Soil erosion is a major problem on steep lands, especially when rainfall is abundant. Steep lands that receive substantial rainfall often experience fast water runoff across the slopes, which causes the soil to displace, and ultimately causes the loss of water and nutrients by the crops. And to surpass that problem, hence contour farming in India introduced.
Contour farming in India introduced as the ultimate solution to preserve soil and land quality for quality cultivation. Contour farming an advanced farming practice that has been used to ensure the irrigation supply evenly distributed on steep slopes and soil erosion minimised to a larger extent.
So let’s get a detailed understanding of:
- What is contour farming in India?
- What are the benefits of contour farming?
- How to stay prepared for performing contour farming?
- Is contour farming cost-effective?
What is Contour Farming in India?
Contour farming or contour agriculture is an agricultural practice where tiling is performed on sloped land in lines of consistent elevation to preserve rainwater and soil erosion.
This type of farming includes the formation of wheel tracks, furrows, and seed rows across sloping land areas, which help collect rainwater for proper water and nutrition distribution in soil and prevent land & soil degradation.
Popular Crops Grown Through Contour Farming
Here are a few popular crops commonly grown through contour farming:
- Corn
- Soyabeans
- Wheat
- Grass
- Legumes
Benefits of Contour Farming in India – Why is it Widely Adopted?
Direct rainfall can wash away the topsoil, fertilisers or certain nutrients — which are important for crops to cultivate. The process of contour farming helps reduce erosion by avoiding the harsh impact of rainfall.
The benefits of contour ploughing are best visible when practised alongside other methods of farming such as terracing (the practice of creating ridges & channels in slope), water diversion (the process of diverting surface water to farm fields), and strip cropping (the process of sowing different crops in alternative strips to prevent soil erosion).
Let’s discuss in detail the benefits of contour farming in India…
1. Contour Farming Helps Combat Soil Erosion
Contour farming is believed to reduce soil erosion by 50%. Conventional farming involves cultivation along long and straight slopes which are parallel to rainwater. This method easily allows rainfall to wash away the topsoil, which is important for cultivating crops.
Contour farming in India, on the other hand, helps slow down the flow of run-off water and gives time for water to get absorbed by the soil properly.
“How is soil erosion harmful? Soil erosion is a process where topsoil is removed, which is quite an important soil layer for production and agricultural purposes. Loss of topsoil can cause lower crop yields and higher production costs.”
2. Contour Farming provides effective irrigation to soil
Contour farming or contour planting helps evenly distribute the water in the soil between the furrows as the water runs slowly and adequately.
- As the irrigation water runs off quite slowly but deeply into the furrows, it makes the absorption of water in the soil much better. Unlike the downward sloping irrigation method, which makes the water streams run off quite fast, making it hard for the soil to absorb the water.
- Contour farming in India requires less labour to look after the irrigation process once the furrow streams well adjusted, compared to the traditional down-slope irrigation method. This helps save on labour costs substantially.
Down the line, contour farming benefits also include an increase in crop productivity and reducing production and operational costs while working on farm fields.
So these were important contour farming benefits; let’s discuss the scope where this powerful farming technique best suited and what to keep in mind while preparing for it.
Where Should Contour Farming Be Performed?
Though contour farming is quite a successful method to conserve soil and water quality, it may not be suitable for all slope types and weather conditions. This practice best when applied to crops that irrigated on moderate sloping lands. Also,
- Contour farming ideally practised where slope gradients (a metric that calculates slopes’ steepness, calculated by dividing the vertical height by horizontal distance) are between 2% to10%.
- The area should receive a sufficient amount of rainfall for practising this farming technique.
How to Prepare a Land for Contour Farming?
To prepare land or ground surface for contour farming, the following steps are important to take into account:
- Conduct a typographic survey of the field.
- Create field borders to make space for the movement of farm or tractor implements.
- Parallel to the baseline contours, consider doing farming activities.
How to Start Contour Farming in India?
Contour cultivation is systematic practice to assess the land and implement practices that conserve water and soil. Following, we are showing how to start contouring in agriculture in India.
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Land Assessment
Land assessment is the 1st step in contour farming in india. In this process, you have to evaluate the landscape and identify natural contours, slopes and drainage. Also, check water runoff and soil type before starting contour cropping. This will guide and help you in your contour ploughing journey.
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Marking Contour Lines
The second step in contour terracing is making contour lines. In this step, you have to mark lines on slopes. Along with this, you have to ensure that the contour lines are perfectly spaced. The tools that are used in marking contour lines are GPS, A-frame and laser level.
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Designing Terraces
Third step in the contour system is designing the terrace. Terrace farming meaning is building walls and altering the natural slope shape to create a flat surface that offers water retention and to reduce soil erosion. Terrace farming provides a suitable platform for planting crops.
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Vegetative Cover
The 4th step is vegetable cover. You have to terrace and contour lines along with vegetation, plant cover crops and grass. Vegetation covers retain runoff water, improving soil structure and preventing soil structure. You have to select a plant according to the local climate.
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Water Conservation Measures
You have to take water conservation measures while starting contour farming in India. If you are beginning contour ploughing then for that implementation of swales, check dams or contour bunds are essential. These structures help the water retention in the soil and also enhance the absorption of rainwater.
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Water and Soil Management
Contour farming practice should be followed where furrows are creased with contour lines. This contour method in agriculture traps the water and prevents rapid flow downward. Along with this, to improve soil fertility, you have to include organic matter.
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Selecting Suitable Crops
In this farming technique, you have to select crops that are well-suited to this contour farming technique according to solid type, water requirement, climatic conditions and other factors. Crops that align with water conservation and sustainable farming practices should be chosen.
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Implementing Best Farming Practices
The next and most important step is the implementation of best farming practices. So, you have to select the correct practice while starting contour farming. The best farming practices include agroforestry, crop rotation and intercropping. These farming practices contribute to sustainability and enhance biodiversity.
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Monitoring and Adaptation
Now, after following all these steps, you have to monitor your crops’ performance on a daily basis. It also assesses the effectiveness of soil conservation and water management. So that you can make necessary changes if needed.
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Government Support
Check on government support or government schemes and subsidies on contour farming and sustainable agriculture. Many regions in India provide financial support or assistance for accepting conservation measures.
Is Contour Farming Cost Effective?
Yes, contour farming cost-effective compared to traditional farming methods, as the cost of creating contour rows is much less than traditional farming. Also, contour farming has two other costs attached to it:
- Firstly could be from surveying the land to predict its suitability for this special type of farming. Well, the cost of surveying the land can vary according to the requirement or so and generally isn’t that costly to bear.
- Secondly, other costs may include the farming activities related to harvesting from small rows in the corners or end of the field.
Besides, the practice requires the same basic farm implements that you have been using to perform the traditional tiling or farming practices of planting, cultivating, and harvesting.
Difference Between Contour Farming and Terrace Farming
There is a thin line difference between contour ploughing and terrace farming in India. Following, we are going to show the difference between contour and terrace farming. Check out below for clear understanding.
| Basis | Contour Farming | Terrace Farming |
| Definition | Crops produced with the natural contour of the land. | Altering natural slopes for water retention. |
| Objective | This is done to manage water runoff and soil erosion. | This is also done to prevent soil erosion and water runoff. |
| Land Preparation | It follows natural contours. | It follows alteration in natural contours. |
| Water Management | It prevents water runoff with contour lines. | It holds and captures and holds water in every terrace level |
| Soil Conservation | Aims to prevent soil erosion and maintain soil fertility | Focuses on preventing soil erosion and retaining topsoil |
| Crop Placement | Crops planted along contour lines or on terraces | Crops planted on each terrace level |
| Topography | Suitable for gently sloping to moderately steep slopes | Suitable for steep to very steep slopes |
| Equipment Requirement | Minimal earthmoving equipment required | Requires heavy earthmoving equipment for terrace creation |
| Maintenance | Regular monitoring for contour lines and vegetation | Terraces may require maintenance to prevent erosion |
| Cost | Generally less expensive due to minimal earthmoving | Initial construction costs can be higher due to terracing |
| Crop Selection | Versatile, can be adapted to various crops | Terraces can support a variety of crops based on elevation |
| Widely Adopted in | Hilly and sloped terrains | Mountainous regions with steep slopes |
Disadvantages of Contour Farming in India
Following are some disadvantages of contour farming. Check out below for complete information.
- It is a slightly costly affair as it requires initial investment in infrastructure, tools and other equipment. This initial investment can be a financial burden for small scale farmers.
- This farming practice demands a lot of knowledge and skills. To start contour farming, farmers need to know about topography of the land, what is appropriate water management practice, design effective contour lines and others.
- It is a labor intensive practice. For effective farming, you have to do it manually.
- It limits your scalability. Contour farming is not for a large scale farming operation as it requires natural contour land and precision.
- Contour farming needs continuous maintenance.
What Steps Can Be Taken To Control Soil Erosion in The Hilly Areas
A comprehensive approach is necessary to control soil erosion in hilly areas. They are creating level platforms on slopes through terracing, which aids in reducing water runoff. By promoting water absorption, contour ploughing along the land’s natural lines lessens erosion. The soil is stabilised and protected by planting cover crops and creating vegetative buffers with native vegetation.
It is essential to plan land uses appropriately, taking into account zoning laws and sustainable practices. Programmes for education and awareness raise local communities’ knowledge of the value of conserving their soil and encourage their active involvement. Together, these actions reduce soil erosion, protect rich topsoil, and encourage sustainable land management in hilly regions. These all-encompassing initiatives safeguard environmental resilience and promote these ecosystems’ long-term health.
Final Words
Contour farming is an efficient and cost-effective modern-day farming practice whose purpose is to help lock irrigation water in such a way that:
- Soil can absorb water evenly during heavy rainfall.
- Soil could protected from getting wash away.
- Fertilisers could be prevented from stripping away to ensure crops get enough nutrients and inputs to thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions on Contour Farming
Q1. What is contour farming?
Ans. Contour farming or contour cultivation is a modern-day practice of tiling across sloped lands at consistent elevations to help keep soil moisturised by capturing the rainfall.
Q2. What are the benefits of contour farming?
Ans. Contour farming is a modern farming technique whose purpose is to reduce soil erosion and fertiliser loss in order to increase crop yield on terrains where rainfall is heavy. Contour farming can help reduce soil erosion by 50%.
Q3. Is contour farming sustainable?
Ans. The impact of Contour farming is definitely sustainable because it can reduce soil erosion by 50% and help retain twice the rainwater, which helps in keeping the soil moisturised.
Q4. What Indian states perform contour farming the most?
Ans. Assam and Meghalaya are two places where contour farming abundantly practised, given the geographical background and rain abundance they possess. So, Assam is a perfect state for contour farming.
Q5. What is the difference between contour farming and terrace farming?
Ans. In contour farming, furrows created around the hill or slope to allow slower and more effective water infiltration into the soil. While in terrace farming, instead of furrows, steps or terraces created to meet proper water absorption in soil and avoid soil erosion. Both methods differ in design and approach but done in view of keeping soil and land quality in check.
Q6. What should farmers consider when performing contour farming?
Ans. Several factors needed to determined for contour farming, such as the steepness of the slope, the gradient of slope should be between 10-12%, rainfall frequency. Other factors that could studied by conducting a detailed land survey.
Q7. What are the methods of contour farming?
Ans. Contour farming is the practice of ploughing plants or crops in contours. The method is to do farming across the slope (horizontal) rather than up and down (vertical).
Q8. Where does contour farming work best?
Ans. The most effective contour farming technique works in slopes between two (2) and ten (10) per cent.
Q9. What are examples of contour strip crops?
Ans. Soybeans, sugar beets, cotton and corn are examples of contour strip crops.
Q10. What is another name for contour farming?
Ans. Terrace farming is another name for contour farming.
Q11. What is the difference between terrace farming and contour ploughing?
Ans. The difference between terrace farming and contour ploughing is how the water flow is controlled.
Q12. What is contour farming/ploughing definition?
Ans. Contour farming is a farming technique designed to reduce soil erosion on sloping terrain.
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