Land degradation and its management

Speaker:Bhargav Dharaiya

Agri RockJAU, Junagadh

INTRODUCTION The change in the characteristic and quality of

soil which adversely affect its fertility is called as Degradation.

Land degradation is the most important environmental problem currently challenging sustainable development in many parts of the world. The problem is most acute where the environment is intrinsically vulnerable and where the population is losing control of its own resources.

Land degradation means: 1) Loss of natural fertility of soil because of

loss of nutrients.2) Less vegetation cover3) Changes in the characteristic of soil.4) Pollution of water resources from the

contamination of soil through which water sweeps into ground or runoff to the water bodies.

5) Changes in climatic conditions because of unbalance created in the environment.

Land is a finite resourceplanet earth pie

Mountains, deserts, ices (13%)Rocky, wet, hot,

infertile areas, cities(9%)

Water(75%)

Arable land (3%)

LD: Some facts More than 50% of

agricultural land moderately to severely degraded

75 billion tons of fertile soil disappear/year

12 million ha/year lost due to drought and desertification

Biodiversity: 27,000 species lost each year due to LD

Sustainable development?

Food Energy Water

Land

Causes of land degradation

Deforestation Soil erosion by wind or water Mining Industrialization Unsustainable agricultural

practices Urban expansion

DeforestationOvercutting

of vegetation occurs when people cut forests, woodlands and shrub lands--to obtain timber, fuel wood and other products--at a pace exceeding the rate of natural regrowth.

Soil erosion by wind or water Erosion is the term given to soil loss due to

the mobilization of topsoil by the forces of water and wind. Wind and water move the eroded particles to some other location, where it is deposited as sediment. Soil erosion is a natural process that removes soil from the land.

IndustrializationDevelopment of industries for the

economic growth of the country leads to excessive deforestation and utilization of land in such as way that it has lost its natural up gradation quality.

Urban expansion Urban growth, road construction, mining

and industry are major factors in land degradation in different regions. Valuable agricultural land is often lost.

Unsustainable agricultural practices Increased mechanisation of agriculture have

led to increased yields and faster production. Various methods, techniques and equipment now used in agriculture at different scales are destructive to the soil and water resources, and gradually decrease the productivity of the land.

1) Overgrazing of pasture land

Overgrazing refers to excessive eating of grasses and other green plants by cattle. It results into reduced growth of vegetation, reduced diversity of plant species, excessive growth of unwanted plant species, soil erosion, and degradation of land due to cattle movement.

3) Over cultivation of cropland and mono cropping

•Over cultivation and mono cropping are usually associated with high levels of mechanisation which can compact the soil, leaving the land bare between harvest and planting, both of which increase the potential for erosion, and continuous loss of nutrients with application of large quantities of fertilisers

3) Waterlogging and salinization of irrigated land 4) Over extraction of wells, rivers and dams

5) Excessive and continuous fertiliser, herbicide and pesticide use

6) Conversion of unsuitable lands to agriculture e.g. use of marginal lands, clearance of tropical forest for livestock rearing

EFFECTS OR IMPACTS INCLUDE: Decline in the chemical, physical

and/or biological properties of soil Reduced availability of potable water Lessened volumes of surface water Impacts on livestock and agriculture

e.g. loss of animals due to dehydration, reduced yields

Decline in productivity Water and food insecurity Biodiversity loss

CONSERVATION MEASURES1. Strip farming:

It is a practice in which cultivated crops are sown in alternative strips to prevent water movement.

2. Crop Rotation:

It is one of the agricultural practice in which different crops are grown in same area following a rotation system which helps in replenishment of the soil.

3. Ridge and Furrow Formation:

Soil erosion is one of the factors responsible for land degradation. It can be prevented by formation of ridge and furrow during irrigation which lessens run off.

4. Construction of bunds:This usually checks or reduces the velocity of run off so that soil support vegetation.

5. Contour Farming:This type of farming is usually practiced across the hill side and is useful in collecting and diverting the run off to avoid erosion.

Sustainable Land Management The term SLM can be used to

describe the utilisation of terrestrial resources (soils, plants, water, etc.) for the production of goods to satisfy changing human needs, without detriment to the long-term productive potential of these resources and their environmental functions.

ConclusionLand degradation occurs because of land poor management practices. In order to assess sustainable land management practices, the climate resources and the risk of climate-related natural disaster need to be documented. The use of climate information must be applied in developing sustainable practices. There is need to apply sustainable land management practices in field for conservation of land.

Thank you "If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory…”.