Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil Erosion and Conservation in Global Agriculture

  • Chapter
Land Use and Soil Resources

About one-sixth of the world’s land area, that is, about one-third of the land used for agriculture, has been affected by soil degradation in the historic past. While most of this damage was caused by water and wind erosion, other forms of soil degradation are induced by biological, chemical, and physical processes. Since the 1950s, pressure on agricultural land has increased considerably owing to population growth and agricultural modernization. Small-scale farming is the largest occupation in the world, involving over 2.5 billion people, over 70% of whom live below the poverty line. Soil erosion, along with other environmental threats, particularly affects these farmers by diminishing yields that are primarily used for subsistence.

Soil and water conservation measures have been developed and applied on many farms. Local and science-based innovations are available for most agroecological conditions and land management and farming types. Principles and measures developed for small-scale as well as modern agricultural systems have begun to show positive impacts in most regions of the world, particularly in wealthier states and modern systems. Much more emphasis still needs to be given to small-scale farming, which requires external support for investment in sustainable land management technologies as an indispensable and integral component of farm activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aylward, B. (2004). Land-use, hydrological function and economic valuation. In M. Bonell. & L.A Bruijnzeel (Eds.), Past, present and future hydrological research for integrated land and water management (pp. 99–120). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belay, T. (1992). Erosion: Its effects on properties and productivity of eutric nitosols in Gununo area, southern Ethiopia, and some techniques of its control. Berne: Geographica Bernensia African Studies Series A9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bossio, D. A., Pretty, J., Aloysius N., Noble, A., & Penning de Vries, F. In D. A. Bossio & K. Geheb (Eds.) (2007). Bright spots. Reversing the trends in land and water degradation: Comprehensive assessment of water management in agriculture. Oxford: CABI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cassman, K. G., Dobermann, A., Walters, D. T., & Yang, H. (2003). Meeting cereal demand while protecting natural resources and improving environmental quality. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 28, 315–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark E. H. (1985). Eroding soils: The off-farm impacts. Washington, DC: The Conservation Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Critchley W. (Ed.) (1999). Promoting farmer innovation: Harnessing local environmental knowledge in East Africa. Workshop Report No. 2, SIDA Regional Land Management Unit, Nairobi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosson, P. (1997). Will erosion threaten agricultural productivity?. Environment, 93(8), 4–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • COST (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research). (2004). Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of a European Concerted Research Action designated as COST Action 634 on and off site environmental impacts of runoff and erosion. Brussels: COST Secretariat.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAOSTAT. (2005). Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Statistical Databases. Rome: FAO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, G. (1996). Shrinking fields: Cropland loss in a world of eight billion. World Watch Paper, 131, 56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gete, Z. (2000). Landscape dynamics and soil erosion process modelling in the north-western Ethiopian highlands. Geographica Bernensis. Berne: African Studies Series A16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haggblade, S. (Ed.) (2004). Building on successes in African agriculture. 2020 vision for food, agriculture, and the environment. Focus 12. Washington DC: International Food and Policy Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herweg, K., & Stillhardt, B. (1999). The variability of soil erosion in the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Average and extreme erosion patterns. Research Report 42. Addis Ababa and Berne: Soil Conservation Research Programme.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurni, H., Kebede, T., & Gete, Z. (2005). The implications of changes in population, land use and land management for surface runoff in the upper Nile basin area of Ethiopia. Mountain Research and Development, 25(2), 147–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurni, H., with the assistance of an international group of contributors. (1996). Precious Earth: From soil and water conservation to sustainable land management. Wageningen, The Netherlands/Berne: International Soil Conservation Organisation and Centre for Development and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurni, H., Dent, D., Giger, M., & Meyer, K. (Eds.) (2006). Soils on the global agenda. Developing international mechanisms for sustainable land management. Prepared with the support of an international group of specialists of the IASUS Working Group of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS). Berne: Centre for Development and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, T. P. (1988). The offsite impact of soil erosion on the water treatment industry. Land Economics, 64(4), 356–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IAASTD. (2005). International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development. An initiative by the World Bank. Available at http://www.agassessment.org.

  • IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). (2001). Climate change 2001: Synthesis report. A contribution of working groups I, II, and III to the third assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Watson, R.T. and the Core Writing Team (Eds.)]. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • IIRR (International Institute of Rural Reconstruction) and ACT (African Conservation Tillage Network). (2005). Conservation agriculture: A manual for farmers extension workers in Africa. Nairobi and Harare: International Institute of Rural Reconstruction and African Conservation Tillage Network.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser, J. (2004). Wounding Earth's fragile skin. Science, 304, 1616–1618.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liniger, H. P., Cahill, D., Thomas, D. B., van Lynden, G. W. J., & Schwilch, G. (2002). Categorization of SWC technologies and approaches: A global need? Proceedings of International Soil Conservation Organisation (ISCO) Conference 2002, Vol. III, pp. 6–12, Beijing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liniger, H. P., & Critchley, W. (2007 ). Where the land is greener. Case studies and analysis of soil and water conservation initiatives worldwide. Berne: Centre for Development and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liniger, H. P., & Thomas, D.B. (1998). GRASS: Ground cover for the restoration of the arid and semi-arid soils. Advances in GeoEcology, 31, 1167–1178.

    Google Scholar 

  • MA (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment). (2005). Ecosystems and human well-being. Synthesis. Washington DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNeely, J., & Scherr, S.J. (2002). Ecoagriculture: Strategies to feed the world and save wild biodiversity. Washington DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, N. (1993). Gaia: An atlas of planetary management. Garden City, NY: Anchor and Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nierenberg, D., & MacDonald, M. (2004). The population story…so far. World Watch, 17(5), 14–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nyssen, J., Poesen, J, Moeyersons, J., Deckers, J, Haile, M., & Lang, A. (2004). Human impact on the environment in the Ethiopian highlands: A state of the art. Earth-Science Reviews, 64, 273–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oldeman, L. R., Hakkeling, R. T. A., & Sombroek, W. G. (1990). World map of the status of human-induced soil degradation: An explanatory note. Wageningen, The Netherlands and Nairobi, Kenya: International Soil Reference and Information Centre and United Nations Environment Programme.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel, D. (1997). Soil erosion. Environment, 39(10), 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel, D. (2006). Soil erosion: A food and environmental threat. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 8, 119–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel, D., Allen, J., Beers, A., Guinand, L., Hawkins, A., Linder, R., McLaughlin, P., Meer, B., Musonda, D., Perdue, D., Poisson, S., Salazar, R., Siebert, S., & Stoner, K. (1993). Soil erosion and agricultural production. In Pimentel, D. (Ed.), World soil erosion and conservation (pp. 277–292). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel, D., Harvey, C., Resosudarmo, P., Sinclair, K., Kurz, D., McNair, M., Christ, L., Shpritz, L., Fitton, L., Saffouri, R., & Blair, R. (1995). Environmental and economic costs of soil erosion and conservation benefits. Science, 267, 1117–1123.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reij, C., & Steeds, C. (2003). Success stories in Africa's drylands: Supporting advocates and answering sceptics. Rome: Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, M. (2004). Carbon trading, agriculture and poverty. Special publication No. 2. Thailand: World Association of Soil and Water Conservation.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCRP (Soil Conservation Research Programme). (2000a). Area of Andit Tid, Shewa, Ethiopia: Long-term monitoring of the agricultural environment 1982–1994. Soil erosion and conservation database. Berne and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne and The Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCRP (Soil Conservation Research Programme). (2000b). Area of Anjeni, Gojam, Ethiopia: Long-term monitoring of the agricultural environment 1984–1994. Soil erosion and conservation database. Berne and Addis Ababa: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne and The Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCRP (Soil Conservation Research Programme). (2000c). Area of Dizi, Illubabor, Ethiopia: Long-term monitoring of the agricultural environment 1988–1994. Soil erosion and conservation database. Berne and Addis Ababa: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne and The Ministry of Agriculture.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCRP (Soil Conservation Research Programme). (2000d). Area of Gununo, Sidamo, Ethiopia: Long-term monitoring of the agricultural environment 1981–1994. Soil erosion and conservation database. Berne and Addis Ababa: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne and The Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCRP (Soil Conservation Research Programme). (2000e). Area of Hunde Lafto, Harerge, Ethiopia: Long-term monitoring of the agricultural environment 1982–1994. Soil erosion and conservation database. Berne and Addis Ababa: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne and The Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCRP (Soil Conservation Research Programme). (2000f). Area of Maybar, Wello, Ethiopia: Long-term monitoring of the agricultural environment 1981–1994. Soil erosion and conservation database. Berne and Addis Ababa: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne and The Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCRP (Soil Conservation Research Programme). (2000g). Concept and methodology: Long-term monitoring of the agricultural environment in six research stations in Ethiopia. Soil erosion and conservation database. Berne and Addis Ababa: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne and The Ministry of Agriculture.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stocking, M. A. (2003). Tropical soils and food security: The next 50 years. Science, 302, 1356–1359.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sundquist, B. (2007). The earth's carrying capacity, some literature reviews. Topsoil loss – causes, effects, and implications. A global perspective. Internet edition 7, http://home.alltel.net/bsundquist1/.

  • UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). (2002). Success stories in the struggle against desertification. Nairobi: UNEP.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). (2003). Global environmental outlook 3. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • US Census Bureau. (2006). Total midyear population for the world: 1950–2050. Available at http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/worldpop.html.

  • WCED (World Commission on Environment and Development). (1987). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • WOCAT (World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies). (2004). CD-Rom V3: World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies: Introduction – Network – Questionnaires – Databases – Tools – Reports. FAO Land and Water Digital Media Series 9 (rev.). Rome: Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • WOCAT (World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies). (2006). WOCAT home page. Available at http://www.wocat.org/.

  • Worldwatch Institute. (2005). Vital signs 2005. The trends that are shaping our future. New York and London: W.W. Norton.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bonn, Germany

    Hans Hurni

  2. Mekele University, Ethopia

    Karl Herweg

  3. Institute of Geography, University of Bonn, Germany

    Brigitte Portner

Authors
  1. Hans Hurni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karl Herweg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Brigitte Portner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hanspeter Liniger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hokkaido University, 060-0809, Sapporo, Japan

    Ademola K. Braimoh

  2. University of Bonn, Walter Flex Str. 3, 53113, Bonn, Germany

    Paul L. G. Vlek

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hurni, H., Herweg, K., Portner, B., Liniger, H. (2008). Soil Erosion and Conservation in Global Agriculture. In: Braimoh, A.K., Vlek, P.L.G. (eds) Land Use and Soil Resources. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6778-5_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation