Stone Lines

[@brianvittachi6869]

Having the villagers do the work gives them a sense of ownership. Twenty years later those stone lines still look well maintained and farmers know better never to go back to the destructive practices of old. Well done all of you.

[@AniishAu]

This low technology is as good as swales and check dams, and the transformation in fertility, hydrology and ecology is incredible. No need for earthmovers! I particularly valued the before and after, images and interviews, with 20 years in between.

[@b_uppy]

No, there are pluses and minuses to each. It helps to be responsive with what you have available and act accordingly. Snobbery about techniques is what got us into the Chem Ag/ monocropping mess...

[@AniishAu]

@@b_uppy My dear, I'm sorry if I conveyed snobbery, or that there wasn't positives and negatives of each; I absolutely agree. I should have said that in environments where low tech is your best option (or only option) and land formation is appropriate, stone lines are as good as other options. But truthfully, that statement is meaningless, as you point out, because as you are "responsive" to your environment & resources and "act accordingly", one option (and possibly only one option) will emerge as champion. In some cases stone lines are the only option, in some cases swales are the only option, so why bother advocating one over the other!

[@AniishAu]

@@b_uppy I remember now my comment was mainly aimed at loading it with keywords to improve the videos search results, since most people searching for swales and check dams may not be aware of stone lines (this was me). I don't know if I succeeded, but it certainly has more views now! thanks for the opportunity of loading in more keywords...

[@b_uppy]

@@AniishAu I think I read your comments elsewhere that were more explanatory. Think we are in perfect agreement. This has certainly helped these people. Hopefully they can continue to improve on this with the addition of other useful techniques as time and resources allow...

[@AD-jz8nw]

Just slave labour?

[@truckertom3323]

A simple solution to a massive problem, Brilliant, well done Africa.

[@madoxxxx06]

Amazing! The Sahel needs a massive program like this

[@b_uppy]

They probably would be better to employ some of the things they are doing in India. Watch Andrew Millison's latest video. Zai pits are a great idea, too. Btw, this video covers zai pits, and this is in the Sahel, already.

[@vb1318]

the changes that the stone lines create are incredible to what they were before

[@BoopShooBee]

It is amazing how fast regenerative farming practices work.

[@PacoOtis]

From here in the States, Bravo and the very best of luck!

[@colinbateman8233]

Knowledge of how we can best maintain our countries to help produce with natural resources is important and we certainly need more of this

[@maxmtb2357]

it’s so interesting how simple yet effective this is

[@charliehills1363]

no its not

[@umeshbhat9531]

@@charliehills1363 why not

[@tahaheyari4649]

This the best step ,simple available sources sixty years ago as ten years old I used to make a pool to swim in the stream that ran twenty meters from my home ,I remember all the kids in the area helped to make it almost waist deep in two or three hours,my god one of my best memories

[@bigblob1623]

This is a great film and the subject of water harvesting and sustainability has really taken off since it was made.

[@JHamList]

only noticed at the end that this was narrated by Komla Dumour, what an awesome dude, his work is sorely missed.

[@bedjrocks5550]

Watching from Philippines ❤

[@Chr.U.Cas1622]

👍👌👏 Simply simple and therefore simply fantastic! Thanks a lot for uploading and sharing. Best regards, luck and health.

[@ciceroaraujo5183]

This is amazing professor

[@randolphbutler1832]

Wow, such wonderful results. Well worth all the hot effort. Hope water collection continues to benefit those who work so hard.

[@b_uppy]

@Donald Kasper Actually soil carbon is the better consideration. These soils lost much of their carbon to the plow. Getting carbon back into surface soils will correct many planting problems and increase yields.

[@everettduncan7543]

Farmers in the Plains, California, Washington and Idaho could use this to great effect.

[@cams.3287]

southern california needs toi pliment more

[@Labroidas]

The problem is that these systems rely on societies where a lot of people are involved in agriculture. In western societies, where only a tiny percentage of the population are farmers, and those farmers rely on heavy machines, these solutions might actually be impossible to implement, or at least much less attractive than (ultimately much less effective) "quick fixes" like water sprinklers or greenhouses, instead of real, fundamental environmental development. Additionally, here we have to deal with a landscape divided between hundreds and thousands of landowners with outdated mindsets, unwilling to cooperate, and each with their own micropolitical interests. I know because my father works in environmental restauration, and these are the problems he had to deal with his entire life.

[@b_uppy]

@Steve Slade You're oversimplifying. There are myriad other considerations. Where was your dad doing this? What kinds of soils?

[@b_uppy]

@Steve Slade You're putting words in my mouth. You are being profane. You failed to answer direct questions, which are important considerations regarding appropriate techniques. That reflects badly on you. Agriculture, hydrology, etc are more complicated than "put in a terrace"...

[@johnvanegmond1812]

@@b_uppy It's not complicated if you grow up with intelligent farmers. To bad Africa killed and kicked out those who knew how to feed a country. Now Africa is having to learn how to farm using sharp sticks.

[@jessiebond8688]

Amazing people .its a must Watch..love it

[@ciceroaraujo5183]

This is a better way to fight poverty.

[@Barskor1]

Yes, it is knowledge and getting out of the way for them to help themselves so they know they are not helpless children.

[@0r807]

Absolutely right. Africans are hard workers. If they only get the vision how to fight their challenges ...the result is always tremendous

[@TheSpecialJ11]

It's the classic give a man a fish or teach him how to fish.

[@billsmith9711]

These black folks are so intelligent they have almost come into the stone age... slowly but surely.... and they want to govern themselves without the French.... a noble goal.

[@sriradityowahyudhono1675]

Simple and effective...ill try this in Indonesia

[@johne7123]

simple and effective, the earth just needs a little help to return to health and over abundance

[@b_uppy]

Andrew Millison just released a video about earthworks they did in India that is amazing.

[@johne7123]

@@b_uppy thanks

[@b_uppy]

@@johne7123 It's a good one. Hope you watch it soon.

[@rahmanpratomo4681]

Traditional farming communities in Korea developed a system called JADAM, which has been proven to be used to make the land more alive. Namely maximizing the use of plants that have certain ingredients that are adapted to local conditions, livestock manure, mineral salt water, and other materials that are easily available nearby, then connected and integrated with the food chain system between plants, animals and humans, including the use of microorganisms. . I have started applying it to several areas of land that have been damaged, because the humus has been lost due to mining activities on the island of Kalimantan, where the condition of the soil is very similar to the condition of dry desert soil and is almost rocky. This effort is showing very good results and if this is tried to be applied on the African continent and other desert lands, it seems that it will slowly improve naturally and bring benefits that move very quickly. Greetings from me in Indonesia and it would be very good if the JADAM system which was pioneered by agricultural experts in Korea is implemented. Please see this method which has been widely broadcast on many KZbin channels, as a reference. Good luck and greetings to a healthy and green earth.

[@corneliacarden4344]

Wonderful to see!

[@samuellaudelinosilva9110]

Muito bom. Excelente. Estou fazendo em minha propriedade, Cáceres/MT/BR

[@lilomouradenilsonkaiowa5195]

Hoje já e possível encontrar bom material sobre o base zero. Tem bons vídeos tbm. Faça uma busca com base zero Padilha ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/29535/1/Cartilha-vol-1-Barragens-sucessivas.pdf

[@luna39900]

Amazing I wonder if we are still using this technology.

[@master258]

Хорошо придумали .молодцы!.

[@baldoggie]

blat?

[@bendjtrix8929]

0:35 I never knew rain could run omg! I learn something new every day

[@healtheearth8407]

very useful and informative video, thank you

[@nielknox]

Thank you ❤️

[@alritchhermes1153]

NICE JOB

[@russell7489]

Brilliant

[@رابطةالعربالخضرا]

قل إنما أنا بشر مثلكم يوحى إلى أنما إلهكم إلاه واحد فمن كان يرجو لقاء ربه فليعمل عملا صالحا ولا يشرك بعبادة ربه احدا سورة الكهف ايه ١١٠

[@baldoggie]

allah?

[@spidey885]

@@baldoggie Allah*

[@baldoggie]

@@spidey885 akmed akmed allahu akbar

[@spidey885]

@@baldoggie Lol

[@شهيواتخديجةالامازيغية]

بالتوفيق والنجاح الدائم

[@4lex355]

If you like this, try to check contor trenches.

[@jessicaaguirre1229]

Knowledge is power 👍❤️

[@pinkelephants1421]

I'm curious to know if government policy has directed the continued expansion of stone lines into the degraded land shown in this video? Planting of trees suitable for providing browse for livestock would also be useful.

[@violettaschmieder2096]

all these development helping volunteers should do stuf like this not buildings schools that fall to ruins cause there is noone to teach the children

[@brooksanderson2599]

Excellent. What were the ratios between slope and stone line separations? What was the maximum slope that it could be used on?

[@richardleau]

What they are trying to do is slow the speed of spreading water. Anything they can do to slow the water will help. So the more lines the better. But even one line will help with production. The speed and volume of water is what lifts and carries away organic material. The slope of the land would demand rock lines that are higher and closer together in order to slow the water running down the slope. in flat land the lines can be lower and more spread apart. But that is dependent on the amount of water accumulating. The answer to your question is that it depends on the situation, but it does work on steep hillsides, if the speed of the water can be slowed down enough that the water deposits organic materials instead of carrying them away.

[@brooksanderson2599]

@@richardleau I apologize for not acknowledging your reply. KZbin did not alert me to your answer. I am working with a government planning agency here in Saltillo, Mexico. I will put your advice to good use here on the ¨falda¨of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range. !Gracias!

[@AniishAu]

@@brooksanderson2599 To be clear, it depends a lot on slope, the _maximum rate_ of rainfall, the _annual amount_ of rainfall and rock wall _maintenance_ . In a deluge, rock walls wouldn't work, especially on a slope, especially if not maintained. A more expensive option is a swale, especially if there is enough slope. But swales would be pretty expensive and unnecessary in the example given here.

[@AniishAu]

@Steve Slade time, place and person determines price. In India labour is cheap, in the US, plows are cheap.

[@b_uppy]

@@AniishAu Swales need trees to hold them in place because they can be washed away, too. You have to consider soils, terrain, labor needed, etc. Agree with your reply to Steve.

[@scoutjohnson1803]

The stone lines are not across the contours, they are along or parallel to them. There are a multitude of systems to slow the run off of rain water, several come from Australia.

[@rhyleys5993]

What a banging video

[@tgay9594]

geography heomwork?

[@RobertSeviour1]

where de gang?

[@shemgitau4107]

Wow

[@michaelkilla2930]

YES

[@Thor_Underdunk_Caballerial]

What's the music at the end of the video please?

[@goldenages7089]

Yeomans plough works well if labor of placing the rocks is too excessive. Same concept though, lay out level lines and cut along those lines instead of placing rocks.

[@b_uppy]

And it you have labor/equipment to redo it every year during a predictable rainy season.

[@RawRunner]

I wonder if the before and after is visible from space via satellite.

[@PAAKWAMEPAA]

viva largo burkina fursa, la gente aqui estan tan hermosas

[@rmar127]

If simple stone lines can do so much, imagine the benefits that could be achieved with proper swales. 😃

[@nephilimPB]

I am curious as to why the smaller stones were put downhill of the key stones. I have seen some systems where the smaller stones are put uphill to slow the water before it reaches the key stone. Can anyone tell me the benefit of putting smaller stones downhill?

[@billsmith5109]

A conjecture. The excess water that continues downslope would be concentrated between the larger stones, leading to tiny scale erosion. The small stones instead catch sediment, and keep the ground below moist for awhile after rains, allowing grass growth. The grass and new roots facilitate infiltration and additional sediment retention. The water that doesn’t infiltrate is returned to more of a sheet flow across the landscape.

[@IRailroad]

🔥

[@zloy_hatabxaxa5388]

Good job, people

[@HS-en4fd]

Need to plant trees the lands to degraded trees will help store the water underground. And any excess water will flood. But yeah this is very cool too.

[@bernardfinucane2061]

The trees go in the planting pits.

[@stephenkeebler732]

Actually, depending on the type of tree, the shade from most lower the temperature of the ground under their canopy, causing less evaporation than what the tree consumes...

[@b_uppy]

@Donald Kasper Yes, but trees do much to correct soils and water loss. Monocropping, overgrazing and plowing are harmful. Pressured rotational grazing, trees, polycropping actually depletes groundwater much less. Seems counterintuitive but bare ground is much worse than planted ground for soil loss. Tillage prevents water from seeping in while encouraging undesirable weed growth. Monocropped ground loses more water than ground using covercrops and harvestable crops...

[@b_uppy]

@Donald Kasper Watch Brad Lancaster regarding appropriate plants, especially trees. That said, lightly shaded ground naturally allows better growth of plants, too. Savannahs are the most productive lands in nature... You argued with Keebler but you made mention of leaf type, which is a large part of what differentiates trees. You also overlooked relative wariness of the leaf, airiness, and other factors that will affect a tree's particular evaporation rate. Think you are assuming wrongly...

[@b_uppy]

@Donald Kasper Read my first and second comment. You obviously didn't the first time...

[@pixel973]

Very good practice

[@0r807]

Can someone please explain to me how and where this lines are placed ? I dont think you just start lining up. Where do you put the first (greater) stone ? How do you know how the line must walk ? Must you follow the route of the water when it rains?? Somebody please explain. Thank you.

[@Nick-kq8pg]

It's based on elevation. Since the terrain isn't level, you can map out lines at which the elevation is equal.

[@richardsheehan6983]

Veyr nice!

[@alexanderockenden2564]

Good stuff.

[@allanegleston4931]

no tractors, no machinery of any kind. no pestices , no chem fertilizers , but it works.

[@michaelmaragh3919]

There is another video of making Contour Trenches that refill underground aquifers in India, providing water when they actually need it, and putting back life into dead villages.

[@motownphenom0798]

please plant more trees

[@ZeroControl]

Fantastic.

[@rafaelgamma07]

We saw this in geography

[@steventodd8366]

The silt was the delta .

[@akeake2197]

Good idea.

[@jacfaryare7388]

Good

[@alritchhermes1153]

DO SWALES AND PONDS TO HOLD THE WATER WITH RUNOFFS

[@b_uppy]

Permaculture techniques in general would be better, not just swales and rock damns.

Any further update?

[@cleric7788]

Is the opening theme tune the same as Banished?

[@master258]

Super!

[@ollievw3450]

A-frames would have been faster, but the level has more applications.

[@aron8949]

droughts with poor land management

[@astasna]

Awesome

[@rodney73991]

i wonder if use weat as grass on hills. that when goes seed they use corn hook to cut heads off make bread? get benefit grass hold dirt hill in. still get food for people had do work put in.

[@b_uppy]

They have local grains well suited to growing in these adverse environments, fonio and teff are two great possibles. Perennial grains would be a great help in stabilizing soils in this area, too.

[@BabyBoomersDoomer]

#california

[@carpenterfamily6198]

A different topic, but if they cook over wood fires - switching to homemade rocket stoves would greatly reduce the amount of wood needed.

[@b_uppy]

Have to agree, especially rocket mass heater stoves too if they need nightly heat, too. Some dried livestock dung makes a good fuel, also.

[@johnvanegmond1812]

They just figured out how to slow water with a stone wall. That might be to much right away.

[@b_uppy]

@@johnvanegmond1812 It's not that they "just figured it out", it is t hy at they decided to make a concerted effort. This took a lot of man hours and it took twenty years to see substantive results. Are you wumao?

[@carpenterfamily6198]

Hi John V - it’s so easy and would reduce their ( firewood collecting ) dramatically. Plus the trees do better. There are many videos on KZbin if anyone is interested.

[@johnvanegmond1812]

@@carpenterfamily6198 On KZbin, I've seen rocket stoves made in Africa using sticks and mud. Saw one where they made one in the shape of a letter "L" laying on its back. left a hole half way to the chimney and worked the mud to custom fit a pan. Myself, I haven't bought gas or charcoal for grilling for the last 30 years. I like to grill with a rocket stove because like you said, it uses so much less wood. A handful of short sticks will do, and sticks are always blowing out of the trees. It tastes so good too. My grown sons have complained I have wrecked eating steak at restaurants for them.

[@rams2771]

Super

[@bruceangel8685]

People with fertile land and even a little opportunity are less likely leave their own country for another one.

[@johnvanegmond1812]

Unless you are really good at farming. Then you get killed or kicked out of the country. Zimbabwe is arguably the most fertile country in Africa and now begs for U.N. food. Those who understood how to feed a country were removed from the picture. Now most of Zimbabwe is farming with sharp sticks.

[@bruceangel8685]

John Vanegmond that’s tragic, bad for their neighbors and their economy.

[@bendjtrix8929]

Hey guys

[@williamchamberlain2263]

Good use of animation

[@yuanshuan7099]

✌️

[@theultimatenonebelievr9379]

please plant any thing grow evryting any plants what you have (indigenous) for the area. never cut tree.

[@nashvillain171]

So, after how many millennia they finally have stone lines?

[@iansmith8944]

It said traditionally they would build stone lines but many people gave up on it and it was forgotten.

[@denise1962]

Hi if you are from my school

[@jamesbrown9995]

The Rich Countrys Why dont help such Projekts

[@dogwedl1167]

x

[@b_uppy]

This project equals about 833,333 acres.

[@leevencer1325]

P

[@molnarriki4876]

What white people could made from africa.we just can immagion if we change continents.europe for africa..

[@DanceMomsMad]

Hi

[@grappleberrycorn]

hi

[@brounfunk7964]

Why dont help this peopel the Rich Western countries insted produis wepons

[@brooksanderson2599]

Agreed!

[@b_uppy]

More importantly it is important to learn to help yourself. These people are doing an excellent job. They just need to keep expanding their efforts.

[@oldbatwit5102]

Perhaps if local people stopped buying and using weapons they would help them selves. Religious leaders could teach conservation instead of preaching hatred.

[@b_uppy]

@@oldbatwit5102 That isn't everywhere but admittedly there are areas in Africa where it is a problem.

[@kathyyoung1774]

oyinbo peppe True. Much of it is stolen by dishonest leaders.

[@nirmal6362]

Then, build a coke company, all water is gone in year.

[@doctorshawzy6477]

a better idea..have less children....

[@MohsinKhan-hu1ye]

hope concrete jungle wont take place in this areas.