What is meant by contour farming?

What is meant by contour farming?

Contour farming, the practice of tilling sloped land along lines of consistent elevation in order to conserve rainwater and to reduce soil losses from surface erosion.

Can contour plowing conserve soil?

Contour farming can reduce soil erosion by as much as 50 percent compared to up and down hill farming. By reducing sediment and runoff and increasing water infiltration, contouring promotes better water quality.

Where is contour plowing used?

Contour plowing is normally used only when the slope of the land is between 2 to 10% and when excessive rainfall is not generally a problem. When these conditions are not met, strip cropping is used in addition to contour plowing to prevent problems from developing.

What is the difference between terracing and contour plowing?

In terracing, wide steps are cut around the slopes of hills to prevent soil erosion. Terrace farming alters the shape of the slope to produce flat areas whereas contour ploughing follows the natural shape of the slope without altering it.

What is a disadvantage of contour plowing?

Drawbacks to contour plowing have caused it to be less widely used than conventional tillage methods. Some farmers may not have been fully aware of erosion damage and prevention. Lack of access to equipment, funding, or training sometimes take their toll.

What are the disadvantages of contour farming?

Therefore, contour farming alone is not sufficient to control erosion on steep, long slopes, erodible soils, and during erosive rains. The major drawbacks of contour farming are frequent turning involving extra labor and machinery time, and loss of some area that may have to be put out of production.

What is a benefit of contour farming?

Contouring can reduce soil erosion by as much as 50% from up and down hill farming. By reducing sediment and runoff, and increasing water infiltration, contouring promotes better water quality.

What are the advantages of contour plowing?

Some advantages of contour plowing is that it focuses on preserving topsoil by reducing erosion from water runoff. The major benefits of this methods is the preservation of the nutrients in the field, resulting in less fertilizer and less need for artificial irrigation.

What are the disadvantages of contour plowing?

What are the pros and cons of contour plowing?

Disadvantages of Contour Plowing Some advantages of contour plowing is that it focuses on preserving topsoil by reducing erosion from water runoff. The major benefits of this methods is the preservation of the nutrients in the field, resulting in less fertilizer and less need for artificial irrigation. erosion.

Which is the best description of contour plowing?

Contour plowing is also known as contour farming, and is a sustainable form of agriculture.

How are water breaks used in contour farming?

Farmers who practice contour farming start by cutting levels into the hill or contoured area. This creates a series of steps on the hill on which crops are grown. Small ridges or raised platforms known as water breaks are built along the rims of these individual steps in order to prevent the water from just running down the hill.

What was contour plowing and terraces during the depression?

Contour Plowing & Terraces The Soil Erosion Service was one of the federal programs started in the 1930s to save the land that had been destroyed by years of wind erosion, over plowing, and over grazing. The commission taught farmers how to use terracing and contour plowing techniques to preserve the soil.

What does it mean to plow a hill?

Contour plowing is the act of farming on a hill or a contoured area.