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)

Soil protection and rehabilitation for food security (ProSo(i)l)

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

GIZ Bénin (GIZ Bénin) - Benin

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:

Contour ploughing is tillage across the slope designed to slow runoff and reduce the risk of soil erosion and degradation.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Farmers apply contour ploughing on gently sloping lands with a uniform topography and steeply sloping lands in combination with other biological, physical or mechanical soil and water conservation techniques and erosion control systems. This approach is combined with seeding and cultivation of crop lines along the contour. The soil is tilled in a perpendicular direction to the slope and to the direction of water flow over the soil surface (i.e. across the slope/ along the contour) in order to:
- slow down runoff water to maximize infiltration of rainwater into the soil;
- reduce the amount of soil, nutrients and organic matter carried downstream by runoff; and
- promote optimum use of rainwater and nutrients by plants.
To further facilitate the penetration of water into the soil, producers make earth checks within furrows every 2 to 3 meters to prevent lateral water movement. This reduces the risk of water concentration and ridge breakage and improves drought resilience. The checks can be created manually with a hoe or mechanically. In the case of trailed or motorized cultivation, all that is required is to lift the plough at regular intervals.
In addition, on moderate slopes and in areas subject to heavy rainfall, structures such as stone barriers, bunds and terraces should be used. Furthermore, to optimize soil management, producers use plant residues as a means of returning nutrients and organic matter to the soil. To this end, they mulch the soil with harvest residues.
Thus, they combine contour ploughing with residue management, which has the following advantages, among others:
- reduced loss of organic matter and nutrients through runoff;
- increased amount of rainwater retained by the soil;
- soil aeration to facilitate rooting and water infiltration; and
- erosion control through reduced runoff.

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:

2016

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

GIZ ProSOL

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact

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?

• 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

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

• cross-slope measure
• ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction

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
• adapt to 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):

CFA F

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

615.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Clearing	April-May
2.	Ploughing	May-June
3.	Stem spreading	December-February

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	Clearing	ha	1.0	17000.0	17000.0	100.0
Labour	Ploughing	ha	1.0	30000.0	30000.0	100.0
Labour	Stem spreading	ha	1.0	12000.0	12000.0	100.0
Equipment	Daba	Unit	1.0	4000.0	4000.0	100.0
Equipment	Machete	Unit	1.0	3000.0	3000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					66000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					107.32

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Hoeing and ridging	July
2.	Creation of firebreaks	December-January

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	Hoeing and ridging	ha	1.0	20000.0	20000.0	100.0
Labour	Creation of firebreaks	ha	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					25000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					40.65

Comments:

Firebreaks are built to prevent residues from being carried away by accidental bush fires.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Workers required for ploughing work, especially on moderate slopes.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• convex situations

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:

• communal/ village
• individual, not titled

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)
• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

Specify:

The lands belong to families and are controlled by the patriarch.

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

Water cycle/ runoff

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	well
seasonal temperature	wet/ rainy season	decrease	well
annual rainfall		decrease	well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	decrease	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	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

• > 50%

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?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Increases the quantity of rainwater retained by the soil.
Retention of organic manure
Reduces the amount of organic matter lost through runoff

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Retention of runoff water
Limitation of erosion by curbing runoff
Slowing down of the erosion process
Improvement of soil productivity

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?
Difficulties in drawing level lines	Perform the ploughing in a way to cut off the path of the water and call in the technicians to determine the contour lines.
Increased plowing time	Further motivate workers by teaming them up with family workers where available.
Very slow soil restoration speed	Crop residues used as mulch or buried in the soil must be combined with other agronomic practices such as crop rotation, cover crops and recommended mineral fertilizers, depending on the crop, to restore soil fertility.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Very slow soil restoration speed	Early use of mineral fertilizers
Considerable time consumption during ploughing	Seek the assistance of technicians to determine contour lines, since moderate slopes require greater ploughing effort.
Reluctance of workers to perform plowing on steep slopes	Incentivize laborers

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, 2018, Compendium de fiches techniques du formateur

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Dugué P., Rodriguez L., Ouoba B. Sawadogo I. 1994, Techniques d’amélioration de la production agricole en zone soudano-sahélienne. CIRAD, INERA, CRPA, 207 p.

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Dupriez H., De Leener Ph., 1983, Agriculture tropicale en milieu paysan. Terre et Vie, L’Harmattan, ENDA. 282 p

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Fandohan S. 2012, Note d'orientation pour la sélection de mesure de Gestion Durable des Terres.

Title, author, year, ISBN:

MDR, 1992, Culture attelée et protection de l’environnement. Tome 5, Manuel de culture attelée. 62 p

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Manual on integrated soil mangement and conservation practices

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.fao.org/3/x4799e/x4799e.pdf

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Plan Communal de Conservation de la Biodiversité du Système des Aires Protégées : Commune de Kandi : Commune de Kandi : Commune de Kandi

URL:

https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/bj/PCC_Kandi_relu_pdf.pdf