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)

Scaling-up SLM practices by smallholder farmers (IFAD)

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

CDE Centre for Development and Environment (CDE Centre for Development and Environment) - Switzerland

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:

In row planting, crops are planted according to the recommended agronomic spacing to ease management and obtain maximum yields per unit area.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

In this practice, the farmer planted sunflower (Helianthus) seeds at a spacing recommended for the particular variety. Sunflower variety PAN7033 and AGISUN was cultivated on 1 acre of land at a spacing of 15cm within row and 30cm between rows.
To plant crops in a row, the farmer has to ensure that the field is finely prepared. During planting, pegs are fitted at a spacing corresponding to spaces between the rows (30cm), along the width of the field. Ropes are then tied on the pegs along the length of the field. The rope guides the person who will be digging the planting holes, while another person would be dropping the seeds in the holes. After digging the holes in a row, the rope is transferred to the next set of pegs and the process is repeated. These activities require a minimum of 10 people to be working on the farm in order to plant 1 acre of sunflower in a day.
In this way; high yield is obtained from the crop. Activities like weeding, spraying, fertilizer application, harvesting becomes easy hence labor demand is reduced. Although there are elaborate gardening pegs and ropes in the market, the rope and pegs can be made from locally available materials hence reducing costs. Crop planted in rows may reduce surface runoff by planting in a homogenous way and improve maintain a consistent soil cover.

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:

2015

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 projects/ external interventions

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• create beneficial economic 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:

• rainfed

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
• improved ground/ vegetation cover

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:

• 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):

UGX

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

3600.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Land opening (Clearing the bush before planting)	Once before establishment
2.	2 degrees tillage	Once before establishment
3.	Marking line	During establishment
4.	Digging	During establishment
5.	Seeding	During establishment
6.	Weeding	After establishment
7.	Harvesting	After establishment

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
Labour	Labour for planting	Persons	10.0	5000.0	50000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoes	Pieces	3.0	10000.0	30000.0	100.0
Equipment	pegs	Pieces	6.0	2000.0	12000.0	100.0
Equipment	ropes	Rolls	1.0	10000.0	10000.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	Kgs	30.0	5000.0	150000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					252000.0

Comments:

This cost is calculated per acre for the technology for soya bean because there are other crops.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Monitoring	Once a year
2.	Harvesting	once a year

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	Labour for harvesting and monitoring.	persons	5.0	5000.0	25000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					25000.0

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour for planting, weeding and harvesting takes the most of costs.

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

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

low lying land

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

The land user has domestic animals (chicken and animals for traction).

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
• individual

Water use rights:

• leased
• individual

Comments:

Owned land =10 cares and leased land =5 acres.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Ecological impacts

Soil

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

Specify assessment of off-site impacts (measurements):

None

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	wet/ rainy season	increase	moderately

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

• 1-10%

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

• 0-10%

6.6 Adaptation

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

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Easy to establish using a rope which is cheap.
Easy to establish and manage with minimum costs.
Good at controlling soil and water runoffs
The technology can easily be replicated and used by both small scale and large scale farmers.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Yield potential is high and realized when the spacing is done well by the land user according to recommended spacing.

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?
Labour intensive at the time of establishment.	Use group labour.
Time consuming during establishment.	Use group labour to save on time.
Requires technical knowledge especially on the spacing.	Provide information early enough to the land user on the required spacing.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The land user does not Incorporate Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) yet has livestock manure.	Advice to integrate animal manure in row planting.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information