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Soil Conservation Need and Its Appropriateness in the Hilly Areas of Bangladesh

A. T. M. Farid
PSO
Soil Science Division, BARI, Gazipur, Bangladesh.

M. A. Sattar
PSO
Khagrachari Agril. Station, BARI, Khagrachari, Bangladesh

Anwar Iqbal
PSO (S&I)
Soil and Irrigation Division, BARC, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A grave erosive situation prevails in Chittagong Hill area of Bangladesh. This is due to continuously increasing rate of deforestation and in appropiate agricultural practices. Row crops are being cultivated on steep slopes without any soil conservation measure. This is more harmful than jhum (shifting cultivation). The main crops among them are aroids. pineapple and maize. Cultivation of these crops on steep and very steep slopes with deep spading aggravates the soil erosion process. Simple conservation measures like mulching Can reduce top soil removal. Crops like m.uze. sesame. turmeric, ginger gave very good Yields of 5.5-6.0, 1.4-1.5, 45-50 and 15-20 ton/ha respectively when cultivated with mulching. Mixed cropping has also been found helpful for conserving soil fertility.

Keywords: Soil conservation, Hilly areas

Location: Chittangong Hill Tracts.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Resource Development and Management

Commodity: Land management

Objectives:

To identify soil conservation need and its appropriateness in the hilly areas of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Review of the past work done by different workers in respect of soil conservation in the hills of Bangladesh have been done. In doing so, both soil erodability and erosivity were taken into consideration. Monocropping, slash and burn (Jhum), agronomic practices like tillage depth, dibbling, weeding, cultivation along the slope, mulching etc. were considered in drawing inference on the subject issue. Besides, fallow period in between cropping, rate of grazing, rainfall pattern were also evaluated. Soil loss and sediment deposit against slope and slope length were observed to have great impact on surface soil removal and soil fertility. Review of the research findings on crop canopy coverage, cultivation along the slope, mulching, appropriate crop selection, mixed cropping in stead of mono cropping, shallow tillage revealed better conservation of the soil and thus fertility resulting higher productivity.

Source of Information: Proceedings of Inter-congress Conference of Commission IV "Improving soil Management for Intensive Cropping in the Tropics and Sub-tropics", Dhaka, Bangladesh pp: 315-320, Decemper-1992.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Farmers are increasingly shifting from mixed farming to mono cropping and cultivating erosion accelerating crop like aroid, maize, turmeric, ginger with faulty management like practices like deep tillage,along the slope and weeding. Investigation revealed that, simple mulching may help tremendously in combating erosion and getting good yield, despite mono culture is being practiced. Moreover, lands remain productive as well for cultivation in future profitably.

Knowledge Management: Journal