What is Contour Farming in India? A Complete Guide for Farmers

Table of Contents

• What is Contour Farming?
• A Brief Context of Contour Farming in India
• Benefits of Contour Farming
• Crops grown through Contour Cultivation
• Contour Strip Cropping
• Preparation of Land for Contour Farming (Ploughing)
• How Does Contour Farming Work?
• Limitations of Contour Farming
• Conclusion

What is Contour Farming?

Contour agriculture is the method of planting crops along a contour line that runs across the slope (horizontally) rather than up and down (vertically). Furrows are ploughed perpendicular rather than parallel to the slope. Contour planting helps create ridges and furrows that break the flow of water during heavy rainfall. By doing so, more rainwater gets soaked in the soil.   

Usually, there is confusion between contour farming and terrace farming, but the two techniques are distinct. Contour farming is recommended for lands with a slope range of 2% to 7%. In contour farming, the natural slope is followed without altering it, whereas terrace farming alters the slope and builds walls to create flat surfaces for water catchment and to check soil erosion. Now, let’s understand the brief context of contour farming in India.

A Brief Context of Contour Farming in India

Contour farming is a traditional soil and water conservation practice used in several parts of India. Contour farming is practiced under different agroecological conditions. Basically, it is a strategy to preserve rainwater. Bunding or contour cultivation is used in the hills across all climatic zones or regions with <5° slope, receiving <500 mm annual rainfall. Conservation furrows are used in hilly regions with <500-700 mm annual rainfall. The effectiveness of the practice depends on rainfall intensity, topography, and soil types in the area. Contour farming helps with crop management, increases crop yield, reduces soil erosion, and lowers fertilizer and production costs. Contour farming can be useful in suitable sloping areas of Assam and other hilly regions, as it receives heavy rainfall and has a system of plantation cultivation.

Contour farming is considered one of the important mitigation techniques for reversing land degradation in hilly areas, Indo-Gangetic plains, dryland and desert areas, southern peninsular India, central India and coastal areas. Contour bunding/trenching is one of the rainfall management strategies under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).

Benefits of Contour Farming

There are several benefits of contour farming. These include:

• Reduces soil erosion by nearly 50%, depending on the slope, rainfall, soil, and implementation
• May reduce fertilizer costs
• More water conservation
• Can improve crop productivity under certain conditions
• Better nutrient retention
• Reduced soil degradation

Crops Grown Through Contour Cultivation

In contour farming, almost all crops can be grown depending on climate, temperature, topography, and location. However, only a few of them are commonly grown. Here is the list of commonly grown crops through contour farming:

• Maize
• Paddy
• Grass
• Soybeans
• Legumes
• Cardamom

Contour Strip Cropping

Growing alternating strips of crops along the natural contours of a sloping land is known as contour strip cropping. Some of the benefits include:

• With alternating crops, contour strip cropping requires adjustments to field operation scheduling.
• Planting rotational crops in strips, such as grain corn and soybeans, can help sediment settle at the boundaries between strips of these different cropping zones. This reduces the chance of sediment movement beyond the field edge.
• Overall, strip cropping benefits soil moisture retention and increases soil fertility.

Preparation of Land for Contour Farming (Ploughing)

Preparing the land for contour farming is crucial, as water movement can damage your crops. The contour slopes accelerate water flow, and the speed of the flowing water can wash away soil, resulting in crop damage.

Follow the steps below to prepare the land for contour farming:

• Conduct the topographic survey of the field carefully.
• Mark the contour lines using a suitable surveying method before ploughing.
• Carry out farming activities parallel to the contour baseline.

How Does Contour Farming Work?

Contour ploughing, also called contour farming, means tilling the land across the slope along the same elevation/contour. This method forms furrows that work like small dams, slowing down water flow, and helping reduce runoff velocity and the risk of rill and gully erosion when it rains heavily. It usually starts with a topographic survey or GPS to map the contour lines. Farmers then plough along these lines, creating ridges that hold water and allow it to soak into the soil.

Limitations of Contour Farming

While contour farming offers benefits, it also has some limitations. Let’s have a look at some limitations below:

Limited Applicability: Contour farming is suitable only for sloping areas with gradients between 2% and 7%. Flat or excessively steep areas may not be feasible or effective for contour farming.

Labor-intensive Implementation: Due to the contour lines and slopes, it takes longer than usual. It is a labor-intensive implementation method.

Maintenance Requirements: Contour rows, bunds, grass barriers, and drainage structures require regular maintenance to ensure effective erosion control. This maintenance can be demanding and time-consuming for farmers.

Initial Investment: Basic contour cultivation can be relatively low-cost, while surveying, bund construction or related structures can increase costs.

Conclusion

Contour farming is an efficient, cost-effective farming method used in India that helps retain soil moisture, achieve high yields, and conserve soil. Hence, it is a sustainable method that can substantially reduce soil erosion under suitable conditions.