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

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Interactive Soil Quality assessment in Europe and China for Agricultural productivity and Environmental Resilience (EU-iSQAPER)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Agrochesmistry and Environment Department, University Miguel Hernandez (UMH) - Spain

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

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The land user applies organic amendment located in a dripper point. Sheep manure is applied every year in holes under the foot of every lemon tree. The holes are dug with a shovel.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Natural / human environment: This SLM technology was established in land under sustainable agricultural in the region of the Vega Baja del Segura (Spain). The region under study is the most southerly county within the Valencian Community (Comunidad Valenciana). Our study site focuses on the province of Alicante. The county is Vega Baja del Segura, which has a total area of 957.73 km2. The county of Vega Baja de Segura covers the region from Orihuela to the mouth of the Segura, where it meets the Mediterranean Sea in Guardamar del Segura (Alicante). Agricultural production in this county is of a very high quality and is intensely competitive. Despite this, the region’s traditional agriculture industry is nonetheless being overtaken by other sectors, with the scarcity of water emerging as a key factor in this shift. Currently, 67% of the arable area relies on irrigation systems. In this area, small holdings yield the majority of the agricultural production: 76% of agricultural estates cover less than five hectares. The main cultivation, in terms of area, is in trees (22,900 ha). Citrus trees (lemon, orange, and mandarin) are the main trees grown in the area (INE, 2009).

Purpose of the Technology: Initially, the main objective of the land user applying the technology was to improve the soils and crop production in his fields by promoting sustainable agricultural management in the Vega Baja region. The previous use of land was conventional with inorganic fertilization and intensive ploughing. The land user had to convert the conventional lemon tree orchard to organic farming with more sustainable practices. The initial investment was very high and he needed nearly 7 years to get certified in Eco-certification and labelling by the Comité de Agricultura Ecológica de la Comunidad Valenciana.

The land user makes all kind of innovative practices to improve soil fertility and crop production; the most pioneering initiative was to apply organic amendment located in dripper points. Organic certified sheep manure is applied every year in September in holes under the foot of every lemon tree. The following year, the position of the hole is moved around the tree. The holes are dug with a shovel; each hole is 0.4 m wide and 0.2 m deep. The eco-certificate sheep manure is bought from sheep holders. The sheep manure is composed of NPK (2.9; 1.8; 2.4%) with a C/N ratio of 8.8. The organic matter content is 44.5% and the moisture value is 53.8%. The irrigation is by drippers and it includes fertilizers in it. The land user is controlling the fertirrigation dose, changing the amount depending on the nutritional state of the orchard and climatological conditions. As part of the organic agriculture, the weed is not removed anymore. Pest control is done by biological methods: fly adhesive traps, pheromones moths traps, Bacillus thuringiensis solution sprayed, paraffin oil and copper sulphate applied by drip irrigation. The pruning remains are kept on the soil surface as a mulching.

The major benefit is an enhancement of the soil organic content in the long term. There is also an improvement of the orchard productivity. The lemon trees become less prone to diseases and pests. The major disadvantage is the high costs at the beginning to change from conventional to organic and to get the Eco-certificate.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos 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

Indicate year of implementation:

2014

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

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

3.4 Water supply

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

• full irrigation

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

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

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

Euro

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

0.944508

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Digging hole	September
2.	Organic amendment	September
3.	Irrigation	all year
4.	Biological control	all year
5.	Fertirrigation	All year, except autumn and winter
6.	Pruning material left on soil surface	May, July and August

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	Organic amendment	person/hour	5.0	6.0	30.0	100.0
Labour	Pruning	person/hour	100.0	6.0	600.0	100.0
Labour	Fertirrigation	person/hour	100.0	6.0	600.0	100.0
Labour	Biological control	person/hour	30.0	10.0	300.0	100.0
Equipment	Tractor with trailer (hire per day)	piece	2.0	30.0	60.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Organic amendment	kg	1200.0	30.0	36000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Fertirrigation	Litres	1400.0	8.0	11200.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Bacillus thuringiensis	Kg	60.0	20.0	1200.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Copper sulphate solution	Kg	5.0	30.0	150.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Paraffin oil	Litres	10.0	30.0	300.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Adhesive trap	piece	100.0	10.0	1000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Pheromone trap	piece	10.0	40.0	400.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					51840.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					54885.72

Comments:

The price of sheep manure is so high because he has to buy it from eco-certified sheep holders.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The pests, and the loss of product caused by unexpected weather.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

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, not titled

Land use rights:

• leased

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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	well
seasonal temperature	summer	increase	well
annual rainfall		decrease	well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	increase	very well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
flash flood	well
landslide	very well

Biological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
insect/ worm infestation	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:

The land user had problems to cope with the money input to establish the SLM technology at the beginning of the process, but he believes that in 10 years the perspective will be better and he will recover the money spent at the beginning.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

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

• 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Yes

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• climatic change/ extremes

Specify adaptation of the Technology (design, material/ species, etc.):

The dose of manure application was modified regarding the climatological conditions.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Reduction of soil degradation
Enhacement of soil fertility

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Improvement in crop production
Contribution towards a better social acknowledgment of the sustainable farming

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?
The high dependency on climatological conditions	Pay special attention in soil structure
Strict control of organic amendment input with exhaustive verifications and monitoring of the sheep manure	Improve verification process.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Short response time to the weather risk or plagues	Daily monitoring of crop and soil response.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

no

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Citrisol S.Coop (farmers association)

URL:

http://citrisol.es/