The chief agents of soil erosion are water and wind. Solved examples with detailed answer description, explanation are given and it would be easy to understand. There are several techniques to conserve top soil and prevent it from being washed or blown away. Soil degradation is a serious global environmental problem and may be exacerbated by climate change. The methodology for sustainable land management comprises four different practices namely, agronomic practices, vegetative methods. Soil conservation basically means a way of keeping everything in place, literally as well as in a more abstract sense of maintaining the functions of the soil in sustaining plant growth. The actual art of soil conservation is based on certain basic principles which include. Soil conservation is the prevention of soil loss from erosion or reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Soil conservation techniques also help minimize the damage that development can do to surrounding open space. Although their agronomic benefits have been proven, adoption rates for these techniques are generally. Soil erosion is an important contributor to the normal soil formation process, but erosion becomes problematic when it is accelerated. Slashandburn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are. Some of the methods that must be adopted for conserving soil are as follows.
Soil conservation includes all those measures which help in protecting the soil from erosion and exhaustion. Pdf the primary source to meet global food and fiber demands is production agriculture, but accelerated soil erosion threatens its. Principles of soil conservation and management springerlink. 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. The techniques to conserve soil are very simple and require implementation so as to reduce the dire environmental impacts. Soil conservation an overview sciencedirect topics. Another important area of land management, namely riparian management, is not. The problem of soil conservation is very complicated and is receiving attention of scientists and engineers. The choice of zimbabwe as a case study is premised on the fact that. Today these techniques of soil and water conservation are being prac ticed in many countries with much benefit to great numbers of people. In order to promote sustainable development which reduces the vulnerability of rural areas to climate change, support for soil conservation and water harvesting activities by appropriate public policies is. Slashandburn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are practiced in some.
The specific objectives were 1 to identify common swc techniques. Conservation of soil and water resources is important for sustainability of agriculture and environment. Soil conservation encyclopedia of life support systems. Erosion caused in this case by an intense thunderstorm squall lifting the soil from the fields photo by arjen verkaik, skyart productions. The erosion of siwaliks has been studied by glover and hamilton 1935 and gorrie 1951 and various methods have been suggested for soil conservation. Conservation techniques conserve water within the biomass and the soil by reducing runoff and keeping the water where it falls, as much as possible. Soil erosion has been continuing over, such a large part of. Land degradation soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial or urban purposes. Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms. Some of the categories and ways to conserve the soil include. Soil conservation practices and erosion control in india. Economic analysis of the determinants of the adoption of. Soil conservation stores more of the runoff from excess rainfall in the reservoir of the soil for subsequent crop use.
Biological soil and water conservation measures learning. They discuss the dust bowl and poor land management from the 1940s to infer how we can be better. This volume is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students interested in understanding the principles of soil conservation and management. It encompasses physical soil erosion, chemical salinity and alkalinity, pollution and biological deterioration pollution and. What is soil conservation and what are various ways to.
Water harvesting techniques gather water from an area termed the catchment area and channel it to the cropping area or wherever it is required. Soil conservation helps protect the land, prevent erosion and preserve soil nutrients on land thats being used for farming. Thus, biological measures are an effective method of soil and water conservation, especially since they are low in cost. Three methods of soil conservation include the prevention of soil erosion, reducing tillage and rotational grazing to prevent overgrazing. Soil conservation technical handbook ministry for the environment. Observations of soil conservation practices in australia and overseas suggest that inappropriate solutions are commonly applied, often achieving only a partial. Soil degradation is a major problem in the sudanosahelian zone of burkina faso.
Soil conservation and its principles soil conservation methods biological method and mechanical method crop rotation mulching helpful for competition exam soil erosion and its types. Agricultural soil conservation involves the practices that can be used by farmers to promote the health and quality of soils. Land degradation, soil erosion and soil conservation pmf ias. The study was conducted at birembo watershed located in macuba sector. Home food and agriculture organization of the united nations. The most important reasons for these failures in african soil and water conservation swc include a dominant topdown approach, the use of techniques which are complicated to. Soil and water resources are under immense pressure due to ever increasing population thereby ensuing growing demand for food, fiber and shelter. Soil conservation practices are tools the farmer can use to prevent soil degradation and build organic matter. The objective of this report is to highlight the various methods that can be employed to control soil erosion and the soil conservation practices that are needed for problem soils.
Additionally, these can be used with structural and agronomic measures. Studies show that the implementation of soil conservation measures depends on a multitude of factors but it is also clear that rapid change in. Field book for describing and sampling soils standards for observing and recording soil and site characteristics. Soil conservation and water harvesting rain foundation. Rather than importing soil and water conservation strategies, we must rely more on indigenous swc techniques. It is the prevention and reduction of the amount of soil lost through erosion. Soil and water resources are being deteriorated due to different anthropogenic and natural factors. A correct form of land use and management is one that provides a higher level, or a different form of productivity from that available in the natural state. Design of soil and water conservation structures for. Mechanical soil conservation techniques free download as powerpoint presentation. Income efficiency of soil conservation techniques in haiti. Click here to learn the concepts of soil erosion and conservation from geography. 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. Crop rotation is a tool that enables farmers to increase soil organic matter content, soil structure and rooting depth.
Soil and water conservation swc are activities that maintain or enhance the productive capacity of land in areas affected by or prone to soil erosion. This handbook has been written by experienced soil conservators drawing on their own and. The primary source to meet global food and fiber demands is production agriculture, but accelerated soil erosion threatens its sustainability. Soil conservation is fundamentally a matter of determining a correct form of land use and management. Soil conservation contour plowing soil conservation and sustainable agriculture 5. Jadhav assistant professor iwdm faculty, walmi, aurangabad. Soil conservation and water conservation are achieved simultaneously and go handinhand.
The methods employed here could be extended to other communities across syria and throughout similar mediterranean regions. To maintain or improve soil productivity levels and limit water losses, especially with rainfall variability, adaptation strategies have been developed that focus on water and soil conservation techniques wsc. Soil conservation can be defined as the combination of the appropriate land use and management practices that promotes the productive and sustainable use of. 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.
The next pages will give you a short overview of the three types of soil and water conservation measures. Pdf assessing the constraints to adopt water and soil. 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. Erosion processes and soilconservation technology 4. Design of soil and water conservation structures for smallholder agriculture training notes by prof. Several types of biological soil and water conservation measures exist see figure. Soil conservation practices involve managing soil erosion and its counterpart process of sedimentation, reducing its negative impacts and. 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. Soil conservation david sanders world association of soil and water conservation, bristol, england,uk keywords. More information about soil and water conservation measures are presented on the website of wocat world overview of conservation approaches and technologies. Assessing the constraints to adopt water and soil conservation techniques in tillaberi, niger.
The effects of environmental degradation and water scarcity women and children are not spared. In view of the coronavirus pandemic, we are making live classes and video classes completely free to prevent interruption in studies. The concern about global food security in relation to soil erosion and strategies for confronting the remaining problems in soil management and conservation are specifically addressed. Soil erosion and conservation definition, examples, diagrams. Corn growing in a notillage system plot as part of the longterm sustainable agriculture demonstration project at beltsville, maryland.
Many conservation practices represent mature technologies directed at stabilizing the soil by promoting the formation of larger and more cohesive aggregates, providing a protective barrier to. Thus, soil and water conservation practices are becoming increasingly important in the arid and semiarid. This handbook has been written by experienced soil conservators drawing on their own and their colleagues practical experience, underpinned by the science undertaken on the subject for the last 50 years. Pdf income efficiency of soil conservation techniques in. In addition to improving soil fertility, water harvesting, enhancing the soil water retention capacity and reducing soil erosion are measures that could significantly improve agricultural productivity in rainfed marginal environments. In this agricultural management lesson, students study how to use good practices for soil conservation. Soil conservation and management in developing countries.