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

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

A 15th century irrigation system is used on a small, intercropped and manured family orchard located in Valencia, in la Vall d’Albaida county (Spain)

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

This technology is applied in a family orchard located in a small town (Bocairent) in Valencia, close to the Serra Mariola Natural Park. In the county of Vall d’Albaida, a 15th century system irrigates all the agricultural lands in the area. In this case study, the historical system has been used, since 1998, to irrigate a small plot of 0.2 ha. Water is diverted from the main water canal to a secondary channel which leads to the plot. Irrigation is applied when it is necessary, based on crop water requirements and the rainfall recorded. The original source of the water is the Serra Mariola range from where it flows into the Clarià river. Within the plot there are fruit trees as well as 5 subplots of 10 square meters (5 x 2m each). The subplots are used for vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, fava beans, etc) under a rotational system (2 cycles per year). These 5 subplots are located between the rows of fruit trees (olives, almonds, figs, cherries, peaches), in an intercropping system. The whole field is fertilized annually with organic manure, which is stored at one end of the plot. This horse or sheep manure is acquired from a farm near the orchard. Pest control avoids artificial pesticides and fungicides: pests are controlled through encouraging natural predators. Weeds are removed by hand several times per season. The main purpose of this technology is the improvement of soil structure and organic matter content of the soil, while also preventing soil erosion caused by surface runoff. Avoiding pesticides and following an intercropping system gives multiple benefits: these include (a) maintaining biodiversity, (b) enhancing natural pollinators and pest predators, (c) respecting the Serra Mariola natural park, (d) improving ecosystem supporting services (nutrient cycling, soil formation, habitat provision, flood regulation) and regulating services (biological control pest and disease control), (d) creating pollination areas, and (e) encouraging carbon sequestration through permanent green cover in the intercropping system. Another benefit is the maintenance of cultural heritage: namely the 15th century, historically complex, irrigation system, which has been in use since being designed by Arabs up to the present day. Land users are continuously improving the technology by minimizing the impact on the agro-ecosystem through avoiding the use of pesticides. They are proud also with the improvement of the nutrient status of the soil, and the level of soil organic matter, achieved through the application of organic manure, as well as the intercropping and rotational system.

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

Indicate year of implementation:

1998

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
• preserve/ improve biodiversity

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

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

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

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
• integrated pest and disease management (incl. organic agriculture)
• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)

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 =:

0.99

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Soil preparation	One per season
2.	Soil ploughing	Twice per year (2 cycles rotation)
3.	Manuring	Once per year
4.	Water irrigation	Periodically
5.	Tree plantation	Once per year
6.	Vegetables plantation	Twice per year (2 cycles rotation)

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	Manuring	person-day	1.0			100.0
Labour	Soil ploughing or soil preparation	person-day	4.0	10.0	40.0	100.0
Labour	Water irrigation	litres	100.0			100.0
Labour	Plants plantation	person-day	2.0	25.0	50.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoe	piece	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Equipment	shovel	piece	1.0	18.0	18.0	100.0
Plant material	Seed	gr	200.0	1.0	200.0	100.0
Plant material	Tree	piece	25.0	15.0	375.0	100.0
Plant material	Vegetables	piece	25.0	4.0	100.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Horse or sheep manure	kg	80.0			100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					793.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					801.01

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Weeding	4 times per year
2.	Harvesting	2 times per year
3.	Manuring	1 time per year
4.	Vegetables or seed plantation	2 times per year o vegetable cycle
5.	Tree re-plantation	Eventually if tree loss
6.	Soil ploughing	2 times per year or vegetables cycle
7.	Water irrigation	Periodically

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	Weeding	person-day	1.0			100.0
Labour	Harvesting	person-day	1.0			100.0
Labour	Soil ploughing	person-day	1.0			100.0
Labour	Water irrigation	Litres	100.0			100.0
Equipment	Hoe	piece	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Equipment	Scissors	piece	1.0	10.0	10.0	100.0
Equipment	Shovel	piece	1.0	15.0	15.0	100.0
Plant material	Seed	gr	200.0	1.0	200.0	100.0
Plant material	Vegetables plant	pieces	20.0	4.0	80.0	100.0
Plant material	Fruit trees plant	pieces	5.0	18.0	90.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Manuring	Kg	80.0			100.0
Other	Weeding	person-day	1.0			100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					405.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					409.09

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

The users has already the material and the plants, only the manure is a gift from a neighbour

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Is a flat terrain, approximately 1% slope.

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

Regularity:

episodically

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

It is a family with 6 members of different ages, the oldest is 60 years-old and the youngest 24 years old

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

Water use rights:

• individual

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

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

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

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	moderately
seasonal temperature	autumn	increase	moderately
annual rainfall		increase	well
seasonal rainfall	autumn	increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local hailstorm	well
local sandstorm/ duststorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
heatwave	well
cold wave	very well
drought	well
forest fire	very well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
flash flood	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)?

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?

• 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
Free pesticides orchard, with organic manure from local farm and maintaining irrigation water supply following millenary water rules
Eating healthily
Saving money in vegetables and fruit orchards
Eating your own grow food

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Improvement in soil structure and minimizing soil compactation
Improvement in organic matter content
Controlling water erosion on surface
Maintaining biodiversity of natural reserve avoiding the use of pesticides

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?
Manual hours for land preparation	Family help on weekends
Pest control manual	Try new methods or assessing the correct moment to do the control
Controlling spontaneus plants manually	Diversify orchard to minimize the presence of spontaneous plants

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Initial preparation of terrain	Overcome by saving cost in annual crop yield
Improving knowledgement in crop diversification	Receiving technical advice from experts
Problems in pest control	Improving the presence of beneficial insects or predators

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Historical irrigation system at l'Horta de València

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.fao.org/giahs/news/newsletter-detail/es/c/1253069

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Los regadíos tradicionales del Vinalopó (Alto y Medio). Jorge Hermosilla, ed. Colección: Regadíos Históricos Valencianos. ISBN: 978-84-370-6777-3

Available from where? Costs?

https://puv.uv.es/los-regadios-tradicionales-del-vinalopo-alto-y-medio.html?___store=espanyol&___from_store=valencia

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Los regadíos tradicionales del Vinalopó (Alto y Medio) AUTOR/A: HERMOSILLA PLA, JORGE

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.todostuslibros.com/libros/los-regadios-tradicionales-del-vinalopo-alto-y-medio_978-84-482-4686-0

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Los regadíos históricos españoles paisajes cuturales, paisajes sostenibles AUTOR/A: HERMOSILLA PLA, JORGE / PEÑA ORTIZ, MARTÍN / ANTEQUERA FERNÁNDEZ, MIGUEL 978-84-491-1000-9

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.todostuslibros.com/libros/los-regadios-historicos-espanoles_978-84-491-1000-9

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Evaluación patrimonial de azudes en la demarcación hidrográfica del Júcar AUTOR/A: HERMOSILLA PLA, JORGE 978-84-17508-17-3 / Tirant Humanidades

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.todostuslibros.com/libros/evaluacion-patrimonial-de-azudes-en-la-demarcacion-hidrografica-del-jucar_978-84-17508-17-3

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Cuadernos de historia de España versión impresa ISSN 0325-1195versión On-line ISSN 1850-2717 Cuad. hist. Esp. v.80 Buenos Aires ene./dic. 2006

Available from where? Costs?

http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0325-11952006000100002

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Heritage-catalogue valencian

URL:

https://www.uv.es/horta-valencia-chair/en/heritage-catalogue/presentacio-del-cataleg/presentacio.html

Title/ description:

ESTEPA RESEARCH GROUP

URL:

https://www.uv.es/uvweb/departamento-geografia/es/investigacion/grupos-investigacion/estepa-estudios-del-territorio-del-patrimonio-/actividades-del-grupo/lineas-investigacion-1285858445772.html

Title/ description:

Bocairent guided visits

URL:

https://www.visitabocairent.com/bocairent-y-el-agua/