Soil and water conservation measures on slope farmland. Generally, 10 types of soils are distinguished according to the proportion of sand, silt and clay. The study was conducted to evaluate the effects swc measures on soil quality indicators in geshy subcatchment, gojeb river catchment, ethiopia. In order to do this proper land utilisation coupled with agricultural practices should be adopted. Soil can be drained away or contaminated, destroying it for use. Factors influencing the adoption of soil and water. In total 39 em, vm and 8 am of soil and water conservation measures were defined in china liu et al. Structural methods have been considered the main focus of soil conservation by many implementing agencies. These techniques, commonly called soil conservation measures and practice, can be used aingly on land with few limitations, or in varying combinations on land. Soil and water conservation 265 life on this planet, as the so il is an essential resource to suppor t plants for producing food, and to provide shelter to insects and animals.
Besides the mechanical or engineering techniques outlined above, another way of treating soil. Soil erosion and conservation 231 suspension refers to the transport of very small soil particles that are gen erally removed from the local source area. Soil conversation involves working to reduce contamination and depletion. Impact of physical soil and water conservation structure. Ifoam training manual on organic agriculture in the. Slashandburn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are practiced in some. Soil conservation practices control wind or water erosion by limiting soil. Soil conservation an overview sciencedirect topics. Soil land management practices such as tillage and cropping practices, directly affect the overall soil erosion problem and solutions on a farm. Physical soil conservation measures physical soil conservation structures are permanent features made of earth, stones or masonry, designed to protect the soil from uncontrolled runoff and erosion and retain water where needed.
It records some particular farmland measures at slope areas in. Crops and vegetables which cover the ground surface well and have extensive root system reduce soil erosion. They may be deposited on the neighbors farm or several states downwind. Soil conservation is fundamentally a matter of determining a. The problem of soil conservation is very complicated and is receiving attention of scientists and engineers. Methods for sustaining soil and water conservation. More information about soil and water conservation measures are presented on the website of wocat world overview of conservation approaches and technologies. Empirical soil erosion estimation methods have resulted from. Thus, biological measures are an effective method of soil and water conservation, especially since they are low in cost. Though soil and water conservation swc technologies have been adopted in geshy subcatchment, their effects on soil quality were limitedly studied. Some of the methods that must be adopted for conserving soil are as follows. Biological soil and water conservation measures learning. In the last two decades, various soil and water conservation interventions had been introduced in to different parts of ethiopia.
Erosion caused in this case by an intense thunderstorm squall lifting the soil from the fields photo by arjen verkaik, skyart productions. This firm was produced by soil and water conservation bureau in taiwan. Soil and water conservation measures reduce soil and water. Soil and water conservation is the basis of such a program, and also helps improve land impoverished by erosion and overusemakes it more productive so that it can support more people. Land degradation, soil erosion and soil conservation pmf ias. Soil conservation contour plowing soil conservation and sustainable agriculture 5. The ditch is square in shape, placed across the slope with a. Soil erosion has been continuing over, such a large part of india. Agricultural air quality conservation measures reference guide for cropping systems and general land management. Soil conservation and water conservation are achieved simultaneously and go handinhand. Although the benefits of practicing soil and water conservation techniques through mechanical and biological means are clear, not every farmer within hillside agricultural communities have adopted them. It encompasses physical soil erosion, chemical salinity and alkalinity, pollution and biological deterioration pollution and. Studies show that the implementation of soil conservation measures depends on.
Soil conservation refers not only to mechanical protection measures but includes all aspects. The next pages will give you a short overview of the three types of soil and water conservation. Soil conservation encyclopedia of life support systems. This is practised for soil conservation on sloping lands exceeding 40% slope. Soil degradation is a serious global environmental problem and may be exacerbated by climate change. Introduction to soil conservation measures infonet biovision home. Conservation of water can ensure that supplies of fresh water will be available for everyone, today and tomorrow. Water conservation measures water education foundation. This act established catchment boards and enabled the appropriation of government and local body funds to assist with the construction of erosion control measures and. Soil conservation is the practice of protecting the soil against erosion or deterioration. Soil conservation is the prevention of loss of the top most layer of the soil from erosion or prevention of reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination.
Other conservation methods may initially require more effort and funds, but. Soil degradation is one of the crucial issues in mountainous areas of ethiopia which needs efforts to reduce it. Studies of farming systems and methods of land management e. This section is focused on soil cover measures, and section 3 addresses soil condition measures. Climate and the need to retain or discharge the runoff. Recent measurements indicate that soil erosion losses are increasing, probably caused. The erosion of siwaliks has been studied by glover and hamilton 1935 and gorrie 1951 and various methods have been suggested for soil conservation. Plant canopy protect the soil from the adverse effect of rainfall. In addition to improving soil fertility, water harvesting, enhancing the soilwater retention capacity and reducing soil erosion are measures that could significantly improve agricultural productivity in rainfed marginal environments. Source book on soil and water conservation measures.
Thus, soil and water conservation practices are becoming increasingly important in the arid and semiarid. The 15 soil and water conservation measures that were most frequently tested i. Consequently, the government has invested in soil and water conservation swc. Pdf analysis analysing the social benefits of soil. Slashandburn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are.
Soil conservation measures should aim at preventing or at least minimising the soils loss. Several types of biological soil and water conservation measures exist see figure. Conclusion biological method of soil conservation is various ways of maintaining a cover of vegetation during the periods of high erosion threat. Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded from the earths surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. When crop rotations or changing tillage practices are not enough to control erosion on a field, a combination of measures might be necessary. The most common agronomical practices used for soil and water conservation, are discussed below. Using satellite imagery to assess impacts of soil and.
Soil conservation and management in developing countries. Land degradation is a major concern in ethiopia since it leads to declining agricultural productivity, poverty and food insecurity. Soil conservation is an important part of sustainable agriculture and food production, since it entails keeping soil from becoming a pollutant in the surface waters, and its ability to sieve and filter pollutants that would otherwise end up in drinking water. Scientists have developed a set of recommendations and methods for sustaining the benefits of swc measures implemented in the ethiopian highlands over time. Effects of soil and water conservation techniques on soil productivity and bean grain yield in nyamasheke district, rwanda joas tugizimana bsc in agricultural engineering a147ea223412011 a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of. Soil conservation includes all those measures which help in protecting the soil from erosion and exhaustion. Measures for soil and water conservation soil management. Broadly categorizing there are two methods of soil conservation.
This material is provisionally made accessible in the present form in order to make the contents widely available in advance of eventual printing. Farmers sustainable strategies for soil conservation on. Soil conservation practices involve managing soil erosion and its counterpart process of sedimentation, reducing its negative impacts and. In the case of water erosion, mechanical soilconservation measures include a wide variety of conservation practices and structures but, in essence, most of. In order to keep the land productive, a good conservation program is imperative.
Methods for sustaining soil and water conservation measures in ethiopia water, land and ecosystems. Methods and materials in soil conservation a manual written and illustrated by john charman consultant to fao under the supervision of rod gallacher, technical officer soil conservation agll, fao. Unesco eolss sample chapters land use, land cover and soil sciences vol. Analysis analysing the social benefits of soil conservation measures using stated preference methods. Soil conservation is fundamentally a matter of determining a correct form of land use and. Soil conservation is a combination of all methods of management and land use that safeguard the soil against depletion or deterioration by natural or humaninduced factors. Introduction to soil conservation measures infonet. Land degradation soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial or urban purposes. Additionally, these can be used with structural and agronomic measures. Soil erosion, use of chemical pesticides and herbicides, unsustainable agricultural practices, excessive farming, water pollution and land pollution are some of the aspects upsetting the natural functions of the soil. Contour farming, crop rotation, strip cropping, choice of crops, mulching, cover crop, reforestation, mixed crop, wind breaks are major biological soil conservation methods. Soil conservation measures agriculture planning and. The results point toward significant effects overall that vary by season, and that tree planting and other soil and water conservation activities are more effective on degraded than cultivated land.
Guide to sixty soil and water conservation practices food and. Vegetative or biological soilconservation measures. Three methods of soil conservation include the prevention of soil erosion, reducing tillage and rotational grazing to prevent overgrazing. What is soil conservation and what are various ways to. Soil conservation wisconsin initiative on climate change impacts. Agronomic soil conservation measures use of vegetation. These measures help to intercept raindrops and reduce the splash effects, help better intake of rainwater, provide more opportunity time for rainwater to infiltrate into soil and help to reduce runoff generation due to perfect crop geometry. Iv soil conservation david sanders encyclopedia of life support systems eolss symptom of bad land use and management. Pdf soil erosion is a natural process in which particles of soil are moved by wind and water, and displaced to another location. Manual of reforestation mad, erosion control for the philippines. Methods for assessing soil quality methods for assessing soil quality builds on two previous publications, defining soil quality for a sustainable environment sssa spec.
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