Soil loss estimation for rural development: a position for geomorphology

Soil loss estimation is a necessary adjunct to the design of appropriate conservation practices and land development in general. Current soil loss estimation techniques are cumbersome, have a large data requirement and are inflexible to changing agricultural practices. The Soil Loss Estimation Model for Southern Africa (SLEMSA) is examined in the light of the special criteria necessary for land development planning. SLEMSA meets most objectives more sucessfully than other methods but retains weaknesses such as lack of common agricultural baseline data that limits its potential use.