Adopt SALT (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology)
“The only viable alternative to JHUM Farming”
What is SALT?
SALT (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology) is a package technology of soil conservation and food production, integrating differing soil conservation measures in just one setting. Basically, SALT is a method of growing field and permanent crops in 3-5 m wide bands between contoured rows of nitrogen fixing trees. The nitrogen fixing trees are thickly planted in double rows to make hedgerows. When a hedge is 1.5-2 m tall, it is cut down to about 75 cm and the cuttings (tops) are placed in the alleyways to serve as organic fertilizer.
Benefits of SALT?
As a proven system of upland farming, SALT has certain good qualities over both the traditional techniques of slash-and-burn and conventional terrace farming.
- The SALT system protects the soil from erosion.
- SALT helps restore soil fertility and structure.
- SALT is efficient in food crop production.
- SALT farming check forest fire
- SALT is environmental friendly
- SALT has the small family as its focus, and food production as the top priority–fruit trees, forest and other crops are secondary priority.
- SALT ensure permanent upland farming
- SALT is economically feasible.
- SALT is ecologically sound.
- The SALT farm can easily revert back to forestland if left unfarmed.