1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

Adding soil [Syrian Arab Republic]

No description available.

• Compiler: Liesbeth Colen
• 01/13/2009 midnight

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

To add red (fertile, nutrient rich) valley soil to degraded white soil on slopes (in olive orchards)

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Red soil is taken from valley fields, mines and construction work, transported to the slopes and added around the stem of each tree, ca. 2 m^3 per tree. Not done in the rainy season and only when there is soil available and spare time.

Purpose of the Technology: increase the soil depth and add nutrients in response to erosion and nutrient mining.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: every five to ten years depending on rainfall and slope.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

Country:

Syrian Arab Republic

Region/ State/ Province:

Aleppo

Further specification of location:

Idleb, Affrin

Comments:

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 0.04 km2.

Idleb no information available, probably 1.5 times more than Affrin

Map

×

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Idleb (region around Harem), 70 km from Aleppo, West

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• create beneficial economic impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Cropland

• Annual cropping
• Tree and shrub cropping

Tree and shrub cropping - Specify crops:

• olive

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Water erosion on hill slopes, poor soil quality (vulnerable to erosion and lack of nutrients), exageratet tillage in olive orchards

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): loss of top soil due to water erosion, poor soil quality, difficult to do contour tillage because of steep slopes

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• rainfed

Comments:

Water supply: Also mixed rainfed - irrigated

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• integrated soil fertility management

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

• Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
• Wg: gully erosion/ gullying
• Wm: mass movements/ landslides

chemical soil deterioration

• Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Wg: gully erosion / gullying

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Wm: mass movements / landslides, Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

Comments:

Main goals: rehabilitation / reclamation of denuded land

Secondary goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

syrian pounds

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

50.0

4.3 Establishment activities

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 12 month(s)

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: trolley for transport, machine for digging

for one farmer

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

labour, distance, transport, probably in the future also value of soil

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil fertility: Very low (ranked 1) and low (ranked 2)
Soil drainage/infiltration: Good
Soil water storage capacity: High

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 10-50 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 2% - 3%
25% of the land users are rich.
50% of the land users are average wealthy.
25% of the land users are poor.
Level of mechanization: Mechanised (ranked 1, tillage) and manual work (ranked 2, harvesting)
Market orientation of production system: export (seasonal)

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 91-100%

Comments:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: estimates

There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: exponential adaption, probably related to the recent (from 2003/2005) increase for olive oil prices and increased construction work

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Soil transfers in olive orchards of NS Syria, a bio-physical and socio-economic analysis of a local innovation. June 2007.

Available from where? Costs?

ICD Bern