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

1.4 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

Comments:

Permanent grass is more suitable for conserving soil than arable cropping

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

Sustainable livestock and pasture management [Tajikistan]

Sustainable livestock and pasture management is implemented through creating Pasture Users Unions (PUU) which design and implement pasture and livestock management plans.

• Compiler: Kamolidin Abdulloev
• 05/14/2018 3:08 p.m.

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Permanent meadows or pastures are more effective in controlling land degradation than arable cropping. They are especially appropriate in hilly regions on sloping land where the risk of water erosion is high.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Permanent meadows and pastures are more effective in controlling land degradation than arable cropping. They are especially appropriate in hilly regions on sloping land where the risk of water erosion is high. This is a relevant technology also for valley floors where there is a regular inflow of water – resulting in sediment accumulation. Such grass cover has relevance also in plantations on sloping land.

There are some differences between pastures and meadows especially in their vegetation and land use. In general, meadows have a variety of natural growing plant species while pastures are often planted with specific types of grasses. Pastures are generally used for grazing animals while meadows are often mowed or harvested for hay (that is also often used for animal feed). Meadows may also be situated along streams or rivers on lowland areas, while pastures are typically situated on hilly regions.
Some of the most common grass species in Hungarian meadows are: meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), smooth meadow-grass (Poa pratensis), and meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis). Wildflowers (e.g Oxeye daisy, Field scabious) are also often growing on natural meadows in Hungary. On pastures the most common grass species are: ryegrass (Lolium perenne), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis). Hungarian pastures may also include legumes, such as red clover (Trifolium pratense) or white clover (Trifolium repens), which can help fix nitrogen in the soil and improve forage quality for grazing animals.

In the case of pastures farmers generally use a rotational grazing system, where the pasture is divided into sections and animals are periodically moved between them. Properly timed resting periods and regular rotation of pastures are essential for protecting the soil from erosion, promoting plant growth and nutrient uptake, and ensuring the long-term health and productivity of the pastures.

The main purpose of the technology (meadow and pasture land use) is to provide feed for livestock while reducing soil erosion and improving trafficability. The main conservation benefits are protection of the soil surface against transportation of particles by water or wind, thus avoiding soil loss and sedimentation. Due to lower velocity of surface runoff, more time is provided for infiltration of water into the soil, resulting in better water retention. In terms of production, meadows and pastures are predominantly used for providing hay or grazing land for ruminants. Different animals graze land differently, so the risk of soil degradation is lower in the case of cattle (which leave taller grass) and higher in case of sheep (which graze down to the soil surface), while in case of goats or pigs, the soil surface is easily damaged. In some special cases the main purpose of grass cover is simply soil conservation (very steep slopes, gully, etc.).

A significant proportion of grasslands (meadows and pastures) in Hungary are permanent, and they play an important role in agricultural production and the preservation of rural landscapes in the country. The common rules regarding the temporary or permanent use of agricultural land for this purposes (pasture or meadow) are contained in the Act CXXIX of 2007. The request for a land use change can be submitted at the local land offices. The most important requirement for land use change is that it must not result in a decrease in the total area of arable land below the minimum threshold set by the authorities and must not result in a decrease in the ecological value of the land. The conversion must be approved by the authorities and the appropriate land use permit must be obtained.

The application trend of this technology/solution is significantly depends on the situation of livestock production of a country. In Hungary, animal husbandry can be mentioned as the driving force of agriculture in the 1980s, with a share of 55-60% of its production value. However, by the end of the 1990s, this proportion had reversed and crop production had predominated. As there is no need for further pastures due to the decrease in livestock population, in recent times this type of land use change is not very common in Hungary.

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

Country:

Hungary

Region/ State/ Province:

Zala County

Further specification of location:

The case study area is situated within the Balaton Catchment Area in the western Hungary. The climate is moderately warm, moderately humid, the number of sunshine hours per year are high. Mean annual temperature of the region of the Lake Balaton is about 10 ˚C. The average amount of rainfall (600-700 mm / year) nationally means a medium rainfall zone. The Balaton Catchment area is 5765 km2. The main environmental purpose is to reduce pollutant (phosphorus and other plant nutrients) loads of Lake Balaton, where anthropogenic eutrophication is the main issue of environmental concern. Lake Balaton, with its nearly 600 sqkm area, is the largest shallow lake in Middle Europe. The lake as well as the surrounding area form very important natural (ecological, water and landscape) resources and are one of the major target areas of water related recreational tourism in Europe as a whole. 37% of the total catchment area is arable land which is much lower than the national average, 27% is forest, which exceeds the national average. 15% of the land suitable for grassland management, 5% is horticulture, 3% is pomiculture, 2% is viticulture, 1% is reed management and fish farming. The „Kis-Balaton” nature conservation area situated within the Balaton Catchment area. The „Kis-Balaton” wetland is under protection of the Ramsar Convention habitat.

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

Is/are the technology site(s) located in a permanently protected area?

No

Map

×

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• 10-50 years ago

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

• Upon the initiative of the land user

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
• reduce risk of disasters
• mitigate climate change and its impacts

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

Cropland

• Annual cropping

Annual cropping - Specify crops:

• cereals - barley
• cereals - maize
• cereals - wheat (winter)
• oilseed crops - sunflower, rapeseed, other

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Is intercropping practiced?

Yes

If yes, specify which crops are intercropped:

cover crops are grown between cash crops

Is crop rotation practiced?

Yes

If yes, specify:

oilseed rape - winter weet - maize - spring barley

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• Yes (Please fill out the questions below with regard to the land use before implementation of the Technology)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

Grazing land

Extensive grazing:

• Ranching

Animal type:

• cattle - non-dairy beef

Is integrated crop-livestock management practiced?

No

Products and services:

• meat

Species:

cattle - non-dairy beef

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

• pastoralism and grazing land management

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

agronomic measures

• A1: Vegetation/ soil cover

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

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• prevent land degradation
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

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

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• USD

4.3 Establishment activities

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

Depending on the measures of the Common Agricultural Policy in the EU, subsidies for grass cover establishment may be claimed.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

Comments:

Maintenance of meadow or pastures is the utilisation itself: hay production or grazing. In return there is an income.

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

Comments:

Maintenance of meadows or pasture is the utilisation itself: hay production or grazing. In return there is an income.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

prices of input materials (fertilizers, pesticides, fuel)

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

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Either drought or heavy rainfalls occur

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, titled

Land use rights:

• leased
• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

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

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

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

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

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?

• 51-90%

6.6 Adaptation

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

No

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:

The grassland care handbook

Available from where? Costs?

Einböck (einboeck.eu), info@einboeck.at

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Verba&Kőszegi: The situation of livestock production, its prospects through the examples of a farm in Bács-Kiskun County. Gradus Vol 9, No 1 (2022) ISSN 2064-8014

Available from where? Costs?

https://gradus.kefo.hu/archive/2022-1/2022_1_AGR_003_Verba.pdf

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

How to manage a meadow for hay making and grazing pasture

URL:

http://www.magnificentmeadows.org.uk/assets/pdfs/Hay_meadow_and_pasture_management.pdf