PESERA-DESMICE: Land management evaluation model

Table of Contents

1. Authors
2. Summary
3. Acronyms
4. Introduction
5. Coarse-scale model description
   1. The PESERA model: summary
   2. Alternative approaches to assessing soil erosion
   3. Process representation in PESERA
   4. Extensions of PESERA
   5. Adapting PESERA
   6. Assessment at catchment scales
6. Cost-effectiveness modelling
   1. Step 1
   2. Step 2
   3. Step 3
   4. Step 4
   5. Step 5
   6. Step 6
   7. Step 7
   8. Step 8
   9. Step 9
   10. Step 10
   11. Step 11
   12. Step 12
7. Agent-Based modelling in Spain
   1. Phase 1
   2. Phase 2
   3. Phase 3
   4. Phase 4
   5. Phase 5
   6. Phase 6
8. Input-Output modelling in Spain
   1. Model construction
   2. Scenario analyses
9. References

Phase 4

Phase 4: Modelling adoption of soil and water conservation

This phase of the modelling framework is designed to evaluate how the socioeconomic characteristics of the land managers/farmers, their social interactions, and the economic and biophysical characteristics of the lands that they manage would condition their propensity to adopt particular soil and water conservation (SWC) measures. Both revealed (already adopt) and stated (future propensity to adopt) SWC uptake indication are explored. The output of this specific part of the study is intended to inform policy makers about more effective interventions to encourage the dissemination and uptake of SWC initiatives that could help address land degradation in the dryland agro-ecosystem.

The main inputs for the modelling during this phase come from the land use maps produced in phase 1 and from the land managers/users interviews. A specific section for exploring the nature of SWC adoption to meet this particular objective has been incorporated into the semi-structured questionnaire. This section is designed to capture: a) 'what would make one particular SWC measure attractive compared to others?'; b) 'what conditions may inhibit the farmers (interviews) from adopting certain SWC options'; and c) 'to what extent provision of external incentive can encourage SWC adoption?'. The land managers/farmers may choose from a selection of SWC measures that had been already identified through a participatory process, following the WOCAT approach, led by Partner 6 (Lopez et al., 2008a and b). The list includes:

1. Acolchado paja (organic mulching);
2. Labranza reducida en contra de la pendiente en ambientes semi-aridos (reduced contour tillage in semi-arid environments);
3. Terrazas de tierra vegetadas (vegetated earthen-terraces);
4. Boqueras (water harvesting from concentrated runoff for irrigation purpose);
5. Agricultura ecologica de almendros y olivos (ecological production of almonds and olives); and
6. Purines (the application of manure from pig farm on olive/almond plantation).

Photos and a brief description of each of these SWC are being shown to the interviewees as part of this process. Nonetheless, as not all land managers/farmers were involved during the participatory selection process of the six SWC options, there is a possibility that the interviewees may come up with SWC techniques not represented by the list of options. A separate sub-section has therefore been included to record measures other than the six mentioned earlier known or adopted by the interviewees. In addition, as the list of measures covered by the WOCAT approach are mainly suitable to dryland farming, additional two measures appropriate for irrigated farming have been incorporated as well, namely: 1) measure to improve water use efficiency (e.g. conversion from traditional irrigation into sprinkling system), and 2) crop rotation. Adding these two extra measures is deemed necessary to accommodate those interviewees who run irrigated farming in the study area.