1.2 Coordonnées des personnes-ressources et des institutions impliquées dans l'évaluation et la documentation de la Technologie

Nom du ou des institutions qui ont facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

University of Botswana (University of Botswana) - Botswana

1.3 Conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées

Quand les données ont-elles été compilées (sur le terrain)?

2017

Le compilateur et la(les) personne(s) ressource(s) acceptent les conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées:

Oui

1.4 Déclaration sur la durabilité de la Technologie décrite

Est-ce que la Technologie décrite ici pose problème par rapport à la dégradation des terres, de telle sorte qu'elle ne peut pas être déclarée comme étant une technologie de gestion durable des terres?

Non

2.1 Courte description de la Technologie

Définition de la Technologie:

Riaan Dames Grazing involves grazing half the available area for a full year, which concentrates livestock density enabling sufficient grazing pressure to maintain the grassland in an immature, high-quality state, while resting the other half for a full year, which allows optimal recovery of plants from the previous full years grazing. The technology allows simplicity and requires less fencing infrastructure than more complex grazing systems, thereby reducing costs and increasing profits without compromising sustainability or ecological function. The technology can also be used under a planned grazing strategy in pastoral-wildlife grazing systems to create heterogeneity for wildlife and livestock.

2.2 Description détaillée de la Technologie

Description:

The Riaan Dames Grazing Strategy, otherwise known as Split-Ranch Grazing (SRG), was developed by Riaan Dames in the North West province, South Africa, while working for the Department of Agriculture. It is a fundamentally-different technology to grazing management in comparison with popular rotational grazing management systems in many western countries and contains several conceptual advances over rotational grazing systems. One key difference is that SRG provides a full-year uninterrupted recovery period for rangeland after grazing which enables grasses to maximize nutrient recovery over all the main pulses of nutrient mineralization (when microbes break down organic matter in the soil and release nutrients for plant uptake - mineralization occurs in pulses associated with rainfall events) in the early wet season (most nutrient mineralization occurs in the early wet season) and to maximize root growth and associated nutrient storage over the late wet season and early dry season (most root growth occurs in the late wet season/early dry season when plants translocate nutrients from above ground components to below ground components). Optimal recovery periods should ideally, therefore, encompass the full wet season and the early dry season. This is in contrast to rotational grazing systems where recovery and grazing periods are apportioned across the wet season and early dry season, with resting periods likely not falling in key periods of nutrient uptake and root growth. A major problem with having both grazing and recovery periods in the same season is that grassland is able to mature during recovery periods, greatly reducing forage quality and grass growth rates, thereby likely negatively impacting animal production. Another major problem is that complex rotational grazing strategies invest much in a complex and expensive fencing infrastructure. The solution to these problems is to introduce a fundamentally-different strategy to rotational grazing where some paddocks are grazed the whole year to prevent grassland maturation and other paddocks are rested the whole year to optimize recovery. In addition, paddocks should be as few in number and as large in size as is possible to maximize livestock access to functional resource heterogeneity (different types of resources needed by herbivores at different times and for various purposes, which are distributed across landscapes), thereby improving adaptive foraging options for livestock (have greater ability to move across landscapes to reach needed resource types), while also reducing costs of fencing infrastructure establishment and maintenance. Livestock are maintained in the paddocks planned for grazing until the mid-dry season to ensure that grasses in the rested paddocks have completed root growth and ceased all growth (fully rested and recovered). A full years rest allows maximum uptake of nutrients and maximum storage of these nutrients in deep, strong root systems and crowns, and ensures sustainability. Thus when these grasses are grazed in the next season they have not only efficient root uptake of moisture and nutrients from the soil but also can re-allocate nutrients stored in roots to leaf production after each grazing event, resulting in a productive supply of high-quality fresh leaf to livestock over the growing season. Movement of livestock into the year-long rested paddocks halfway through the dry season ensures that they have a large reserve of forage for the dry season. Concentration of livestock on half the available area (half the paddocks are rested and the other half grazed) ensures sufficient grazing pressure to maintain grassland in an immature, high-quality and rapidly-growing state for maximizing forage quality, leaf production and livestock production, which is further enhanced by greater adaptive foraging options in large paddocks. The technology was started in North West province South Africa, and is now being taken up in Botswana and Namibia. A model example is Tiisa Kalahari Ranch in the Ghanzi region of Botswana, run by Mr Kevin Grant. The ranch has been partitioned into several four-paddock cells, each with their own cattle herd. Cattle graze two paddocks while the other two are rested for a full year. Cattle enter the rested paddocks in the mid dry season (July) once forage is depleted in the two grazed paddocks, which have developed a large reserve of forage to sustain the livestock until the rains arrive. This technology (SRG) has been employed at Tiisa for almost six years. The ranch was in a degraded state at the start of the technology owing to decades of poor grazing management by previous owners. Indications are that the rangeland has been steadily recovering with increases in abundance of high-quality grasses. Monitoring programs are being established to monitor the trends in cover of the various grass species over time.

2.3 Photos de la Technologie

2.4 Vidéos de la Technologie

2.5 Pays/ région/ lieux où la Technologie a été appliquée et qui sont couverts par cette évaluation

2.6 Date de mise en œuvre de la Technologie

Si l'année précise est inconnue, indiquez la date approximative: :

• il y a moins de 10 ans (récemment)

2.7 Introduction de la Technologie

• Through interaction with Riaan Dames

3.1 Principal(aux) objectif(s) de la Technologie

• améliorer la production
• réduire, prévenir, restaurer les terres dégradées
• préserver l'écosystème
• protéger un bassin versant/ des zones situées en aval - en combinaison avec d'autres technologies
• conserver/ améliorer la biodiversité
• créer un impact économique positif

3.2 Type(s) actuel(s) d'utilisation des terres, là où la Technologie est appliquée

3.3 Informations complémentaires sur l'utilisation des terres

Approvisionnement en eau des terres sur lesquelles est appliquée la Technologie:

• pluvial

Commentaires:

Mainly rainfed but some irrigation of improved pasture for dry season forage would be fine

Nombre de période de croissance par an: :

• 1

Précisez:

Mostly one growing season but can be in a bimodal rainfall region

Densité d'élevage/ chargement (si pertinent):

At conservative stocking rates to ensure that animals are able to remain in the planned grazed paddocks until the mid dry season. Stocking rate will depend upon the local rainfall and soils and associated grass production. 10-15ha/ LSU in semi-arid regions

3.4 Groupe de GDT auquel appartient la Technologie

• pastoralisme et gestion des pâturages

3.5 Diffusion de la Technologie

Spécifiez la diffusion de la Technologie:

• répartie uniformément sur une zone

Si la Technologie est uniformément répartie sur une zone, indiquez la superficie couverte approximative:

• 10-100 km2

Commentaires:

Not restricted to any size of land - any size ranch

3.6 Mesures de GDT constituant la Technologie

Commentaires:

It involves grazing management. Managing stocking rate and the time spent grazing or resting a paddock

3.7 Principaux types de dégradation des terres traités par la Technologie

Commentaires:

Preventing undesirable changes in grass cover and composition

3.8 Prévention, réduction de la dégradation ou réhabilitation des terres dégradées

Spécifiez l'objectif de la Technologie au regard de la dégradation des terres:

• prévenir la dégradation des terres
• restaurer/ réhabiliter des terres sévèrement dégradées

Commentaires:

The key goals are to improve grass composition and cover, reduce soil erosion and to improve livestock production

4.1 Dessin technique de la Technologie

4.2 Spécification/ explications techniques du dessin technique

Riaan Dames Grazing Strategy or Split-ranch grazing can be implemented as simply as dividing the ranch into two paddocks with livestock spending alternate years in each paddock (A) or the ranch can be divided up into several cells according to the ranchers needs, such as having to separate breeding herds, bull herds and weaners (B). In scenario A it is important to ensure good water distribution in each paddock to ensure livestock have access to the whole paddock. This simple scenario (A) is ideal for rural development schemes owing to minimal infrastructure costs and is easy for rural communities to implement. Another advantage is that it gives livestock much greater adaptive foraging options with such large paddocks. In scenario B a central water point provides a convenient way of changing the livestock between paddocks. The gates can be left open between diagonal paddocks to allow livestock freedom of access to either of the diagonal paddocks (greater freedom of adaptive foraging) or they can be actively moved between diagonals during the grazing year according to the ranchers decisions. If paddocks are extremely large then other water points should be provided across the paddocks to allow livestock even access to all parts of the paddock.

4.4 Activités de mise en place/ d'établissement

	Activité	Type de mesures	Calendrier
1.	Building fences	Structurel	At the start
2.	Digging Boreholes	Structurel	At the start
3.	Setting up water reticulation and drinking troughs	Structurel	At the start
4.	Buildling animal loading facilities	Structurel	At the start
5.	Handling of livestock	Modes de gestion	throughout the year

4.5 Coûts et intrants nécessaires à la mise en place

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% des coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	for building fences and animal loading facilities	person days				100,0
Main d'œuvre	digging boreholes and setting water reticulation and drinking troughs	person days				100,0
Main d'œuvre	animal handling	person days				100,0
Main d'œuvre	etc
Equipements	vehicles	machine hour				100,0
Equipements	pumps	pieces				100,0
Equipements	drinking droughs	pieces				100,0
Equipements	machines for digging boreholes	machine hour				100,0
Equipements	machines for building animal loading facilities	machine hour				100,0
Equipements	etc
Matériaux de construction	poles for fences	pieces				100,0
Matériaux de construction	wire mesh for fencens	meters				100,0
Matériaux de construction	cement for boreholes and loading faclities	kgs				100,0
Matériaux de construction	water pipes	pieces				100,0
Matériaux de construction	etc

4.6 Activités d'entretien/ récurrentes

	Activité	Type de mesures	Calendrier/ fréquence
1.	Maintenance of fences	Structurel	Throughout
2.	Maintenance of water pipes and pumps	Structurel	Throughout
3.	Maintenance of vehicles	Structurel	Throughout
4.	Animal handling	Modes de gestion	Throughout
5.	Supplementary feeding (if needed)	Modes de gestion	dry season

4.7 Coûts et intrants nécessaires aux activités d'entretien/ récurrentes (par an)

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% des coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Matériel végétal	supplementary feed	bale	1,0	9,0	9,0	100,0
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie					9,0

Commentaires:

Bales of hay cost 7-9 USD in Botswana depending on availability

4.8 Facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts

Décrivez les facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts :

Fencing and infrastructure have been shown to be major factors increasing establishment and maintenance costs and reducing profits. Thus this technology aims to reduce these costs by having fewer larger paddocks, which also has benefits for the animals. Another major cost is that of supplementary feeding, especially if forage is depleted during the dry season. This technology aims to ensure that a reserve of forage is created for the dry season so that expensive supplementary feeding is not needed during the dry season, and aims to improve the quality of forage during the wet season so that supplementary feeding is not needed for fertility improvement (conception rates of females).

5.1 Climat

5.2 Topographie

Indiquez si la Technologie est spécifiquement appliquée dans des:

• non pertinent

Commentaires et précisions supplémentaires sur la topographie:

Any situation is appropriate

5.3 Sols

Si disponible, joignez une description complète du sol ou précisez les informations disponibles, par ex., type de sol, pH/ acidité du sol, capacité d'échange cationique, azote, salinité, etc.

The ranch has deep Kalahari sands in some sections and shallow rocky soils on calcrete in other sections. Nevertheless the technology is appropriate for any soil type

5.4 Disponibilité et qualité de l'eau

La salinité de l'eau est-elle un problème? :

Non

La zone est-elle inondée?

Non

5.5 Biodiversité

5.6 Caractéristiques des exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

Indiquez toute autre caractéristique pertinente des exploitants des terres:

The technology can be applied under commercial ranching situations using fenced paddocks to control the spatial and temporal distribution of livestock or it can be applied by semi-nomadic pastoralists using planned herding to control the spatial and temporal distribution of livestock.

5.7 Superficie moyenne des terres détenues ou louées par les exploitants appliquant la Technologie

5.8 Propriété foncière, droits d’utilisation des terres et de l'eau

Propriété foncière:

• individu, avec titre de propriété

Droits d’utilisation des terres:

• individuel

Droits d’utilisation de l’eau:

• individuel

5.9 Accès aux services et aux infrastructures

6.1 Impacts sur site que la Technologie a montrés

Impacts socio-économiques

Production

Impacts écologiques

Cycle de l'eau/ ruissellement

Biodiversité: végétale, animale

6.2 Impacts hors site que la Technologie a montrés

6.4 Analyse coûts-bénéfices

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts de mise en place (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts d'entretien récurrents (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Commentaires:

This technology aims to reduce infrastructure and maintenance costs by reducing the amount of fencing
It also aims to reduce reliance on supplementary feeding

6.5 Adoption de la Technologie

• 1-10%

Si disponible, quantifiez (nombre de ménages et/ou superficie couverte):

In Ghanzi region of Botswana probably about five ranchers have adopted the technology

Parmi tous ceux qui ont adopté la Technologie, combien d'entre eux l'ont fait spontanément, à savoir sans recevoir aucune incitation matérielle ou aucun paiement?

• 90-100%

Commentaires:

They have adopted the technology because of seeing the results of those using the technology and from farmers day talks

6.6 Adaptation

La Technologie a-t-elle été récemment modifiée pour s'adapter à l'évolution des conditions?

Non

6.7 Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités de la Technologie

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue de l'exploitant des terres
Management complexity is reduced - fewer paddocks and less frequent movement between paddocks
Establishment and maintenance costs are lower than complex rotational grazing systems owing to less fencing required. Livestock production increased relative to costs
Need for supplementary feed and licks reduced owing to livestock having greater adaptive foraging options
Rangeland condition improved
Rangeland condition improved - better grass cover and greater abundance of high-quality perennial grasses

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé
Conceptually the most robust grazing management technology, Extremely long recovery periods promotes sustainability
Low establishment and maintenance costs relative to production
Concentration of livestock on half the available area enables sufficient grazing pressure to prevent grassland maturation and loss of forage quality
Development of a large reserve of forage for the dry season through season long resting promotes stability and reduces needs for supplementary feeding (increased profits)
Very large paddocks combined with minimal forced movement of livestock promotes adaptive foraging options for livestock thereby reducing need for supplementary feeding and licks (increased profits)

6.8 Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques de la Technologie et moyens de les surmonter

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue de l’exploitant des terres	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
Less intensive management increases predation events on livestock	Herding of livestock

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
Potential over/under use of certain habitat type. Less control of timing and intensity of grazing distribution could result in damage to sensitive habitat types	Monitoring by the rancher of impacts on vegetation and use of water point reticulation/ lick placement/herding to move animals to underutilized areas

7.1 Méthodes/ sources d'information

7.2 Références des publications disponibles

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Optimal grazing management strategies: Evaluating key concepts Fynn, R.W.S., Kirkman, K.P. and Dames, R. 2017. African Journal of Range and Forage Science 34 (2): 87-98

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

Taylor and Francis Publishers

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Towards optimal rangeland management. Fynn, R.W.S. 2015. Farmers Weekly 18: 56-59

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

Farmers weekly magazine

7.3 Liens vers les informations pertinentes disponibles en ligne

Titre/ description:

Grazing Strategy of Riaan Dames

URL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lOAr1RT69M