Effects of land tenure and farming systems on soil erosion in Northwestern Peru

The relationship between population and environment is shown by the effects of land tenure and farming systems on soil erosion in an Andean watershed. In this region the land belongs to the peasant communities. The crops are cultivated on individual fields, while the pasturing takes place on communal grazing areas. Integrating soil landscape analysis with land use showed the limitations and the degree of adaptation of the present farming systems and shed light on erosion dynamics. The structural instability index is significantly higher in the communal grazing areas than on the individual fields, thus the greatest erosion problems trills and gullies) are related to communal land use. This is due to the lack of communal cohesion in the peasant communities that makes it difficult to exert control and resources accountability.