Conservation farming practices for small reservoir watersheds: a case study from Sri Lanka

The dry tank: development and disuse of water management infrastructure in the Anuradhapura hinterland, Sri Lanka

“…Paddy cultivation takes place on lower topographic positions on LHG and alluvial soils, creating concentration of Fe-Mn oxides and clays (Zhang and Gong 2003) together with subsoil hardpans with reduced infiltration (IUSS Working Group, 2006, Kawaguchi and Kyuma, 1977, Zhang and Gong, 2003. Swidden cultivation (locally called chena) takes place on the higher landscape positions in RBE soils with at least an eight to ten 5 year rotation (Figure 2; Dharmasena, 1994, Siriweera, 1990. Chena soils have high fertility but tend to become compacted, resulting in low infiltration and increased runoff.…”

“…Chena soils have high fertility but tend to become compacted, resulting in low infiltration and increased runoff. Erosion rates tend to be high because of compaction, but also due to de-vegetation contributing to landscape degradation, subsequently resulting in siltation and infilling of irrigation works (Dharmasena, 1994).…”

“…Because the Anuradhapura region is located in the semi-arid region of Sri Lanka, effective capture and storage of water was, as today, critical to staple rice production (Dharmasena, 1994, Panabokke, et al, 2002. Features associated with water management are therefore likely to be among the most sensitive indicators of landscape change.…”

Agronomic regeneration of soil fertility in tropical Asian smallholder uplands for sustainable food production

“…Because these methods have been adopted already by a considerable number of tropical smallholder farmers, they have a high potential to be promoted through extension for wider adoption as measures of regenerating soil fertility. Incorporation hedgerows of multipurpose tree species and/or grass strips along contours is an agronomic erosion control measure that is gradually gaining acceptance among farmers on hill slopes of the humid tropics (Garrity 1993;Kiepe 1995;De Costa 1997) and on gently undulating terrain in the sub-humid tropics (Dharmasena 1995). For example, De Costa & Dharmasiri (2004) observed 85 % and 77 % reductions in soil erosion and surface run-off respectively in contour hedgerow intercrops consisting of Gliricidia sepium and Zea mays growing on a land with a 31x slope (Fig.…”

Evaluation on Rainwater Harvesting Suitability in Indonesia

“…This technology also can be an economically viable option for improving agricultural production and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in poorly irrigated rural areas (Ngigi et al 2005;Komariah and Masateru, 2013). Improvement in livelihood after applying RWH is well documented in many regions worldwide (Dharmasena, 1994;Glendenning et al, 2012;Fox et al, 2005). RWH cannot only improve agriculture production, but it can also allow utilizing the available area to collect rainwater for human activities (Yuan et al, 2003).…”