Growing soil conserving plants

Deeply rooted, hedge-forming vetiver grass, planted in contour strips across hill slopes, slows water run-off dramatically, reduces erosion, and increases the moisture available for crop growth. Today, 90% of soil conservation efforts in India are based on such biological systems. In the Central Visayas Regional Development Project in the Philippines, a successful scheme for distributing young animals has been paired with the promotion of contour grass strips for erosion control. A farmer who establishes a 100-meter strip of napier grass is entitled to borrow a pregnant cow from the project.