Contour bunding in SEVAI Watershed |
In Thottiyapatty SEVAI Watershed project, Contour bunding is one of
the simple methods of soil and water conservation measures applied. Bunding is
an embankment of earth. It plays an important role in soil and water conservation
in the field with medium slope. In between two contours agriculture is
practisised. Along bunds trees which fix nitrogen in to the soil are planted
with grass along the bunds. Contour bunding helps in soil and water
conservation. When there is rainfall, contour bund acts as a barrier to the
water flow and checks the velocity. This reduces chances of soil erosion. When
water starts flowing along the fields bund becomes obstruction for it. Due to
the obstruction velocity reduces and water percolates behind the bunds. This
allows infiltration of water into the soil. Thus bunding on the fields with
moderate slopes helps in soil and water conservation. In Thottiyapatty and
Dasilnaickanoor region percentage of barren land along the sloppy agricultural
land is quite large. Due to slope, soil and nutrients erode fast which makes
agriculture on this land very uneconomical. People having such type of land
adopt this technique. Also this technique is adopted on common land. Instead of
uneconomical agriculture farmers construct bunds along the fields and grow
trees on the bunds. Marginal farmers start small primary unit of compost with
trees on the bunds and grass along the bunds are used for cattle. Thus the
farmer gets some economic returns from the land with improved fertility. Soil
and water conservation due to bunding work increases water availability in
their wells and to stop further degradation of the land. Plantation on the bunds satisfies basic need
of fuel wood, fruits and fodder. As slope increases distance bet two rows is
less and vice versa. Along the bunds grassland is developed along with tree
plantation. Trees which will satisfy basic needs of a village
are planted along
the down stream side of a bund. Water stored behind the bund for few days,
infiltrates into the earth increasing well water level. The results can be
mentioned as under: Soil along the sloppy fields is protected from erosion
caused by flowing water. Thus work of soil conservation is done without any
special hi-tech technique. Huge biomass is generated along the bund which is
used for cattle as fodder and compost used as organic manure. It is very
difficult to convince people for bunding. The main reason is that people feel
that land under bund goes as waste and so crop out put is reduced. The
advantage of bund is shown to the farmers. Thotiyapatty and Dasilnaicknaoor
village meetings with the people were useful for contour bunding, in the area
privately owned. People are aware about increased yield and rise of water level
due to contour bunding; they did all work without hesitation. The people are
ready to adopt technique when they see overall increase in the crop yield due
to increased water level; increased percentage of organic matter in the soil;
improved fertility of the soil and reduced requirement of Factors contributing
success can be stated Local technique, easy to adopt. Low cost technique.
External input to the village is zero. Participation of villagers in each and
every stage of implementation of the programme. Some financial assistance to
the villagers from state government Huge employment is generated. Whole work is
done considering village as a unit. Where rain falls on sloping land with bare
earth it tends to run off rapidly either as overland flow or as rill or gully
flow. This removes particles. A number of aims to reduce the erosion by either
reducing the slope or reducing the length of slope.-Govin
Dry-land farming and forestry in SEVAI Watershed |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.