Application of Cellulosic Fiber in Soil Erosion Mitigation: Prospect and Challenges

The agricultural industry is one of the main economic contributors in developing countries, especially in tropical regions. Extensive land clearing has led to severe erosion within the watersheds, which increases the vulnerability of water catchments to natural disasters, such as floods. Cellulosic fibers, such as jute, sisal, kenaf, hemp, and coir, are gaining increasing worldwide attention for their potential application in controlling soil erosion, principally due to their remarkable biodegradable and physical properties. Nonetheless, the research on biocomposites in controlling soil erosion is limited compared to the natural fibers. This is perhaps due to poor availability and high cost of biodegradable polymers compared to natural fibers, which are abundant and inexpensive. Poor adhesive interactions between the matrix and natural fibers due to the hydrophilic characteristic of the fibers is another major drawback that limits the development of biocomposites for controlling soil erosion.

Automated summary

The agricultural industry plays a significant role in developing countries, but extensive land clearing has increased vulnerability to natural disasters due to severe erosion within watersheds. Cellulosic fibers like jute and sisal are gaining attention for controlling soil erosion, but research on biocomposites is limited by cost and availability of biodegradable polymers. Hindered by poor adhesive interactions, the development of biocomposites for soil erosion control remains limited.