Farmer’s perception on soil erosion in rainfed watershed areas of Telangana, India
Soil erosion is a major problem of agriculture in India. The objective of this study is to investigate how farmers perceive the severity of soil erosion in the rainfed watershed areas of Telangana , India . The study is based on a detailed survey of 400 households in two sub - watershed areas. The study findings suggest that farmer‘s perception of soil erosion severity corresponds well with expectations of soil erosion determined by site specific factors such as slope of the plot, soil depth, soil texture, road connectivity, irrigation, crop intensity, and type of crops. The findings from the study also corroborate well with the several empirical studies from different parts of the world . Given this correspondence, it is argued that farmer‘s expertise is important while assessing soil erosion severity. The farmer‘s knowledge of the plot level soil erosion could complement the assessments made through secondary sources . The study findings further highlight the importance of using participatory approaches when working to reduce soil erosion.
