Soil erosion is a serious problem for land use in Thailand. After every rainfall event, the water rushes off the sloping lands, carrying precious topsoil and plant food with it. Downslope plowing worsens the situation, and often serious gullying develops. It is estimated that the rate of erosion in the region where most field crops such as cassava have been cultivated is about 12.5-62.5 t ha-1yr-1. It is regrettable, however, that only a small area of these croplands is presently protected by erosion control measures. Soil and water conservation programs in Thailand have been established for already five decades, with the main purpose to introduce appropriate technologies for controlling soil degradation caused by erosion.

          Soil and water conservation practices that have been implemented in Thailand so far can be summarized as follows: