137Cs technology for soil erosion and soil carbon redistribution

137Cs technology has received much attention in the last few years because it can be applied both quickly and efficiently in soil erosion and soil redeposition studies. It is also a unique method for enhancing the efficiency of estimation of soil erosion in eroded and hilly areas. In the process of development of agriculture, 137Cs estimations have become an important tool to reduce soil erosion for boosting food security. The key benefit of using environmental tracers is that they can provide retrospective information on medium-term (~50-yr span, 137Cs) and long-term (~150-yr span, 210Pb) redistribution patterns of soils within the landscapes, without the need for long-term monitoring programmes. 137Cs technology has never been applied to estimate soil redistribution patterns in India, even though there have been severe land-use changes over the past few decades. Here we discuss the importance of 137Cs technology for land degradation, agriculture, food security and carbon sequestration.