Controlling Soil Erosion Using No-Till Farming Systems

Abstract

Soil erosion is a natural phenomenon that has been thrown off balance by human activity and particularly by agriculture. It is associated with severe environmental impacts, high economic costs, reduced productivity and thus influences food security as well as social and economic development. Agriculture affects erosion rates in two ways (1) by the removal of soil-protecting vegetation and (2) by the mechanical processing of topsoils through tillage. In this regard, erosion is not only caused by tillage operations, but acts together with the atmospheric influences of water and wind, and all three agents reinforce each other. Individual erosion events can cause erosion rates of more than 100 Mg ha-1 year-1 on agricultural land. This is where no-till (NT) farming comes in to play. No-till actively maintains soil surface cover by vegetation and reduces soil disturbances to the very moment of planting. Therefore, it effectively mitigates all forms of soil erosion caused by machinery use, water, and wind and is thus considered to be a major improvement regarding soil erosion control. The further acceptance of NT practices by farmers is one of the most important measures to successfully tackle the threat of soil erosion globally.