Philippines Soil Erosion

On the Philippine islands, soil erosion is a frightening concept. Frequent typhoons and flooding serves for rapidly ascending sea levels. Despite this, it is not rainfall so much as runoff causing rills that contributes the most to soil erosion, and low water flow over these steep slopes is difficult to stop with the amount of surface coverage. Over half of the country’s area has inclines steeper than 18º, which accelerates the pace. Farmers scrambling to support their families feel forced to chop trees for land, but this deforestation only leads to more pollution and poorer quality soil. Not only does the geography of the Philippines invite soil erosion, but the people accidentally clear the way for it in order to survive.

Social and economic structures are weak, and unsupportive of small farmers. To keep up with their livelihood, farmers use the slash-and-burn technique for wiping out clumps of trees, but in the end, all they have accomplished is a massive loss of nutrients and physical structure of the land that keeps their products prosperous. In the end, the farmers are only condemning the land with themselves. Landslides and mudslides collapse from crazy storms, but runoff is an even greater problem: as water coasts downhill, forming rills on the way that leads to more erosion, it collects more soil particles, leading to greater erosion.

Fortunately, the people of these islands are not completely oblivious. Proper techniques are spread and the knowledge of healthy farming techniques with specific crops that helps both the production and land is growing. Coconets, made from coconuts, supports slopes and protects them from landslides and mudslides, as well as rehabilitating rivers and shorelines. These coconuts not only decrease the velocity of water, they also create jobs and use local products, as the Philippines is the world’s primary coconut producer, with over 67% of farmlands providing them. Hopefully, with enlightened farmers and coconets, the soil erosion dilemma will dwindle.