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)

Book project: SLM in Practice - Guidelines and Best Practices for Sub-Saharan Africa (SLM in Practice)

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

Book project: Water Harvesting – Guidelines to Good Practice (Water Harvesting)

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

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - Italy

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

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ethiopia (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) - Ethiopia

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

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Runoff/flood farming locally known as Korbe is a practice that involves diversion of water from different sources for growing vegetables, fruit trees and crops of high value on a land prepared known as Korbe.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Runoff and floodwater farming is a traditionally practiced water harvesting system which helps overcome problems of soil moisture and crop failure in a hot, dry area with erratic rainfall and shallow, highly erodible soils: Flood water and runoff from ephemeral rivers, roads and hillsides is captured through temporary stone and earth embankments. A system of hand dug canals – consisting of a main diversion canal and secondary / tertiary canals – conveys and distributes the captured water to the cultivated fields in naturally flat or leveled areas. The total length of the canal system is 200 – 2000 m. The harvested water is used for growing high value crops, vegetables and fruit trees. Irrigated fields are divided into rectangular basins bordered by ridges to maximize water storage and minimize erosion risk.

Runoff and floodwater management requires preparedness for immediate action by the farmers: When a flood is expected in the ephemeral river, farmers rush to the diversion site and start erecting the embankment across the bed of the stream. Similarly, each famer starts to maintain the canal which leads water to his field. A schedule defines the date and time each farmer is allocated his turn to irrigate. When the water reaches the field, it is spread either through flooding or distributed in furrows which are opened and closed using a local tool.

The ratio between catchment area and production area is 10:1 – 100:1 or greater. While the diversion canals / ditches and basins for tree planting are permanent structures, basins for annual crops are seasonal. Soil fertility is improved by additional measures such as composting and mulching. Maintenance, including repairs to breaks along the canal and water conveying ditches, is needed every season before the onset of rains.

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

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• more than 50 years ago (traditional)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The technology evolved locally to address water shortages for crop production and reduce the top soil movement by runoff. At present improved techniques of constructing diversion ditches and efficient techniques for preparing Korbe have been included.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Yes

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agro-silvopastoralism

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Overgrazing on hillslopes causing severe degradation, human and livestock interferences in area enclosures, use of crop varities of low production.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Low fertility of soils and the associated decline in productionn and erratic rains

Other grazingland: open grazing

Other grazingland: stall-feeding

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: Sorghum - Sweet potato; Chat - Sorgum - Sweet potato

Major food crop annual cropping: Sorghum
Major cash crop tree and shrub cropping: Chat (ranked 1) and fruit trees (ranked 2)

3.4 Water supply

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

• rainfed

Comments:

Water supply: Also post-flooding

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• cross-slope measure
• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: vegetative measures, structural measures

Secondary measures: agronomic measures

Type of agronomic measures: early planting, mixed cropping / intercropping, mulching, legume inter-planting, contour ridging

Type of vegetative measures: aligned: -contour, aligned: -graded strips *³, in blocks

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Wr: riverbank erosion

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

other/ national currency (specify):

ETH Birr

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

8.5

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Land preparation/tillage/harrowing	Dry season
2.	Planting	Onset of rains
3.	Weeding and cultivation	During rains
4.	Manuring	Retrait des pluies
5.	Mulching	Withdrawal of rains
6.	Clearing	Dry season
7.	Ploughing and harrowing	Dry season
8.	Construction of field ditches	Before the on set of rains
9.	Constructing temporary head work for diversion	Dry season
10.	Construction of blocks, ridge and basins	Onset of rains

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	ha	1.0	253.0	253.0	100.0
Equipment	Tools	ha	1.0	24.0	24.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	ha	1.0	106.0	106.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					383.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					45.06

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 30 month(s)

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	First tillage	Dry season / each cropping season
2.	Second tillage	Dry season / each cropping season
3.	Ridge basin formation	Onset of rains / each cropping season
4.	Planting	Early rains / annual
5.	Weeding & cultivation	During rains / growimg period
6.	Land fertilizing	During rains / before sowing
7.	Repair of blocks	Dry season /1-2
8.	Repair of diversion canals	Dry season /1-2
9.	Planting and replanting	After rain /1-2
10.	Maintaining of fence	Dry season /1
11.	Repair breaks in diversion canal	Before onset of rain/as needed
12.	Maintain diversion head works	Before onset of rain/1-2
13.	Repair breaks on ridges and blocks	Before onset of rain/1-2

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	ha	1.0	450.0	450.0	100.0
Equipment	Tools	ha	1.0	64.0	64.0	100.0
Plant material	Seeds	ha	1.0	300.0	300.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					814.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					95.76

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: Oxen plough, Dengora, Shovel

length of the diversion ditch and considering 0.5 ha of the land is planted by fruit trees and 0.5 ha planted with vegetables

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

labour required for the diversion ditch, block making and irrigation channels is high

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil fertility: Low (ranked 1), medium and very low (both ranked 2)
Soil drainage/infiltration: Good
Soil water storage capacity: Low (ranked 1), very low and medium (both ranked 2)

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 50-100 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 2% - 3%
40% of the land users are average wealthy.
40% of the land users are poor.
10% of the land users are poor.
Off-farm income specification: no big difference is observed between the average/better of and the poor in this regard.
Level of mechanization: Animal traction (gentle slopes are cultivated by animal traction, ranked 1) and manual work (steep slopes and land between narrow terraces are cultivated manual, ranked 2)
Market orientation: Subsistence (Sorgum for domestic use, ranked 1) and mixed (ranked 2)

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:

• state

Land use rights:

• individual

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

Other ecological impacts

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

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	not well
local windstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	not well

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
reduced growing period	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:

Le bénéfice net est positif à cause de l’augmentation rapide de la production

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

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

• 91-100%

Comments:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Increase the income of farmers (vegetables + fruits) How can they be sustained / enhanced? more diversified fruit and vegetable varieties to be introduced.
Increase in productivity of land How can they be sustained / enhanced? access to credit services

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Enhancing of the rainfall multiplier effect How can they be sustained / enhanced? frequent maintenance of the diversion ditches and field canals, blocks.
Good seed bed preparation enhancing germination and growth How can they be sustained / enhanced? levelling of land to be further continued and enhanced.
Reduction of water losses by means of mulching How can they be sustained / enhanced? effective mulching to reduce evapotranspiration should be strengthened
Facilitate formation of cooperatives and group work How can they be sustained / enhanced? more coopratives established and strengthen their management systems
Performing timely activities in the appropriate time

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?
Lack of market	Organize marketing outlets
Earily perishable	Arrange proper storage system
Perte de terres (à cause des structures de conservation)	compensée par le bénéfice de la production augmentée
Inaccessibilité des marchés

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Increased labour constraints: construction of diversion ditches, preparation of irrigation basin and spreading the runoff water and regular maintenance / reconstruction of structures is very labour intensive	providing improved farm tools could improve efficiency of operation, organising farmers in groups for sharing labor would curtail labor problems; Placing permanent structures at the iversion head (concrete) and paving ditches to improve channel stability would reduce maintenance activities.
Social inequity: mainly better-off farmers apply the technology (due to high costs)	providing credit solves financial problems and facilitating market would motivate land users to get more engaged in the business.
Loss of land (through conservation structures	is outweighed by the high production benefits.

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Danano D. 2008 (unpublished): Soil and Water Conservation Practices for Sustainable Land Management in Ethiopia. Ethiocat.