Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) is a sustainable alternative for sloping land agricultural systems like jhum/shifting cultivation. It is also known as Contour Hedgerow Intercropping (Agroforestry) Technology (CHIAT), is a system in which dense hedgerows of fast growing perennial nitrogen-fixing tree or shrub species are planted along contour lines thus creating a living barrier that traps sediments and gradually transforms the sloping land to terraced land. The nitrogen-fixing hedgerows lining the terrace help improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation at the roots and incorporation of the hedgerow trimmings into the soil. The hedgerows both markedly reduce soil erosion and contribute to improving and/or maintaining soil fertility. The technology was developed by the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Centre, internationally known by the name of its sister affiliate Asian Rural Life Development Foundation (ARLDF), on a marginal site in Kinua Kusan, Mindanao Island, Philippines.
RNBA adopted the model in the 2000 & 2001 at Siangai (Perengba) supported by Canada High Commission, however, due to many reasons the model was dropped and the communities continued jhum/shifting cultivation. RNBA conducted assessment and evaluation for a project supported by BftW by Mr. David Gandhi. With his expertise, he identified gaps, developed a context-specific model for Northeast India and promoted SALT in Aben. RNBA is scaling up the model to other areas of Manipur hill districts.