1. 50 year career achievement of
The Vetiver System
The introduction of a biological system for soil and moisture conservation.
50 year career achievement of
John C. Greenfield

2. “My 50 year career devoted to agriculture:
The focus: was to look for low cost methods of soil and water conservation,
Suitable for small farmers in the tropics, semi-tropics and arid areas of the world

3. “Some of us…
Have only cropping seasons to attempt to create beneficial change in the field of agriculture.
This is a short time. As a result many of us leave behind very little of importance or impact.
Fortunately I have been one of the lucky ones who has had the privilege of creating change.

4. the most interesting and successful has been the Vetiver System.
“Although I have introduced a number of useful technologies in the area of soil and water conservation:
the most interesting and successful has been the Vetiver System.

5. “By observing & learning from the past, I resurrected the use of Vetiver Hedgerows
as a means to trap erosion sediment carried in rainfall runoff. These hedgerows:
spread out rainfall runoff,
improve infiltration
help to drought-proof farmer fields
increase crop yields.
The principles of the Vetiver System are laid out in a small field handbook: “Vetiver Grass - A Hedge Against Erosion”

6. “In 1987 I authored this booklet for farmers and other vetiver users
“In 1987 I authored this booklet for farmers and other vetiver users. It is a practical field book with hand drawings. It has been translated into all the major languages of the world and many minor one too. Tens of thousands of copies have been distributed.”

7. The Problem
This is the sort of erosion we had to contend with initially in the Fiji cane areas in the early 1950s

8. Severe gully erosion was common throughout the cane areas

9. Roadside erosion was becoming a major problem

10. “I introduced the then standard method of soil conservation to Fiji in the early 1950s, namely contour banks whose runoff led to waterways, etc.
These were destroyed by high intensity tropical storms. They also took out of production a five metre strip of land to construct the banks.

11. Constructed methods of conservation did not work
Constructed methods of conservation did not work. They diverted runoff into the drainage network and often removed potential crop saving soil moisture from the farm.

12. Constructed contour banks are designed to hold runoff while diverting it sideways to a ‘safe’ outlet. But in high intensity storms they breach and cause more damage than if they had never been constructed in the first place.

13. Here is a typical breakdown of the constructed system of soil and humidity conservation.

14. The Solution
By mid 1950s, I introduced the Vetiver System. Here my extension workers learned to plant vetiver hedges for the first time. We knew little about the system then, and planted the initial hedges on the strict contour. As vetiver hedges only filter runoff, we now know this system works better planted across the slope.

15. Today, this is a good vetiver hedge planted across the slope
Today, this is a good vetiver hedge planted across the slope. It is easy for the farmer to follow with his plough, and he has productive land.

16. An 8 month old vetiver root (Leaves have been trimmed)

17. Vetiver hedges can be planted across gullies to prevent gully erosion while slowing down runoff and preventing flooding. This is less possible with constructed systems of conservation. This is when I realised I had a far more appropriate system of conservation for the tropics.

18. Here vetiver hedges have stabilised this gully in Fiji
Here vetiver hedges have stabilised this gully in Fiji. The Vetiver System I had developed had completely controlled erosion in the Fiji cane areas. From there, we introduced a completely new system of conservation for many developing countries.
How does vetiver work?

19. Here, vetiver hedges were planted near a school to show pupils (future farmers) the importance of the system in preventing erosion where there was considerable foot traffic. The small openings through the hedges made by the children caused no gullying.

20. Problem: Moisture retention in arid areas
In Andhra Pradesh, India, this was an average stand of an 8 year old “Social Forest’. Because there were no moisture conservation measures, these Eucalyptus (less than 10% survived the first year) hardly grew more than 1 metre high over 8 years.

21. By contouring “V” ditches across the slope, stabilising the “V” ditches with vetiver hedges, thus conserving all the rainfall runoff, for the same Eucalyptus field as before. The next slide shows the results after only 9 months.

22. These extension workers had something to smile about; a successful “Social Forest” in the same area as the previous slide, 9 months after using the Vetiver System – a 96% survival of planted seedlings, and plenty of fodder for the farmers to cut and carry.

23. “The farmers in Andhra Pradesh showing me their appreciation for introducing the vetiver system.

24. From humble beginnings, 50 years later this technology has reached over 100 countries.
It offers hope for rainfed farmers to produce crops on a sustainable basis thus alleviating poverty and starvation

25. infrastructure protection and stabilization;
Following the Vetiver System’s introduction for soil and water conservation, the System has, over the past 15 years, been further developed and applied to a wide range of applications, including:
infrastructure protection and stabilization;
mine and land rehabilitation;
water quality improvement and waste water treatment;
disaster mitigation;
handicraft, thatch, fodder, landscape, fish cultivation
To read about this progress go to: The Vetiver Network website at: