book for PDF - John Snow International Europe

Drip kits can help save time and water. The kit consists of a watertank and a system of pipes which are laid out along the rows ofcrops. The water slowly drips out of the tank into the pipes.Water harvesting in the cropping areaIf you grow maize and other grains in sloping areas you need to protectthe soil from erosion. Make contour ridges or swales to slow down theflow of rain water and sink it into the soil. On very steep slopes youneed to build flat terraces so that the vegetable beds are level. Terracesmay need reinforcing with stones.SwalesA swale is a contour ditchthat collects and sinks runoff water into the soil.Before you make swales,peg out the contours ofthe slope using an A-frame.The steeper the slope the closer together the swalesshould be. Make strong spillways — places for the water to flowover the bank during floods to avoid breaking the swale. Plant soilimproving trees and shrubs and bunch grasses such as vetiver, napierand elephant grass on the swale banks or terrace walls. Dig pits atintervals along the swale to sink more water into the soil. In dry areasmake the pits larger and closer together.50