The harmony between land, vegetation and water is being disturbed ever since the process of developmental works took place coupled with large scale deforestation and the steep rise in population. This, in turn, has had many adverse effects on land resulting in excessive loss of topsoil, increased intensity of floods during monsoon season, alarming lowering of ground water table and reduction in lean-season flow in rivers and streams. The consequence is the reduced availability of both surface and ground water causing water scarcity in many parts of the country.
Vegetation depends on land and water. Land with thick soil cover especially with a natural layer of humus absorbs good amount of rainwater, which gradually seeps deeper into lower strata of soils/ rocks to recharge ground water. Thick vegetative cover not only prevents erosion of the topsoil but also traps considerable amount of rainwater thereby enhancing the recharge. This recharged water is drawn from wells and hand pumps and part of it flow in streams and rivers.
The process of natural degradation /erosion continues unabated. Hence corrective measures should be taken up before it deteriorates beyond the permissible limit of supporting vegetation and preventing further deterioration by means of reducing soil erosion, augmenting soil moisture and retarding the drainage of rainwater.
Forests play an important role in controlling runoff as such afforestation should be taken up for increasing infiltration of water and for retaining the soil from being eroded. Keeping the soil covered with vegetation helps the soil from being carried away especially on hill slopes.
Providing proper drainage, using check dams of boulder, masonry and live vegetative and construction of revetment-cum-retaining type walls, etc. land slips can be averted. After stabilization of the slip zones by engineering measures, vigorous efforts should be made to cloth the surface with permanent vegetation comprising of suitable quick growing trees.
Cultivation on slopes should be carried out employing proper conservation measures like contouring (process of identifying and doing cultivation practices across the slope on the same level), terracing (series of platforms having vertical drops along the contours across the general slope) for permanent stabilization. Moreover, the farmers need to be educated in adoption of improved agricultural practices. Suitable areas with moderate slopes in hills need to be identified and the farmers should be persuaded to take permanent cultivation supported with suitable technology backstopping.
On steep slopes, stone walls or stone terraces should be adopted where stones are plenty at the spot by constructing stone walls across the slope which will help in conserving soil.
Land management should be such that each piece of land is put to use by which it will produce the most and deteriorate the least. The hill tops and steep slopes should be placed under forests permanently so to stabilize and improve the agricultural land below and also help in regulating and prolonging the flow of irrigation water and prevent damage from unchecked water erosion. Jhuming should be practiced below the forests and the gentle slopes terraced for cultivating agricultural and horticultural crops. The cultivation at the lower section of the hill gives the advantage of using water for irrigation from the upper ridges of the hill.
Water is the key factor in all agriculture. The success of family gardens, the livelihoods of farmers, and the availability of fresh, affordable food everywhere is directly threatened when our climate changes and water becomes either over-abundant or desperately scarce.
Water deficiency in hill tops or hilly areas should be taken care through proper rain water harvesting by means of percolating ponds or constructing/ excavating pits and harvesting rain water wherever feasible so that agriculture does not remain idle for want of irrigation water during post rainy season. Such measures will increase the overall arable area by improving otherwise unproductive land and increase the cropping intensity and land productivity.
At present in India, around 33 states/UT’s have made rain water harvesting mandatory by enacting laws or regulations, including provisions in building bye-laws or through government orders. Tamil Nadu made it mandatory for all existing and new buildings to provide rain water harvesting facilities under its municipal laws and to include rooftop rain water harvesting structures in building plans.
In this climate change scenario, sustainability of soil and water is a necessity. Financial assistance provided for rain water harvesting through various schemes should ensure that the projects or water harvesting works/ structures are constructed and implemented properly at every level so that our resources are protected and conserved. Land and water management go hand in hand, when water is conserved soil is also conserved. As such it is rightly said, we need lot of blue to remain green.
Courtesy:
Division of Soil Conservation,
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mokokchung