KAREN JOY ANDRADA APRIL 07, 2018

THE ROLE OF AN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER IN SOIL AND WATER

CONSERVATION ENGINEERING AMIDST CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES

Climate change is a serious global problem that we encounter in the present.

Due to technological advancement and continuous innovation, they directly affect
the atmosphere which causes climate change. We, humans are solely
responsible for our actions. Climate change has consequences for our food
sources, health, weather and oceans. In the Philippines, we experience the
problems associated with it. According to the video from National Geographic
Society, the effect of climate change is the occurrence of longer and more
frequent drought and flood that put challenges in growing crops, the animals shift
to another places to live and the water supply diminish. It also affect physical
health especially in urban areas where the air are polluted. In these scenarios,
the application of engineering principles are important in solving problems
especially in soil and water management, soil and water conservation
engineering. Agricultural engineer has a great role in solving engineering
problems that involve in soil and water conservation programs such as erosion
control, drainage, irrigation, flood control, moisture conservation and water
resource development. It also include the restoration of unused land, rural water
supply and land use control and conservation of our natural resources. (Andrews,
2016). This paper focuses on the role of an agricultural engineer in soil and water
conservation engineering amidst climate change challenges.

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION

Soil and water are one of the most important natural resources which are
under immense pressure due to rapidly increasing of population which result a
high demand for food, fiber and shelter. Soil and water are the major needs for
agricultural production which needs to increase as the population growth
increases. Soil and water resources are being degrade due to different human
impacts to the environment and natural factors.
 As of 2018, according to Early Times Newspaper, the problems that we
encounter in managing soil and water resources are the continuous soil erosion
and runoff which results to permanent damage to the land and water systems.
One of the serious problems is the soil erosion where the soil particles detach
from the soil surfaces due to the movement of water or air which are the
responsible to the erosion of the soil. Soil erosion may lead to the loss of soil
productivity and desertification under several conditions.

Deforestation, over-grazing, intensive cultivation, improper management of

cultivated soils and unstoppable urbanization cause soil erosion. Soil and water
resources conservation is essential for sustainability of agriculture and
environment. Using different control measures the soil resources will be
protected against erosion. Conserving and proper use of water resources prove
the concept of soil and water conservation practices include not only soil and
crop management but also soil and water conservation engineering . (Bashir
et..al., 2017)

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION ENGINEERING

Applying engineering principles in solving problems that are involve in soil
and water management problems is called soil and water conservation
engineering. Soil and water engineering programs has six phases to solve
engineering problems such as drought, flooding and soil erosion. These six
phases are the erosion control, drainage, irrigation, flood control, moisture
conservation and water resource development. Soil and water conservation
engineering include the restoration of unused land, rural water supply and land
use control and conservation of our natural resources. Soil conservation
programs intend to minimize the land degradation problems that need long term
bottom-up approach where land husbandry practices should be participated with
people. Preventing the land degradation is better than attempting to develop a
cure afterwards. (Andrews, 2016)

SOIL EROSION
 According to Ritter (2015) of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs,
soil erosion occurs naturally that affects all landforms. In agriculture, soil erosion
refers to the protective cover of natural vegetation, which is the topsoil by the
natural forces of water and wind or through the farming activities such as tillage.
Erosion involves three distinct actions the soil detachment, movement and
deposition. Topsoil which is the layer of the soil with high organic matter, fertility
and soil life is transported elsewhere. When the topsoil is relocated “on site”, it
builds up over time while it is transported “off site” it fills in drainage channels.
Soil erosion reduces the cropland production and causes pollution to the
adjacent bodies of water, wetlands and lakes.

The author also said that soil erosion is a continues process that relatively
unnoticed that can occur at an alarming rate which cause a serious loss of topsoil.
Soil erosion process can be accelerated due to serious soil degradation
conditions such as loss of structure, low organic matter, poor internal drainage,
salinization, soil acidity and soil compaction problems. During the soil erosion
tons of soil is being washed out, not only soil is lost but also a higher percentage
of plant nutrient, organic matter and soil particles are lost in the original soil.

Soil erosion control is important to maintain the crop productivity of the soil
and to control the sedimentation in streams and lakes/reservoir. Erosion control
practices such as performing all planting, tillage and harvesting operations,
planting crops in alternate strip-strip cropping, construction of cross-slope
channels to reduced the velocity of water while carrying it, planting of trees or
construction of wind breaks and shelterbelts to protect against wind erosion, use
crop residues either on the soil or incorporated on it with different cultivation
methods, establish permanent vegetation in waterways or on eroded areas and
stabilize gullies with suitable structures are recommended. (Andrews, 2016)

FLOOD AND DROUGHT

According to National Geographic Society video, flood occurs when water
overflows or when the land that usually dry submerges. Flood happens in many
ways such as when rivers and streams overflow, heavy precipitation and when
 the dam or levee fails. Coastal flooding occurs when a strong typhoon or tsunami
causes the sea to overflow inland. Most floods develop within hours or even days
and it gives the residents enough time to prepare or evacuate. Other flood
develop quickly and with little time for warning which is known as flash floods can
be highly dangerous. Flash flood can turn a babbling brook into a wall of water
and sweep everything in its path downstream at once. While the drought is a long
period of time that unusually dry weather occurs. The lack of rain cause a variety
of problems for local communities such as damages to crops and a shortage of
water. The full effects of a drought also develop for a long period of time the its
impacts can be underrate. But, drought have forceful and long-term effects on
plants, animals and people.

During these natural hazards there are methods to prevent or minimize their
effects. Flood control is made to reduce the harmful effect of flood waters such
as installation of rock berms, maintaining normal slopes with vegetation and
construction of drainage channels. Other methods are the construction of dams,
dikes, levees and detention basins. (International Water Association, 2016)

The installation of irrigation and drainage system is also used to minimize

effect of flood and supply the needs of irrigated agriculture such as good soils,
good drainage and a reliable supply of good quality water but the available water
supply of irrigation is limited. (International Water Association, 2016)

ROLE OF AN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER

An agricultural engineer helps to make farming sustainable, safe and
environmental friendly. He analyzes operation for agriculture and think for a new
technologies and ways to improve land use, increase yields and conserve our natural
resources. Agricultural engineers also find ways to protect the health and safety of
animals and agricultural products.

Agricultural engineer is responsibility in helping to meet these problems through

development and application of practices that will reduce the unnecessary losses
and damages. (Andrews, 2016)
CONCLUSION
An Agricultural Engineer has an very important role in improving land use,
increasing yields and in conserving resources like soil and water that are very
essential to life. Due the rapid growth of population, our resources in the future
will not supply our needs especially on foods and water. In addition, the
degradation of our natural resources continue due to lack of discipline of humans
that causes climate change that result to the permanent damage on our soil and
water systems.

REFERENCES
 National Geographic Society
 Early Times Newspaper (2018). Importance of Soil and Water Conservation.
 Bashir, S., Javed, A., Bibi I., & Niaz Ahmad (2017). Soil and Water
Conservation.
 International Water Association
 Ritter, J. (2015). Soil Erosion- Cause and Effects
 Andrews, O. (2016). Soil and water conservation engineering is the
application of engineering principles to the solution of soil and water
management problems.