The effect of soil and water conservation measures on selected soil properties in Nyamasoga landscape, Buliisa District

Abstract

Soil erosion is a human induced type of land degradation and is among the foremost causes of loss of valuable soil nutrients, which in turn affects land/soil productivity. To limit this problem soil and water conservation measures such as trenches with grass bands and trenches without grass bands were implemented by the Government of Uganda under Ministry of Agriculture Animal and Fisheries during the Sustainable Land Management project in 2017 in Nyamasoga landscape. However, their effect on soil properties had not yet been evaluated. This study investigated the impact of the implemented soil and water conservation measures on soil properties in Nyamasoga landscape. Both composite and core soil samples were taken from the trenches without grass bands (B), trenches with grass bands (B+G) and the control (without conservation measure). Selected soil properties such as available Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, moisture, organic matter, pH, bulk density and hydraulic conductivity were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures.

Soil organic matter, soil organic carbon, percentage nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous showed significantly higher mean values in the trenches without grass bands than in the trenches with grass bands and the control (without conservation measures). Furthermore, there was a significant variation of exchangeable potassium and percentage nitrogen between the treatment (trenches with grass bands, trenches without grass band and the control without any conservation measure. The control had low potassium, Organic matter, organic carbon and phosphorous compared to the trenches with and without grass bands.

Conservation measures have important implications for conserving soil properties in Nyamasoga landscape. The mean values of potassium, organic carbon, organic matter, available phosphorus and moisture content were high in trenches without and trenches with grass bands than in the control (without soil and water conservation measure). Therefore, soil and water conservation measures should also be implemented on land where they haven’t been introduced. Proper guidance, follow-up and maintenance of trenches with grass bands are required for the landscape sustainability and good soil conditions.