Impact on land and farms
Land stewardship and implementing better and more diverse conservation practices is central in the PIP approach. Figure 3 presents for different PIP generations11Responses of non-PIP farmers on this question could not be checked in the field and are left out the change in use – before and after PIP creation – of four key conservation practices: compost pits (with a roof, well managed), agroforestry (trees on the farm), contour trenches (slow-forming terraces with vegetation on the bund) and mulching (mainly for perennials). Figure 3 shows that most of the 1stgeneration PIP farmers currently using all four practices. This percentage gradually decreases for later generations, where it is remarkable that the 4th generation adopts conservation practices very fast after having created their PIP. These farmers from adjacent villages are often farmers who have heard about PIP from their fellow farmers in initial PIP villages, and are eager to start as well.
Particularly important for erosion control are trenches on the contour, which require considerable effort and labour, but are nevertheless quickly adopted by almost all PIP farmers. The same applies to the integration of trees on the farm, which is done by about 30% of the farmers before they start with PIP, but currently by more than 90% of them. Similar trends of fast uptake by PIP farmers is also seen for other practices such as contour ploughing, crop rotations, staggered row planting (especially for banana trees), and the use of vegetable gardens. This integration of a diversity of conservation practices on a field is essential for restoring soil fertility and reducing soil losses, and contributes to farm resilience. Farmers experience these changes and appreciate the trainings and the knowledge they have gained, as expressed in the qualitative evaluation by this second generation PIP farmer: