Newly constructed bench terraces planted with hedge rows (Kenneth Twinamasiko)
A typical bench terrace takes the shape of a bench with a width of 3 to 5 meters and the height ranging from 1 to 2 meters, depending on the steepness of the slope, and the length is determined by the size of the plot, but typically 20 to 25 meters.
The top of the terrace riser is planted with a grass strip (referred to as a hedge row) commonly elephant grass or starria grass at a spacing of 200mm. The lower part of the riser is stabilized by planting creeping plant like couch grass to avoid erosion.
The technology is applied in already existing degraded farmlands, which are individually owned. An average farm size is less than half an acre.
This technology reduces the speed of water running down the slope during a downpour thereby reducing soil erosion and increasing water retention.
Areas which are prone to degradation by erosion are identified and later, the farmers are trained on benefits of this technology, how to construct and how to maintain the terraces by planting hegde rows.
This technology helps maintain the good top soil, which would have otherwise been washed down the slope into the valley, increases water retention, provides a flat ground for farm practices. All these ultimately increase crop yields.
What the land users dislike about this technology is that it is labour intensive. These labour intensive activities are done individually, on individual pieces of land using simple hand tools (hoes, spades and pick axes).
Местоположение: South Western Region, Уганда
Число исследованных участков, где применяется Технология: 10-100 участков
Пространственное распространение Технологии: равномерно-однородное применение на определенной площади
На постоянно охраняемой территории?:
Продолжительность применения Технологии: 2015
Тип внедрения/ применения
| Опишите затраты | Единица | Количество | Затраты на единицу (Ugandan Shilling) | Общая стоимость на единицу (Ugandan Shilling) | % затрат, оплаченных землепользователями |
| Оплата труда | |||||
| Construction of bench terraces in an area of 1 acre | person days | 324,0 | 2,1 | 680,4 | 30,0 |
| Оборудование | |||||
| Forked hoes | pieces | 1,0 | 5,0 | 5,0 | |
| Pick axes | pieces | 1,0 | 5,0 | 5,0 | |
| Spades | pieces | 1,0 | 5,0 | 5,0 | |
| Посадочный материал | |||||
| Starria grass cuttings | sack | 80,0 | 7,0 | 560,0 | |
| Общая стоимость запуска Технологии | 1'255.4 | ||||
| Общие затраты на создание Технологии в долларах США | 0.38 | ||||
| Опишите затраты | Единица | Количество | Затраты на единицу (Ugandan Shilling) | Общая стоимость на единицу (Ugandan Shilling) | % затрат, оплаченных землепользователями |
| Оплата труда | |||||
| Repair of broken parts of the terrace | days | 4,0 | 2,1 | 8,4 | 100,0 |
| Trimming of hedge rows | days | 8,0 | 2,1 | 16,8 | 100,0 |
| Общая стоимость поддержания Технологии | 25.2 | ||||
| Общие затраты на поддержание Технологии в долларах США | 0.01 | ||||
The impact has come immediately with the first crop
Hedge rows are used as fodder
With terracing more variety of crops are being grown
It is expected to improve in the long term
Recharge is hoped to increase in the long term as more farmers adopt the technology
Soil which is trapped by the hedge rows
By use of manure
Flooding in the valley bottoms due to runoff
As more people adopt the technology, this is expected to increase
Trend in downstream flooding is negative
Trend in downstream siltation is negative
Soil which is washed down the slope
Especially on roads and water supply systems
