Overview of SLM technologies in DESIRE
Organizing all experiments and translating them to the WOCAT terminology results in Table 2. All four types of technologies are tested: Agronomic (A), Vegetative (V), Technological (T) and Structural (S). For a brief explanation of these types see annex 1. In total 22 technologies are in tested in 53 experiments:
- Agronomic: 24 experiments
- Vegetative: 5 experiments
- Management: 16 experiments
- Structural: 8 experiments
This means that most experiments are tested in more than one site and therefore there is a basis for analysis and comparison beyond the site level.
With respect to the desertification related processes, the erosion problems are countered mostly by Agronomic measures: green cover (on 3 sites), Strip cropping (2 sites), mulch (7 sites), minimum tillage (6 sites), and contour ploughing (5 sites), and Structural measures on 2 sites (terracing). Drought related problems are countered mostly with Management technologies: various water harvesting technologies on 6 sites (check dams, collection areas, collection ditches, snowmelt collection). Also the minimum tillage experiments may lead to an improved the soil moisture content. Irrigation and drainage related problems are mostly countered with Management practices: drip irrigation (2 sites), gypsum application (1 site), subsoiling (1 site). Finally grazing related problems are countered with fencing and resting (2 sites) and seeding (1 site). Special problems are forest fires (a variety of Management measures in Portugal) and biogass energy to conserve fuelwood (Botswana).
Table 2: Breakdown of SLM technologies tested in the DESIRE project, organized according to the WOCAT terminology (see annex 1)
