Context and objectives: Understanding how land management practices influence soil physical and hydraulic properties is essential for improving water use efficiency and fodder yield in semi-arid region. Ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting (RFRH) with chopped straw application modifies these properties, yet comprehensive and reliable experimental evidence on sloping terrains remains scarce for such systems. This study aimed to (1) evaluate the individual and combined effects of RFRH technologies with and without chopped straw application on soil physical properties on sloping terrains, (2) quantify changes in soil hydraulic properties using the Beerkan Estimation of Soil Transfer (BEST) method, and (3) integrate BEST-derived hydraulic parameters within SEM framework to elucidate the mechanistic pathways linking soil hydraulic functioning to soil structure, water dynamics, and sainfoin yield under RFRH with chopped straw application. Methods: The physically based BEST method was designed to completely characterize soil hydraulic properties using a single-ring infiltration experiment conducted in the field under a split-plot design with sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) as test crop. Chopped straw application patterns (0 and 4 & times; 103 kg ha- 1) were assigned as main plots, with RFRH technologies (flat planting (control), open-ridging, and tied-ridging) as subplots, to determine the physical and hydraulic properties, including soil particle size distribution and aggregate stability, dry bulk density, porosity (from dry bulk density), infiltration rate, hydraulic conductivities, sorptivity, and volumetric soil water contents. Results: Under chopped straw application, tied-ridging enhanced aggregation and porosity with decreased dry bulk density across the soil depth compared to open-ridging and flat planting. Additionally, relative to flat planting, tied-ridging increased sorptivity (+0.18 mm s-(0.5)) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (+0.055 m s(-1)) resulting in higher volumetric soil water content (+0.067 m(3) m(-3)), WUE (+6.55 kg ha(-1) mm(1) ), and fodder yield (+18.6%). Structural equation modelling showed significant direct positive associations of chopped straw application and RFRH, as independent predictors, with sainfoin fodder yield, with standardized path coefficients of 0.552 (p <0.01) and 0.664 (p < 0.01), respectively. Indirect associations were mediated through improvements in soil aggregates and water retention capacity, respectively. Conclusion and implications: This study provides quantitative, process-based evidence that integrating ridge-furrow technologies, particularly tied-ridging with chopped straw, offers an effective field-scale strategy to improve soil structure and hydraulic functioning in dry environments. This study offers a novel integrative framework combining BEST with SEM to quantify the mechanistic pathways linking soil hydraulic properties to crop productivity under RFRH with chopped straw systems.