Lecture 7 - LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT-Land Use: January 2020
Lecture 7 - LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT-Land Use: January 2020
Lecture 7 - LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT-Land Use: January 2020
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• i. The basis for crop production in organic farming shall take into
consideration the structure and fertility of the soil and the surrounding
ecosystem, with a view to minimizing nutrient losses.
•
• ii. Where appropriate, the organic farms shall be required to maintain
sufficient diversity in a manner that takes into account pressure from
insects, weeds, diseases and other pests, while maintaining or increasing
soil, organic matter, fertility, microbial activity and general soil health. For
non perennial crops, this is normal, but not exclusive, achieved by means
of crop rotation preferably by leguminous crops.
•
• iii. Soil fertility shall be maintained through, among other things, the
cultivation of legumes or deep rooted plants and the use of green
manures, along with the establishment of a programme of crop rotation
several times a year and fertilization with organic inputs.
Standards specific to Soil and Water
Conservation are as follow
• i. Soil and water resources shall be handled in a sustainable
manner. Relevant measures shall be taken to prevent
erosion, salination of soil, excessive and improper use of
water and the pollution of ground and surface water.
•
• ii. Clearing of land through the means of burning organic
matter, e.g. slash-and-burn, straw burning shall be
restricted to the minimum. The clearing of primary forest is
prohibited.
•
• iii. The certification programme shall require to check
appropriate stocking rates which does not lead to land
degradation and pollution of ground and surface water.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION
Inadequate and improper soil and water conservation
measures in the settlement areas have led to increase siltation
of rivers and dams.
The increased run - off from the long denuded hill slopes finds
its way into the rivers through a network of gullies and
streams, carrying huge sediment on the way, which create
havoc in the plains.
To minimize these losses, it is essential that
Use land as per its capability and whenever it is essential to
use the land against land use capability norms then
Adopt the soil-water conservation measures in a holistic
manner
Soil-water conservation measures must be maintained
properly to have their effectiveness for the purpose they
have been designed and constructed/erected.
LAND DEGRADATION
The emphasis should be on the protection and
conservation of the lands suffering from serious soil
degrading processes such as
Water erosion
Wind erosion
Chemical degradation
Enhancement of productivity of the favorable
areas already under intensive cultivation
LAND USE CAPABILITY NORMS
SLOPE (%) LAND USE
0-2 Grow leguminous crops for building up of soil
fertility
2-4 Contour farming
48
4-8 Contour farming, contour strip cropping,
contour bunding
8-12 Grow fruits, adopt controlled grazing
12-18 Reserved/protected forestry, contour
trenching, afforestation
>25 Forests and pastures, wild life
PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR LAND DEGRADATION
These are also known as agronomic measures
Important agronomic practices involved in the control
of soil erosion are
Contour farming
Tillage
Mulching
Strip cropping
Cropping systems
Use of manures
CONTOUR FARMING
It includes
contour ploughing
contour sowing and
other intercultural operations
By ploughing and sowing across the slope, each ridge of
the plough furrow and each row of the crop act as
an obstruction to runoff
providing more opportune for water to enter into
the soil
reduce soil loss
MULCHING
About 60 -75 % of rainfall is lost through evaporation.
Mulch is any material applied on the soil surface to
check evaporation and improve soil water.
This evaporation loss is reduced by the application of
mulches.
Application of mulches also results in additional benefits
like soil conservation, moderation of temperature,
reduction in soil salinity, weed control and improved
soil structure.
BENEFITS OF MULCHING
Reduction of evaporation by obstructing the solar
radiation reaching the soil
Reduced runoff
Reduced weed problem
Increased infiltration
Checks erosion by protecting soil from the impact of
beating raindrops and breaking down of soil aggregates
Moderates soil temperature
Improves soil structure due to decomposition of
mulches
ALTERNATE LAND USE SYSTEM
A pattern of land use that is different from the existing
or conventional can be described as an alternate land
use system (ALUS).
The term ALUS is applicable to all classes of land to
generate assured income with minimum risk through
efficient use of available resources.
The lands, which have been degraded to very low
productive levels, are not only UNECONOMICAL for
arable crops but also CAUSING SERIOUS IMBALANCE in
the ecosystem.
For such lands, ALUS, other than cropping, would be
desirable.
Such land use systems can lead to stability in production
along with safety of environment.
An ALUS must foster the development and adaption of
agricultural practices that are ecofriendly, economically
advantageous and socially supportable.
Agro-forestry
Agri - silviculture
Silvipasture
Agri - horticulture and
Alley cropping
Tree farming
Ley farming
AGRO FORESTRY
It may be defined as an integrated self sustained land
management system, which involves deliberate introduction /
retention of woody components with agricultural crops
including pasture / livestock, simultaneously or sequentially on
the same unit of land, meeting the ecological and socio-
economic needs of people
Disadvantages:
Higher amount of nitrogen has to be applied for
mineralization of organic matter in zero tillage.
Perennial weeds may be a problem.
High number of volunteer plants and build-up of pests.
C. Soil compaction
Where soil compaction is a potential problem, farmers
should be aware of the following aspects:
Orientation:
For best results, wind-breaks should be-raised at right
angles to the direction of wind.
N - S direction is good compromise.
They should give better shading of adjacent crops and
pastures.
WIND BREAKS
WIND BREAKS
PURPOSE OF RAISING SHELTER BELTS
To deflect air currents
ATTENTION: A green manure or cover crop is not always a suitable way of reducing evaporation
from the soil, due that they also use water. In dry areas, you should consider using other types of
mulch, such as crop residues or plant remains brought in from outside the field. That will help
conserve moisture in the soil where it can be used by the crop.
1.INCREASING INFILTRATION
Water harvesting – planting pits
CONTOUR BUNDS and CATCHMENT
STRIPS
ROAD CATCHMENTS
Road catchments
Half-moon microcatchments
2.WATER STORAGE
C. Drip irrigation systems
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