Terrace construction, operation, and maintenance : a review of socio-economic assessments | |
| Author | Ojha, Ek Raj |
| Call Number | AIT SSPR no.HS-91-02 |
| Subject(s) | Terracing Soil conservation |
| Note | A special study submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Technical Science, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Special studies project report ; no. HS-91-02 |
| Abstract | Land, which is indispensable for human existence, is finite in area and irreproducible in nature. The rapid rise in world population is exerting pressure on the narrowingly available tract of arable land. Moreover, the over-exploitation and mismanagement of the land under use are pushing it towards degradation and damage, resulting in severe human sufferings in the form of scarcity of food, and siltation and pollution of water. These problems are not uncommon in the developed nations but are, indeed, much more serious in the case of developing ones. The problem has certainly been realized by the experts and no less by the actual users of the land. Soil erosion problems in the slopy areas seem to have particularly been understood even by the ancestors who, as a response, invented and propagated several conservation measures, chief among which are the elaborately installed and widely scattered terrace systems on numerous slopy lands of the world. In recent decades, this awareness has rapidly grown due to the serious upsurge of several kinds of environmental disasters. Subsequently, several means and measures have been developed and employed. Terracing continues to receive first priority in most soil conservation or watershed management programs meant for high altitude areas. Under the present situation, when demand for cropping land is increasing while the availability of flat tillable surface is diminishing, cultivation on steep slopes has become an increasingly urgent need. As terraces have proved to be the most efficient means of stabilizing the slopes and making them productive cultivable areas, priority given to their establishment and maintenance is naturally inevitable under such circumstances. Despite this, there still prevails lack of adequate understanding among farmers and supporters about the various aspects of terracing, and as a result many attempts to adopt them have been beset with constraints or crisis. Besides technical and financial backing, a thorough understanding of and consideration to the location and people are vital if the aims and ambitions of any conservation program, for that matter, are to be materialized. Here, a review is made of the several socio-economic facets of terracing, and a set of recommendations is presented based on this review. |
| Year | 1991 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Special studies project report ; no. HS-91-02 |
| Type | Special Study Project Report (SSPR) |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
| Examination Committee(s) | Weber, Karl E.;Demaine, Harvey; |
| Degree | Special Studies Project Report (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1991 |