Restoring degraded land requires a long-term strategy in time with a comprehensive, radical and comprehensive solution system.
This is only possible when there is a macro policy coordinating an overall program to restore degraded agricultural land.
Forest management, protection and regeneration
Strengthening the management and protection of the existing forest capital; reassess the current situation of forest resources to have appropriate coping solutions because the external forests seem to be primeval forests, intact, but inside has been exhausted; some have turned to farming and trading to illegal transfer.
Priority should be given to promoting investment in watershed afforestation; planting new forests, replanting forests after exploitation; regenerate and restore natural forests, replenish forest areas, increase biodiversity value, supply capacity of forest products and non-timber forest products, protection capacity and other forest values. Well implementing forest planning management; do not change the land use purpose from forest area to agricultural area in any way; to limit the transfer of ladder hydropower development.
Every time the forest area is actually restored, ensuring a relative ratio between forest land and agricultural land, the role of the forest will be promoted, limiting soil surface flow, thereby minimizing the risk and speed of erosion. soil erosion and washing away due to flood limitation, soil erosion, thereby creating conditions for favorable regeneration of soil fertility.
Forests play a role in climate regulation, helping to reduce the increase in air temperature, thereby helping to reduce organic burning of the soil, facilitating faster recovery of soil fertility. .
The root system of forest trees helps to absorb water, retain water and create aquatic resources, thereby reducing the risk of shortage of water for agricultural production and facilitating favorable irrigation also contributes to improving the fertility of the soil.
Dr. Truong Hong, former Director of the Central Highlands Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute
Currently, the area of monoculture of coffee and pepper in the Central Highlands still accounts for a high proportion (80%) and has a close relationship with the land degradation process due to the impact of natural factors and humans. Biodiversity in the orchard by intercropping crops of suitable economic value such as durian, avocado, macca … has the effect of shading, regulating the microclimate, reducing the erosion process. wash away the soil.
Biodiversity in perennial industrial crops
Models of biodiversity have contributed to increase income for farmers by 30 – 80%; thus, the risks associated with monoculture are reduced.
Studies on soil fertility change in monoculture without shade trees and coffee gardens with shade trees are high economic value fruit crops such as durian, avocado. has shown soil fertility such as organic content, easy-to-digest phosphorus, easy-to-digest potassium; calcium, magnesium exchange, CEC after 10 years of cultivation in the biodiversity garden tended to increase compared to the beginning of new planting;
Meanwhile, coffee gardens are grown in monoculture, without shade trees, organic content, total nitrogen, easy-to-digest phosphorus, easy-to-digest potassium, especially alkaline cation content, soil alkalinity is rapidly depleted. performance of degraded land. The basic construction phase of coffee and pepper gardens should be intercropped with beans.
On sloping land to grow cassava and other food crops, it is necessary to design planting contour lines, design tape to prevent erosion on sloping land; at the same time combining with planting legume cover crops.
Studies show that for basic coffee gardens, cassava and maize, if the design of anti-erosion bands, planting cover crops, the annual land loss decreases by 50-70% compared to proof.
Use fertilizers and plant protection drugs properly
Change farming practices from intensive farming with high agrochemicals to sustainable farming.
Accordingly, to prioritize the use of organic fertilizers, bio-organic and micro-organic fertilizers in combination with reasonable and balanced inorganic fertilizers.
Annual fertilization of crops improves porosity, permeability and water retention, nutrient retention, and re-balances the microbiota in the soil. Regular fertilization of organic fertilizers has increased the efficiency of using chemical fertilizers from 15-25%; help save inorganic fertilizer costs.
Studies show that for coffee gardens, a balanced and reasonable fertilization pepper increased yield from 5 to 15% compared to the farmer’s control orchard; the amount of fertilizer decreased by 5 – 10%; The nutritional contents such as organic, total nitrogen, phosphorus, easy-to-digest potassium, CEC in the coffee garden with fertilized fertilizer were clearly higher than in the control orchard.
Gradually shifting from using chemical pesticides to using biological plant protection drugs is the foundation for restoring the ecological balance system in nature; especially improving the biological environment in the soil, beneficial microorganisms (fungi, beneficial bacteria …), thereby helping to control pests and diseases from the soil; beneficial insects also develop as ladybugs are natural enemies that attack aphids; Parasitic fungi attack insects and harmful fungi.
The use of biological pesticides will ensure food hygiene and safety for agricultural products, which is an extremely important criterion for countries importing from Europe, Japan, America, and Korea …
Management of water resources, watering rationally and scientifically
Establish an irrigation infrastructure system in line with the planning of the agricultural area on the basis of both effectively protecting water resources and regulating concentrated water resources during the rainy season to limit the harmful effects of floods causing erosion. , wash away the soil; at the same time, to reserve water for the dry season to serve the watering needs of key crops of high economic value.
This is a very important measure in restoring productive capacity and increasing fertility of degraded soil.
Economical irrigation for coffee brings many economic and environmental benefits. Photo: Dang Lam
Irrigation techniques are also very important to contribute significantly in the maintenance and improvement of the fertility of agricultural land.
Adequate irrigation techniques should be applied to ensure sufficient water for the needs of the plant and for the soil to facilitate the biochemical processes that occur in the soil as the basis for maintenance and improvement; to prioritize the application of economical watering technology.
Watering in too high amounts will increase production costs and will lead to leaching, accumulation of clay, and deep alkaline and alkaline cations, leading to an acidic soil layer; watering such high amounts of water as creating surface runoff or overflow increases the risk of soil erosion and loss of nutrients, leading to soil degradation and degradation.
Rotate crops
Rotate different crops on an area of soil to limit the depletion of nutrients in the soil.
For perennial industrial crops at the end of the harvesting cycle, the crops should be rotated with legumes; leguminous crops … Short-term food crops such as maize, dry rice, cassava … after 4-5 crops of cultivation, also need rotation to improve, improve fertility and regenerate the productivity of land.
In short, in order to restore degraded land before it is too late, it is necessary for a communication program with the slogan “Protect the health of the soil” or “Healthy soil, healthy trees, healthy people” for farmers to change their practice. sustainable farming in addition to training, training skills in agricultural production.
To maintain, protect and gradually improve and improve soil productivity (or soil fertility), it is necessary to implement a system of economic, technical and management solutions as mentioned above. with the coordination and determination of state management agencies, farmers and scientists.
