Activity 13.

2: Your contribution to degradation of land

Identify at least 3 practices in your Barangay that contribute to land
degradation and 3 conversation techniques. There are six (6) practices
and techniques discussed in this module, please find a (1) picture of each
practices and techniques.

Anthropogenic Causes of Land Degradation

Practices

1. Shifting cultivation or kaingin system 2. Timber harvesting or logging

3. Construction projects
4. Mining

5. Overgrazing and burning of grassland 6. Use of agro chemicals

Effects of Land Degradation

1. Pollution and clogging of waterways

2. Increased flooding

3. Loss of arable land

4. Drought and aridity

5. Soil quality reduction

Conservation techniques in land cultivation
Techniques

• Strip farming: the practice in which cultivated crops are sown in alternative strips to
prevent water movement.

• Crop rotation: practice in which different crops are grown in same area following a
rotation system which helps in replenishment of the soil.

• Ridge and furrow soil formation: soil erosion is one of the factors responsible for land
degradation. It can be prevented by the formation of ridge and furrow soil patterns
which, during irrigation, which lessens run off.

• Construction of dams: this usually checks or reduces the velocity of run off so that soil
can support vegetation.
• Contour farming: this type of farming is usually practiced across a hill side and is useful
in collecting and diverting the run off to avoid erosion.

• Avoiding poor tillage methods such as deep plowing.