Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Management of Soils - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 318

13.4 INDIGENOUS SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICES
Traditional Indian farmers pay much attention to soil and water conservation (Figure
13.6). Much before modern science understood the loss of soil due to erosion and
the need for conservation, several indigenous practices followed by farmers were
documented in different parts of India. Table 13.8 gives a summary of indigenous
practices adopted in different states of India to conserve soil and control runoff. In
addition to the above list, there are many location-specific conservation practices
that are linked to crop cultivation in different regions in India.
Silt harvesting structures: The smallholders in Peninsular India place loose rock
check dams across gullies to harvest the soil eroded in the upper catchment. These
structures are useful in two ways. First, they prevent widening and deepening of gul-
lies, promote deposition of nutrient-rich fertile sediments, and reduce the velocity of
the runoff in the gullies. Second, the area where such soil is accumulated is used for
growing high-value crops (Sanghi et al. 1994).
FIGURE 13.6 Traditional soil management practices in India that conserve soil and improve
fertility. (Reprinted from Srinivasarao, C. et al., Soil Carbon Sequestration for Climate
Change Mitigation and Food Security , November 24 to December 3, Central Research
Institute for Dryland Agriculture, 322 pp., 2011. With permission.)