Biological Soil & Water Conservation. The Vetiver Grass as an example.

This book summarises fundamental methodologies in biological soil and water conservation measures, using the versatile Vetiver grass as a prime example. The material is derived from various student compendia and extension information letters on soil science and soil and water conservation written by Associate Professor Emeritus H. Jonas Åkerman between 1980 and 2000. Over a decade of long-term assignments in Tamil Nadu, India, Sri Lanka, the SADCC region, Lesotho, Zambia, and Kenya, focusing on environmental management and development issues such as agriculture, agroforestry, soil erosion and conservation, as well as general rural development, has equipped the author with extensive international experience in this field. The foundation for this experience includes roles as a technical adviser within the ministries of Agriculture in India, Lesotho, and Zambia, as well as the Ministry of Environment in Kenya and Zambia. In these capacities, the author has managed projects funded by the UN, Sida/SAREC, and SADCC, gaining a comprehensive background in practical and applied development issues related to Soil and Water Conservation and the management of sustainable development challenges in rural areas. The author's specific interests lie in the role of smallholder and subsistence farmers as key players in sustainable rural development processes, environmentally sound land use, environmental impact assessment, and training and extension matters, among others. The book is primarily aimed at non-specialised university students in disciplines related to agronomy, such as geoscience (physical and human geography, geology), environmental science, landscape architecture, forest science, biology, and sustainability studies. It also serves as a suitable introductory read for managers and administrators of development projects addressing environmental management and development issues within agriculture, agroforestry, soil erosion and conservation, and general rural development.