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

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
• Vetiver will also grow well on saline soils. If the area has a high ground water
table, as is the case of parts of Haryana and Punjab States, there is a potential
of dry matter yields of 70 tons per ha of forage.
c. Vetiver as Mulch to Control Weeds and Conserve Soil Water:
• Given the higher silica content, vetiver shoots take a longer time to break
down. This makes vetiver ideal for use as mulch and roof thatching (as thatch
it does not harbour insects).
• When spread evenly on the ground, whole or desiccated, vetiver leaves form a
thick matt that suppresses weeds. Vetiver mulch has been used to successfully
control weeds in coffee and cocoa plantations in the Central Highlands of
Vietnam and tea plantations in India.
• The thick cover of vetiver mulch increases water infiltration and reduces
evaporation.
• It also protects the soil surface from the impact of raindrops, a major cause of
soil erosion.
• Research in India, Nigeria and Thailand and other countries demonstrate
improvement in crop yields.
• Vetiver hedgerows reduce rainfall run-off significantly. Much of this reduction
finds its way to the groundwater as recharge. This is a very important aspect
as there is plenty of evidence that this improved recharge results in increased
and prolonged stream flow, subsurface recharge of farm ponds, and improved
spring flows - all important to small farmers and the community as a whole.
d. Vetiver Seedlings Production:
• Due to the growing demand for vetiver in VS applications for non-agricultural
sectors, the production of vetiver seedlings (slips) as a marketable product is
an expanding actuality.
• Vetiver slips are easy to produce in very large quantities. The most common
forms of production are bare-rooted or containerised.
• Under good conditions (adequate water and nutrients) it is quite possible to
Annexures
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