This document discusses land degradation and its management. It defines land degradation as changes to soil quality that negatively impact fertility. Key points made include: 1) Over 50% of agricultural land is moderately to severely degraded, with 75 billion tons of fertile soil disappearing each year and 12 million hectares lost to drought/desertification annually. 2) Causes of land degradation include deforestation, soil erosion, mining, industrialization, unsustainable agriculture, and urban expansion. 3) Effects are declines in soil properties, water availability, biodiversity, and productivity which threaten food/water security. 4) Sustainable land management techniques like crop rotation, contour farming and bund construction can help reduce

1. Land degradation and
its management
Speaker:
Bhargav Dharaiya
Agri Rock
JAU, Junagadh

2. 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.

3. Land degradation means:
1) Loss of natural fertility of soil because of loss of
nutrients.
2) Less vegetation cover
3) 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.

4. Land is a finite resource
planet earth pie
Mountains,
deserts, ices
(13%)
Rocky, wet, hot, infertile
areas, cities(9%)
Water(75%)
Arable land (3%)

6. 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

7. Causes of land degradation
 Deforestation
 Soil erosion by wind or water
 Mining
 Industrialization
 Unsustainable agricultural practices
 Urban expansion

8. Deforestation

9. Soil erosion by wind or water

10. Industrialization

11. Urban expansion

12. Unsustainable agricultural practices

13. 1)
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.

16. 5)

18. 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

19. CONSERVATION MEASURES
1. Strip farming:
It is a practice in which cultivated crops are
sown in alternative strips to prevent water
movement.

20. 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.

21. 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.

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

23. 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.

25. 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.

26. Conclusion
Land 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.

28. 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…”.