Prevention of soil erosion

Plants provide protective cover on the land and prevent soil erosion for the reasons:

(a) plants slow down water as it flows over the land (runoff) and this allows much of the rain to soak into the ground;

(b) plant roots hold the soil in position and prevent it from being washed away;

(c) plants break the impact of a raindrop before it hits the soil, thus reducing its ability to erode;

(d) plants in wetlands and on the banks of rivers are of particular importance as they slow down the flow of the water and their roots bind the soil, thus preventing erosion.

Preventing soil erosion requires technical changes to adopt.

Aspects of technical changes include:

(i) use of contour ploughing and wind breaks;

(ii) leaving unploughed grass strips between ploughed land;

(iii) making sure that there are always plants growing on the soil,and that the soil is rich in humus (decaying plant and animal remains). This organic matter is the "glue" that binds the soil particles together and plays an important part in preventing erosion;

(iv) avoiding overgrazing and the over-use of crop lands;

(v) allowing indigenous plants to grow along the river banks instead of ploughing and planting crops right up to the water's edge;

(vi) encouraging biological diversity by planting several different types of plants together;

(vii) conservation of wetlands.We can check soil erosion by adopting the following additional practices:

1. Intensive cropping and use of proper drainage canals.

2. Terracing on the sloping fields.This retards the speed of the flowing water.

3. Planting trees and sowing grasses.

4. Extensive aforestation practices to be carried out.