Question

Distinguish between Contour Ploughing and Contour Bunding.

Answer 1

Hint: They both are types of methods of soil conservation and sustainable agriculture. They are techniques in which land is ploughed and crops are planted along contour lines i.e. perpendicular to the slope not parallel to it.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
Contour Bunding and Contour Ploughing are both forms of Sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture aims at developing, using and maintaining new and more efficient ways of farming which ensure that the present food and textile needs of society are met without compromising the future generation’s needs.
Contour ploughing is a farming practice which involves ploughing the land along contour lines. It refers to planting across the slope rather than along it. The planting is done perpendicularly to the slope instead of being done in a parallel manner. This creates contour lines. Contour lines prevent tillage erosion and reduce the formation of gullies during heavy rainfall. Contour ploughing is a very effective soil erosion prevention technique. It decreases by a huge margin all the negative consequences associated with soil erosion such as reduced crop productivity, flooding, lower effective reservoir water levels, worsened water quality, and habitat destruction. Contour farming is the most effective when used with other sustainable agriculture techniques such as strip cropping, terrace (agriculture) farming, and the use of a cover crop.
Contour Bunding is a similar technique but has a wide range of applications besides farming. It is used to collect the rainwater so that it is not lost as runoff. It is also used to prevent erosion of soil by wind and also to provide a better surface area for the crops to grow.

Note: Contour Bunding and Contour Ploughing both employ the same concept of farming along contour lines. They are types of soil conservation techniques. However, the contour bunding is a technique that is used to collect the water and soil from being eroded along the slopes.