Category: Goal: Increase crop yields

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Muvuca Direct Seeding

Similar names: Seed-based land restoration, Direct sowing

Muvuca direct seeding is a nature restoration method, where a mix of seeds from dozens of native species at different successional stages are planted simultaneously into the ground. The method mimics natural regeneration mechanisms such as seed soil banks and seed rain. Better known conventional practice is direct seeding’s popular counterpart – transplanting, which is a technique of moving plants from one location to another, usually to preserve the optimal condition of the seedlings. Despite providing more control over the plant’s growth, transplanting doesn’t allow for a high variety of plant seeds to grow simultaneously.

The Muvuca system uses a high diversity of species and ensures longer-term operational efficiency, which in return enables mechanised restoration with reduced planting, low maintenance in terms of time and reduced costs. Planting can be done either manually or mechanised (using machinery such as tractors), which enables the scalability of the intervention. Furthermore, the grown plants through Muvuca become more robust and resistant to various weather conditions, which results in stronger root systems and overall healthier vegetation. Overall, Muvuca direct seeding can contribute to the scaling up of restoration efforts, while reducing costs and increasing the species diversity. Meanwhile, the demand for native species enables the promotion of conservation and well-being.

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Composting

Similar names: Organic Amendments

Composting is an effective method of organic waste management, involving the controlled aerobic decomposition of organic matter, such as plant and animal waste. This process results in Compost, a stable, humus-like material that can be directly applied to soil. The primary goal of Composting is to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills while providing economic, environmental, and social benefits. When used in soil, Compost enriches it, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and lowering potential methane emissions from landfills.

The Composting process (Source)

Due to its recycling nature, Composting is a cost-effective tool for managing organic waste, utilizing leftover materials from land-based processes. It offers a range of co-benefits that enhance land and soil regeneration practices. Agronomically, Composting supports crop yields, improves soil moisture content and workability, enhances crop nutritional quality, and suppresses weeds, pests, and diseases. Additionally, Composting provides broader environmental benefits by supplying essential nutrients (such as mineralized nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), reducing soil erosion, sequestering carbon, and improving soil biological properties and biodiversity.

Furthermore, Compost can be used as a mulching material in landscaping, garden management, and the restoration of abandoned quarries, among other applications.

Agricultural benefits of Composting (Source)

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Assisted Natural Regeneration

Similar names: Pruning, Kisiki Hai, Managed Regrowth

Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) is a simple, low-cost forest restoration method that can effectively convert deforested and degraded lands into productive forests and rangelands. The method uses a blend of active planting and passive restoration techniques, which help vegetation to naturally recover by eliminating barriers and threats to their growth. ANR is similar to Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), with the difference that ANR applies to degraded forest lands and rangelands while FMNR is usually practised on croplands. Overall, ANR mimics the natural systems and habitats by supporting the land processes through ANR. 

ANR is a flexible restoration approach and could be adapted to various contexts and objectives. A set of ecosystem restoration techniques are being facilitated, to eliminate obstacles to plant growth and survival. Those could vary depending on a range of factors, such as location, land type, restoration goal, etc. Hence, local community engagement is crucial for successfully implementing and managing ANR. Their knowledge of the land and ancestral traditions offers the best indication of what techniques and practices would be most beneficial. The most common ANR techniques are visualized in the figure below.

(source)

In comparison to other regeneration techniques such as tree-planting campaigns, ANR has comparatively low implementation and maintenance costs. The method could be applied on a local and larger scale level, with some areas and contexts being more favorable than others when it comes to implementation (see Requirements). However, where implemented, ANR can create jobs and bring income to local communities, as the implementations would require establishment and maintenance.

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Stone Lines

Similar names: Cordons pierreux, stone bunds.

Stone lines are stones grouped in the shape of a line and placed along contours. The stones can be of different sizes. The goal of these lines is to conserve the soil and reduce runoff, as they are used to slow down water runoff and break its velocity. Hence, they increase infiltration and retain sediment and seeds to make water and nutrients available for crops. Stone lines are most suitable for water harvesting on slightly sloping plains (up to 5%) in semi-arid regions. For slopes starting from 5%, stone bunds can be used (see eyebrow terraces).

Stone lines are an easy and cheap intervention if stones are available in the immediate surroundings. This intervention is widely used in Africa, both in dry and humid areas. Moreover, stone lines are often used in combination with Zai Pits intervention for the rehabilitation of degraded and crusted lands. It is applied in semi-arid areas, on sandy and loamy soils where the slope is lower than 5%. A great example can be seen in Niger, where the combination of the two techniques is applied to capture runoff, making infiltration more efficient and improving nutrient availability. The pits have a diameter of 20-30 cm, and a depth of 20-25 cm and are spaced about 1 m apart in each direction. Stone lines are spaced 20-25 m apart on slopes of 2-5%. With this layout stone lines are quite small, usually, three stones wide and only one stone high and they are placed, along the contour lines, by hand. Very often grass grows between the stones leading to a greater infiltration and helping the accumulation of fertile sediments. Maintenance-wise, stone lines need to be repaired annually, in particular after heavy precipitation events.

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Fanya Chini

Similar names: Retention trenches, infiltration trenches

The name Fanya chini means “throw it downwards” in Kiswahili. It consists of trenches and earthen ridges facing downslope. This intervention aims to reduce soil erosion by breaking down long slopes into smaller sections. Thus, the speed of runoff will decrease, and water can infiltrate into the soil between the bunds. This will result in a reduction of nutrient leaching and increased water availability for crops. Fanya chini is common in areas with 300-600 mm of annual rainfall on 1-25% slopes. It is suitable for all types of relatively permeable soils (e.g. alluvial, red, laterite, brown, and shallow and medium black soil). Still, it doesn’t work very well with clayey soils or vertisols as these are not permeable.

One of the main benefits of Fanya chini is that it limits soil erosion from water runoff, and simultaneously improves water retention in the soil and increases water availability for crops. Furthermore, an increase in yield is observed, as well as improved soil fertility.

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Fanya Juu

Similar names: Terracing, Retention Trenches, Infiltration Trenches

The Fanya Juu technique is an agricultural practice that involves creating ridges along the contour lines of sloping land. The name Fanya Juu means “throw it upwards” in Kiswahili and is very similar to Fanya Chini as it consists of terrace bunds and ditches along the contour. This technique rapidly spread during the 1970s and 1980s and it is well known throughout Eastern Africa, the goal of Fanja Juu contour bunds is different depending on the environmental conditions of the areas within which they are applied. Their aim in semi-arid areas is to harvest and conserve rainfall, whereas, in sub-humid zones, contour bunds are constructed to discharge excess runoff. However, their main purpose is to prevent water and soil loss and to make conditions more suitable for plants to grow. 

Fanya Juu is suitable for slopes of 5-20%, similar to the ones that characterize Fanya Chini interventions. The species most often used in drier zones are Pennisetum Purpureum (Napier grass or Uganda grass) and Panicum Coloratum (also known in southern Africa as “white buffalograss”) and the harvest can be used as fodder for livestock. Fruit trees (e.g. citrus or bananas) can be planted either immediately above the embankment or below the ditch, where runoff tends to concentrate.

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Zai Pits

Similar names: Chololo pits (Tanzania), Zaï pits (Burkina Faso), tassa (Niger), agun pits (Sudan), kofyarpits (Nigeria), yamka (Kyrgyzstan), planting pits.

Zai Pits are small basins in which the seeds of annual or perennial crops are planted. The pits are then filled with Mulch, manure, compost or good soils to increase soil fertility and the capacity of the soils to retain water. Zai Pits can be beneficial for soil conditions and they are a very successful method which can allow for the growth of vegetation in dry areas. They are also very efficient in protecting seeds and soil organic matter from being washed away from water runoff. One of the major advantages of Zai Pits is that it increases water filtration, through the collection and concentration of water for the plants due to increasing termite activity. What is more, Zai Pits can collect more than 25% or more of run-off water. This as a result decreases water run-offs and evaporation. When looking at the bigger picture, Zai Pits can improve soil fertility and agricultural productivity of several crops and can increase production by up to 500% if well executed.

Zai Pits are an efficient method to increase yield productivity due to more water and nutrients available. This intervention is most suitable for flat or gently sloped terrains (0-5%) with a precipitation range of 350-600 mm/y.  Zai Pits can also work with other techniques such as stone contours and hand-dug trenches.

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Semi-Circular Bunds

Similar names: Demi-Lunes, Banquettes, Boomerangs, Water Bunds, Earth Bunds, Earthworks, Micro Basins, Half-Moons, Earth Smiles

The technique of creating Semi-Circular Bunds belongs to the overall category of water harvesting interventions and consists of half-moon-shaped basins dug in earth. The main goal of water harvesting, as the name suggests, is to collect water, and to make moisture available for vegetation for a longer time. This type of micro-catchment water harvesting technique is suitable for slopes up to 15%, however Bunds made of earth are seldom used in areas with slopes greater than 5% with a precipitation rate higher than 300 mm/y. At lesser slopes, Semi-Circular Bunds are also used in areas with higher rain falls.

Semi-Circular Bunds are a low cost intervention, where the time requirements of bund construction are very low as they can be implemented very fast, especially when the raw materials (plant residues) are available. The intervention also allows for the cultivation of plants and species that would not grow in previously dry conditions. Overall, the direct benefits of Semi-Circular Bunds can be realised in the short term and often after one year of implementation.

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Eyebrow Terraces

Similar names: Banquettes, Boomerangs, Terraces, Stone Bunds, Eyebrow Systems, Eyebrow Basins.

Eyebrow Terraces are a form of microcatchment water harvesting system. They are handmade micro basins, in the shape of an eyebrow, and are often made from soil and stones. Their main goal is to facilitate vegetation growth on steep slopes by collecting runoff water from a small catchment area and having it infiltrate the soil. This way, it is stored in the root zone and will be available for crops. They are usually situated on hillsides and can be used on up to 50% of slopes. The steeper the slope, the more the bunds have to be reinforced with stones. Eyebrow Terraces work well in areas characterised by 200-600 mm of annual rainfall. Reinforcing Eyebrow Terraces with stones on steep slopes makes them more resistant to the increased water speed caused by the slope. Instead, they can be some metres apart. After completion, the pit uphill from the eyebrow may fill with sediments and soil, thereby giving rise to terraces.

Some of the main advantages of Eyebrow Terraces are that they reduce the risk of flooding, while simultaneously increasing the on-site conversion of water through the facilitation of filtration. Furthermore, the intervention improves the yields in the area, by increasing the soil organic content, as sediments are trapped in the terraces.

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Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration

Natural regeneration is a biological process that can be assisted and managed by farmers and landowners to increase the recovery of native ecosystems and their functions. Usually practised on wooded agricultural land, Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) is an approach that aims to increase the number of trees by protecting, managing and pruning existing tree and shrub stumps and roots to create the optimal conditions for them to flourish and germinate seeds again. 

An advantage of FMNR is the freedom that farmers have in implementing and adapting this technique to their specific landscape. Farmers can make decisions based on their knowledge and experience and choose which tree species they want to target, for example, fruit trees. Farmers can also select which species they want to save or remove during the pruning process, as well as when and what preferred tree density they want.