Impact of Contour Hedgerows: A Case Study

Sloping agricultural land technology (SALT) is an approach that combines the strengths of terracing with the strengths of natural vegetation to stabilise sloping land and make it available for farming. Dense hedgerows of fast growing perennial woody tree or shrub species, usually nitrogen-fixing species, are planted along contour lines to create a living barrier that traps sediments and gradually transforms the sloping land to terraced land. This book describes the results of two experiments to investigate different aspects of SALT including soil erosion, soil fertility, and hedgerow/crop competition for moisture and nutrients. SALT can be effective in subtropical and temperate regions and can reduce soil erosion to a very low level and increase productivity. Some of the different factors affecting its success are discussed.