Desire for Greener Land

Human Environment
Cropland per household (ha)
10,000
Implementation activities, inputs and costs
Initial investment
No initial investment
Maintenance/recurrent activities
1. ploughing green manure
2. seeding green manure
3. organic fertilizer of cow dung (optional)
4. ecological treatment against plagues days
Land user: Individual and common small scale land
users, mainly men
Population density: 10-50 persons/km2
Annual population growth: < 0.5%
Land ownership: individual, titled
Land use rights: individual (all cropland is privately
owned).
Water use rights: individual. Water use is organised
by permits to water extraction from aquifers on
individual basis. Water rights are provided and
controlled by the Water authority of the Segura river
basin.
Relative level of wealth: average, which represent
80% of land users; 75% of the total land area is
owned by average land users
SLM Technology: Ecological production of almonds and olives using green manure, Spain DESIRE – WOCAT 2012
Importance of off-farm income: > 50% of all
income: There is no difference in the ones who
apply the technology and those who don’t. Most
farmers do have an off-farm income for example
from hunting, work in a factory, or office.
Access to service and infrastructure:
moderate: employment, energy; high:
education, technical assistance, market, roads
& transport, drinking water and sanitation,
financial services
Market orientation: commercial / market
Mechanization: mechanized
Livestock grazing on cropland: yes
Technical drawing
Mixture of barley and vetch (Vicia sativa) seeds
used for seeding green manure. (Photo: Joris de
Vente)
Maintenance/recurrent inputs and costs per ha per year
Inputs Costs (US$) % met by
land user
Labour
Equipment
25 37
- machine use
Agricultural
72
37
- seeds
96
37
- organic fertilizer (optional)
79
37
- biocides (only when needed)
159
37
TOTAL 431 37
Remarks:
Fuel price, ecological pesticides and organic fertilizer are the most determining factors affecting the costs. Cow dung costs approximately
US $350 per tonne and will therefore increase the costs significantly if applied. The costs are calculated assuming the application of
green manure, ecological pesticides and organic fertilizer. However, many farmers decide not to use organic fertilizer because of their
high costs. As part of the Rural Development Programme (QASPA01), ecological agriculture receives a subsidy of 476 US $ per ha
during the first 3 years of production, after which the subsidy is reduced to 380 US $ per ha. The local wage rate is 79 US$/day. Prices
are for spring 2008.
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