Mountain Research and Development Pes i CoN ur Cree eee arent cnt Sais | Patterns of land use change in India | pene oe pepe ay pe ‘neeCena rey reed ) A live fences project in Ecuador sought to | associate the idea of environmental recovery, | Shoractrted by an ogroetoigel focus, wn a perspacive on soll end economic | evtopment.Cutwaon of he Opuia cao ; {us and th conical nex (Dacyopus etal fave ences Scapa tothe regan permite the recovery sevoralaograded areas ond generated Feseearnr toeelaelaresah) arg | periods of drought. Among the most impor- | fan prefect Impect Were ecovery of ad | | tional knowledge, cultural values, ancestral ‘hil, and inveterate attachment to commu: nal properties; determination of the ecotones fof the cactus for production of cochneal, a Applying ancestral skills in a ‘vesiettees egastal Andean area The Province of Loja is lcated in bn in southern ‘on northern Pet. It tainous coastal Ecuador, b country’s land area. Altitudes vary from 140 to 400m, with temperatures ranging beween Oand 29°C and annual rainfall between 380 ancl 774 mun, Soil fertility is Mountain Reseatch and Development Vol 22 No Feb 2002: 22-25 Use of Live Fences of Nopal (Opuntia) and Associated Crops to Rehabilitate and Protect Sloping Land in Loja, Ecuador fruits, forage, and lve barriers; recovery of ‘areas eroded by overexplottation and inade- ‘quate management; increesed sensitivity ‘among political leaders regarding the prob- lems of desertiication and the need to sup port a second phase af the project: decsion- making by community based organizations; and commitment of the community to the activities of the project, based on agree: ‘ments between authorities, academia, and the community. In 1999, the project was hon ‘red with the “Saving the Orylands" Award ‘ven by the United Nations Environment Pro- ‘Eramme (UNEP) at Recto, Brazil during the Third Conference of Parties (COP 3) ofthe Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD). ratent deficient; only 269 lov and water (280,000 ha) of the area is sited for agri ceulture and 40% for livestock, with simila restrictions. The remaining 35% resem bles deforested soils—very fragile and vul- nerable and unsuitable for economic activities other than conservatio The project was implemented by the Department of Agricultural Sciences, National University of Loja, Ecuador. The project philosophy was based on the use ind exploitation of ancestral skills and the tennial tradition of planting and har vesting of opuntia and cochineal crops. A site accessible to local farmers was select ted for the experimental phase with 2 crite ria: suitability for healthy and vigorous growth and longevity (about 30 years) of plants that would serve as barviers; and. exhibition of an ecotype highly receptive to cochineal productivity, as this was iden: tified as one of the main future sources of income, including fruit and forage pro duction The opuntia was planted in burrows follow contour lines, The project pro moted the practice of lea native faigue bush vegetat ‘opuntia burrows for exploitation as a source of firewood (Figures 1, 2). Numer ons outputs were expected + Rehabilitation of degraded hillsides prot Steult refiontstereer bated+ Aw increase in production and agricul tinal productivity through improved i fer: + Increased income for farmers, particu lurly during drought, from sales of the ‘ulible opuntia fruits and cochineal— important elements in food processing nil dye, the value of which has tnevesised considerably in the interna tional market in the past few years. + Appropriation of useful skills in the catch for alternative livelihoods in js, with the aim of promoting a new omic climate and sustainable development Implementation through alliances ‘and rural mobilization Vhe project strategy had 2 main compo: suits alliances with the different groups «the regional community; and the fivolvement of producers in the utiliza sign of the technology (One group of alliances with various {nstinitions helped to make the proposal stable, These alliances facilitated the {ieonporation of different social actors in the implementation of the project, includ: {ig the communal, academic, political, snl governmental sectors, For instance technical schools and nongovernmental nginizations (NGOs) present in the Ingion adopted the technology as part of tit educational curriculum, teachin, jaulents to implement pilot areas on their Fespective campuses, NGOs, on the othe Hand, spread the project concept, raking nlvantage of their strong inks with the suymanity. Another important institution (the alliance was the Church, which was {isirumental in diffusing the technology uunong farmers, whereas the alliance nied with the Ecuadorian army resulted {i their helpin armers to plant opunti {in many localities close co soldiers’ camps, spite border conicts Farmers were also involved through direct mobilization and participation. The jjroject implementer, the National Univer sity of Loja, visited the entire province, ‘wentifying the characteristics of the pre ductive systems and the environmental onditions of individual and communal properties and opuntia with the farmers, Development Farmers met periodically to discuss their problems and other important matters. Striving for sustainability The lessons of the project are of interest in terms of sustainable development because they demonstrate the long-term social and economic strategic importance of conservation and rehabilitation of soils in the region: © Environmental sustainability. The project area provides evidence of the feasibility fof producing opuintia and cochineal species on very steep slopes, varying fom 30 to 58%, a significant fact in the Initial data showed that soil rehabilita tion was directly related to improved levels of humidity and water retention pacity. If this is confirmed in the long term, the technology will broaden the nst desertification ability of the farmers to manage opun