Abstract
Land degradation has emerged as one of the greatest threats against sustainable catchment management and is a crucial issue around the globe today. Over 80% of land degradation occurs due to soil erosion, a major proportion being contributed to water-induced erosion. Fertile topsoil removal due to soil erosion decreases land productivity and increases inundation. Soil erosion also increases sediment load in natural river system, considerably reducing lives of hydro power plants and road drainage structures. Land abandonment due to high rate of soil erosion and low productivity also increases potential landslides. Needless to state, any sustainable catchment management program will need to include adequate management of soil erosion. The problem of soil erosion is enormous in the Himalayan region - owing to its young and fragile geology leading to high erodibility. The problem is exacerbated by high slope steepness of the region. Deforestation and denudation, direct results of population pressure, are other major factors accelerating soil erosion in the region. It has been estimated that densely forested areas lose less than 1 t/ha of topsoil whereas rainfed agricultural landloses as much as 56 t/ha of topsoil annually. Here, it is important to note that most of the land in the Himalayan region currently use rainfed agricultural practices, highly susceptible to soil erosion. The ultimate result of soil erosion is land degradation. This causes greater imbalance in the natural ecosystem, declining biodiversity in the region. It is imperative that due attention is paid, without further delay, to develop and adopt specific land management and support practices that will reduce soil erosion. The proposed paper will critically review existing erosion management practices around the globe with the principal aim of adopting suitable management practices in the region. The objective is to achieve sustainable future for the Greater Himalayan Region.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the International Conference on the Great Himalayas: Climate, Health, Ecology, Management and Conservation, held 12-15 January, 2004, in Tripureswore, Kathmandu |
| Publisher | Kathmandu University |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 2004 |
| Event | International Conference on the Great Himalayas: Climate, Health, Ecology, Management and Conservation - Duration: 1 Jan 2004 → … |
Conference
| Conference | International Conference on the Great Himalayas: Climate, Health, Ecology, Management and Conservation |
|---|---|
| Period | 1/01/04 → … |
Keywords
- land degradation
- watershed management
- soil erosion
- Himalaya Mountains
- dry farming
- sustainability
