Context: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) issued a stark warning, stating that a staggering 90 per cent of the planet’s land surface could be degraded by 2050. 

• According to the World Atlas of Desertification, 75 per cent of soils are already degraded, directly affecting 3.2 billion people. If business as usual continues, the current trend may increase the impact to 90 per cent by 2050. 

Impact of Soil Degradation

• Reduced soil fertility leading to decreased plant growth and agriculture output.

• Releases stored carbon, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

• Decrease in soil organisms that contribute to nutrient cycling, pest control, and plant health.

Causes of Land Degradation

• Land degradation is the deterioration of land quality, often resulting from human activities and natural processes, which adversely affect its productivity and ecosystem functions. 

Several factors contribute to land degradation

• Deforestation: Clearing of forests reduces vegetation cover and disrupts ecosystems.

• Overgrazing: Excessive grazing by livestock leads to soil compaction and loss of vegetation.

• Unsustainable Land Use: Practices like intensive agriculture without proper soil conservation measures degrade land fertility.

• Urbanization and Industrial Expansion: Conversion of natural landscapes for urban and industrial purposes reduces vegetative cover and disrupts ecosystems.

Impacts of Land Degradation

• Loss of Soil Fertility: Reduced capacity of soil to support plant growth and agriculture.

• Erosion: Soil erosion accelerates, leading to loss of fertile topsoil.

• Ecosystem Destruction: Disruption of natural habitats and loss of biodiversity.

• Economic Loss: Decline in agricultural productivity and increased costs for land restoration.

• Climate Impact: Contributes to climate change through reduced carbon sequestration and altered water cycles.

• Health Effects: Impacts human health through food insecurity and water scarcity.

Government Initiatives in India

India has implemented several initiatives to address desertification and land degradation:

• Integrated Watershed Management Programme: Focuses on restoring degraded natural resources and rural employment generation.

• National Afforestation Programme: Aims to afforest degraded forest lands since 2000.

• National Mission on Green India: Part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, focusing on enhancing forest cover and biodiversity conservation.

• Fodder and Feed Development Scheme: Improves vegetation cover on degraded grasslands and problematic soils.

Combatting Desertification

Effective measures to combat desertification include:

• Terracing and Contour Binding: Soil conservation techniques to prevent erosion on slopes.

• Drip Irrigation: Efficient water use in agriculture to minimize soil salinization.

• Afforestation and Reforestation: Planting trees to restore degraded lands and enhance carbon sequestration.

• Climate-Smart Agriculture: Sustainable farming practices that adapt to climate change impacts.

• Policy Interventions: Implementation of national programs and international agreements like the UNCCD to promote sustainable land management.

Initiatives taken to prevent Soil Degradation

Global

• Land Degradation Neutrality under UNCCD.

• Bonn Challenge to restore 350 million hectares degraded and deforested landscapes by 2030.

• Global Soil Partnership Action Plan 2022-2030 by FAO.

India

• Soil Health Card Scheme.

• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.

• Organic Farming Initiatives like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana.