Land Degradation

Source: Down to Earth
GS II: Environment

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. What does the data say?
3. About Land Degradation
4. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Why in the News?

From 2015 to 2019, the world lost at least 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land each year, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) data.

• This is twice the size of Greenland.

News in Brief

• Land degradation across all regions of the world is becoming worse at an astonishing rate.
• United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), comes at a critical juncture as world leaders and experts will soon gather in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from November 13-17, 2023 for the 21st session of the committee.
• The planned assembly for the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention.
• At the scheduled event, delegates will review global progress made towards land degradation neutrality (LDN).

What does the data say?

• Land degradation, showed UNCCD’s first data dashboard compiling national figures from 126 countries launched October 24, 2023.
• Eastern & Central Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean have the most severe degradation, affecting at least 20% of their total land area.
• Sub-Saharan Africa, Western and Southern Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean all experienced faster rates of land degradation than the global average.
• If current trends continue, the world will need to restore a staggering 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 in order to meet land degradation neutrality (LDN).

What are the opposite trends?

• The Dominican Republic’s proportion of degraded land decreased from 49% to 31%.
  • It is as a result of efforts to restore 240,000 hectares in the Yaque del Norte River basin and cocoa production areas in San Francisco de Macoris province.
• Uzbekistan planted 1.6 million hectares of saxaul to eliminate salt and dust emissions from the Aral Sea’s drained bottom.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, Botswana reduced land degradation from 36 per cent to 17 per cent of its territory.

About Land Degradation

Land degradation refers to the process by which the quality and productivity of land are diminished due to various natural and human-induced factors. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that can have significant environmental, social, and economic consequences. Here is a detailed answer on land degradation:

Causes of Land Degradation:

• Deforestation: Clearing forests for agriculture, urban development, and logging reduces vegetation cover, leading to soil erosion and loss of biodiversity.
• Soil Erosion: Natural factors like wind and water, as well as human activities such as improper farming and construction practices, can erode topsoil.
• Overgrazing: Excessive livestock grazing can lead to the removal of vegetation, soil compaction, and decreased soil fertility.
• Agricultural Practices: Unsustainable farming practices like monoculture, excessive pesticide and fertilizer use, and improper irrigation can degrade soil quality.
• Urbanization: The expansion of cities and infrastructure often results in land degradation due to soil sealing, which prevents water infiltration and leads to increased runoff and flooding.
• Mining: Extracting minerals and resources from the land can cause long-term damage, including soil contamination and loss of biodiversity.
• Climate Change: Altered precipitation patterns, increased temperatures, and extreme weather events can exacerbate land degradation.

Types of Land Degradation:

• Soil Erosion: The physical removal of the topsoil layer.
• Desertification: The transformation of arable land into desert or semi-desert due to various factors, including climate change and poor land management.
• Salinization: The accumulation of salts in the soil, renders it infertile.
• Soil Compaction: Increased soil density and reduced pore space, making it less suitable for plant growth.
• Loss of Soil Fertility: Depletion of essential nutrients required for plant growth.
• Land Pollution: Contamination of land by chemicals, heavy metals, and hazardous waste.

Environmental Consequences:

• Biodiversity Loss: Land degradation often leads to the destruction of habitats and the extinction of plant and animal species.
• Climate Change: Degraded land contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and reduces the land’s ability to sequester carbon.
• Water Pollution: Eroded soil can carry pollutants into water bodies, degrading water quality.
• Flooding and Landslides: Reduced vegetation cover and soil erosion increase the risk of flooding and landslides.
• Altered Hydrological Cycles: Land degradation can disrupt natural water cycles, leading to water scarcity in some regions.

Social and Economic Consequences:

• Reduced Agricultural Productivity: Land degradation can result in lower crop yields, threatening food security.
• Displacement of Communities: Desertification, soil erosion, and land degradation can force communities to migrate.
• Health Issues: Land degradation can lead to the contamination of drinking water and exposure to pollutants, causing health problems.
• Economic Losses: Decreased land productivity can lead to economic losses for farmers and landowners.

Mitigation and Prevention:

• Sustainable Agriculture: Implementing practices like crop rotation, agroforestry, and organic farming can help maintain soil fertility.
• Reforestation and Afforestation: Planting trees can help combat deforestation and improve land quality.
• Soil Conservation: Using techniques like terracing, contour farming, and the construction of check dams to prevent erosion.
• Proper Urban Planning: Designing cities with green spaces and sustainable land use can reduce soil sealing.
• Waste Management: Proper disposal and treatment of waste materials can prevent land pollution.

How does India tackle the issue of Land Degradation?

• Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) through the Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC) has developed several location-specific bio-engineering measures to check soil erosion due to run-off of rainwater.
• Developed sand dune stabilisation and shelter belt technology to check wind erosion.
• For Saline, sodic and waterlogged soils
  • Developed reclamation technology, sub-surface drainage, bio-drainage, agroforestry interventions and salt-tolerant crop varieties to improve the productivity of saline have been adopted.
• National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) demonstrated technologies namely drought tolerant duration varieties, crop diversification, integrated farming systems, soil and water conservation measures etc. in 151 most vulnerable districts in the country to minimize vulnerability against climate change.
• National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for ecological restoration of degraded forest areas under which an area of over 2 million ha has been approved for afforestation at a cost of Rs.3874 crore.
• Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Nagar Van Yojana also help in checking the degradation and restoration of forest landscape.
• India promote tree outside forest areas primarily through the expansion of agroforestry, and optimum use of wastelands and vacant lands.
• India has raised and focused its ambition to restore degraded land from 21 mha to 26 mha by 2030.

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