Indigenous Knowledge of Local Communities of Malwa Region on Soil and Water Conservation

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2016) 5(2): 830-835 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 5 Number 2(2016) pp. 830-835 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Original Research Article doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2016.502.094 Indigenous Knowledge of Local Communities of Malwa Region on Soil and Water Conservation Manohar Pawar1*, Nitesh Bhargava2, Amit Kumar Uday3 and Munesh Meena3 Society for Advocacy & Reforms, 32 Shivkripa, SBI Colony, Dewas Road Ujjain, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT After half a century of failed soil and water conservation projects in tropical K e yw or ds developing countries, technical specialists and policy makers are Malwa, reconsidering their strategy. It is increasingly recognised in Malwa region Indigenous, that the land users have valuable environmental knowledge themselves. This Soil and Water review explores two hypotheses: first, that much can be learned from Conservation previously ignored indigenous soil and water conservation practices; second, Article Info that can habitually act as a suitable starting point for the development of technologies and programmes. However, information on ISWC (Indigenous Accepted: 10 January 2016 Soil and Water Conservation) is patchy and scattered. Total 14 indigenous Available Online: Soil and water Conservation practises have been identified in the area. 10 February 2016 Result showed that these techniques were more suitable accord to geographic location. Introduction Soil and water are the basic resources and their interactions are major factors affecting these must be conserved as carefully as erosion-sedimentation processes. possible. The pressure of increasing population neutralizes all efforts to raise the The semi–arid regions with few intense standard of living, while loss of fertility in rainfall events and poor soil cover condition the soil itself nullifies the value of any produce more sediment per unit area. But improvements made. This calls for more the man’s intervention has disturbed the systematic resource conservation efforts. It natural equilibrium and intensive and is well known to every farmer that it is the extensive agriculture has become a top soil layer, which sustains agricultural dominant factor in accelerating land production. Once this layer is lost or eroded, degradation. The ever-increasing population nothing can be done to replace it within a pressure has brought intensive cultivation of short period of time. Climate and hydrology, land to the forefront through irrigated soil topography, soil surface conditions and agriculture. 830 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2016) 5(2): 830-835 Fortunately, we have many indigenous Gujarat. To the south and east is the techniques for conserving natural resources Vindhya Range and to the north is the (Agarwal and narain, 1999). These have Bundelkhand upland. been in practice for number of years as presented in the write up. Therefore there is Methodology of Study a need to enmesh these practices along with conventional soil and water conservation The research work was carried out by measures for promoting sustainable staying in the midst of the local development of agriculture. communities in their remote villages in Malwa, Madhya Pradesh. The study covered Traditional knowledge and practices have 30 villages falling under 3 representative their own importance as they have stood the districts (Agar, Dewas and Jhabua District) test of time and have proved to be of the region. Every possible care was taken efficacious to the local people. Some of to ensure that the villages selected for the these traditional practices are in the fields of purpose of the study were representative of agriculture such as crop production, mixed the whole district. It is sociologically farming, water harvesting, conservation of confirmed that the entire region and to a forage, combined production system, larger extent even the surrounding areas biodiversity conservation, forestry and have one homogenous traditions in terms of domestic energy etc. India is unique having habits, practices, customs, beliefs and the a rich history of traditional systems of soil overall worldview. conservation and water harvesting in almost all the states Questioning in villages was done in groups as well as in individual homes. During the Study Area research work, a variety of research techniques like, questionnaire -structured Geographically, the state can be divided into and semi-structured, informal interview, regions- Malwa, Nimar, Bundelkhand, focal group discussions (FDG), direct Chambal, and Baghelkhand, Mahakoshal observation and participant observation were and the central Vindhya and Satpura employed. Photographic documentation was regions. The altitude varies from 300-1100 also providing a visual indication of the m ASL and temperature varies from study. minimum 0° to 45° C. The Malwa region occupies plateau in western Madhya Pradesh Results and Discussion and south- eastern Rajasthan (between 21°10′N 73°45′E and 25°10′N 79°14′E), Indigenous Technologies of Soil with Gujarat in the West. The region Conservation includes the Madhya Pradesh districts of Dewas, Dhar, Indore, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Earthen Field Bunds Neemuch, Rajgarh, Ratlam, Shajapur, Ujjain, and parts of Guna and Sehore, and This is the most accepted soil conservation the Rajasthan districts of Jhalawar and parts structure in the country. It is practiced at of Banswara and Chittorgarh. Malwa is large scale all over India. Earthen field bounded in the north-east by the Hadoti bunds are constructed on agricultural land region, in the north-west by the Mewar with the aim of arresting soil erosion and region, in the west by the Vagad region and improving the soil moisture profile. 831 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2016) 5(2): 830-835 Stone Bunds sectional earthen bunds because in this system only a narrow strip of land goes of In such type of terraces bunds are formed cultivation and maintenance is almost nil. gradually by allowing erosion on the upper parts of sloping fields and arresting the soil Vegetative Peripheral Bunds/ Barriers by creating vegetative/ stone barrier on field boundary. By adopting this practice, land This is a commonly used indigenous with limited depth of soil can safely be put conservation practice in semi-arid regions. under cultivation without further Established bunds are found to be very degradation in sloping areas. effective. Barriers of lantana, Jatropha, and other small height plants are also very Stone Wall Terraces (SWT) commonly used technique in many of the areas. Stabilize the periphery of fields In some of the highly sloping areas where situated on the banks of big nalla or rivers. soil depth is a limiting factor, stone wall terraces are very common particularly in Temporary Sediment Detention Dams those areas where stones are readily available in the area. Like stone bunds the In hilly areas of Malwa region to stone wall barriers are also put across the concentrate eroded soil at appropriate slope for developing terraces on downhill location is the construction of temporary slopes. sediment detention dams. In such areas most of the badly eroded lands are found in deep Rough Stone Slab Bunds and narrow valleys, where due to high concentration of runoff the rate of soil It is found to be very effective, adoptable, erosion is very high. Under these situations Low cost indigenous technology in construction of Temporary Sediment moderately sloping (0-5%) arable lands Detention Dams (TSDD) is adopted by the where the small stone slabs are easily farmers. Suitable locations are those where available at or near the site. In this system the possibilities of sediment trapping is 30-45 cm high bunds of rough stone slabs more. (5-10 cm) thick and 45-60 cm long are put across the slope, uniformly all along the Indigenous Technologies of Water boundaries. Stone slabs are thoroughly Conservation embedded in soil one after the other in dug out furrows of 15-30 cm depth. Stone Wall for Nallah Bank Protection Rough Stone Bunds This practice is adopted in those conditions where bank erosion is a problem particularly In the absence of the slabs simple stone in arable lands. This technique is primarily pieces of 10-20 cm thick, 45-60 cm long and used only in those areas where stones are of varying widths are also used. In due available at sites or very near to sites course of time the small gaps in between suitable cross sectional wall of loose stone is two slabs/ stones are being covered by constructed all along the bank or only at naturally occurring grasses; also acting as vulnerable sites. Erection of such protection filter strip. Some of the farmers prefer to wall is done starting from the bed of nallah have such bunds against smaller cross keeping appropriate foundation 832 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2016) 5(2): 830-835 Sand Bag Structure (Bori Bandhan) Talai - A Small Water Storing Structure It is easy to construct. Sand bag structures Talai is an indigenous water harvesting are constructed during peak flow across the technique Creating water point for cattle. In drainage line of field with cement bags filled this system an earthen embankment of very with soil/sand to check the flow of water. low height may be of 1-2 m is made at The runoff water is stored or checks without suitable location in a nallah/ natural drainage much seepage loss and stored water is line, where natural depression exists. The utilized for growing of crops. This is earth required in making embankment is practiced on individual basis. It was evolved also taken out from the existing depression from the creativity and experience of the for increasing storage capacity. farmers of the village. Farm Pond (Small Pond) Village Pond/ Talab These farm ponds are generally constructed This is Common rural rainwater harvesting by a farmers, whose land remain temporarily technology. Pond is constructed at suitable submerged and after monsoon.

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