Traditional soil and water conservation practices by the tribal farmers in Koraput district of Odisha

The traditional soil and water conservation (SWC) methods practised by the tribal farmers of nine villages of Semiliguda block in Koraput district were analysed based on information collected through schedule survey, group discussion and field visit. Farmers have been adopting and practising cost effective agronomic and structural measures since time immemorial for conserving soil and rain water. Contour cultivation, mixed cropping, mulching, agri-horti system, stone bunding, Jhola kundi and vegetative bund of sambuta grass are the most commonly found indigenous SWC measures in the cultivated fields. The rate of adoption of these measures vary between 23% for pitcher irrigation and 83% for mixed cropping. This variable adoption rate of these measures indicates that the farmers have wisdom and high social value towards the natural resources particularly soil, water and vegetation, and continue to conserve these resources through cost effective traditional techniques for their livelihood security.