Leveling implements
Draft animal
When moving soil from high to low areas, weight will need to be added to the leveling harrow/board. Standing on the harrow drawbar should provide sufficient weight (a ratio of 40kg weight/meter width of leveling board gives the best results). Leveling with an animal requires total water coverage of the field and takes twelve days to level one hectare. To get the best results, the procedure should be repeated the next year (the time required will be much less and can be done at the normal plowing time).
2-wheel tractor
When moving soil from high to low areas, weight will need to be added to the leveling harrow/board. You can either lean on the handles or stand on the harrow to provide sufficient weight. Position the tractor at the high part of the field, lean on the handles to add weight to the harrows and drag soil to the lower part of the field. Take the weight off the harrows and return to the higher parts of the field.
When first starting, it may be best to use the harrow without the leveling board attached. When using the attached leveling board, make sure the harrow teeth are exposed as this will help remove the weeds and quickly make the soil and water into slurry. It will take at least 7-8 days to semi-level one hectare in the first year (repeat in the second year but less time is required).
4 wheel tractor
If leveling with water in the field, the water can be used to mark high and low areas. In dry conditions, a topographic survey needs to be taken to reveal high and low areas. All surface residues need to be cut up or removed to ease soil flow from the drag bucket.
Level with a rotovator blade in wet conditions or a drag bucket in dry conditions (both can be fitted with laser level attachment). Start at the highest point and drag soil to the lowest areas. It is best to add small wings to the end of the rotovator to improve the movement of soil. Weight may also need to be added to the blade to improve the cutting ability. When returning to the high places, lift the cutting blade above the ground level. Depth control wheels on the rotovator/bucket make it more uniform. In wet areas where there is poor traction or a chance of bogging the tractor it may be better to push the soil rather than drag the soil. It will take one day to level one hectare in the first year using a rotovator and half a day per hectare using a drag bucket.
Read: Laser leveling
