Reducing the Average P Factor Value in Sloping Land Through Scenarios that Incorporate Terracing and Contour Farming Practices

Abstract

The soil protection (P) factor, one of the components of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) Model, is critical in influencing erosion. It significantly reduces soil erosion by minimizing surface runoff on sloping terrains. The P factor is unitless. In this article, 4 scenarios involving soil conservation practices tailored to the slope percentages of the study area, which features a sloping landscape, were developed. Terracing and contour farming were proposed as soil conservation strategies. Areas with slopes ranging from 6% to 12% were regarded as suitable for contour farming, while those with slopes between 12% and 30% were considered ideal for terracing practices. The study revealed that scenario 4 lowered the average P factor value of the study area from 1 to 0.58. This outcome indicated that the scenarios devised could decrease the average P factor value in the study area by 42%. It is believed that the approach employed in this study can effectively reduce the average P factor value in sloping regions facing erosion issues.

Keywords

• Land use
• Mapping
• RUSLE
• Soil conservation practices
• Soil erosion

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