Short description of the best practice

It involves participation of all stakeholders found within the area. It encompases training of different levels of stakeholders and community participation. It necessitates biological activities such as grass planting etc and physical activities such as construction of stone terraces, silt-traps etc|

Location

Ha Rapase (Qacha's nek)

If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:

8808.0

Estimated population living in the location:

3000.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

Temperate climate with warm wet summers which has temperature of up to 30 0C and mean rainfall of  600 mm and cold dry winters with occurrence of snow with temperature as low as -18 0C and mean rainfall of 900 mm.
Mountainous area/region with elevation of more than 2000 m above sea level.
The area has homogeneous soil associations in Popa Rockland (basalt), Matsana (PRM) (Mollisols that are fine loamy to loamy, mixed and mesic (USDA soil taxonomy))and Rockland (sandstone) Berea, Ntsi and Matela (PRM).|

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

Communal land use and land use rights embodied in Land Act 1979.
Subsistence farming of agricultural products and produce (wool and mohair).
Income level is lower than poverty line of Lesotho of US$32

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

The technology is considered as best because it integrates social, economic and environmental issues.|

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Overgrazing problem which result in loss of vegetation and poor rangelands.
|Excessive soil erosion caused by high water velocity and slopy terrain.|Desertification/land degradation in productive land such as fields and rangelands through protection of fields and reseeding of heavily degraded rangelands and land degradation caused by overharvesting of indigenous trees.
|Drought and poverty mitigation through construction of dams,ponds, check dams and storage tanks (Roof water harvesting tanks and spring/stream development tanks).  |Mismanagement of the land and natural resources by the communities as a result of communal land tenure system.|Poverty

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Soil loss caused by high water velocity in high elevated areas (mountainous area).
Overgrazing that causes loss of vegetation cover in rangelands.
Overharvesting of indigenous tree species.
Soil fertility problem.

Specify the objectives of the best practice

To improve soil cover, soil fertility and reduce soil loss.
|To increase conservation and harnessing of water for development projects.|To promote awareness and participation in land and natural resource management.|To promote agroforestry and sustainable land use systems.

Brief description of main activities, by objective

Train all stakeholder (Land users)|Promote ownership of specific projects which may guarantee sustainable land management   |Promote community participation in land and resource management
Promote production of agroforestry trees by private nurseries.
|Plant agroforestry trees (fruit trees) on terraces and marginal lands.|Promote beekeeping and honey production and other income generating activities e.g. pole production, timber etc.
Construct dams.|Construct ponds.|Construct roof water harvesting tanks (RWHTs).|Construct spring/stream development tanks (SDTs)
Construct stone terraces(stone lines) in rangelands. |Construct diversion furrows above the fields. |Construct terraces in the fields.|Construct silt traps in the gullies and donga.|Grass planting and sodding.|Plant soil binding trees.|Plant grass on marginal lands and reseed heavily degraded rangelands.|Promote stall feeding (zero grazing).|Afforestation.

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

The technology involves construction of stone lines along the contour line. Construction of diversion furrows above the fields in such a way that they gently divert runoff away from the fields to either a natural waterway or a constructed waterway where it will not cause any harm. Terraces are constructed in the fields to reduce the slope length, improve infiltration and to divert runoff from the fields.
Silt traps are constructed in the dongas and gullies to reduce water velocity and to trap silt that might have been carried on by runoff.
Grass planting is carried out on marginal lands and reseeding on heavily degraded rangelands which are thereafter protected from grazing for at least three years to recover fully.
Forest trees are planted in areas which have been carefully selected to avoid environmental damage that might be caused by exotic species. Soil binding trees are planted in gullies to reduce soil erosion. Fruit and other N-fixing trees are planted along the terraces to increase organic matter and enhance fertility.|
Stone lines are surveyed using either the line-level or dumpy level in order to follow the contour line of the catchment area. They are constructed using locally available materials such as stones. These stones are lined in such a way that they are 0.3 m high and 0.4 m wide with maximum length of 150 m. They are contructed on tide slopes with intervals depending on the steepness of the slope.
Diversion furrows are surveyed using either the line-level or dumpy level in order to determine slope of the furrow adequate for diverting runoff collected from the catchment. They are usually constructed such that they are 0.5 m deep, 1 m bottom width and 1.5 . top width with a maximum length of 150 m. They are constructed from outlet to prevent any damage that might occur in the case where it rains before completion. If needed the next diversion furrow is constructed 5 m above the first with an overlapping distance of 5 m to prevent runoff bypassing the lower part.
Silt traps are surveyed using line level or dumpy level to determine spacing in gullies and are constructed inside gullies or dongas.
Their maximum height is 1 m, width is 0.5 m and length across the donga or gully  depends on the width of the gullywhere they are constructed. Every silt trap should have a core width of 0.5 m and 0.5 m with a height of 1 m above ground. The structure should be 2:1. Intervals depend on steepness of the slope.
Soil binding trees are planted in gullies with less than 2 m apart whicle forest trees are planted in carefully selected areas. Forest trees are planted in a 3 m X 3 m interval/spacing to allow understory vegetation.
Grass planting on marginal lands is done using a cyclone seeder and reseeding in rangelands is done by digging small holes and the seeds are planted in this small holess and throough broadcasting.

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

Government of Lesotho.|USAID - United States Agency for International Development.|ADO - Overseas Development Agencies|FISC - Farm Improvement with Soil Conservation

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• National initiative – government-led
• Programme/project-based initiative

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

Communities.
Village development councils
Community based organizations (CBOs)
Village conservation committees
Government of Lesotho through Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security

For the stakeholders listed above, specify their role in the design, introduction, use and maintenance of the technology, if any.

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security adopted technology and designed activities that meet needs  of the communities.
Communities - Consolidated community plans and activities and identified needs.
Village development councils - facilitate implementation of land management activities.

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?

• Participatory approaches

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

There has been less siltation of natural water bodies such as wetlands, dams and rivers because of sufficient vegetation cover and physical structures.|
Increased soil fertility which has led to improved soil moisture regime and vegetation cover.
Improved education as a result of availability of funds for fees from selling agricultural produce and products.
There is high carbon sequestration as a result of increased afforestation and improved vegetation cover.
There has been an overall improvement on crop yield, livestock (meat, wool and mohair) and a general increase in biodiversity.|
Conservation and harnessing of water through tank conservation has improved-livelihoods through small scale irrigation.
The activities in the catchment area have brought an aesthetic beauty which attracts neighbouring villagers and tourist.
It has been observed that the successful implementation of the activities brings conflicts of interest between neighbouring communities which at times result in vandalism.

Describe the major two off-site (i.e. not occurring in the location but in the surrounding areas) impacts

As a result of incentives offered in the project area, neighbouring villages do not feel obliged to volunteer to do land management activities.|
Integrated watershed management (IWM) has brought motivation and encouragement to neighbouring communities.

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

Water harvesting scheme is one of the adaptation as it provides supply of irrigation water throughout the year. Conservation farming practices such as minimum tillage contributes to climate change adaptation since they reduce compaction because there is no heavy machinery used and hence this improves infiltration and moisture regime. Mulching (stalk mulching) and the use of farm manure ass organic matter which improves water capacity of the soil.
IWM led to noticeable vegetation cover resulting in carbon sequestration. Land degradation have been reduced by the activities and these contribute to climate change mitigation. The impacts of drought have been reduced by vegetation cover contributing to improved infiltration and soil moisture.
The technology has a positive impact on biodiversity conservation as some of the species (flora and fauna) that were previously declared as threaten have reappeared. The wetlands and sponges that have dried up have also rivived as a result of integrated watershed management (IWM) practices.It has previously observed that some of the springs were only flowing during summer season. As a result of the best practice there is relatively prolonged yield of springs throughout the year. Furthermore, there ihas been refabrication of medicinal plants that were threatened due to overharvesting. An overall benefit to the catchment has been an improved biodiversity in general including soil biodiversity which has contributed much to the vegetation cover and aesthetic value of the catchment area.|

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

No

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

Country wide (80 constituencies within 10 districts)

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Yes

Specify which type of incentives:

• Financial incentives (for example, preferential rates, State aid, subsidies, cash grants, loan guarantees, etc)

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

Incentives that were given to the communities in the form of food packages, fruit trees seedlings, equipment and allowances motivated them. This can be replicable with some level of adaptation.|
Involvement, collaboration and participation of local communities which promotes ownership and maintenance of the activities/structures involved in integrated catchment management(ICM). This can be replicable elsewhere. |
Highly motivated local authorities and target groups because of political will that guarantees them leadership positions in the community. This can be replicable with some level of adaptation.

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?

• Local
• Sub-national
• National
• Subregional
• Regional
• International

Related to human resources

Communities should be active stakeholders together with local authorities (Chief and Community Council)|Triple bottom line approach should be used and Community Action Plans (CAP) should be adopted. Communities should initiate and prioritise the activities. |Intergrated watershed management (IWM) is a learning process i.e. combination or collaboration of efforts with other ministries, NGOs and CBOs which is very important in making the practice a success.|Lack of transparency due to political preference sometimes lead to vandalism of activities.

Related to financial aspects

Funds are limited and widely spread throughout the country, resulting in slow impact. Therefore, efforts should be concentrated in a smaller area where intensive work can be done which result in a larger impact.|Financial incentives overshadow the need to combat desertification/land degradation. This is shown in the non-maintenance and incompletion of structures after the incentives are gone.|Insufficient funds prevent regular monitoring of activities.  

Related to technical aspects

Application of the technology is area specific i.e. soil, topography, climate etc.|It is very important to survey the soil and water conservation activities prior to construction.|Negligence of the technical specification of the activities/structures may lead to more damage to the land than before construction.