IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v8y2016i6p565-d72282.html

Soil Conservation Issues in India

Author

Listed:
  • Ranjan Bhattacharyya

    (ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India)

  • Birendra Nath Ghosh

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun 248195, India)

  • Pradeep Dogra

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun 248195, India)

  • Prasanta Kumar Mishra

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun 248195, India)

  • Priyabrata Santra

    (ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur Rajasthan 342003, India)

  • Suresh Kumar

    (ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur Rajasthan 342003, India)

  • Michael Augustine Fullen

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK)

  • Uttam Kumar Mandal

    (ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Canning Town, West Bengal 743 329, India)

  • Kokkuvayil Sankaranarayanan Anil

    (ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Bangalore Regional Center, Bangalore 560024, India)

  • Manickam Lalitha

    (ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Bangalore Regional Center, Bangalore 560024, India)

  • Dibyendu Sarkar

    (Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal 741252, India)

  • Dibyendu Mukhopadhyay

    (Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar 736165, India)

  • Krishnendu Das

    (National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Kolkata Regional Centre, Kolkata 700091, India)

  • Madan Pal

    (ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India)

  • Rajbir Yadav

    (ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India)

  • Ved Prakash Chaudhary

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming System Research, Modipuram 250110, India)

  • Brajendra Parmar

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad 500030, India)

Abstract

Despite years of study and substantial investment in remediation and prevention, soil erosion continues to be a major environmental problem with regard to land use in India and elsewhere around the world. Furthermore, changing climate and/or weather patterns are exacerbating the problem. Our objective was to review past and current soil conservation programmes in India to better understand how production-, environmental-, social-, economic- and policy-related issues have affected soil and water conservation and the incentives needed to address the most critical problems. We found that to achieve success in soil and water conservation policies, institutions and operations must be co-ordinated using a holistic approach. Watershed programmes have been shown to be one of the most effective strategies for bringing socio-economic change to different parts of India. Within both dryland and rainfed areas, watershed management has quietly revolutionized agriculture by aligning various sectors through technological soil and water conservation interventions and land-use diversification. Significant results associated with various watershed-scale soil and water conservation programmes and interventions that were effective for reducing land degradation and improving productivity in different parts of the country are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Ranjan Bhattacharyya & Birendra Nath Ghosh & Pradeep Dogra & Prasanta Kumar Mishra & Priyabrata Santra & Suresh Kumar & Michael Augustine Fullen & Uttam Kumar Mandal & Kokkuvayil Sankaranarayanan Anil, 2016. "Soil Conservation Issues in India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-37, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:6:p:565-:d:72282
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/6/565/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/6/565/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:iwt:bosers:h042126 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. repec:iwt:rerpts:h035345 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. repec:iwt:bosers:h041989 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Joshi, P.K. & Jha, Awadhesh K. & Wani, S.P. & Joshi, Laxmi & Shiyani, R.L., 2005. "Meta-analysis to assess impact of watershed program and people’s participation," IWMI Research Reports 92825, International Water Management Institute.
    5. Ranjan Bhattacharyya & Birendra Nath Ghosh & Prasanta Kumar Mishra & Biswapati Mandal & Cherukumalli Srinivasa Rao & Dibyendu Sarkar & Krishnendu Das & Kokkuvayil Sankaranarayanan Anil & Manickam Lali, 2015. "Soil Degradation in India: Challenges and Potential Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-43, March.
    6. Bhattacharyya, R. & Kundu, S. & Pandey, S.C. & Singh, K.P. & Gupta, H.S., 2008. "Tillage and irrigation effects on crop yields and soil properties under the rice-wheat system in the Indian Himalayas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(9), pages 993-1002, September.
    7. Kerr, John, 2002. "Watershed Development, Environmental Services, and Poverty Alleviation in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 1387-1400, August.
    8. Kumar, D. Suresh & Palanisami, K., 2009. "An Economic Inquiry into Collective Action and Household Behaviour in Watershed Management," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 64(01), pages 1-15.
    9. ., 2013. "Meeting the climate change challenge," Chapters, in: Strategic Public Private Partnerships, chapter 10, pages 111-122, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Woodruff, N. P. & Lyles, Leon & Siddoway, F. H. & Fryrear, D. W., 1972. "How to Control Wind Erosion," Agricultural Information Bulletins 309209, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    11. repec:iwt:bosers:h041995 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bin Huang & Zaijian Yuan & Mingguo Zheng & Yishan Liao & Kim Loi Nguyen & Thi Hong Nguyen & Samran Sombatpanit & Dingqiang Li, 2022. "Soil and Water Conservation Techniques in Tropical and Subtropical Asia: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Anantha, K.H. & Garg, Kaushal K. & Barron, Jennie & Dixit, Sreenath & Venkataradha, A. & Singh, Ramesh & Whitbread, Anthony M., 2021. "Impact of best management practices on sustainable crop production and climate resilience in smallholder farming systems of South Asia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. repec:iwt:bosers:h041998 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. B Kelsey Jack, "undated". "Market Inefficiencies and the Adoption of Agricultural Technologies in Developing Countries," CID Working Papers 50, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    3. Bin Huang & Zaijian Yuan & Mingguo Zheng & Yishan Liao & Kim Loi Nguyen & Thi Hong Nguyen & Samran Sombatpanit & Dingqiang Li, 2022. "Soil and Water Conservation Techniques in Tropical and Subtropical Asia: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Lin, Weiqiang, 2014. "The politics of flying: aeromobile frictions in a mobile city," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 92-99.
    5. Coxhead, Ian A. & Demeke, Bayou, 2006. "Modeling Spatially Differentiated Environmental Policy in a Philippine Watershed: Tradeoffs between Environmental Protection and Poverty Reduction," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21115, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    6. Pagiola, Stefano & Rios, Ana R. & Arcenas, Agustin, 2008. "Can the poor participate in payments for environmental services? Lessons from the Silvopastoral Project in Nicaragua," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 299-325, June.
    7. Lohan, Shiv Kumar & Jat, H.S. & Yadav, Arvind Kumar & Sidhu, H.S. & Jat, M.L. & Choudhary, Madhu & Peter, Jyotsna Kiran & Sharma, P.C., 2018. "Burning issues of paddy residue management in north-west states of India," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 693-706.
    8. Zabel, Astrid & Engel, Stefanie, 2010. "Performance payments: A new strategy to conserve large carnivores in the tropics?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 405-412, December.
    9. Rajeev Kumar Gupta & Jagroop Kaur & Jasjit Singh Kang & Harmeet Singh & Sukhveer Kaur & Samy Sayed & Ahmed Gaber & Akbar Hossain, 2022. "Tillage in Combination with Rice Straw Retention in a Rice–Wheat System Improves the Productivity and Quality of Wheat Grain through Improving the Soil Physio-Chemical Properties," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, September.
    10. Tiziano Gomiero, 2016. "Soil Degradation, Land Scarcity and Food Security: Reviewing a Complex Challenge," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-41, March.
    11. Kuppannan, Palanisami & Suresh Kumar, D., 2009. "Impact of watershed development programs in Tamil Nadu," IWMI Conference Proceedings 260573, International Water Management Institute.
    12. Gulab Singh Yadav & Rahul Datta & Shamina Imran Pathan & Rattan Lal & Ram Swaroop Meena & Subhash Babu & Anup Das & S. N. Bhowmik & Mrinmoy Datta & Poulami Saha & Pawan Kumar Mishra, 2017. "Effects of Conservation Tillage and Nutrient Management Practices on Soil Fertility and Productivity of Rice ( Oryza sativa L.)–Rice System in North Eastern Region of India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, October.
    13. Fullman, Timothy J. & Bunting, Erin L. & Kiker, Gregory A. & Southworth, Jane, 2017. "Predicting shifts in large herbivore distributions under climate change and management using a spatially-explicit ecosystem model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 352(C), pages 1-18.
    14. Amadu, Festus O. & McNamara, Paul E. & Davis, Kristin E., 2021. "Soil health and grain yield impacts of climate resilient agriculture projects: Evidence from southern Malawi," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    15. Prathapar, S. & Dhar, S. & Rao, G. Tamma & Maheshwari, B., 2015. "Performance and impacts of managed aquifer recharge interventions for agricultural water security: A framework for evaluation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 165-175.
    16. Drall, Anviksha & Mandal, Sabuj Kumar, 2021. "Investigating the existence of entry barriers in rural non-farm sector (RNFS) employment in India: A theoretical modelling and an empirical analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    17. Saw Min & Martin Rulík, 2020. "Comparison of Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) Fluxes between Conventional and Conserved Irrigated Rice Paddy Fields in Myanmar," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-19, July.
    18. Datta, Nirupam, 2015. "Evaluating Impacts of Watershed Development Program on Agricultural Productivity, Income, and Livelihood in Bhalki Watershed of Bardhaman District, West Bengal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 443-456.
    19. Berling, Peter & Eng-Larsson, Fredrik, 2017. "Environmental implications of transport contract choice - capacity investment and pricing under volume and capacity contracts," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 261(1), pages 129-142.
    20. Ekbom, Anders & Brown, Gardner M. & Sterner, Thomas, 2009. "Muddy Waters: Soil Erosion and Downstream Externalities," Working Papers in Economics 341, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    21. Reddy, V. Ratna & Rout, Sanjit Kumar & Chiranjeevi, T. & Sharma, S.S.P., 2012. "Performance and Factors Influencing the Impact of Watershed Development Programme in Rajasthan," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 67(01), pages 1-23.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:6:p:565-:d:72282. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.