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

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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)

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The grasslands are used as pastures by a reduced number of livestock belonging to an individual land user.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The around 50 goats are brought to the pastures early in the morning and will be brought back to their stable from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After this, they will be accompanied to the pastures again. In the morning the west-exposed and in the afternoon the east-exposed pastures are visited. The same rotational scheme is applied over the whole year, which means that the same pastures are visited daily. The pastures are exclusively used by the land user fror more than the half of the year (from autumn to spring). In summer the pastures are also used by the village herd of the nearby village (Karsang). Herding is mostly the task of the land user's sons but sometimes he will accompany the animals by himself. Cows are let out on the pastures in the morning and come back in the evening by themselves.

Purpose of the Technology: The reason for west-facing grazing in the morning and east-facing in the evening is that grass is moist at these times of day. This is also why at noontime animals are not on the pastures. The animals are led slowly by the herder as to not tire them, to make them fatter and to avoid damages on vegetation.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: No special pasture maintenance activities are undertaken.

Natural / human environment: The area is around one hour away from the village which actually controls the pastures (communal pastures). In addition snow lies longer in spring than further down. This means that the village herd only comes here from late spring to late summer, which decreases the pressure on the pastures. Together with the situation in a small depression that protects from high radiation in summer this contributes to the generally better pasture quality (greener, more grasses) compared with the village pastures in proximity to the villages. An important factor contributing to the generally good conservation state are the reduced livestock numbers. They are only reduced because the land user is close to these more distant pastures and the village is quite far away.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

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

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• 10-50 years ago

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The land user has rented land for the establishment of a self-sufficient agropastoral system after independence (early 1990ies). A part of the area was used as cropland when there was still a village (in the middle of the 20th century) whereas other parts of the land were also used as pastures.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

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

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Especially in the places where animals pass regularly and where they stay for longer times physical degradation of soils (compaction, crusting) together with the degradation of vegetation (cover and biomass) are major problems. In addition, low fertility is also a problem for vegetation growth.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Water erosion problems associated with wood chopping. And trees wood be very important for climate regulation.

Ranching: Goats, cows

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

• pastoralism and grazing land management

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: management measures

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Pk: sealing and crusting, Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Bs: quality and species composition /diversity decline

Main causes of degradation: overgrazing (Big herds passing daily), other human induced causes (specify) (Inappropriate soils used for grazing), education, access to knowledge and support services, governance / institutional (Incapacity of government to implement soil conservation.)

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• prevent land degradation
• reduce land degradation

Comments:

Main goals: prevention of land degradation, 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):

Somoni

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

3.42

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Buying livestock	Reduced livestock numbers

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Other	Buying livestock	Goats	50.0	87.7	4385.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					4385.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					1282.16

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Herding	Daily
2.	Giving salt to livestock	Twice per week
3.	Fodder for livestock	In winter

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

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Herding daily	days	365.0
Other	Salt for animals	for one year	1.0	12.0	12.0
Other	Fooder for livestock	winter	1.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					12.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					3.51

Comments:

The only effective costs mentioned by the land user is salt for animals. Other inputs - be it labour or winter forage - does not have to be paid, respectively bought.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour input is decisive: As long as work is done by family members costs are restricted on alimentation. If external labour is hired, wages have to be added.

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: Mainly medium, but also low

Soil water storage capacity: low - medium

5.4 Water availability and quality

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Ground water table: Mostly no groundwater, since very hilly.

Water quality (untreated): Good source water, since no diarrhae after drinking it.

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Many medical plants

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly Leaders / privileged

Difference in the involvement of women and men: Women are implied in housework, whereas men are working as herders, because of traditions.

Population density: < 10 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 1% - 2%

Off-farm income specification: The land user only depends on the rented land, cultivated together with his two sons and their families.

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:

• state

Land use rights:

• open access (unorganized)
• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• individual

Comments:

Pastures are in theory used by village communities, but enforcement of rotational grazing in remote ares is difficult. These pastures are therefore something between communal and open access pastures. The water is used by the land user without any restrictions.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

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

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	not well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	not well

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)?

Comments:

On the long term benefits of animal husbandry might be slightly reduced due to damages on vegetation (and soils) by the own and by the animals of the village herd.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

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

• 91-100%

Comments:

Comments on acceptance with external material support: The only land user with this form of management known is the one interviewsd

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

There is no trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: This form of management combines an exceptional personal spirit of innovation and financial means to lease land as to establish a self-sufficient system in the hills. It is also necessary to have a truck and / or car to transport goods to the market and to stay in touch with the rest of the family in the village, since it is too small to offer space to all the household members.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Self-sufficiency is the main success for him. How can they be sustained / enhanced? It requires high labour inputs and motivation, which for the land user are necessary to have success in the post-USSR setting.
The animals yield a higher price because they are fatter than the other animals.
The geographic location is clearly an advantage, because the land user is far away from the negative impact of village herds.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
At the same time quite positive for soil and water conservation and productive in terms of meat and sold livestock. How can they be sustained / enhanced? If the land user could rent (parts of the) pastures the interest of planting trees as a measure of rehabilitation would increase.

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

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Trees cannot recover because of constant grazing.	Only if the land user is sure that investments will profit him, that is if land tenure is clarified, will he invest into active conservation measures.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Especially at the crossing-points of the land user's herd with the village herd degradation phenomena (trampling paths) are visible.	By an agreement between the village (land commitee) and the land user the land use could be reglemented clearer.
This form of land use is difficult to maintain for young people who want to participate in social life. And it is not sustainable because it does not permit allvillagers to practice such forms of herding that require much land.	The land user should be able to rent a part of the pastures (smaller than the actually grazed 50 ha) where he would be need to conserve soils and vegetation (for instance. by tree-planting or more sophisticated rotation.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information