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To effectively leverage banding and micro-dosing for maize and sorghum, the following should be carried out. When handling fertilisers, always ensure that safety precautions provided on the packaging are followed.

Banding – suitable when wishing to save on fertiliser expenditure, but still need to improve production of primary and secondary crops.

• Step 1: Plough the field using a draught animal-drawn or mechanised plough to carefully open furrows. Depending on availability of mechanised equipment, a narrow hoe can also be used if manual labour is favoured. This can reduce workload and minimise soil disturbance but may require more effort.
• Step 2: Count furrows and measure length to ensure that you have sufficient fertiliser for area, based on recommended application amounts (see packaging or see advice from supplier).
• Step 3: Apply fertilisers as a strip or line (band) along the furrow.
• Step 4: Turn furrow back over ensuring that the fertiliser is present at a depth of 5-8cm below the soil surface and covered by the soil. The basal fertiliser should not touch the seed as it may burn it and disturb its germination.

Micro-dosing: suitable when fertiliser is in short supply.

• Step 1: in the field, at the time of planting, prepare small pits 5 to 8 cm deep where each seed is to be placed.
• Step 2: measure approximately 6 grams of fertiliser using a bottle cap or a three-finger pinch.
• Step 3: place the micro-dose in the small pits.
• Step 4: cover fertiliser with a small amount of soil, then place the seed. Cover fully with soil and water, or allow rain to wet the ground.
• Where manure is available, Zai pits can be used to improve organic matter at the same time. Prior to planting, dig the small pit and fill with manure. When rains begin, fertiliser and seed are placed in the hole and covered.
• The practice includes the advantage of banding by placing the fertiliser below the seed but at a single point instead of a row.

To effectively implement manure collection, storage and treatment:

• Step 1: Use gloves before handling animal manure from any livestock.
• Step 2: Use shovels and wheel barrows to load and transport the material.
• Step 3: Store manure in a contained area, with a solid bottom (cement pad) to prevent runoff and leaching into local waterbodies or groundwater.
• Step 4:  Mix all types of manure with organic substances such as vegetable waste, garden debris, dead leaves, sawdust, wood ash, hay and straw etc. to add structure and other organic compounds to the soil.
• Step 5: Turn mixed manure over regularly to allow for combining of nutrients and further aeration.
• Step 6: Cut-up large particles of animal manure to no more than 10 cm in size.
• Step 7: Spread manure evenly on field a few weeks prior to planting or during planting. It can also be applied in micro-doses around crops and trees directly.

To effectively implement NCF practices:

• Step 1: Determine potential sources of NCFs in the local area and consider if the potential products are suitable (provide enough energy, are digestible, palatable to livestock animals, etc) and require additional investment to access or use.
• Step 2: Collect for free/negotiate lower rates with producers of agroecological industrial process biproducts or plant materials to gain access to their ‘waste’ materials.
• Step 3: Determine how sustainable and consistent the supply will be from the providers. If possible, identify a range of suppliers to mitigate potential losses of stockpiled NCFs.
• Step 4: Before being used as feed, NCF’s from agroecological processes must be appropriately processed - (grinding (8 mm) and pelleting) and mixed into a uniform blend. Hence, labour requirements may increase. This could be mechanised.
• Step 5: Livestock should be monitored when these feeds are introduced to ensure digestibility of the product for the animals.
• Step 6: Based on advice from the suppliers of agroecological industrial process biproducts, ensure appropriate storage of materials to avoid loss of nutrition, pests and waste.

To effectively implement Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration:

• Step 1: Degraded land needs to be identified and living stumps, roots and seeds need to be encouraged to regrow. This may include periodic watering. Focus should be on indigenous species, and present tree species (existing stumps).
• Step 2: Consider leaving the field un-grazed to promote tree growth.
• Step 3: Select tree stumps and the tallest and straightest stems to grow into trees.
• Step 4: Prune and manage by removing stems and unwanted side branches.
• Step 5: Maintain the process by occasionally pruning side branches.
• Step 6: Manage the land consistently to avoid overgrazing, which can lead to further degradation.
• Step 7: Consider rotational grazing to allow seeds, stumps and underground shrubs to re-grow. This will reduce the cost of replanting. Shrubs and growing trees and saplings need to be protected before introducing livestock. Shrubs and growing trees and saplings need to be protected before introducing livestock.

To effectively implement hedge planting:

• Step 1: Purchase saplings of selected tree species from a local nursery or grow saplings in separate on-farm nursery. If growing on-farm, saplings should be held-up with an upright support bamboo/wooden pole. Ideally, the farmer should begin exploring silvopasture tree species beginning with indigenous trees, such as acacias, and other local trees. It is worth considering a mixture of species, as well as mixed shallower and deeper rooted trees.
• Step 2: Once at a meter or over in height, transplant to pastures, surrounding each individual sapling with a wire mesh cage-tube or insert into five-centimetre diameter PVC pipe to protect from browsers. Plant at least ten to twenty meters apart, in either a random or uniform pattern. This is a matter of preference.
• Step 3: Once saplings are planted, only allow grazing livestock (cows, sheep, ducks, geese, chickens) in the silvopasture, avoiding browsers (goats, etc), which will strip, damage or destroy the saplings.
• Step 4: Once mature and above browsing height, two plus meters, remove protective cage or pipe.
• Step 5: Depending on species, pruning, coppicing etc should be performed every two months to ensure that trees remain healthy and productive, while maximising outputs for in-field and cut and carry fodder.

To effectively implement Boundary Planting practices:

• Step 1: Plant long lines of two fast growing trees, Caesalpinia velutina trees, between a Bombacopsis quinate and a Swietenia humilis to be replaced over time.
• Step 2: Consider planting the boundary trees 1.5 metres apart along pre-existing fences.
• Step 3: Attach metal fencing to the trees to support the large trees without endangering their growth. Harvest fodder when the tree is overgrown.
• Step 4: Prune lower brunches to encourage upward growth of trees and reduce shed on the plants.

To effectively implement Rainwater Harvesting practices:

• Step 1: Create a water collection zone connected to a gutter system.
• Step 2: Install filters to the water collection zone.
• Step 3: Connect a hose pipe for easy distribution of irrigation water.
• Step 4: If a farmer intends to use water for human consumption other than flushing toilets, etc, water quality must be frequently tested using reliable and low-cost/low-tech solutions.
• Step 5: Use of filters can be considered to reduce particulate and other pollutants but should be thoroughly investigated – as a separate subject – by the extension officer and the farmer, otherwise it could lead to illness. It is recommended that farms utilise harvested rainwater for irrigation and other farming activities only.

To effectively implement Permeable Rock Dam practices, the following steps should be carried out:

• Step 1: Consider constructing a permeable rock dam across relatively wide and shallow valleys.
• Step 2: Permeable rock dams should consist of long, low rock walls with level crest along full length although farmers should consider central spillways where water course has cracks.
• Step 3: The dam should be between 50-300m in length and 1m in height within a gully.
• Step 4: Consider making the dam wall flatter on the downslope side than on the upslope side.
• Step 5: A foundation of small stones should be set in the trench.
• Step 6: An apron of large rocks is essential to split the erosive force of the overflow.
• Step 7: Downstream banks of the water stream should be shielded by stone pitching to prohibit the increase of the gully.

To effectively Water Spreading Bunds the following should be carried out:

• Step 1: Farmers should consider making earth bunds by hand, animal ploughs or mechanised ploughs.
• Step 2: Contour bunds:
  • Contour lines must be plotted and marked prior to developing the bund.
  • A 40 cm deep infiltration pit is dug directly above where the bund will be plotted.
  • Bunds should be spread 5 m to 10 m apart.
  • Material from the infiltration pit will be piled and compacted to form a 25 cm to 30 cm in height with a base of 75 cm.
  • Soil is piled to form a ridge along the contour. The more significant the slope, the closer the bunds must be plotted.
• Step 3: Semi-circle bunds:
  • Contour lines must be plotted and marked prior to developing the bund.
  • A centre point is chosen as diameter for the bund is selected (this could be 3 m or 30 m depending on the available space). From the centre point a string is used to stake out an even semi-circle.
  • Excavate a small trench before the bund and pile the excavated material. Pile and compact a bund wall, wetting it often to form the wall.
• Step 4: Contour stone bunds:
  • Developed on less steep slopes.
  • Must have access to local stones.
  • Dig out a shallow ditch, 10 cm to 15 cm in depth.
  • Lay largest stones at the bottom of the ditch and pile smaller stone upward.
  • Step 5: Regular monitoring of bunds should take place, especially after rain events or after significant periods of time. Repairs should be done if any damage is found.

To effectively implement Half-moon techniques, the following steps should be carried out:

• Step 1: Farmers should consider the diameter of the half-moon  between 2 m – 3 m, with a total surface area of approximately 1.5 sqm and 3.5 sqm.
• Step 2: Pits should be dug to a depth of between 15 cm to 30 cm.
• Step 3: Excavated material can be piled around the curved section of the half-moon.
• Step 4: The curved section of the half-moon can be reinforced by stones to prevent washouts of the half-moon.
• Step 5: 35 kg of organic fertilisers/compost should be evenly distributed in the half-moon.