Erosion and soil and water conservation inSouth-Kivu(eastern DR Congo): The farmers' view

Despite being one of the hotspots for soil erosion in the world, little is known regarding farmer's knowledge of soil erosion in the highlands of South-Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A proper understanding of farmers' knowledge regarding soil erosion and conservation measures is a prerequisite for implementing resilient erosion control measures. The objective of this study was therefore to assess farmers' knowledge of soil erosion, to document existing soil and water conservation (SWC) measures and to identify their adoption constraints in the highlands of South-Kivu. Data were collected using interviews with a semi-structured questionnaire involving 720 respondents from eight watersheds in four territories. Farmers reported eight main erosion indicators. As opposed to gullies (80% of farmers), rills were perceived as important erosion indicators by only 50% of farmers, despite their common occurrence. Farmers were largely unaware of the potential impact of their crops and cropping practices on erosion. Farmers knew about only a limited range of SWC measures, which were perceived to be little to moderately efficient. Furthermore, the average level of adoption was very low (21%). Adoption constraints varied widely depending on the SWC measure. Thus, future interventions need to place much greater emphasis on awareness regarding soil erosion and SWC measures, to strengthen farmers' capacity for experimentation and adaptation to new technologies and finally to create a policy and institutional environment that stimulates widespread adoption of SWC techniques.

Automated summary

Farmers in the highlands of South-Kivu have limited knowledge of soil erosion and conservation measures, with low adoption rates. Efforts need to be made to enhance awareness and capacity among farmers for the adoption of sustainable soil and water conservation techniques.