Back to solutions
2 Jan 2020 | NEPCAT technologies

Sustainable land management using controlled gullying in ‘jagidol’ areas

2 mins Read

70% Complete

An indigenous technology to help control channelled water during the rainy season and conserve it during the dry season

For more than two centuries, local farmers have promoted soil and water conservation by protecting the gullies which occur naturally between rice terraces; thus the land area is called ‘jagidol’ (jagi=rice, dol=gully). The small perennial streams which flow through the terraces are protected by constructing check dams and retaining walls to reduce the danger of erosion and collapse.

During the monsoon, the channels or trenches can become engorged and, since their walls are not reinforced (except for grass planted at the edges), the conduits can be easily eroded. When the erosion is severe enough, the edges of the terraces adjacent to the gullies can collapse. When many gullies collapse at once, the stability of the entire hillside is threatened with catastrophic consequences for the village situated above the planting area. Villagers have traditionally used local materials and expertise to maintain the gullies and reduce soil erosion by building retaining walls across the slope which are strengthened through plantation. The retaining walls are bio-engineered using a combination of bamboo poles, rocks, and soil-filled sacks. Bamboo poles are used for the backbone of the support structure, and rocks and soil-filled sacks are used to line the sides of the channel. Local grasses such as ‘sitto’ are planted on the top and, as they grow, their roots help to anchor the structure. When the channels are fortified by retaining walls and planting, they become entrenched and, over time, less maintenance is required. As a bonus, when the plants grown along the gullies mature, they provide biomass for the farm and fodder for cattle. During winter, when water is scarce, farmers modify the gully system by constructing check dams which can be used to collect water in one place. These dams are useful for irrigation during the dry season and they also help to prevent bed scouring.

Sharada Batase VDC, Kabhrepalanchok District, Nepal

WOCAT database reference: QT NEP 25

Location: Sharada Batase VDC,

Kabhrepalanchok District, Nepal

Technology area: 1.1 km2

Conservation measure(s): Vegetative, structural, and management measures

Land Use: Waterways, drainage channels, ponds, dams

Stage of intervention: Mitigation/reduction of land degradation

Origin: Has been practised for generations by the local communities

Climate: Subhumid/sub-tropical

Related approach: Gullies – a traditional sustainable land management practice (QA NEP 25)

Other related technology: Gully plugging using check dams (QT NEP 14)

Compiled by: Sabita Aryal Khanna, Kathmandu University

Date: December 2010, updated March 2013

Download PDF

1 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Landslip and stream bank stabilisation

Integration of vegetative and structural measures for landslip, stream bank and gully stabilisation on hillsides A combination of measures were implemented ...

1 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Kiwi fruit cultivation

Kiwi fruit cultivation on sloping land in the mid-hill areas of Nepal can help prevent soil erosion and is a ...

1 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Contour bunding

A traditional low-cost method of soil conservation suitable for sloping land; it promotes water retention and helps prevent erosion. Contour bunding ...

1 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Black plastic covered farmyard manure

Improving farmyard manure (FYM) by covering it with black plastic sheeting to provide a favourable environment for microbial activities, and ...

1 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Improved terraces

Hillside forward-sloping terracing and stabilisation using structural and vegetative measures This technology addresses the soil erosion and water runoff problems associated ...

1 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Cultivation of fodder and grasses

Cultivation of fodder crops on marginal lands and terrace risers Fodder plays a major role in the crop-livestock-manure-soil nutrient cycle on ...

2 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Polypit nursery

A simple, inexpensive and practical method for raising healthy plant seedlings During the winter in Nepal’s middle mountains, the soil temperature ...

1 Jan 2020 NEPCAT technologies
Legume integration

Integration of leguminous crops as intercrops on terrace risers or as relay crops Legumes are widely grown across the hills of ...