THE ROLE OF MICRO-CATCHMENTS IN REHABILITATION OF DEGRADED LAND IN ARID AND SEMI ARID LANDS

Abstract

Land degradation as a result of unsustainable human activities and climatic variations is a serious problem undermining the productivity of arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Large portion of these lands are being threatened with desertification. This paper is aimed at identifying the significance of Micro-catchment water harvesting (MCWH) technique in reclaiming degraded lands by reviewing various researches done in the area. The central point of MCWH technique is to facilitate the storage of water in the soil for plants use which may otherwise be lost to runoff. MCWH technique is discovered to work well in controlling degradation for its effectiveness in reducing soil and nutrients movement. It exhibits low conveyance losses and considerable leaching capacity, prevents moisture evaporation, and can be constructed on almost any slope with little construction cost. Plants survival rate was discovered to increase tremendously under normal rainfall condition when micro-catchments are used. Even though the technique appears to be successful in different areas implemented for both crops and trees cultivation, it has not been very popular among farmers and environmental agencies in ASALs. This can be associated with the perception of the initial intensive labor requirement, and low crop density compared to traditional irrigation methods. With adequate awareness programs and financial interventions, a wider adaptation of MCWH technique can help in vegetation of the degraded lands in ASALs.