DIMAPUR, MAY 6 (NPN): A Nagaland University study has recommended the use of geospatial technology to mitigate soil erosion in the North-East’s hilly region.
The research focused on the Siji watershed in Assam’s Gai River Basin, one of the region’s most erosion-prone areas, and highlighted how location-specific scientific interventions could reduce soil loss, improve agricultural productivity, enhance water availability and promote environmental sustainability.
Soil erosion remains a major ecological challenge in the eastern Himalayas due to steep slopes, heavy rainfall, deforestation, shifting cultivation, mining and road construction, threatening farmland, water resources and ecosystem stability.
Using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) with GIS-based modelling, researchers analysed rainfall, soil type, slope, land use and conservation practices to map erosion risks and sediment flow.
The study, published in the Springer Nature journal Discover Geoscience, was co-authored by Prof. M.S. Rawat, research scholar Tulumoni Gogoi and Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rawat.
Findings showed that forested areas with gentle slopes faced minimal erosion, while steep slopes, croplands, barren areas and zones affected by human activity were highly vulnerable.
NU vice chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik said integrating geospatial technology could guide conservation efforts, reduce soil degradation and promote sustainable land use, while improving agriculture and water management.
Prof. Rawat advocated an Integrated Watershed Management approach, including sustainable land-use planning and measures like contouring, terracing and vegetation cover. He said the model helps identify erosion hotspots and enables targeted interventions.
Researchers noted the framework could be applied in similar regions and called for development of flood prediction and monitoring systems. The study stressed the need for timely, science-based action to prevent further land degradation.
