is located in downstream/lowland floodplains, and ideally, it is implemented in an integrated watershed approach. In the present case study, the ‘Marab’ is linked with two main upstream measures: Upland micro-water harvesting (Vallerani system) and gully/channel measures (gully plugs)

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

The Marab is a local downstream water harvesting measure in an integrated watershed context, where up/midstream users and applied land management practices affect the Marab.
The technology diverts and spreads excess runoff over deep-soil flood plains. The technology comprises local gully-filling, grading/leveling of seed bed, and construction of a bund-and-spillway system creating several compartments for flood-irrigated agriculture.

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

Arid drylands of Jordan receive less than 200mm average annual rainfall. The specific site is located close by Al Majeddyeh village, around 30km south-east of Amman. The average annual rainfall at the site is around 130mm. The average temperature is above 18 degrees Celsius. The human environment is characterized by agro-pastoralists. These are farmers that live in permanent houses but transport their livestock to graze. As consequence of the natural environment and mis-management (e.g. overgrazing) desertification has been an increasingly problem, not only from an environmental perspective (e.g. carbon stocking; lack of water), but also from an socio-economic perspective, because desertification leads to reduced productive lands, consequently resulting in less income for the rural population.
Therefore, the aim of the technology is to achieve high-yield agriculture through flood/macro-catchment water harvesting in arid environments commonly unsuitable for field crop agriculture, creating beneficial impact for local land users. The high yield barley is fed to the livestock (goats and sheeps) of the local agro-pastoralists. Applied in an integrated watershed approach, it meets agricultural demands and motivates sustainable dryland ecosystem management in the uplands. The Marab-technology has a buffering effect on extreme runoff through water retention, for further use in downstream areas, including the trapping of relative fertile sediments from upstream. As the Marab increases yields, it also improves the livelihood of the local population.

The Marab-technology is a macro-catchment water harvesting technology. The Marab is located in the natural depression of the watershed (10 square kilometres), therefore most of the water from the watershed is captured here, instead of being spilled away. Combining this natural depression with the construction of bunds and specific soil leveling, leads to decreased run-off, thus highly increased water infiltration and soil moisture. Thereby, the biomass-production increased as well.
The watershed is characterized by degraded lands upstream (720 ha), where low yield and subsidized barley cultivation is practiced, and by gullies. In a limited part (12 ha) of the upstream area, Vallerani micro-catchments are implemented as a pilot-plot. This might seem contradicting since upstream micro-catchment water harvesting decreases the water in the Marab downstream. However, the Vallerani micro-catchments also have beneficial impacts on the watershed and the Marab, such as flattening peak water flows, reducing erosion and providing fodder. The reduction in water run-off for the Marab as consequence of the Vallerani structures is not significant, due to the small size of the pilot area. But the relations between upstream and downstream should be taken into account.

Upstream watershed measures to buffer and/or avoid extreme runoff events (extreme downstream flooding) in the Marab such as micro-catchment water harvesting structures (Vallerani tractor plow system) and the out-planting of native shrub seedlings, as well as the stabilization of erosive gully systems through gully plugging and revegetation of side banks are advised to be taken before implementing the Marab technology downstream, as they safeguard and protect the Marab. But they are not further into account in this documentation.
Establishment of the downstream Marab system includes:
•Local filling of downstream gull(system) with deep soil
•Leveling/grading of flood plains
•Construction of earth bunds
•Construction of the spillways (stone made)
• Seedbed preparation for planting annual crop such as barley

Marab agricultural production is high and stable. It can reach around 5-6 t ha-1 of barley, compared with the low and strongly varying yields of around 0.05-0.30 t ha-1 in traditionally, without macro water harvesting, cultivated barley. Marab barley produces grains (for fodder and reseeding purposes) and requires local inputs, such as fertilizer. The Marab mitigates downstream flooding and loss of sediments from the watershed. Local farmers applying the Marab technology are very satisfied, because of the extremely increased yield as consequence of the technology. However, as water is captured in the watershed, tensions may arise between the downstream (Marab) users and the upstream users.

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

Indique año de implementación:

2017

2.7 Introducción de la Tecnología

Especifique cómo se introdujo la Tecnología:

• durante experimentos/ investigación
• mediante proyectos/ intervenciones externas

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

• mejorar la producción
• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo
• reducir el riesgo de desastres naturales
• adaptarse al cambio climático/ extremos climáticos y sus impactos
• crear impacto económico benéfico

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

Mezcla de tipos de uso de tierras dentro de la misma unidad de tierras: :

Sí

Especifique el uso combinado de tierras (cultivos/ pastoreo/ árboles):

• Agropastoralismo (incluyendo cultivo-ganado integrados)

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?

• No (Continúe con la pregunta 3.4)

3.4 Provisión de agua

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

• de secano

Comentarios:

The Marab facilitates uniform distribution of excess rainwater obtained from the upland (partly Vallerani micro-catchments) and the water is conveyed through rehabilitated gullies to the Marab. (Some) Micro catchments and rehabilitated gullies are essential to avoid damaging water peaks, harming the Marab-structures. The Marab is rainfed and naturally flood irrigated.

3.5 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• cobertura de suelo/ vegetal mejorada
• cosecha de agua
• diversión y drenaje de agua

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:

• reducir la degradación del suelo

Comentarios:

Retaining surface runoff and locally infiltrating water through bunds increase soil moisture hence agricultural yield increases (e.g. biomass, vegetation cover) , soil crusting decreases (in some selected ponding areas it might increase) - and because of trapping top-soil sediments and residues from the uplands, soil fertility increases likewise.

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

Especifique cómo se calcularon los costos e insumos:

• por área de Tecnología

Especifique la moneda usada para calcular costos:

• USD

4.3 Actividades de establecimiento

	Actividad	Momento (estación)
1.	Implement upstream watershed rehabilitation measure (e.g. Upstream Vallerani micro water harvesting)	Prior of Marab-Technology construction
2.	Implement gully rehabilitation measure (e.g. Midstream gully rehabilitation)	Prior of Marab-Technology construction
3.	Marab site selection (flood plain): topographic assessment (slope, soil depth, etc.) and consideration of watershed hydrology (e.g. for bund and spillway design)	Before the rainy season
4.	Grading/levelling of natural flood plain incl. gully fill (with soil material)	season (Aug. – Nov.)
5.	Implement bund structures (based on step 4)	season (Aug. – Nov.)
6.	Construct stone made design and emergence spillways (based on step 5)	season (Aug. – Nov.)
7.	Preparation of compartmentalized agricultural fields (bund interspaces) for field crop agriculture	season (Aug. – Nov.)

Comentarios:

The upstream measures as the Vallerani System and gully rehabilitation are strongly recommended but are not taken into account as costs in this documentation. Because this documentation focuses specifically on the Marab-technology.

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	Local Workers	person-days	50,0	35,0	1750,0
Mano de obra	Land Survey	person-days	6,0	35,0	210,0
Mano de obra	Engineer (+assistance)	person-days	15,0	50,0	750,0
Mano de obra	Drivers of heavy machinery	person-days	12,0	35,0	420,0
Equipo	Grader	machine-days	3,0	250,0	750,0
Equipo	Loader	machine-days	10,0	250,0	2500,0
Equipo	Deep Plow	machine-days	3,0	200,0	600,0
Equipo	Tractor (to pull the shallow and deep plow)	machine-days	5,0	200,0	1000,0
Equipo	Shallow Plow	machine-days	2,0	200,0	400,0
Equipo	Water Tank Truck	Tank	1,0	50,0	50,0
Equipo	Small Equipment (Shovel, pickaxe, buckets)	Equipment	1,0	200,0	200,0
Material de construcción	Stones	Kubic Metre	200,0	10,0	2000,0
Otros	Transportation of heavy machinery		1,0	2000,0	2000,0
Otros	Security		1,0	300,0	300,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología					12930,0
Costos totales para establecer la Tecnología en USD					12930,0

Si el usuario de la tierra no cubrió el 100% de los costos, indique quién financió el resto del costo:

ICARDA and National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC)

Comentarios:

These costs are for establishment (so one-time) and are for the total Marab-technology i.e. 10 ha.

4.5 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Momento/ frequencia
1.	Maintaining the structures based on observations and possible damages after the rainy season, so no clear maintenance plans	Before the rainy season (Oct. – Nov.)/upon observation

Comentarios:

Excludes annual farming costs (e.g. seedbed preparation)

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	Engineer	person days per year	2,0	50,0	100,0	100,0
Mano de obra	Worker	person days per year	6,0	35,0	210,0	100,0
Equipo	Loader	machine days per year	1,0	250,0	250,0	100,0
Material de construcción	Stones	Kubic Metre	10,0	10,0	100,0	100,0
Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología					660,0
Costos totales para mantener la Tecnología en USD					660,0

Comentarios:

The costs of practicing agriculture (e.g. cost of seeds and fertilizer) are not taken into account, since these costs were also made before the implementation of this technology.

4.7 Factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Describa los factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

The special and heavy machinery affect the cost significantly, since these were not available in the area. The implementation of the technology is labour intensive, therefore labour costs are significant as well. However, these costs are initially, so these specific costs are almost zero after establishment. In addition, all the maintenance is payed for by the land users. So, only the establishment was payed for by external parties.

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografía

Indique si la Tecnología se aplica específicamente en:

• situaciones convexas

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre topografía :

The Marab itself is rather concave (depression shape) / natural depression. However, the bund structures are convex, spreading water over the field.

5.3 Suelos

5.4 Disponibilidad y calidad de agua

¿La salinidad del agua es un problema?

No

¿Se está llevando a cabo la inundación del área? :

Sí

Frecuencia:

frecuentemente

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:

The actual land users are often poor Jordanians or Syrian refugees. However, the owners of the livestock are relatively rich. The landowners are responsible for the maintenance of the intervention.

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:

• arrendamiento
• individual

• NA

¿Los derechos del uso de la tierra se basan en un sistema legal tradicional?

Sí

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

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?
lluvia anual		disminuyó	bien

Extremos (desastres) relacionados al clima

Desastres climatológicos:

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

Desastres hidrológicos

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
inundación repentina	muy bien

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 initial investment is quite large. Therefore, the short term returns is classified as slightly negative. After some seasons with good (stable) crop yield the return of investment is positive. Long term benefits are classified positively.

6.5 Adopción de la Tecnología

• 1-10%

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

These are some farmers that live near the Marab. They try to copy the Marab in their fields.

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

• 91-100%

Comentarios:

The local farmers like the technology and acknowledge its positive impacts. They would like to have a Marab themselves (even if their locally owned lands are not suitable in many cases). Local agro-pastoralists copy and apply parts of the technology (especially the bund
system). However, it strongly recommended that implementing a Marab-technology is done as a community-based project/intervention; the Marab technology should be part of an integrated watershed management plan, located at the most suitable location for the entire community.

6.6 Adaptación

¿La tecnología fue modificada recientemente para adaptarse a las condiciones cambiantes?

Sí

Si fuera así, indique a qué condiciones cambiantes se adaptó:

• cambios climáticos / extremos

Especifique la adaptación de la Tecnología (diseño, material/ especies, etc.):

The spillway design can be adapted to variable surface runoff occurrence (affected by climate change).

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra
The farmers highly appreciate the improved economic situation as consequence of the increased yield.
A strength of the Marab technology is that water is harvested and minimally spilled away, preventing top-soil erosion and accumulating soil organic matter consequently preserving soil fertility.
The crop produces grains: can be (partially) used for re-seeding in the coming seasons; economic gain + increase resilience.

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
Economic improvement through targeted agricultural interventions in the most suitable location(s) of a watershed. This aims at decreasing the pressure on the fragile dry land ecosystem. The locally increased yield raises awareness on non-sufficient field crop agriculture in uplands (commonly achieved) and might increase the willingness for more nature-based sustainable land management measures in the less fertile and runoff generating (more vulnerable uplands) parts of the watershed. Therefore, the Marab technology could be a starting point for a watershed rehabilitation initiative.
The Marab technology creates an opportunity for multiple crop introduction (due to natural flood irrigation) – aside from barley monoculture (agro-diversity).
Increased water infiltration conserves water and might lead to deep percolation (groundwater recharge).

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 Marab depends on upstream water users; can lead to increased tensions	Agreement among the community - conducting contacts/contracts among upstream and downstream farmers. Joint watershed management and benefit share could be mediate these tension. And might even lead to watershed rehabilitation.
High initial investment and partially high maintenance costs (including machinery)	Once the implementation is linked with larger environmental benefits – communities might receive funds from the government or international donors.
Loss of cultivation area where the bunds are placed	Unavoidable. However, the gain of interspaces exceeds these losses several times.

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
Tensions among multiple actors in the watershed (selection of Marab area)	Develop institutions that could avoid these tensions by establishing agreements, contracts, rules, or regulations.
Heavy machinery in a vulnerable ecosystems – can induce other requests/use by locals (improper use)	Targeted policies in place & enforcements
Increasing wealth inequality between farmers and/or communities.	Creation of institutions, which assure fair distribution. This would benefit the whole watershed.

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Strohmeier, S. (2017). Dimensioning of Marab in Majidyya.

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Strohmeier, S. (2017). Watershed Restoration in Baia Areas of Jordan Technology Packages for Controlling and Monitoring Gully Erosion.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

https://mel.cgiar.org/projects/jordan-watershed-restoration-project

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Mira Haddad, Stefan Strohmeier. (12/12/2017). Treated upland areas map. Jordan: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/9108

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Stefan Strohmeier, Mira Haddad, Ismail Shukri. (8/11/2018). Marab - water harvesting based agriculture.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/9069

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Boubaker Dhehibi, Mira Haddad, Stefan Strohmeier, Masnat El-Hiary. (24/7/2020). Enhancing a Traditional Water Harvesting Technique in Jordan’s Agro-pastoral Farming System. Lebanon: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/11506

7.3 Vínculos a la información relevante disponible en línea

Título/ descripción:

WATER HARVESTING FOR RESTORING RANGELANDS IN JORDAN

URL:

https://www.icarda.org/media/drywire/water-harvesting-restoring-rangelands-jordan