Water harvesting structures (semi-circular bunds) implemented at the Faqua’a site in Palestine using soil and stones (Left) and soil only (Right). (ARIJ)
In Palestine, rainfed olives are traditionally cultivated within undulating landscapes with an average annual precipitation ranging between 400 and 700 mm. Olive trees are well known for their resilience to droughts. However, degraded and steeply sloping areas have limited water infiltration and storage capacity: a large proportion of rain forms surface runoff, further speeding up land degradation through erosion and the removal of fertile topsoil, leading to decreased soil health and productivity. The International Center of Agriculture Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) among others, recognised these issues and superimposed microcatchment water harvesting structures on existing rainfed olive trees in marginal and degraded drylands of Palestine. This technique aims to improve yields by increasing soil moisture through capturing runoff and enhancing infiltration. Thereby, it also decreases the potential for land degradation through surface runoff. This has positive impacts on the local land users and land owners. These are often considered marginalised groups because they lack access to off-farm work and finance to invest in their farms. Additionally, these farmers are directly experiencing the negative impacts of climate change, such as more frequent droughts which can be linked to declining yields, and decreasing farm income. Depending on local climate, topographic and soil conditions, olive trees are usually spaced 5-10 meters apart to avoid competition for water.
The land is first surveyed and then the microcatchment water harvesting structures (technically termed “semi-circular bunds”) are designed with the tips of the structures on the contour. They are constructed around 0.5 meters downslope of each olive tree in a semi-circle of around 4 meters diameter. The structures are created through stone foundation and bunds topped with a compacted soil layer. The height of the structures varies between 0.3 meters and 1.2 meters. As a first step, stones are placed and fixed in a semi-circular shape. Secondly, the soil inside the structure is slightly levelled. Thirdly, more stones are placed to heighten the bunds. Lastly, excavated and surround soil is put over the stones and thoroughly compacted. The estimation of establishment cost is 7 USD per meter of bund, implying a total cost of approximately 7000 USD per hectare.
The life-duration of the water harvesting system implemented in highly sloping areas, is estimated at 15 years with yearly maintenance cost estimated at 3 USD per tree – 300 USD per hectare. Without maintenance, the life-cycle of the system will be less.
Land users appreciate the technology because it improves their olive yields and thus income. They state that the topsoil maintained in situ, and the improved soil moisture, have positive effects on their harvest. Land users also acknowledge that implementing and maintaining increases the workload. Nevertheless, due to the local material requirements, the costs are low and thus perceived as positive.
Data presented in this documentation are partly made available under the project 'Testing and Out-scaling in situ Water Harvesting Technologies in Palestine' led by ICARDA in collaboration with the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem, Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, and National Agricultural Research Centre in Palestine. The project is under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – a regional project “Implementing the 2030 Agenda for water efficiency/productivity and water sustainability in NENA countries” directly under the Regional Water Scarcity Initiative. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency funded the project.
Байршил: Палестин
Дүн шинжилгээнд хамрагдсан технологи нэвтрүүлсэн газрын тоо: нэг байршилд
Технологийн тархалт: газар дээр жигд тархсан (approx. 0.1-1 км2)
Тусгай хамгаалалттай газар нутагт?: Үгүй
Хэрэгжилтийн огноо: 2021
Нутагшууллын төрөл
Improved soil moisture provides resilience for droughts, reducing failure risk
Not damaging the bunds may hinder land management
Inputs for repair and implementation is required
Because soil moisture is increased, yield is as well and risk is decreased
Building and repairing the bunds requires labour
Local farmers were included in the process, improving their knowledge
