The geomorphologist's role in the environmental impact assessment of agricultural development in Zambia

In Zambia an EIA was done to compare the impact of commercial farming practices against traditional methods as used by subsistence farmers. An erosion survey showed that a substantially smaller amount of erosion occurs on the traditional farms. An EIA checklist was designed for use by agricultural field staff in order to predict potential impacts and the interrelationships of causes behind those impacts. Operating the checklist confirmed the potentially greater impact of commercial farming. For the geomorphologist it is clear that the methods must be very simple in both design and practical implementation; yet they mmust encompass as wide a range of causal evidence as possible. EIA involves a delicate balancing of geomorphological and non-geomorphological information, requiring sensitivity and a wide appreciation of the problems of rural development of underdeveloped countries.