Sloping agriculture land technology (Salt) is a promising system for sloping land farming an alternate to mechanical terracing and a biological option for soil conservation. It is the simple, applicable, low cost and timely method of farming the uplands and even the lowlands, especially in these financially and environmentally troubled times. Traditionally, farmers practices have been judged to be inadequate and thus below the standard when measured against the modern agriculture which relies heavily on the improved varieties, commercial fertilizers, pesticides and various chemicals. Afterwards a new approach an integration of soil conservation and food production strategies evolved which involve the cultivation of complementary crops in a field where rows of nitrogen-fixing trees provides natural fertilizer and prevent soil erosion, known as salt.

It is the scheme developed for small farmers with few tools, little capital and little knowledge of modern agriculture for the better production along with the reduction of soil erosion. It promotes planting of nitrogen fixing trees and shrubs maintained in the shape of double hedgerows along the continuous at regular intervals in the sloping lands. Salt package combines contour N-fixing (NF) hedgerows as the main actors, along with other soil conservation and farming strategies. The rational behind SALT is that it maintains an acceptable level of production and at the same time conserves the basic resources on which production depends.

SALT is the diversified farming system which not only includes planting of trees for timber, firewood and also for soil conservation , it includes rows of permanent planting of shrubs like coffee, cacao, citrus and other fruit trees are dispersed throughout the farm plot. Livestock such as goats, chickens, pigs are also raised on the farm. There are different forms of SALT depending on the capability farmers may use SALT and its different forms. The different methods of SALT farming are SALT-1 (Sloping Agriculture Land Technology) which uses 45% growing food crops, 30% perennial crops & 25% fast growing NF species, SALT-2 (Simple Agro-Livestock Technology) it uses 40% agriculture, 20% forestry & 40% livestock, SALT-3 (Sustainable Agroforestry Land Technology) it uses 40% agriculture & 60% forestry & SALT-4 (Small Agro-fruit Livelihood Technology) which uses 75% fruit trees & 25% short term crop.

There are many advantages of using this technology of contour farming in the sloppy area which helps in soil and water control. It is efficient in food crop production, reduces the soil erosion from the sloping farm, improves the soil structure and water infiltration and enhances soil fertilities. It can be established in the farm with land slopes with a gradient ranging between 5 to 10% more. It is economically feasible, ecologically sound and easily duplicated by the upland farmers using local resources and without the need of external loans. So it has been more successful in the small and least developed or developing countries.