SOIL CONSERVATION FARMING SYSTEM PRACTICES ON SLOPING LAND ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN COAST OF CHINA

Soil conservation farming system has been studied in Zhangzhou Municipality of Fujian Province by following the ASOCON activities. The result has shown that intensive farming measures are available for soil conservation on sloping land in a densely populated area. Level terracing is the basic physical conservation measure in the farming system which has a high economic and soil conservation benefit. Other conservation measures include multiple cropping and rotation with different plants to increase cover and soil moisture levels to protect the soil from erosion, as dry and loose soil is easy to erode when the soil is disturbed during the harvest season. Orchard establishment with a combination of late, semi-late fruit trees and annual crops ensures farmers’ early income, and improves soil fertility on the severely eroded sloping land. Contour grass barriers have also been popularly used because of their cheap cost and easy operation. Each measure shows its advantages in different situations for the farmers and their land and they need to be designed comprehensively and rationally. Additional Keywords: soil conservation, terracing, fruit trees, contour grass barriers