Contour bunding
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Contour bunding is a scheme to prevent erosion and promote better utilization of rainwater.
Farmers put stones around the contours of slopes to keep rainwater and accompanying soil within the farming area long enough for it to soak in. This preserves agrarian land and makes it more productive. This technique has been widely adopted in Burkina Faso after it was suggested by British Oxfam worker Bill Hereford in the beginning of the 1980s.
[edit] References
- Pearce, F. (2002) Africans go back to the land as plants reclaim the desert, New Scientist 21. September, page 4.
- Looking after our land - Soil and Water Conservation in Dryland Africa - Detailed instructions for contour bund construction.
- BBC News - Sahara desert frontiers turn green
