Innovations in Dryland Agriculture

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Table 3 Location-specific in-situ moisture conservations practices in different countries

Country In-situ moisture conservation practices References

Afghanistan Organic and inorganic mulches for three ecoregions of

Afghanistan: lowland (900–1300 m), upland (1300–2400 m)

and mountains (above 2400 m)

Bhuchar et al.

( 2016 )

Pit composting suitable for all three ecoregions: pit

composting, conservation tillage.

Virgo et al.

( 2006 )

Low and upland regions: vermicomposting.

Lower slopes: water harvesting bunds.

Simple contour plowing would reduce erosion and retain

moisture.

Bangladesh Plantation along contours, mulching, zero tillage with surface

mulching

Uddin and

Saheed ( 2016 )

Bhutan In-situ management practices include multiple cropping,

cover crops, intercropping, strip cropping, mulching using

crop residue and organic matter, terracing and planting of

fodder trees and grasses, terraced wetland with bunds for rice

cultivation, stone bunds along contour lines

Katwal ( 2010 )

India Arid regions (rainfall <500 mm): contour farming /

cultivation, conservation furrows, mulching, deep plowing

and inter-row water conservation systems.

NRAA ( 2009 )

Semiarid regions (500–1000 mm): conservation furrows,

contour farming, compartmental bunding, runoff strips, tied

ridges, graded ridging, mulching, live hedges, ridge and

furrow system, off-season tillage on conserved soil moisture,

broad beds and furrows, graded border strips.

Subhumid regions (>1000 mm): field bunds, graded bunds,

vegetative bunds, level/graded terraces, contour trenches,

inter-plot water harvesting, raised bed and sunken system.

Maldives Traditional farming systems are based on shifting agriculture,

polycultural home gardens, agroforestry and taro pits.

Improved agricultural practices include crop rotation,

intercropping, composting, irrigation.

FAO ( 2016 )

Nepal Contour bunding Tamang ( 2016 )

Crop rotation using legumes, traditional plowing Pokhrel and

Pokhrel ( 2013 )

Zero/minimum tillage for rice–wheat system Hobbs and Giri

Application of farmyard manure and rice stubble left in field (^1997 )

Pakistan Terracing, contouring, strip cropping, construction of soil

and water conservation structures, contour planting,

hedgerows, living fences and barriers.

Baig et al. ( 2013 )

Improved tillage practices include conservation tillage,

mulches, addition of crop residues such as wheat straw, cover

crops including nitrogen-fixing legumes

Zero tillage for rice–wheat and cotton–wheat systems, gully

land management for degraded lands, conservation tillage,

stubble mulch, trash farming, strip tillage.

Zia et al. ( 2004 )

On steep sloping lands, stone bench terraces in cultivated

areas, and installation of water disposal system with grass

waterways and water drop structures.

(continued)

Dryland Agriculture in South Asia: Experiences, Challenges and Opportunities