Effects of Agricultural Land Practices Management on Sustainable Crop Production

Open Access
Download PDF
AgroEnvironmental Sustainability
Mohammad Din Khadim , Mohammad Wali Wali , Saleh Mohammad Helmandwal

Abstract

This study investigates effective soil management practices aimed at enhancing sustainable agricultural production and preventing soil degradation. Soil degradation remains a significant global challenge, threatening food security, ecosystem stability, and rural livelihoods. In this context, adopting well-planned soil conservation measures is essential to maintain long-term agricultural productivity. The research reviews various techniques, including contour farming, mulching, and the use of cover crops, conservation plowing, terracing, and agroforestry. The findings reveal that these methods collectively improve soil structure, increase water infiltration and moisture retention, enhance nutrient cycling, and promote biodiversity. For instance, mulching and cover crops protect the soil from erosion and temperature extremes; while terracing and contour farming reduce surface runoff and increase water availability for crops. Agroforestry not only stabilizes soils but also provides additional economic benefits through diversified farm outputs. These improvements contribute to higher crop and livestock yields, better resilience against climate variability, and overall ecosystem health. However, despite their proven benefits, the widespread implementation of these practices faces significant obstacles. High initial costs of adoption, limited access to skilled labor and technical expertise, and weak legislative and policy support remain major constraints. In many regions, farmers lack financial incentives and government-backed programs to encourage long-term conservation efforts. The study showed that increased financial and technical assistance to farmers, capacity-building programs to develop expertise, and the introduction of strong policy frameworks that promote these globally recognized soil conservation techniques. Addressing these challenges is vital for ensuring soil health, sustainable production, and food security for future generations.

Keywords

soil conservation land practices sustainable management yield improvement

References

  1. Abera, A., & Wana, D. (2024). Effects of agricultural land management practices on crop production and household income in Ojoje, southern Ethiopia. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management, 11(3), 5817–5828. https://doi.org/10.15243/jdmlm.2024.113.5817 [Google Scholar]
  2. Alam, A. (2014). Soil degradation: A challenge to sustainable agriculture. International Journal of Scientific Research in Agricultural Sciences, 1(4), 50–55. https://doi.org/10.12983/ijsras-2014-p0050-0055 [Google Scholar]
  3. Albizua, A., Williams, A., Hedlund, K., & Pascual, U. (2015). Crop rotations including ley and manure can promote ecosystem services in conventional farming systems. Applied Soil Ecology, 95, 54–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2015.06.003 [Google Scholar]
  4. Alyokhin, A., Nault, B., & Brown, B. (2020). Soil conservation practices for insect pest management in highly disturbed agroecosystems: A review. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 168(1), 7–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.12863 [Google Scholar]
  5. Anantha, K. H., Garg, K. K., Barron, J., Dixit, S., Venkataradha, A., Singh, R., & Whitbread, A. M. (2021). Impact of best management practices on sustainable crop production and climate resilience in smallholder farming systems of South Asia. Agricultural Systems, 194, 103276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103276 [Google Scholar]
  6. Bhan, S., & Behera, U. K. (2014). Conservation agriculture in India: Problems, prospects and policy issues. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 2(4), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-6339(15)30053-8 [Google Scholar]
  7. Bindraban, P. S., van der Velde, M., Ye, L., van den Berg, M., Materechera, S., Kiba, D. I., Tamene, L., Ragnarsdóttir, K. V., Jongschaap, R., Hoogmoed, M., Hoogmoed, W., van Beek, C., & van Lynden, G. (2012). Assessing the impact of soil degradation on food production. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 4(5), 478–488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2012.09.015 [Google Scholar]
  8. Bista, P., Machado, S., Ghimire, R., Yorgey, G., & Wysocki, D. (2017). Conservation tillage systems. In G. Yorgey & C. Kruger (Eds.), Advances in dryland farming in the Inland Pacific Northwest (pp. 99–124). Washington State University. [Google Scholar]
  9. Blanco-Canqui, H., & Lal, R. (2008). Soil and water conservation. In Principles of soil conservation and management (pp. 1–19). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8709-7_1 [Google Scholar]
  10. Blanco-Canqui, H., Claassen, M., & Presley, D. (2012). Summer cover crops fix nitrogen, increase crop yield, and improve soil–crop relationships. Agronomy Journal, 104(1), 137–147. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2011.0240 [Google Scholar]
  11. Bommireddy, M., Mudigiri, C., Ramesh, G., Saidulu, P., Meenakshi, N., & Prasanna, C. L. (2024). Enhancing soil health and fertility management for sustainable agriculture: A review. Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 10(3), 182–190. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajsspn/2024/v10i3330 [Google Scholar]
  12. Brady, N. C. (1984). The nature and properties of soils. CABI. [Google Scholar]
  13. Cherlinka, V. (2020). Soil Conservation Methods for Maintaining Farmlands’ Fertility. EOS. https://eos.com/blog/soil-conservation/ [Google Scholar]
  14. Clark, A. (2008). Managing cover crops profitably (3rd ed.). Diane Publishing. [Google Scholar]
  15. Cosmas Parwada, M., Mupambwa, H. A., Mandumbu, R., & Mashingaidze, A. (2023). Editorial: Sustainable soil fertility practices for smallholder farmers. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7, 1208932. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1208932 [Google Scholar]
  16. Creamer, N. G. (1996). Evaluation of summer cover crops for use in vegetable production systems. HortScience, 31(5), 749b–749. [Google Scholar]
  17. Creamer, N. G., & Baldwin, K. R. (2000). An evaluation of summer cover crops for use in vegetable production systems in North Carolina. HortScience, 35(4), 600–603. https://doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.35.4.600 [Google Scholar]
  18. Critchley, W., Siegert, K., Chapman, C., & Finkel, M. (2013). Water harvesting: A manual for the design and construction of water harvesting schemes for plant production. Scientific Publishers. https://www.adpc.net/igo/category/ID1812/doc/2022-chx3Bn-ADPC-Water_Harvesting_Nepal.pdf [Google Scholar]
  19. Das, A., Lyngdoh, D., Probir, K. G., Rattan, L., Jayanta, L., & Ramkrushna, G. I. (2018). Tillage and cropping sequence effect on physico-chemical and biological properties of soil in Eastern Himalayas, India. Soil and Tillage Research, 180, 182–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.03.005 [Google Scholar]
  20. Deng, C., Zhang, G., Liu, Y., Nie, X., Li, Z., Liu, J., & Zhu, D. (2021). Advantages and disadvantages of terracing: A comprehensive review. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 9(3), 344–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2021.03.002 [Google Scholar]
  21. Derpsch, R., Friedrich, T., Kassam, A., & Li, H. (2010). Current status of adoption of no-till farming in the world and some of its main benefits. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 3(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.3965/j.issn.1934-6344.2010.01.0-0 [Google Scholar]
  22. Donkin, R. A. (1979). Agricultural terracing in the aboriginal New World. CIRMÁ. https://cirma.org.gt/library/images/b/b1/13731.pdf [Google Scholar]
  23. Ejeta, T. T., & Bai, X. (2025). The effect of sustainable agricultural practices on crop productivity in Ethiopia: Insights from a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8, 1499412. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1499412 [Google Scholar]
  24. El-Beltagi, H. S., Basit, A., Mohamed, H. I., Ali, I., Ullah, S., Kamel, E. A., … Ghazzawy, H. S. (2022). Mulching as a sustainable water and soil saving practice in agriculture: A review. Agronomy, 12(8), 1881. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081881 [Google Scholar]
  25. Erktan, A., Blanchart, E., Pulleman, M., & Trap, J. (2024). Soil biodiversity and ecological intensification for sustainable agriculture. Plant and Soil, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06961-8 [Google Scholar]
  26. Fernandes, F. F. (2024). Study application of soil conservation techniques along highway openings. Jurnal Teknologi Pangan dan Ilmu Pertanian, 2(1), 43–50. https://doi.org/10.59581/jtpip-widyakarya.v2i1.2862 [Google Scholar]
  27. Ferreira, C. S., Soares, P. R., Guilherme, R., Vitali, G., Boulet, A., Harrison, M. T., Ferreira, A. J. (2024). Sustainable water management in horticulture: Problems, premises, and promises. Horticulturae, 10(9), 951. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090951 [Google Scholar]
  28. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (1997). Conservation agriculture: Case studies from Africa. FAO. [Google Scholar]
  29. Govaerts, B. (2009). Conservation agriculture as a sustainable option for the central Mexican highlands. Soil and Tillage Research, 103(2), 222–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.05.018 [Google Scholar]
  30. Halli, H. M., Govindasamy, P., Sannagoudar, M. S., Wasnik, V. K., Raghavendra, M., Hatti, V., Rajpoot, S. K. (2021). Water management for efficient crop production. In Sustainable soil fertility management (pp. 201–219). Nova Science Publishers, Inc. [Google Scholar]
  31. Hobbs, P. R., Sayre, K., & Gupta, R. (2008). The role of conservation agriculture in sustainable agriculture. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 363(1491), 543–555. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2007.2169 [Google Scholar]
  32. Jose, S. (2009). Agroforestry for ecosystem services and environmental benefits: An overview. Agroforestry Systems, 76(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-009-9229-7 [Google Scholar]
  33. Katharine, S. P., Mariappan, G., Radhika, K., & Hemalatha, S. (2017). Strategies to improve soil fertility to sustain agriculture. Agriculture Update, 12(4), 1159–1167. https://doi.org/10.15740/has/au/12.techsear(4)2017/1159-1167 [Google Scholar]
  34. Kifle, T., Tesfaye, Y., & van Rooijen, D. (2022). Land management practices and their contribution to crop production and soil erosion control in the Bale Eco-Region, South-eastern Ethiopia. Authorea Preprints. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.165692343.32579414/v1 [Google Scholar]
  35. Knowler, D., & Bradshaw, B. (2007). Farmers’ adoption of conservation agriculture: A review and synthesis of recent research. Food Policy, 32(1), 25–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2006.01.003 [Google Scholar]
  36. Kour, T. (2021). Effect of tillage practices and mustard-based cropping systems on soil quality in drylands (Doctoral dissertation, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu). [Google Scholar]
  37. Lal, R. (2001). Soil degradation by erosion. Land Degradation & Development, 12(6), 519–539. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.472 [Google Scholar]
  38. Lal, R. (2004). Soil carbon sequestration impacts on global climate change and food security. Science, 304(5677), 1623–1627. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1097396 [Google Scholar]
  39. Lal, R. (2015). Restoring soil quality to mitigate soil degradation. Sustainability, 7(5), 5875–5895. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7055875 [Google Scholar]
  40. Lal, R. (2020). Soil quality and sustainability. In R. Lal (Ed.), Methods for assessment of soil degradation (pp. 17–30). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003068716-2 [Google Scholar]
  41. Leakey, R. R. B. (1996). Definition of agroforestry revisited. Agroforestry Today, 8(1), 5–5. [Google Scholar]
  42. Liebman, M., & Dyck, E. (1993). Crop rotation and intercropping strategies for weed management. Ecological Applications, 3(1), 92–122. https://doi.org/10.2307/1941795 [Google Scholar]
  43. Madhu, M. (2022). Soil and water conservation strategies for sustainable agriculture in changing climate scenario. In Community-based climate risk management through watershed development (pp. 1–23). Springer. [Google Scholar]
  44. Mekonen, Y. (2023). Review on the effects of organic farming on soil fertility and crop production in Ethiopia. Global Journal of Agricultural Health Science, 12, 188. https://doi.org/10.35248/2319-5584.23.12.188 [Google Scholar]
  45. Moncada, K. M., & Sheaffer, C. C. (2010). Winter cover crops. In Risk management guide for organic producers (p. 244). University of Minnesota. [Google Scholar]
  46. Montgomery, D. R. (2012). Dirt: The erosion of civilizations (New preface ed.). University of California Press. [Google Scholar]
  47. Moulin, C., et al. (2019). The impact of agricultural practices on soil organisms: Lessons learnt from market-gardens. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 34(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajaees/2019/v34i130188 [Google Scholar]
  48. Nair, P. R., Kumar, B. M., & Nair, V. D. (2021). An introduction to agroforestry: Four decades of scientific developments (pp. 3–20). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75358-0 [Google Scholar]
  49. Nithinkumar, K., & Gairola, A. (2023). Soil conservation methods: Agronomic measures and vegetative barriers. The Agriculture Magazine. [Google Scholar]
  50. Page, K. L., Dang, Y. P., & Dalal, R. C. (2020). The ability of conservation agriculture to conserve soil organic carbon and the subsequent impact on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and yield. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4, 31. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.00031 [Google Scholar]
  51. Pretty, J. (2008). Agricultural sustainability: Concepts, principles and evidence. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 363(1491), 447–465. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2007.2163 [Google Scholar]
  52. Rafael, B. S., Francisco, E. N., & Francisco, L. (2021). Effectiveness of conservation agriculture (tillage vs. vegetal soil cover) to reduce water erosion in maize cultivation (Zea mays L.): An experimental study in the sub-humid uplands of Guatemala. Geoderma, 402, 115336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115336 [Google Scholar]
  53. Rounsevell, M. (1996). Soil management in sustainable agriculture. Global Environmental Change, 6(3), 251–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/0959-3780(96)82722-1 [Google Scholar]
  54. Roussis, I., & Kakabouki, I. (2024). Sustainable soil management and crop production research. Sustainability, 16(20), 8830. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16208830 [Google Scholar]
  55. Schmidt, E., & Tadesse, F. (2019). The impact of sustainable land management on household crop production in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. Land Degradation & Development, 30(7), 777–787. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3266 [Google Scholar]
  56. Sharma, P., et al. (2018). The role of cover crops towards sustainable soil health and agriculture: A review paper. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 9(9), 1935–1951. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2018.99140 [Google Scholar]
  57. Shukla, P. R., Skeg, J., Buendia, E. C., Masson-Delmotte, V., Pörtner, H. O., Roberts, D. C., Malley, J. (2019). Climate change and land: An IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. IPCC. [Google Scholar]
  58. Singh, V. K., Yadvinder-Singh, Dwivedi, B. S., Susheel, K. S., Kaushik, M., Mangi, L. J., Rajendra, P., & Meenu, R. (2016). Soil physical properties, yield trends and economics after five years of conservation agriculture-based rice–maize system in north-western India. Soil and Tillage Research, 155, 133–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.08.001 [Google Scholar]
  59. Snapp, S. S., Swinton, S. M., Labarta, R., Mutch, D., Black, J. R., Leep, R., & O’Neil, K. (2005). Evaluating cover crops for benefits, costs and performance within cropping system niches. Agronomy Journal, 97(1), 322–332. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2005.0322a [Google Scholar]
  60. Somasundaram, J., Salikram, M., Sinha, N. K., Mohanty, M., Chaudhary, R. S., & Dalal, R. C. (2019). Conservation agriculture effects on soil properties and crop productivity in a semiarid region of India. Soil Research, 57(2), 187–193. https://doi.org/10.1071/SR18145_CO [Google Scholar]
  61. Țopa, D.-C., Căpșună, S., Calistru, A.-E., & Ailincăi, C. (2025). Sustainable practices for enhancing soil health and crop quality in modern agriculture: A review. Agriculture, 15(9), 998. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15090998 [Google Scholar]
  62. Wittwer, R. A., Dorn, B., Jossi, W., & van der Heijden, M. G. A. (2017). Cover crops support ecological intensification of arable cropping systems. Scientific Reports, 7, 41911. [Google Scholar]
  63. Yadav, G. S., Saha, P., & Babu, S. (2018). Effect of no-till and raised-bed planting on soil moisture conservation and productivity of summer maize (Zea mays) in Eastern Himalayas. Agricultural Research, 7(3), 300–310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-018-0308-8 [Google Scholar]
  64. Yadav, J., Rani, R., Meena, B. R., Deepali Chittora, Pushpa Gehlot, Jain, T., & Sharma, K. (2024). Agroforestry-Based Consequences Improve the Soil Health. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, 93–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7282-1_5 [Google Scholar]
  65. Yang, L., Bai, J., Liu, J., Zeng, N., & Cao, W. (2018). Green manuring effect on changes of soil nitrogen fractions, maize growth, and nutrient uptake. Agronomy, 8(11), 261. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy8110261 [Google Scholar]
  66. Young, A. (1997). Agroforestry for soil management (2nd ed.). CAB International. [Google Scholar]
  67. YR, H. S. R., Vishnu, P., Yasasvi, B., & Changade, N. M. (2022). Effect on soil fertility under different cropping sequences, irrigation levels and fertilizer doses. The Pharma Innovation Journal, 11(5), 2189-2193. [Google Scholar]
  68. Ziyou, S., Jinsong, Z., Wenliang, W., Dianxiong, C., Junjie, L., Guanghui, J., Jian, H., Jun, G., Roger, H., & Donald, G. (2007). Effects of conservation tillage practices on winter wheat water-use efficiency and crop yield on the Loess Plateau, China. Agricultural Water Management, 87(3), 307–314. [Google Scholar]

Similar Articles

1-10 of 76

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.