Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

News Article The difference is a 50% increase in yields. Stone lines and Fanya juu terraces are traditional simple cultivation technologies used in Africa that might come useful as climate change adaptation technologies in any dry areas and / or sloping land. Below are the links to two mini-films, of 5-7 minutes each, showing these two sustainable land management technologies that have a proven track record in Africa. Stone lines or ("bunds") are 25-35 cm contour lines made of locally available stones. They slow down runoff, increase water infiltration and form the basis for improved production in semi-arid areas. At the same time, sediment is captured behind these semi-permeable barriers. Stone lines were originally a traditional technique in the Sahel since the 1970s, but have been improved by careful construction, and through aligning the contour. The technique has spread across neighbouring countries, as it is low cost and relies on skills that can be quickly learned. A perennial grass (Andropogon guyanus) is sometimes planted to supplement the lines where stone is scarce. Stone lines are suited to low slopes, high runoff and hand labour. This technique is readily adopted by resource-poor farmers and can lead to a harvest even in years with low and erratic rainfall. Wide and deep planting pits (zai in Burkina Faso; tassa in Niger) are often used in combination, acting as micro catchments within the field. Fanya juu ("throw the soil up" in Kiswahili) terraces are the most popular and successful cross-slop barrier measures used in Kenya's small scale farming. Contour earth bunks are constructed by throwing soil upwards from trenches immediately below them. This design leads to the gradual formation of terraces with a level or slightly forward sloping bed. Terracing is a very versatile technology, which is ideally suited to smallholder farms, especially in sub-humid areas where the land is sloping and erosion is a threat. Fodder grasses may be planted on the bunds to feed the livestock. In the dry areas, water harvesting from roads into the trenches allows production of bananas and fruits. This is a proven and effective adaptation technology. The difference is a 50% increase in yield in terraced lands compared with non-terraced lands. These terraces comprise now ¾ of the cultivated lands of Eastern Kenya, forming the back bone of smallholder farming systems of the East Africa highlands and beyond. These are just two examples of existing technologies that can be used as climate change adaptation strategies for small-scale farmers. Kenya suffered severe drought in 2009, but terraced land still produced crops. Link to the you-tube videos.