Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions

  • October 26, 2023
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical Geography

Context:

  • India is facing massive degradation of soil and if not corrected, it could impact food security and livelihoods of millions.

Details:

  • India, with just 2.4% of the world’s land area, has 18% of the world’s population to feed.
  • Most states are affected by soil degradation. The worst are Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Restoring damaged soil takes decades.
  • Measures like sustainable agriculture, scientific disposal of wastes, reforestation, and strict implementation of pollution laws are likely solutions.
  • According to the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning:
    • 146.8 million hectares, around 30% of the soil in India is degraded.
    • Of this, around 29% is lost to the sea, 61% is transferred from one place to another, and 10% is deposited in reservoirs.
  • Positive viewpoint:
    • Despite large-scale soil degradation, food production has increased due to technological inputs, and now India is the second largest producer of farm produce.

How does soil get degraded?

  • Overuse of chemical pesticides and fertilisers
  • Excess fertilisers increased nitrate in the soil
  • Collapse of water table due to excessive farming
  • Untreated sewage and industrial waste
  • Other causes include: mining, deforestation, overgrazing, monoculture farming, excessive tillage

Soil degradation can be reduced by:

  • Improving groundwater levels, regenerating water, making changes in cropping and land use patterns, and involving communities in the conservation and management of soil, Long-term and balanced use of fertiliser.
  • Integrated watershed management with the help of check dams, terracing of land, and contour farming as it will decrease runoff, cutting down on crops that need lots of water, building bunds to stop runoff soil during monsoons, and minimum use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
  • Use of AI to detect crop pests through thermal imaging, AI-powered early warning system for crop pests, spreading awareness about the soil testing laboratories in India

Soil health card scheme:

  • Launched by: Department of Agriculture, cooperation and farmer’s welfare.
  • Theme: “Swasth Dharaa. Khet Haraa.” – Healthy Earth. Green Farm.
  • It is used to assess the current status of soil health and, when used over time, to determine changes in soil health that are affected by land management.
  • It displays soil health indicators and associated descriptive terms. The indicators are typically based on farmers’ practical experience and knowledge of local natural resources.
  • The card lists soil health indicators that can be assessed without the aid of technical or laboratory equipment.
  • It will contain the status of a farm soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N,P,K (Macro-nutrients); S (Secondary- nutrient); Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro – nutrients); and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.
  • Key features:
    • The government is planning to cover as many as all farmers under the scheme.
    • The scheme will cover all the parts of the country.
    • In the form of soil card, the farmers will get a report. and this report will contain all the details about the soil of their particular farm.
    • A farm will get the soil card once every 3 years.

Other initiatives of government for soil conservation:

  1. Watershed Development Project in Shifting Cultivation Areas (WDPSCA)
    • The scheme was implemented from the year 1995-96 It is a 100% Central assistance through the Ministry of Agriculture & Co-operation, Government of India.
    • One of the objectives is: Mitigate ill effects of shifting cultivation by introducing appropriate land use as per land capacity and improved technologies.
    • During 2012-13, Government of India did not release any funds for the scheme.
  2. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP)
    • Central assistance scheme sponsored by the Ministry of Water Resources
    • Aim: To increase the area under irrigation thereby increasing the productivity of the area and improving the socio-economic condition of the people.
  3. Soil & Water Conservation Scheme under RIDF
    • Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)- NABARD loan- from 2000-2001.
    • Objective: To enhance the productivity of agriculture and its allied activities and in small river valleys, thereby improving the socio-economic set up of the people in the rural areas.
    • The scheme also envisages to promote sustainable development through conservation and management of soil and water.
  4. Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Yojana (RKVY)
    • Implemented by the Department of Agriculture.
    • Focus area is the development of Rainfed Farming Systems in and outside watershed areas as also integrated development of watershed areas, wastelands, river valleys and for activities relating to enhancement of crop production and popularization of micro-irrigation systems.
    • The thrust area is to protect the loss of topsoil, improving soil fertility, enhancing crop production, land and water productivity of watershed areas comprising wastelands, river valleys and the ecosystem as a whole.
  5. Development of Nano-urea and nano-DAP by IFFCO to reduce the use of conventional fertilizers in the agricultural field.

Source: Mongabay

Geography Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions