Soil Conservation
Terracing · Shelterbelts · Watershed Management
MICRO-REALM 01
Conservation Goal
- PREVENTION OF SOIL LOSS (EROSION)
- MAINTENANCE OF FERTILITY
- SUSTAINABLE AGRONOMIC PRACTICES
MICRO-REALM 02
Contour Ploughing
- PLOUGHING PARALLEL TO ELEVATION LINES
- BREAKS DOWNHILL WATER FLOW
- REDUCES GULLY FORMATION ON GENTLE SLOPES
MICRO-REALM 03
Terrace Farming
- CUTTING BROAD STEPS INTO STEEP SLOPES
- CREATES FLAT LAND & SLOWS RUNOFF
- COMMON IN HIMALAYAS & WESTERN GHATS
MICRO-REALM 04
Strip Cropping
- ALTERNATING BANDS OF DIFFERENT CROPS
- TALL CROPS ACT AS WINDBREAKS FOR SHORT ONES
- REDUCES WIND AND WATER EROSION
MICRO-REALM 05
Shelterbelts
- PLANTING TREES IN ROWS TO BREAK WIND
- STABILIZES SAND DUNES
- CRITICAL IN ARID REGIONS (THAR DESERT)
MICRO-REALM 06
Check Dams
- SMALL BARRIERS BUILT ACROSS GULLIES
- SLOWS WATER VELOCITY, TRAPS SILT
- RECHARGES GROUNDWATER LOCALLY
MICRO-REALM 07
Afforestation
- PLANTING TREES ON BARREN LAND
- ROOTS BIND SOIL, CANOPY SOFTENS RAIN
- THE MOST EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM SOLUTION
MICRO-REALM 08
Watershed Mgmt
- HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT OF A DRAINAGE BASIN
- INTEGRATES FORESTRY, AGRI, & WATER HARVESTING
- COMMUNITY-DRIVEN (E.G., SUKHO MAJRI)
MICRO-REALM 09
Mulching
- COVERING BARE SOIL WITH ORGANIC MATTER
- RETAINS MOISTURE, REGULATES TEMPERATURE
- REDUCES WEED GROWTH & RAINDROP IMPACT
MICRO-REALM 10
Crop Rotation
- GROWING DIFFERENT CROPS SEQUENTIALLY
- PREVENTS DEPLETION OF SPECIFIC NUTRIENTS
- LEGUMES FIX ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN
MICRO-REALM 11
Contour Bunding
- RAISED EARTHEN BANKS ALONG CONTOURS
- DIVIDES SLOPE INTO SMALLER CATCHMENTS
- INCREASES INFILTRATION TIME FOR WATER
MICRO-REALM 12
Integrated System
- NO SINGLE METHOD IS SUFFICIENT ALONE
- SYNERGY OF MECHANICAL & BIOLOGICAL FIXES
- ENSURES LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL BALANCE