Title: Integrated multiscale assessment of soil erosion and its control in Rwanda
Abstract: Rwanda, land of 1000 hills, is threatened by soil erosion. Large part of the agricultural land has been terraced, while biological and agronomic soil conservation is less extensively promoted. In this research, we gained insight in farmers’ perceptions on the erosion process and soil conservation strategies, and confronted this with in-depth research quantifying rainfall erosivity and soil erodibility, assessing the effectiveness of terracing in reducing erosion, and mapping soil erosion risk in two biophysically contrasting watersheds. Uniformity in erosion control practices, driven by government action, contrasts strongly with differences in farmers’ perception on the erosion problem, originating in the diverse agro-ecology. Both bench and progressive terraces effectively control erosion, yet their maintenance and installation prove crucial. At least two erosivity estimators are needed for predicting rainfall erosivity in Rwanda. The two highly weathered Rwandan soils proved to have a low erodibility following the WEPP and USLE concepts based on field and laboratory observations of soil loss under natural and simulated rainfall. Potential and actual erosion (sheet and rill) rate mapping using GIS-based RUSLE demonstrated the high impact of land cover and erosion control effects at watershed scale, and can be used for guiding improved soil erosion control policymaking in the two regions. This integrated multiscale assessment therefore provided science-based information necessary to foster multi-functional soil conservation strategies and support sustained crop production in Rwanda.
Publication Year: 2019
Publication Date: 2019-01-01
Language: en
Type: dissertation
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