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)

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

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

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

Participatory on-farm resarch and demonstration in UK arable … [United Kingdom]

To find and demonstrate ways of better managing the land.

• Compiler: Ceris A. Jones
• 01/12/2009 midnight

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Surface cultivation of up to the top 10cm of soil but not complete inversion

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

machinery with discs or tines replace the plough for minimal cultivations of the soil. Equally crops may be established by no-tillage/ zero-tillage

Purpose of the Technology: (i) soil protection (ii) improved crop establishment particularly through the speeding up of of operations.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: appropriate machinery, soil condition and following crop all determine establishment. Maintenance: on an annual basis.

Natural / human environment: SOWAP (ww.sowap.org) project working with farmer to protect environment and maintain economic viability

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

Country:

United Kingdom

Region/ State/ Province:

Leicestershire

Further specification of location:

Leicestershire

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 0.00063 Km2.

This represents a 630m2 on-farm research and demonstration plot

Map

×

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Comments (type of project, etc.):

From the USA where in te 1930's the 'dust-bowls' necessitated the development of soil conservation in intensive agriculture.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

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

Cropland

• Annual cropping

Annual cropping - Specify crops:

• cereals - wheat (winter)
• legumes and pulses - beans
• oilseed crops - sunflower, rapeseed, other

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 330 Longest growing period from month to month: Sep - Aug

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Water turbidity, compaction, erosion

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Compaction

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: wheat - oilseed rape - wheat - beans. Typically these will be winter-sown (Sept) crops rather than spring sown (March)

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

• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• minimal soil disturbance

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

agronomic measures

• A1: Vegetation/ soil cover
• A2: Organic matter/ soil fertility
• A3: Soil surface treatment

A3: Differentiate tillage systems:

A 3.1: No tillage

Comments:

Main measures: agronomic measures

Type of agronomic measures: cover cropping, mulching, mineral (inorganic) fertilizers, rotations / fallows, breaking compacted topsoil, zero tillage / no-till, minimum tillage, deep tillage / double digging

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

• Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
• Wo: offsite degradation effects

chemical soil deterioration

• Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)

physical soil deterioration

• Pc: compaction

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Wo: offsite degradation effects, Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content, Pc: compaction

Main causes of degradation: other human induced causes (specify) (agricultural causes: focus on yields), labour availability (too much labour: attempting to maintain rural employment)

Secondary causes of degradation: education, access to knowledge and support services (lack of knowledge), insufficient time for farmers to consider the issu

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

Comments:

Main goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

Secondary goals: prevention of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

UK pounds (£)

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

0.56

4.3 Establishment activities

Comments:

Additional info: - Year 1: consolidation: October / per crop - Year2: chop straw close to soil surface: harvest / annual - Year2: incorporate straw and prepare seed bed: September / annual - Year2: drill mustard-rye cover crop: September / annual - Year2: drill crop (2.5-4cm depth): March / once per crop - Year 3: chop straw close to soil surface: harvest / annual - Year3: incorporate straw and overcome compaction: October / per crop - Year3: additional cultivation: October / per crop - Year3: drill crop (2.5-4cm depth): October / once per crop - Year3: consolidation: October / per crop

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

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

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: Simba Solo, Cambridge rollers, Vaderstad drill

Per hectare of land where technology applied. The costs listed are for crop establishment costs only as all other costs (seed, fertiliser, pesticide) are identical to those incurred by other technologies (UNK1a, UNK1c) undertaken on this farm.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Equipment costs, slope (higher horse power required for steeper slopes), time taken for operation

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Landforms: Hill slopes (some slopes < 8%)

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 is medium
Soil drainage/infiltration is good
Soil water storage capacity is high

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 10-50 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 1% - 2%

50% of the land users are rich and own 60% of the land.
50% of the land users are average wealthy and own 40% of the land.

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

• Trust

• Trust

• Trust

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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

Comments:

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

1 land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: survey results

There is a little trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: Currently about 40% of the UK practices conservation tillage

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