Building the smallholder into successful natural resource management at the watershed scale

This chapter explores the issues surrounding successful conservation farming as a process defined by spontaneous adoption. It assesses the components of a low-labour hedgerow system of pruned leguminous trees (Chromolaena odorata, Paspalum, or Digitaria) as an approach to a technical solution, and addresses the issue of how to disseminate information about a conservation technology cost-effectively at a sustainable rate. Rapid adoption of a low-labour, zero-cash-cost conservation practice based on natural vegetative strips in Claveria, northern Mindanao, the Philippines that led to examination of each component of the process of establishing and maintaining low-labour hedgerow practices was observed. A Contour Hedgerow Extension Team (CHET), established to respond to farmer interest, initially worked with individual farmers who requested their assistance. This evolved into supporting a peoples’ conservation organization (Land Care Association) that took on the main responsibility for technology dissemination. Local government became involved in supporting the effort financially, with active involvement of the village leaders (a process led by local government). It is planned to scale-up the effort to the watershed and regional levels, and evaluate whether it is practical in the context of agroecological domains.

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