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

Nom du projet qui a facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

Integrated Biodiversity Management, South Caucasus (IBiS)

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

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

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

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

1.5 Référence au(x) Questionnaires sur les Approches de GDT (documentées au moyen de WOCAT)

2.1 Courte description de la Technologie

Définition de la Technologie:

Land degradation contributes to biodiversity loss and the impoverishment of rural livelihoods in Tusheti. Above all, however, land degradation are triggered by climate change as traditional land use practise might not be adapted to new climate conditions which can cause or speed up degradation processes significantly. On the other hand, degraded land often leads to low biomass volumes and this reduces the ecosystem capability to stabilise local climate conditions. The concept of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and the method of using remote sensing for monitoring land degradation are tools to identify the need for local planning processes. This showcase describes the LDN monitoring concept, national targets and the technology to assess indicators, mechanism and incentives for LDN.

2.2 Description détaillée de la Technologie

Description:

Purpose
The continuing global degradation of land resources threatens food security and the functioning of ecosystem services by reducing or losing their biological or economic productivity. Unsustainable land-use practices such as deforestation, overgrazing and inappropriate agricultural management systems trigger the loss and degradation of valuable land resources in Georgia. These effects are visible in all countries of the South Caucasus. About 35% of the agricultural land in Georgia is severely degraded, 60% is of low to middle production quality.

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)
LDN is a new international concept to combat the ongoing degradation of valuable soil resources. The LDN concept was developed by the UNCCD to encourage countries to take measures to avoid, reduce or reverse land degradation, with the vision of achieving a zero-net loss of productive land. To combat land degradation in Georgia, in 2017, the national LDN Working Group set voluntary national targets to address specific aspects of LDN, and submitted them to the UNCCD Secretariat.

To effectively set up counter measures to combat land degradation it is important to have detailed spatial information on land cover and land cover changes as well as on trends in degradation (like size of areas effected by erosion). Therefore a remote sensing toolset was developed and tested in the pilot are of Tusheti protected landscapes in the High Caucasus in Georgia. This region shows increasing soil erosion problems by uneven distribution of grazing activities and was selected for developing erosion control measures within the Integrated Biodiversity Management in the South Caucasus Program (IBiS) funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Sensitivity Model
The Integrated Biodiversity Management in the South Caucasus (IBiS) project in cooperation with national experts in Georgia, developed and applied a remote sensing toolset called "Erosion Sensitivity Model". This remote sensing toolset helps to assess the current state and the general erosion risk. The sensitivity model is based on the RUSLE – Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. The tool allows the calculation of erosion caused by rainfall and surface run-off. The RUSLE equation incorporates a combination of different input factors such as precipitation (R), soil type (K), slope (LS), vegetation cover (C) and protection measures (P). In this way, the estimated average soil loss in tonnes per acre per year (A) can be calculated as follows: A = R * K * LS * C * P.

The rainfall factor (R) results from a quotient from the monthly and annual mean value of precipitation. The data come from the data platform “CHELSA – Climatologies at high resolution for the earth’s land surface areas”. For the soil type factor (K), a soil map of 1:200,000 was taken. Then, depending on the soil type, different contents of sand, silt, loam and clay were used to calculate the K factor. The slope length and steepness factor (LS) is calculated from a digital elevation model (DEM) with a raster resolution of 10x10m. The DEM is derived from the topographic map 1:25,000. The global elevation model derived from SRTM data (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) has a resolution of 30x30 m and is available worldwide free of charge. The land cover factor (C) describes the vegetation cover that protects the soil from erosion. The vegetation cover slows down the speed of the raindrops and reduces the erosive effect of the rain. It slows down surface water runoff and stabilises the soil through root systems. The main indicators, land cover and productivity, can be assessed by remote sensing. The data from satellites need to be classified and calibrated by field data (ground truthing). The technology for the assessment of these indicators with Sentinel 2 satellite images was developed and applied in 2016 to 2018 in the Tusheti region (Akhmeta municipality) in the framework of the GIZ-IBiS project. Based on spectral information from airborne or satellite images, the density of the vegetation was calculated and mapped. There are well developed vegetation indices and classification systems to derive different land cover types and vegetation densities (mainly described by the Leaf Area Index LAI or biomass indices). The LAI is the area of the leaf surface (in square meters) per square meter ground surface. Since the real surface area of the leaves is hardly measurable, the amount of biomass is a proxy for the LAI. The P-factor is rarely considered in large-scale modelling of soil erosion risk as it is difficult to estimate it with very high accuracy. Therefore, to refine the model, a more detailed DEM (digital elevation model) is required (e.g., from satellite images). Based on the input factors, a soil erosion risk map was calculated for the whole territory of the Tusheti Protected Areas (113,660 ha). Based on the different spectral bands of the Sentinel 2 satellite image, a land cover map was calculated using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) technology and spectral image information.
The results have been integrated in the development of pasture management plans ("pasture passports"). This maps and documents are indicating areas of high erosion risk that need to be excluded from grazing and the maximum number of livestock has been calculated based on the biomass maps and will be integrated into the lease contracts.
The repetition of the remote sensing after some years (e.g. 5 years) will help to evaluate, if the measures in the pasture management have been successful to stop the degradation processes.

2.3 Photos 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

Indiquez l'année de mise en œuvre:

2016

2.7 Introduction de la Technologie

Spécifiez comment la Technologie a été introduite: :

• par le biais de projets/ d'interventions extérieures

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

• améliorer la production
• réduire, prévenir, restaurer les terres dégradées
• conserver/ améliorer la biodiversité

• provide information to make a spatial-territorial planning

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

Les divers types d'utilisation des terres au sein du même unité de terrain: :

Oui

Précisez l'utilisation mixte des terres (cultures/ pâturages/ arbres):

• Agropastoralisme (y compris les systèmes culture-élevage intégrés)

3.3 Est-ce que l’utilisation des terres a changé en raison de la mise en œuvre de la Technologie ?

Est-ce que l’utilisation des terres a changé en raison de la mise en œuvre de la Technologie ?

• Non (Passez à la question 3.4)

3.4 Approvisionnement en eau

autre (par ex., post-inondation):

• rainfed and mixed rained-irrigation

3.5 Groupe de GDT auquel appartient la Technologie

• pastoralisme et gestion des pâturages
• Amélioration de la couverture végétale/ du sol

3.6 Mesures de GDT constituant la Technologie

Commentaires:

On some pilot plots technologies to control erosion and stop land degradation have been tested. This includes fencing, rotational pasture management, mulching and installing check dams to stop gully erosion.

3.7 Principaux types de dégradation des terres traités par la Technologie

Commentaires:

The main drivers of land degradation in the pilot area are overgrazing and trampling, off-road driving as well as infrastructure development (especially inappropriate road construction in steep slopes).

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
• réduire la dégradation des terres

Commentaires:

The monitoring tools presented here help to monitor the development of land degradation and to evaluate measures and development trends.

4.1 Dessin technique de la Technologie

4.2 Informations générales sur le calcul des intrants et des coûts

Spécifiez la manière dont les coûts et les intrants ont été calculés:

• par superficie de la Technologie

Indiquez la monnaie utilisée pour le calcul des coûts:

• dollars américains

4.3 Activités de mise en place/ d'établissement

	Activité	Calendrier des activités (saisonnier)
1.	National level. Baseline: Field assessment for remote sensing calibration (1x/20 years)	2017
2.	Sentinel satellite image classification (multi temporal data from 2017)	2017
3.	Statistical data from GEOSTAT Agricultural census	2014-2016
4.	Analysis of soil carbon content from existing profiles	2003 - 2006
5.	Conduct ongoing monitoring	5 years intervals
6.	Update sentinel satellite image classification	1x year
7.	Update statistical data from GEOSTAT Agricultural census	4x/year
8.	Resampling of soil carbon content near existing profiles	1x/5 years
9.	Municipal level. Spatial planning: Assessment of current stage of land degradation, anticipated gains and losses	1x/10 years
10.	Revision of spatial planning on Municipal level.	1x / 5 years

4.4 Coûts et intrants nécessaires à la mise en place

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% du coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	Remote Sensing analysis by Sentinel Satellite data	person days	50,0	200,0	10000,0
Main d'œuvre	Collecting field data for satellite image callibration	person days	40,0	200,0	8000,0
Main d'œuvre	Soil sampling (for carbon content)	person days	20,0	200,0	4000,0
Main d'œuvre	Including results in spatial planning	person days	10,0	200,0	2000,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie					24000,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie en dollars américains (USD)					24000,0

Commentaires:

This covers the implementation of the baseline. Calibrating the model for erosion risk and land cover classification is an big investment but can be extended to larger areas than 1000 km² with similar resources.

4.5 Activités d'entretien/ récurrentes

	Activité	Calendrier/ fréquence
1.	Repeating the application of the calibrated remote sensing model for monitoring repitition	with 5 years interval
2.	Repetition of soil samples for assessing soil carbon content	with 5 years interval
3.	Analysing the results and integrate them in spatial planning and policy making	with 5 years interval

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

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% du coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	Applying the calibrated remote sensing model for monitoring repetition	person days	20,0	200,0	4000,0
Main d'œuvre	Repetition of soil samples for assessing soil carbon content	person days	10,0	200,0	2000,0
Main d'œuvre	Analysing results and integrating in spatial planning	person days	10,0	200,0	2000,0
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie					8000,0
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie en dollars américains (USD)					8000,0

Commentaires:

For the repetition of the remote sensing no new calibration of the GIS-model is needed. Only the field samples for soil carbon need to be repeated.

4.7 Facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts

Décrivez les facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts :

Field sample collection;
Remote sensing experts.

5.1 Climat

5.2 Topographie

Indiquez si la Technologie est spécifiquement appliquée dans des:

• non pertinent

Commentaires et précisions supplémentaires sur la topographie:

The remote sensing approach was applied for the total landscape of Tusheti, including a great variety of land-forms, altitudes ranging from 1600-4000 m a.s.l.

5.3 Sols

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 is applied by the Government.

5.7 Superficie moyenne des terres utilisées par les exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

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

Propriété foncière:

• état

Droits d’utilisation des terres:

• communautaire (organisé)
• loué

Droits d’utilisation de l’eau:

• accès libre (non organisé)

Est-ce que les droits d'utilisation des terres sont fondés sur un système juridique traditionnel?

Non

5.9 Accès aux services et aux infrastructures

6.1 Impacts sur site que la Technologie a montrés

Impacts écologiques

Sols

Autres impacts écologiques

Précisez l'évaluation des impacts sur site (sous forme de mesures):

The monitoring technology was applied for the first time to draw a baseline. Based on the results, activities have been planned and pilot measures have been implemented (exclusion from grazing, reforestation, regulation of grazing intensity). Future replications of the monitoring will show changes and evaluate success of measures. The technologies to control erosion are described separately in the WOCAT database (Community-based Erosion Control [Azerbaijan]; Pasture-weed control by thistle cutting [Georgia]; High-altitude afforestation for erosion control [Armenia]; Slope erosion control using wooden pile walls [Armenia])

6.2 Impacts hors site que la Technologie a montrés

Précisez l'évaluation des impacts extérieurs (sous forme de mesures):

The technology is only about the monitoring (see above).

6.3 Exposition et sensibilité de la Technologie aux changements progressifs et aux évènements extrêmes/catastrophes liés au climat (telles que perçues par les exploitants des terres)

Changements climatiques progressifs

Changements climatiques progressifs

	Saison	Augmentation ou diminution	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
précipitations saisonnières	été	décroît	très bien

Commentaires:

Technology is sensitive, it shows the climate change, the impact of the global change locally. The technology itself is not affected by climatic changes.

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:

The monitoring technology was applied for the first time to draw a baseline. Based on the results, activities have been planned and pilot measures have been implemented (exclusion from grazing, reforestation, regulation of grazing intensity). Future replications of the monitoring will show changes and evaluate success of measures. The technologies to control erosion are described separately in the WOCAT database (Community-based Erosion Control [Azerbaijan]; Pasture-weed control by thistle cutting [Georgia]; High-altitude afforestation for erosion control [Armenia]; Slope erosion control using wooden pile walls [Armenia]).
The costs of the remote sensing approach have not been invested by the land owners but by GIZ and the Ministry. Therefore there are no direct negative impact caused by the investment. The maintenance will be covered by public authorities as well. The positive impact for the land users are the clearly delineated pasture unit giving the exact area of grassland and the accessible amount of fodder biomass. By this, the lease-rate can be found according to the productivity and the number of livestock can be adapted to the carrying capacity of the land within the lease contract.

6.5 Adoption de la Technologie

• cas isolés/ expérimentaux

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

The technology is desigend to be applied by national or regional addministrations and not by land owners themselves.

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
The monitoring technology can help to find erosion and degradation hot spots and based on this spatial information counter measures can be applied to save the productivity of land. As the income from agricultural activities and livestock breeding is of high priority in this pilot region, the protection of the productivity of land is of high importance to the local land users.

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé

The presented remote sensing technologies are a cost efficient and objective way to monitor land degradation and land use changes on large areas on long time periods. Based on this spatial data, land use regulations can be integrated in spatial planning and other legal and practical frameworks (e.g. pasture lease contracts) to counter act the degradation processes. The success of the measures and the development of degradation and rehabilitation can be monitored by the same toolset.

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?
The technology is complex and cannot be applied by the land user her-/himself and is sometimes hard to understand. Therefore they might mistrust in the results and are not eager to accept regulations and measures to stop degradation.	Transparent documentation of the technology and regular field visits to evaluate together with the land owners and users the remote sensing results in the field.

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
The institutional setup on the national level for the regular application of the remote sensing technology and the storage and management of the monitoring data is not established yet. GIS, remote sensing and soil experts are of limited availability.	Institutional capacity building and academic training courses provided at the Georgian universities can help to overcome these limitations.
Field data for calibration of satellite images (biomass volumes, classified land cover types, soil types, land management types) with exact information on the spatial location are rare and costly to be created.	Such data and information should be organised and gathered on national level across different sectors (agriculture, forestry, spatial planing, nature conservation ...). This would help to reduce significantly the costs and remote sensing could be applied on much larger areas.

7.1 Méthodes/ sources d'information

7.2 Références des publications disponibles

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Land Degradation Neutrality 25.10.2017

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

https://e-c-o.at/files/publications/downloads/D00813_ECO_policy_brief_LDN_Georgia_171025.pdf

7.3 Liens vers les informations pertinentes en ligne

Titre/ description:

Tools for satellite image analysis

URL:

http://step.esa.int/main/snap-2-0-out-now/

Titre/ description:

UNCCD Good Practice Guidance on SDG Indicator 15.31. (Sims et al. 2017)

URL:

https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/relevant-links/2017-10/Good%20Practice%20Guidance_SDG%20Indicator%2015.3.1_Version%201.0.pdf

7.4 Observations d'ordre général

UNCCD Good Practice Guidance on SDG Indicator 15.31. (Sims et al. 2017) gives a detailed technical overview on methods and approaches to calculate LDN indicators by means of remote sensing data.