Soil and Water Conservation Techniques for Sustainable Agriculture

Natural resources of the country are humiliating due to biotic and abiotic pressures. Around 146.8 Mha land was estimated under degraded land of India by National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSSL it results in depletion of reservoirs storage capacity by 1–2%. Intensive agricultural practices accelerate the rate of soil erosion. In this context, use of groundwater (by drilling tube wells) in high rates also depletes the groundwater level. The groundwater level of 65% open wells was depleted. Such conditions negatively impact on productivity of agriculture crops. High rate of runoff degrades soil health and ultimately decreases the food production of the country. Vegetation and mechanical measures need to be applied separately or in combination for solving such problems of natural resource (soil and water) degradation. Along with such measures, some improved techniques may need to be designed for judicious management of natural resources. Although there were many schemes/programmes/missions also running through government and non-governmental organization to combat these problems, we have to work for the policy on conservation of natural resources through sustainable agricultural practices.