Abstract:
Land degradation as a result of unsustainable human activities and climatic variations is a serious problem
undermining the productivity of arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Large portion of these lands are being
threatened with desertification. This paper is aimed at identifying the significance of Micro-catchment water
harvesting (MCWH) technique in reclaiming degraded lands by reviewing various researches done in the area. The
central point of MCWH technique is to facilitate the storage of water in the soil for plants use which may otherwise
be lost to runoff. MCWH technique is discovered to work well in controlling degradation for its effectiveness in
reducing soil and nutrients movement. It exhibits low conveyance losses and considerable leaching capacity,
prevents moisture evaporation, and can be constructed on almost any slope with little construction cost. Plants
survival rate was discovered to increase tremendously under normal rainfall condition when micro-catchments are
used. Even though the technique appears to be successful in different areas implemented for both crops and trees
cultivation, it has not been very popular among farmers and environmental agencies in ASALs. This can be
associated with the perception of the initial intensive labor requirement, and low crop density compared to
traditional irrigation methods. With adequate awareness programs and financial interventions, a wider adaptation
of MCWH technique can help in vegetation of the degraded lands in ASALs.
