Embedded Files
What you should know by the end of this lesson:
What you should know by the end of this lesson:
Explain some strategies to Rural Land Degradation
Evaluate the strategies to say what is good and bad about each
Terminology
Terminology
Explain
To Explain a solution you need to say what it actually does to tackle the problem. You cannot just give a description of the strategy but need to actively say it solves this problem by...
Evaluate/ Analyse
This is the next stage to explain. To evaluate you need to say why is it good/why it will work OR what the limitations to a strategy are.
You could be asked to explain the strategies without having to evaluate however you will be unlikely to be asked to evaluate without explaining a strategy.
A well used and explained named example can gain you an extra mark for each one used.
Digital Workbook and Paper Jotter
Collect the A3 Solutions and Effectiveness Worksheet
Progress through the information to learn about each strategy and take notes in the diagram
Strip Cultivation & Protect Zones
Strip Cultivation & Protect Zones
Strip Cultivation
Strip Cultivation
Strip cultivation is when short crops are planted beside tall crops to give it protection and shelter.
Protected Zones
Protected Zones
Planting crops beside trees will give the crops a protected zone. The tree roots also have the added benefit of binding the soil together. The Kad tree has been used in West Africa to improve soil fertility. The Great Green Wall is a project supported by the 11 countries in the Sahel & the World Bank. Starting in 2008 is a plan to grow 7000km long and 15km wide wall of Trees.
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
Strip cultivation and protected zones are very effective as they are natural solutions that reduce the effects of sandstorms, wind erosion, shifting sand and droughts. They also help create more favourable conditions for crop growth by adding nutrients to the soil. Using the Kad tree is really good as they retain their leaves in the dry season. Other trees can also provide fruit and seeds for an extra food source as well as encourage the biodiversity of animals.
Moveable Fencing
Moveable Fencing
Moveable Fencing
Moveable Fencing
This allows farmers to restrict grazing animals to specific areas of land and allow farmers to move animals between fenced areas, reducing the dangers of over-grazing and trampling of soil and allowing soil and land to recover between grazing sessions.
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
This can be very successful if fencing is available and affordable. However, it requires already limited resources to make happen, herders can cut down trees to get the wood to make fences. This occurs in Korr in northern Kenya. It also relies on an agreement between herders in the area. Disagreement can lead to animals being cut off from water sources or grazing ground.
Contour Ploughing
Contour Ploughing
Contour Ploughing
Contour Ploughing
This prevents soil from being washed downhill. This is when ploughing is carried out across the slope matching the contour of the hill. The rows slow water runoff during rainstorms and allow the water time to settle into the soil.
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
Moderate slopes are the most effective place for contour ploughing and can reduce soil erosion by up to 50%. On steeper slopes, it is only 10% effective and will need to be combined with other methods. If not ploughed correctly, contour ploughing can lead to more soil erosion, allowing for faster runoff.
Stone Bunds and Magic Stones
Stone Bunds and Magic Stones
Magic Stones
Magic Stones
These work in the same way as contour ploughing. Lines of stones are laid along the contour of the sloping farmland to catch water and allow infiltration. This can double crop yields in products like groundnuts by preventing soil from being washed away.
Stone Bunds
Stone Bunds
These work like magic stones and contour ploughing. Short stone walls prevent runoff allowing rainwater to infiltrate the soil and spread more evenly across the land. Reducing water runoff helps with building up a fine layer of soil and manure which can be rich in nutrients.
Watch up to 5 mins
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
Have very little cost and can build community as farmers help each other to construct these. In Burkina Faso, some crop yields have increased by as much as 50%. Charities such as Oxfam have used this method to educate farmers across the Sahel very effectively.
Zai (Planting) Pits
Zai (Planting) Pits
Zai planting pits
Zai planting pits
Farmers dig a grid of planting pits. Water runoff is then trapped in the holes, then manure or compost is added to the holes. Termites are attracted which then dig galleries aerating the soil allowing more infiltration of rainwater. Run-off is reduced allowing for greater retention of moisture.
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
Zai is a very simple, natural technique the farmer can do themselves on the land. They are also normally constructed on the abandoned ground which leads to a 100% increase in crop yield for an area.
Irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation
This is artificial watering of crops from stored water or redirection of rivers. This allows crops to grow throughout the dry season which then prevents the soil from being blown away. Keeping bare soil moist also helps prevent it from being blown away.
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
This is very effective if there is water available. However, the irrigation water can be overused due to high demand and can reduce the fertility of the soil. This means farmers would have to use fertilisers which can be too expensive for poor farmers. Irrigation methods themselves are also very costly. Stored water can increase the amount of stagnant water in an area which increases the conditions for mosquitos to breed.
Terraced Farming
Terraced Farming
Terraced Farming
Terraced Farming
Terracing is levelled off sections of farmland that slows down or prevents any surface runoff. This encourages infiltration of water and nutrients into the soil.
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
Much higher levels of success with soil erosion in comparison to contour ploughing but require more time and effort to construct. This, however, is not commonly used in the Sahel as it is a relatively flat area and this strategy is used in much steeper environments.
Bonus Strategy!!!! Education!
Bonus Strategy!!!! Education!
Improving awareness of crop rotation or the need to leave fields fallow and the benefit of this
is now being tried.
Crop rotation educates farmers to grow different crops in a field or area each year instead of monoculture (growing one crop continually). This means different nutrients are used from the soil and the field does not become so infertile.
Also encouraging farmers to leave a "stubble" of the crop, the roots remain and hold the soil together outside of growing seasons. Once the land is ploughed this also adds more nutrients back into the soil.
Has it been succesful?
Has it been succesful?
Yes, it has. Education programmes tend to be the cheapest and most effective method for any solution as it does not require any new technology or effort just a change in the method of doing something.
Crop rotations are preferred to allowing fields to lie fallow, as the pressure on land by a growing population means fields can not be used. Crop rotation allows them to be used while not destroying them
Plant stubble helps retain moisture in the soil as well as preventing it from being blow away, providing a natural solution to soil erosion.
Well done you have finished the final lesson of Rural Land Degradation
Well done you have finished the final lesson of Rural Land Degradation
Return to the topic launch page and attempt the lesson quiz
Return to the topic launch page and attempt the lesson quiz
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