Revitalization of Rivers in India Draft Policy - Isha Guru Jaggi Vasudev

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
• Increase water infiltration in low rainfall regions.
e. Case Studies of Vetiver Application on Sloping Land:
(i) Sorghum Crop in India:
• Crop land with 1.7% slope, vetiver contour hedges reduced run-off (as
percentage of rainfall) from 23.3% (control) to 15.5% and soil loss from 14.4 t/
ha to 3.9 t/ha, and increased sorghum yield from 2.52 t/ha to 2.88 t/ha over a
four-year period.
• The yield increase was attributed mainly to in situ soil and moisture
conservation over the entire toposequence protected by the vetiver hedge
system. (Truong 1993)
(ii) ICRISAT:
• Under small plot conditions at the International Crops Research Institute
for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), vetiver hedges were more effective in
controlling run-off and soil loss than either lemon grass or stone bunds.
• Run-off from the vetiver plots was only 44% of that of the control plots on
2.8% slope and 16% on 0.6% slope.
• Average reductions of 69% in run-off and 76% in soil loss were recorded from
vetiver plots, compared to control plots (Rao, Rao, Raju, & Prasadini, 1996)
(iii) Nigeria:
• Vetiver strips were established on 6% slopes at the end of 20m (60ft) run-off
plots for three growing seasons to assess their effects on soil and water loss,
soil moisture retention and crop yields.
• Results showed that vetiver stabilized soil and chemical conditions within the
entire 20m (60ft) distance behind the strip.
• Under vetiver management, cowpea yields were increased between 11 and
26%, and maize increased about 50%. In comparable 20m runoff plots without
vetiver (control), soil loss and runoff water were 70% and 130% higher,
respectively.
Annexures
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