Vol. 9, Issue 6 (2020)

Author(s):
Dr. Ch. Hemant Solanki, Dr. Amar Kant Verma and Kushal Sachan

Abstract:
Soil Conservation and Water Management Measures for Tree Based Systems promote the conservation of natural resources particularly water and soil in the land scapes and can change the hydrological balance within the system. Large scale developmental efforts such as MGNREGA, IWMP and Horticulture Missions are being made to convert the wastelands or fallow lands to be brought under different tree based systems such as horticulture, Agroforestry systems etc. In the process, soils with low water holding capacity and shallow depth soils in low to medium rainfall zones located in undulating terrains etc are converted to tree based systems. In order to derive the optimum benefits through tree based systems, it is necessary that land be treated first with soil conservation measures so that even in low rainfall regions these systems might able to survive, though it may take a longer time to derive economical benefits. In the absence of this, the systems may not be in a position to establish themselves leading wastage of funds. There are many time-tested technologies of soil conservation and water management that can be adopted for tree based systems whether it is Horticulture, Agro-horti systems, Agro-forestry, Silvi-pasture system etc. Much of the literature dealing with growing trees in low rainfall areas come from Middle East countries etc. In India, tree plantations have been promoted on a wide scale in watershed development programme along with soil conservation and water management measures such as continuous contour trenches, water absorption trenches etc. These interventions were chosen initially as shramdan of watershed beneficiaries and are promoted extensively to bring in the much needed vegetation on denuded hills. The type of soil conservation and water management measure will depend on the size and shape of the areas to be developed for cropping, its location within the watershed of which this area is a part, the kind of plantation being taken up etc. For small farm fields areas, in-situ conservation practices such as formation of basins, or micro relief systems and agronomic conservation practices may suffice whereas for large plantations, watershed scale development work may have to be taken up. The following section deals with few soil conservation measures which could be implemented for tree based systems in rainfed areas.