Effectiveness of terracing techniques for controlling soil erosion by water in Rwanda.

Despite long-standing efforts in terracing, limited field-based evidence of its effectiveness as implemented within rural farming systems of humid tropical regions, such as Rwanda, is available. This study aimed to reveal regional differences in effectiveness of two widely used terracing techniques. Traditional slope farming (NP) was compared to bench (BT) and farmers' based progressive terraces (PT) in terms of runoff, soil losses, and topsoil fertility in two contrasting agro-ecological zones, the Eastern Plateau (Murehe) and Buberuka Highlands (Tangata).