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Land & Soil Degradation: Types, Causes, Effects, & Solutions

Land & Soil Degradation: Types, Causes, Effects, & Solutions

Land and soil are some of the most important resources to humans on Earth.

So, it’s important to learn about how they can be degraded (and conserved/protected).

In this guide, we look at what land degradation is, the main types, the causes, the effects/impact, and the potential solutions to prevent it.

Summary – Land & Soil Degradation

We rely on soil and land … to live on, produce our food, make our clothes, support plant and animal life. There’s a number of important human uses for land and soil

Land degradation is the blanket term usually used to describe a number of land and soil degradation issues

Land and soil degradation can take many forms – up to 36 of degradation types exist

Some of the major types of land degradation include soil erosion, soil contamination (one form of land pollution), desertification, soil acidification, and soil salinity

Causes for land and soil degradation can differ from country to country (geographic region to region), in urban vs rural areas, and on agricultural vs non agricultural land

As one example, the primary cause for land and soil degradation in a country in a selected country in Africa might be different to the primary cause for land and soil degradation in a State in the US

Some of the major general causes include wind and water weathering of soil, deforestation and clearing of land , intensive or unsustainable agricultural practices, mining, urbanization and human development, carrying of contaminants by air and water, leaching and run off of contaminants, improper management/disposal of waste, natural or severe weather events

There’s also indirect factors that can contribute to land and soil degradation, such as human population growth, which can place more pressure on land and soil resources

For agricultural land in particular, the main causes of erosion might be intensive cultivation, overgrazing by livestock, poor management of arable soils, and the clearing of land to convert it to land for farming (although it differs between developed and developing countries – industrial agriculture vs pasture grazing for example)

According to some estimates … in non rural areas – wind and soil erosion might account for over 80% of land degradation, and in rural areas over 70% might be caused by overgrazing and agricultural activities.

Estimates indicate that a third to a half of the world’s agricultural land is moderately or seriously degraded.

Estimates also indicate that countries like American have lost about half their topsoil since colonial days.

Countries in Sub Saharan Africa might be worst affected by land and soil degradation globally.

We’ve further outlined what various sources say the extent of land/soil degradation in different parts of the world are in the guide below

One effect of land and soil degradation is lost productivity/yield on agricultural land, and some estimates indicate that productivity may have reduced by 20% to 30% in some regions

Economically, some estimates put the economically loss that land and soil degradation is responsible for at tens of billions of dollars worldwide annually

We’ve outlined some of the other potential effects/impact of land and soil degradation in the guide below, and this guide outlines other benefits of land and soil that land/soil degradation may detract from

Degradation of the world’s arable land and top soil might be a significant issue for the future – some estimates indicate we may only have 60 years worth of harvests in top soil left in some countries

Read more about agricultural topsoil degradation and erosion in this guide . Note that land degradation might be a slightly different set of issues to the specific issue of agricultural topsoil erosion, which solely focuses on the loss of the naturally formed upper fertile layer of the soil

Solutions to land and soil degradation should ideally be aimed to address the main causes contributing to land and soil degradation in a specific geographic region, or on a specific area of land (as each region and area of land has different causes for it’s soil and land degradation)

The best solution to land and soil degradation might be to prevent it from happening in the first place, but there can be solutions to restoring already degraded land/soil

As just one example of a possible solution aimed at a specific cause of land degradation, ground cover, cover crops, and building up the top layer of soil (with more organic matter), may all help protect against soil erosion, and particularly wind and water erosion

Another example – crop rotation might improve soil health over the long term

Another example – better rotating livestock on different plots of pasture land might help prevent overgrazing

Another example – using natural fertilizers (like animal manure, or organic matter), and natural or biological pest control methods, over synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, may be one way of reducing soil contamination. Other ways might be limiting general water, air and waste pollution that can leach into soil and onto lands from the various parts of society. Better sealing landfills might be one specific way to prevent soil contamination at landfill sites.

Already polluted and contaminated soil might have it’s own set of solutions to consider, such as removing, treating, aerating, and remediation of soil

Funding large scale projects to restore significantly damaged and degraded soil and land is an option for already degraded land .

Although, what is apparent is that each region has different causes of land degradation, along with different local climates, conditions, pre existing soil profiles and makeup (some soils are difficult to work with, lack organic matter, or are unresponsive), farming practices, local knowledge – factors that lead to addressing land and soil degradation having unique challenges in each area. Dry land restoration in particularly can be uniquely challenging

There’s more potential solutions to land degradation and soil erosion below in this guide

Some effects of some types of land degradation, such as some types water and wind erosion, may be largely irreversible – at least over the span of thousands of years (top soil can take millennia to form again naturally). 

Other types of land degradation are reversible – but, can differ in the amount of time and money required to address them, and some types of land degradation are easier to address than others

There might need to be an assessment of what land degradation problems can practically be fixed (and what ones we can’t), along with the effectiveness of pursuing certain solutions, as well as the expected ROI and benefits

First, How Do We Use Land On Earth?

Before we look at how land is being degraded, it’s a good idea to get an overall idea of the different uses of land on Earth .

This guide also specifically outlines how agricultural land is used on Earth .

What Is Land Degradation?

Land degradation is a very broad term used to describe a range of different types of land and soil degradation.

Land or soil that is classified as degraded might have some or all of the following features:

– A change or damage to the land or soil

Caused by either physical actions, or a chemical (such as synthetic or hazardous chemical – like pesticides)

Land degradation can be direct (where land or soil is directly damaged), or it can be indirect (where for example contaminated water leaches from it’s source onto a land/soil source)

And, it can be caused by humans (such as farmers), or a natural factor (such as weather)

An example of a change or damage to land/soil is the erosion or removal of the fertile level of topsoil on the land.

– Results in reduced potential for, or complete loss of, the land being used for any number of land uses

Mining is one example where after land is mined, it might have limited uses afterwards.

Another example is land that has reached a certain level of desertification, that there’s limits to how effectively it can be restored, re-greened or re-used.

– The value of the land for humans, animals, plant/vegetation and organisms is lessened as a result of the land degradation

As an example, land used for food production might be worth less in a monetary sense over time if land/soil degradation leads to a decrease in yield/productivity (which limits the profit potential for those producing food or other agricultural products on the land)

What Is Considered Land Degradation Might Differ Between Different Parties

Something that is interesting to note is that what is land degradation to some, may not be to others.

For example, an environmentalist or scientist may look at the environmental aspects of how farmed land is being used, whereas a farmer might look at the economic aspect of what that land can provide once cultivated or used in another way for economic and human benefit.

Types Of Land Degradation

There can be many types of land degradation.

Overall, there are up to around 36 types of land degradation in total.

But, some of the major types to be aware of might be:

– Soil Erosion

One of the most prominent types of land and soil degradation.

Is a partial or complete loss of the top fertile layer of soil i.e. the topsoil (arable land in particular has fertile soil used to grow crops.)

This soil layer usually contains minerals and nutrients (and usually beneficial microorganisms) to grow crops and plant life, and is characterised by decayed/decomposed organic matter (from plants and animals) which has usually spent many years being developed by the break down of organic matter

Several sources claim this is a problem because it takes many years to naturally develop topsoil again

In some cases, top soil can’t be regenerated.

Other sources do say that topsoil is renewable with organic fertilizer/manure and other solutions though.

Erosion includes natural wind erosion and water erosion, but also human induced mechanical erosion such as overgrazing with livestock, over tilling, and so on

In the instance of deforestation (or land clearing to convert land from one use to another), the top hummus and leaf litter layer that protects the fertile soil below it can sometimes be removed. 

Read more about issues related to topsoil loss/topsoil erosion in this guide:

How Much Topsoil Do We Need For Agriculture, How Much Is Left, & Will The World Run Out In The Future?

– Soil Contamination

When the chemical composition/properties of the soil/land are changed (as opposed to the physical).

Change can be direct such as contamination via agricultural chemicals ( fertilizers and pesticides ), dumping of industrial chemicals, the improper disposal of hazardous waste such as radioactive waste, or a number of other types of chemicals or waste .

Or, change can also be indirect such as polluted water and air changing the chemical composition of the soil. Acid rain and nitrogen emissions in the air are examples of this.

– Desertification

Includes land degradation in arid/dry zone areas

It happens when soil loses all it’s water and green matter.

In this case, it can be very hard to restore the land, and sometimes some damage is irreversible depending on the desired end land use.

– Soil Acidification

Is a reduction in the pH of soil

When the soil becomes too acidic, it can lose it’s productivity (for some types of production).

This can be a problem for agriculture, beneficial microorganisms, plant life and general soil health.

It can be caused by soil amendments like fertilizer, but also acid rain, nitrogen emissions in the air, and other factors.

– Soil Salinity

Is an increase in the salt content/saline concentration of the soil

When the soil becomes too saline, it loses it’s productivity (for some types of production)

It can be caused by ocean environments, over irrigation, water sources with salinity issues, and other factors.

Can particularly be a problem for coastal land, land with raised saline groundwater aquifer levels, and land with poorly managed or excess irrigation.

Australia in particular has issues with soil salinity in some states and geographic regions (and some countries around the world are more prone to soil salinity issues than others).

Apart from these land and soil degradation issues, land scarcity (especially the scarcity of agricultural and arable land), and land use (including the clearing of forests to convert forest land to another land use such as agricultural production), are a few other land/soil related issues.

Causes & Sources Of Land & Soil Degradation

There are different causes for the different types of land degradation.

Additionally, these causes differ from region to region within countries, and also between different countries.

For example, the primary causes of land degradation in a country in Africa might be different to a State in the US, and can be different again to a State in Australia.

The causes depend on factors like what agricultural practices and technology are used (how intensive they are for example), whether it’s a developed or underdeveloped region, and even external factors like overpopulation.

Beyond the specific causes of land degradation, the general causes of land degradation are usually either:

– physical causes, or chemical causes

– natural causes, or human causes

– direct causes, or indirect causes

Soil erosion for example happens via wind, and water from rain – which are natural causes.

But, it can also happen from deforestation, over-cultivation and over-grazing, and other human causes.

Another example is soil contamination.

This is primarily a human caused land degradation issue, with agricultural chemicals and industrial chemicals being significant chemical contaminants.

Waste disposal, mining, urbanization, agricultural chemicals, atmospheric deposition, soil erosion might be seen as the major causes of land degradation.

More specifically, the causes of land degradation overall might be …

– Wind and Water Weathering Of Soil

The basic factors causing soil erosion-induced degradation are wind and water erosion ( ommegaonline.org)

Wind and water weathering removes small amounts of the top soil from farming land

– Deforestation , Logging & Clearing Of Land

Forest land can be cleared and converted to land to be used for agricultural production.

In this process, the ground cover is cleared, exposing the top soil, or removing the top soil completely.

Biodiversity is also degraded with the clearing of ecosystems and organic matter.

Deforestation accounts for the major land degradation problem as it results in severe soil erosion, flood, and loss of fertile soil (sciencedirect.com)

– Industrial Agriculture, Intensive Or Unsustainable Farming Practices, Or Mismanaging Land

This can include overgrazing, over tillage, over fertilizing (nitrogen can become excessive), over application of pesticide and herbicide, over irrigation or improper irrigation, and other factors.

Fertilizers, pesticides and other features of industrial and intensive farming can mask soil productivity and yield decreases in the short term – so the long term unsustainability of these things can be hidden

Additionally, farmers might not set up land conservation practices like ground cover and soil/water drains that can maintain land and top soil.

… the biggest [cause of land degradation] is the expansion of industrial farming.

Heavy tilling, multiple harvests and abundant use of agrochemicals have increased yields at the expense of long-term sustainability.

[some of the drivers of industrial agriculture and intensive farming practices are] high levels of food consumption, high levels of meat consumption, poor land regulation and poor farming efficiency can compound land degradation effects

– theGuardian.com

Read more about how agriculture can lead to land and soil degradation in this guide

Excavation, and mining waste and tailings, can cause contamination and degradation

Additionally, once mining is finished, the land on the ex-mining site can be unsuitable for some land uses.

– Urbanisation, & Human Development

Development of cities, towns, infrastructure, roads etc. involves the clearing of green land and soil.

– Atmospheric Deposition, & Leaching Of Chemicals

Leaching or carrying of chemicals (by wind, water etc.) from one location to another, where land/soil becomes contaminated or degraded.

For example, pesticides can be carried in the air from one place to another.

Oil can also leach from roads and major highways onto (into) land and water sources

– Improper Management/Disposal Of Waste

Includes hard waste, water waste, human sewage, and other types of waste.

Can cause soil contamination and land pollution.

Mismanaged landfills are another example of this – where leachate can leak out and contaminate soil.

There’s also hazardous chemicals and substances that can be mismanaged, such as radioactive waste.

– Natural Or Severe Weather Events

Floods, hurricanes and other natural events can all cause damage to land and soil.

– Indirect Factors

A changing climate, air pollution, water pollution, a growing population, and other potential indirect factors

Overpopulation as one example puts pressure on land and soil through increased demand for intensive agriculture, increased urbanisation, increased water and air pollution, more waste produced, and so on

Other information on causes of land and soil degradation …

The causes of soil destruction include chemical-heavy farming techniques, deforestation which increases erosion, and global warming [more severe weather events like droughts can deprive soil of moisture] (scientificamerican.com)

… land is moderately to highly degraded due to the erosion, salinization, compaction, acidification and chemical pollution of soils (fao.org)

Urbanisation, climate change, erosion and forest loss [are all causes of land degradation].

But the biggest [cause of land degradation] is the expansion of industrial farming [and a lot of this is driven by overconsumption or high rates of consumption of food]

– TheGuardian.com

Wikipedia.org outlines the causes of soil contamination as:

Soil contamination in particular might be caused by [any type of chemical, waste, or substance that gets into or on the soil – Wikipedia.org makes an extensive list of them]

The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, lead, and other heavy metals.

Any activity that leads to other forms of soil degradation (erosion, compaction, etc.) may indirectly worsen the contamination effects in that soil remediation becomes more tedious.

The bbc.com resource listed outlines some further causes of erosion and land degradation in the US, especially on cropland, and in specific States like Iowa. In Iowa for example, the resource outlines tilling over the years, along with disturbance from farm vehicles, as the two reasons that have allowed water and wind to erode Iowa’s topsoil.

You can see a good visualisation of soil contamination and how it might be caused here:

Soil & Water Contamination Infographic (visual.ly)

Read more about land degradation causes in different parts of the world at:

Major causes of land degradation, but also soil loss cause by region of the world (fewresources.org) – we see in Africa overgrazing is the major cause, but in North America it’s agricultural practices

Causes of land degradation in developing countries (ommegaonline.org)

The problem of land degradation, and causes in different parts of the world (fao.org)

What Does The Data Say The Main Causes Of Land Degradation & Soil Erosion Are?

It might differ depending on the region where the land and soil is.

In non rural areas – wind and soil erosion account for over 80% of land degradation

In rural areas – over 70% is caused by overgrazing and agricultural activities.

Some data and stats on the causes of land degradation are:

Non Rural Areas

Land degradation is caused by soil water erosion (46%) wind erosion (36%), loss of nutrients (9%), physical deterioration (4%), and salinization (3%) (sciencedirect.com)

Rural Areas

Overgrazing (49%) followed by agricultural activities (24%), deforestation (14%), and overexploitation of vegetative cover (13%) are the primary causes of land degradation in rural areas (sciencedirect.com)

What Causes Land/Soil Degradation Specifically To Agricultural Land?

The causes for agricultural land and soil degradation might be different to the causes on non agricultural land.

The causes can differ country to country (and especially from the most technologically advanced to the least), but might be:

The main causes of erosion on agricultural land are intensive cultivation, overgrazing, poor management of arable soils and deforestation

Acidification, compaction and salinization are some other causes of agricultural land degradation.

– ommegaonline.org

What Is The Extent Of Land & Soil Degradation, & Where Is It Happening? 

As noted above with causes, land degradation is happening to different extent:

– in different countries and states/provinces

– on non agricultural and agricultural land, and

– in urban and rural areas

Land degradation has been a more significant issue in developing countries than developed countries.

But, it’s becoming more of an issue now in developed countries too.

What should also be noted about land degradation is that it is harder for to see with the naked eye – you can see some signs of things like erosion and desertification, but you can’t see what is happening underground or what chemicals are in the ground, or the quality or thickness of fertile soil.

For these reasons, people may not think land degradation is as big of an issue as it really is.

Countries in Sub Saharan Africa might be worst affected by land and soil degradation.

From the various effects of land and soil degradation observed, lost productivity of the land/soil is one, and some estimates indicate that productivity may have reduced by 20% to 30%.

Some stats on the extent of land and soil degradation and where it is happening (worldwide and country specific) are …

Land Degradation

It is estimated that up to 40% of the world’s agricultural land is seriously degraded (wikipedia.org)

It is estimated that … 33 percent of land is moderately to highly degraded (fao.org)

One-third to half of the world’s agricultural land was in a degraded state in 2010, and a quarter was severely degraded …

… another 12 million ha are lost each year due to poor soil and water management and other unsustainable farming practices …

Global rates of soil erosion have been exceeding those of new soil formation by 10- and 20-fold on most continents of the world in the last few decades.

Desertification affects about one-sixth of the world’s population and one-quarter of the world’s land

Salinization affects some 20 million hectares of irrigated land.

– sciencedirect.com

A third of the planet’s land is severely degraded and fertile soil is being lost at the rate of 24bn tonnes a year

The impacts [of land degradation] vary enormously from region to region … [with the] Worst affected [being] sub-Saharan Africa, but poor land management in Europe [is also a problem]

… sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, the Middle East and north Africa will face the greatest challenges [in the future] unless the world sees lower levels of meat consumption, better land regulation and improved farming efficiency.

– theguardian.com

Of the 80 countries substantially affected by land degradation, 36 are situated in Africa.

In Lesotho … approximately 2% of the total land area … has been degraded due to overgrazing and incorrect farming practices, as well as mismanagement of rangeland and residues from chemicals/pesticides

– apps.who.int (World Health Organisation)

In the Philippines … it is estimated that soil erosion carries away a volume of soil equivalent to one metre deep over 200 000 hectares every year.

In India, some 144 million hectares of land are affected by either wind or water erosion.

In Pakistan, 8.1 million hectares of land have been lost to wind erosion and 7.4 million hectares to water erosion.

… decreasing productivity can be observed on 20% of the world’s cropland, 16% of forest land, 19% of grassland, and 27% of rangeland (TheGuardian.com)

More resources that outline where land degradation takes place in the world, and stats on how much land degradation and erosion is happening can be found at:

Mapping the world’s degraded lands (sciencedirect.com)

Soil fertility and erosion information and stats (globalagriculture.org) 

Topsoil Degradation & Erosion/Loss

Read more about agricultural topsoil degradation and erosion in this guide .

Note that land degradation might be a slightly different set of issues to the specific issue of topsoil erosion.

Potential Effects & Impact Of Land Degradation

There’s a number of potential effects of land and soil degradation.

Some of the large level effects might be related to land and soil’s:

– Role in helping regulate aspects of the environment 

– Role as resources humans use to produce other resources, such as food and fibres, just as two examples. With a growing population, growing demand, and more resource intensive products being consumed, there will need to be more production or better efficiency in the future from land resources, not less (and degraded land and lost topsoil usually leads to less productive soil).

Read more in this guide about why land and soil are important to society to get more of an idea of the benefits that land and soil degradation can impact.

As a brief summary, land and soil degradation might impact:

– Soil fertility and soil health (read more about factors that can impact soil fertility in this guide )

–  Land used for agricultural production , and obviously agricultural production itself. Specifically the yield/productivity of arable land used to grow crops. But, also pasture land that has been overgrazed

– Agriculture’s contribution to the economy, and the economic contribution of other industries that rely on land and soil

– Humans’ health and well being, in the instance where contaminated soil leaches into water supplies. Poor soil structure can also increase the risks of landslides and other disasters in some places

– Other areas of the environment, such as where soil that erodes from a farm causes sedimentation in a river, or where soil contamination on one plot of land leaches and causes water pollution in a nearby water body

– Wildlife and living organisms that depend on soil, or that are indirectly impacted by issues like soil contamination (via leaching into aquatic environments for example)

Some more information on the potential effects of soil and land degradation …

According to wikipedia.org, ‘… soils hold the majority of the world’s biodiversity, and healthy soils are essential for food production and an adequate water supply. Soil degradation also impacts biological degradation, which affects the microbial community of the soil and can alter nutrient cycling, pest and disease control, and chemical transformation properties of the soil’

… ongoing soil degradation reduces global harvests by a third of a percent each year under conventional farming practices (blogs.scientificamerican.com)

About 60 percent of soil that is washed away [worldwide via soil erosion] ends up in rivers, streams and lakes, increasing the risks of flooding and intensifying water contamination from fertilizers and pesticides runoff (fewresources.org)

[soil loss from Erosion in Europe] impacts not just on food production but biodiversity, carbon loss and disaster resilience (theguardian.com)

Land degradation is already one of the major problems affecting the world

It is difficult to separate the effects of [a changing climate] and direct damage to soil

Soils play a key role in absorbing carbon and filtering water

Soil destruction creates a vicious cycle, in which less carbon is stored, the world gets hotter, and the land is further degraded.

– scientificamerican.com

The effect of [the] forms of land degradation [listed above by the FAO has been that] cereal production has so far been masked by the increasing levels of agricultural inputs that are used.

However, production of other crops, such as pulses, roots and tubers, has now begun to decline.

It is no coincidence that these crops are grown on land with low production potential, where rates of land degradation are highest.

You can read more about the effects and costs of land degradation and soil erosion at:

Effects & Costs Of Land Degradation (fao.org)

The economics of topsoil loss on a farm (farmprogress.com)

Economic Effects Of Soil & Land Degradation

In the US economy alone, some estimates of economic loss from soil and land degradation go into the billions of dollars (around 40 billion USD a year).

Some of the potential economic effects of soil and land degradation might be:

United States

… the American economy losing roughly $37 billion in productivity annually from soil loss (theweek.com)

The United Nations estimates that degradation of agricultural landscapes cost US$40 billion worldwide in 2014, not counting the hidden costs of increased fertiliser use and the loss of biodiversity and of unique landscapes … (ommegaonline.org)

The UNDP estimated that $42 billion in income and 6 million ha of productive land are lost every year due to land degradation (sciencedirect.com)

How To Prevent Land Degradation (& Potential Solutions)

When it comes to addressing land and soil degradation, the main points might be:

– It can either be prevented, or addressed after it’s happened

– The prevention of land and soil degradation might be the best solution, rather than have to address degradation after it’s happened. But, sometimes solutions have to be aimed at already degraded land/soil.

– Because the causes of land and soil degradation differ from region to region, each region and area of land needs it’s own individual strategy to address short and long term land degradation. Solutions should look to address the major causes of land and soil degradation in the area/region, or on an individual piece of land.

– Some types of degradation are reversible, and some aren’t.

– Some types of degradation might be reversible, but might involve a large and impractical time and money investment, making addressing the degradation unrealistic

– Addressing degradation might happen on different scales, from private and smaller plots of land, to funding large scale projects to restore significantly damaged and degraded soil and land  

Some specific solutions or prevention strategies for some of the main types and causes of land and soil degradation are …

– Water & Wind Soil Erosion

Ground cover, crop cover, and covering soil with organic matter can all protect soil from water and wind erosion

– Overgrazing

Rotating livestock on pasture and grazing land more effectively

– Intensive Agricultural Practices vs More Sustainable Farming Practices

Consider more sustainable farming practices that make good soil health and preserving soil fertility (that help keep nutrients in the soil, along with other goals) a priority .

Using organic fertilizer over synthetic fertilizer, using biological or organic pest control over synthetic pest control chemicals, crop rotation, no or low intensity tilling, drip irrigation, water and soil drains, and other practices might be considered.

Simply combining mor intensive and more sustainable farming practices is an option too, rather than choosing one over the other.

New farming practices like terraces and temporary “cover” crops have helped lower soil erosion by more than 40 percent over the past two decades (theweek.com)

Biological measures such as buffers, conditioner application in direct contact with the soil surface, crop residues using manure protect the soil from erosion.

Restoration of saline agricultural land can be achieved through recharge stabilization and reconstruction of saline land through fencing, retain remnant vegetation, revegetation, runoff interception earthworks, and water table lowering.

– Land Use Efficiency – Agricultural Productivity & Yield

Being more efficient with agricultural land and production means that agricultural input resources like land and soil are used more efficiently.

This depends on different factors, including but not limited to soil health and fertility, efficiency of the type of agricultural product being produced, agricultural practices used, and more.

Expanding on the efficiency of agricultural products point,  plant based diets might be more land efficient than animal products (meat and dairy) according to some measurables , so food diets might be a factor too.

– Consider Alternate Forms Of Food Production Other Than Traditional Land Based Agriculture

We may also look at alternative forms of food production other than conventional agriculture, such as the potential benefits of lab grown meat , or the potential benefits of land based aquaculture , and of course open ocean fishing.

This cuts down on the need to use land and soil in some ways.

Some people think we can provide more food into the future with GMO technology, whilst others argue the downsides and disadvantages to it and prefer regenerative agriculture which focuses on organic and sustainable and holistic farming practices.

A mix or a decision between these methods of food production might have to be pursued in this instance

Reduce air, water and general waste pollution

Consider farming practices that help reduce synthetic pesticide and fertilizer use

Ensure landfills are properly sealed so leachate doesn’t leak out and contaminate land/soil.

Limit and minimise illegal or damaging dumping of industrial waste, as well as hazardou waste. Ensure the proper management of this waste too

Manage oil/petroleum run off from roads and highways 

Some sources say hemp (the plant/crop) can sometimes be used for land reclamation and soil purification when it’s become contaminated or polluted .

– Deforestation And Land Clearing

Consider how deforestation can be reduced, and consider how tree planting can be done effectively in the future

– Mining For Minerals, Metals & Fossil Fuels

More emphasis can be put on restoring mining sites.

But also, we can look at re-using and recycling metals and minerals already mined and being used above ground (potentially reducing the need to mine in some instances)

We can also look at moving towards renewable energy and electric cars if they mean we can eventually mine less fossil fuels from the ground.

Regulations and laws regarding the conservation and protection of land and soil

Economic incentives and support (including insurances and guarantees) for farmers, ranchers and those who own the land to ensure the health of the soil and land, without compromising their businesses and livelihoods, and whilst still meeting the demands of the population

More research into different aspects of sustainable but productive and effective agriculture (some types of organic agriculture might be part of the solution), and consider the impact of subsidies for agricultural business owners to help them implement it

Consider how local communities can be incentivized to conserve soil and land health in certain regions

Have more public awareness about the different aspects soil and land health – such as soil fertility, soil health, soil structure, beneficial microorganisms, soil pollutants, and so on

Consider performance objectives for different soils and land in different regions and zones

One of the best ways to prevent land degradation worldwide in the future would be to better map the world’s land and soil (with satellites and other technology), and track the impact of different factors (like deforestation, farming, weather etc.) on this land and soil. An example of how this is currently being done is the Global Land Outlook.

Look at the impact severe and changing weather events are having on soil health

Address indirect factors like lifestyle choices, overpopulation, diets, etc. that can impact soil health

… sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, the Middle East and north Africa will face the greatest challenges [in the future] unless the world sees lower levels of meat consumption, better land regulation and improved farming efficiency (theguardian.com)

Some potential solutions for restoring, recycling or treating land and soil might be …

(However, these approaches can be time consuming for farmers, as well as financial and business risk, and in some cases decrease yields/productivity, and also profits.)

– Restoring Damaged Land/Soil

Depending on the cost and time expenses involved …

Soil that has been contaminated can be aerated and treated.

Additionally, top soil that has been eroded can be renewed (slowly).

Soil that is too acidic can be rebalanced.

Land that has been desertified by weather, mining or other factors can be restored in various ways.

Bioremediation and phytoremediation are two examples of new/developing soil restoration technology.

From FAO.org:

Land reclamation frequently requires inputs which are costly, labour-demanding or both.

The reclamation projects in salinized and waterlogged irrigated areas demonstrate this fact clearly.

The cost of reclamation, or restoration to productive use, of degraded soils is invariably less than the cost of preventing degradation before it occurs.

– Recycling Damaged Land/Soil

Instead of restoring the land, it might be recycled with an end use in mind.

For example, former mining sites might become sites for solar panels and wind farms, or land fill sites might become parks.

– Specifically Treating/Managing Soil Contamination

Wikipedia.org outlines the different methods for treating soil contamination.

The basic process might involve:

– excavation of contaminated soil, and taking away to a disposal sites

– aerating soil at the contaminated site

There’s then a range of remediation treatments and treatments such as thermal remediation, bioremediation, extraction and stripping of contaminants, containment, phytoremediation, mycoremediation, self-collapsing air microbubbles and surfactant leaching

– Specifically Reducing Likelihood Of Desertification

soils.org lists a list of land management practices that might be implemented to reduce the likelihood of desertification. They include reducing the number of grazing animals, rotating animals to new grazing areas more often, using conservation tillage and no till where possible, using low intensity and high diversity crop rotations, maintaining perennial vegetation, using irrigation properly to increase ground cover, and using selective or staggered tree harvest techniques rather than clear-cutting

Summary Of Practical Steps To Addressing Land & Soil Degradation

Some refined practical steps for addressing soil and land degradation might involve:

1. Attempt to prevent land and soil degradation in the first place

2. If prevention isn’t an option, identify the type of soil or land degradation taking place in a region, or on an area of land

3. Understand that each geographic region and area of land in the world might have a different set of causes for land and soil degradation

There are some good images at fewresource.org – these images show the major types of land degradation, and soil loss by region.

As an example, overgrazing is a major cause of land degradation and soil erosion in Africa.

Comparatively, industrial agricultural practices are the major cause of land degradation and soil erosion in North America.

We see deforestation has played a major role in South America.

4. Identify the primary and secondary causes of each type of land and soil degradation happening on an area of land

[For example, if industrial agriculture is a major cause of soil loss, practices like planting cover crops, reduced tillage, crop rotation, rotational grazing, and other practices might be implanted to better conserve soil.]

5. Custom design both a short and long term strategy based on the causes of each type of land and soil degradation

Once causes have been identified in an area, prevention strategies and solutions can be based around those causes.

As an example, conventional agricultural practices in North America might involve using industrial machinery that involve heavy tilling of the soil, and application of agricultural chemicals like fertilizer and pesticides that erode soil health/fertility steadily over time (aside from the physical loss of topsoil – loss of soil health is a form of erosion too).

To combat this, more focus may need to be placed on soil conservation practices and sustainable farming practices.

There are many examples of sustainable farming practices , including but not limited to cover crops, zero or reduced tillage, crop rotation, rotational grazing, organic fertlizer, and better drainage.

Several case studies show that sustainable farming practices can reduce soil erosion and reduce erosion related financial losses for decreased yields for example .

Reversible vs Non Reversible Land Degradation

In terms of being able to reverse the effects of land degradation, there might be three categories:

– Reversible

– Reversible, but it comes at a great time, cost or difficulty expense (such as not being able to be done at scale)

– Not practically reversible

The effects of water and wind erosion are largely irreversible

Although plant nutrients and soil organic matter may be replaced, to replace the actual loss of soil material would require taking the soil out of use for many thousands of years, an impractical course of action.

In other cases, land degradation is reversible: soils with reduced organic matter can be restored by additions of plant residues, degraded pastures may recover under improved range management.

Salinized soils can be restored to productive use, although at a high cost, through salinity control and reclamation projects.

In other cases, the land can only be restored by taking it out of productive use for some years, as in reclamation forestry.

Rehabilitating & Re-Greening Land (With Examples)

Countries like China (and Ethiopia, which has rehabilitated 7m hectares (17m acres) – theguardian.com) have already undertaken mass land restoration projects on land that was severely eroded.

Although some projects can be lower cost and more straightforward, some projects are  complex, expensive, have unique challenges and limitations, and can take decades to see long term results.

Governments and for profit companies may have the largest role in deciding how much of a role land restoration projects can play in our future.

Read more about restoring and re-greening land at scale in different countries in this guide .

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_degradation

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_use

3. https://visual.ly/community/infographic/environment/polluted-soil

4. https://www.metropolitantransferstation.com.au/blog/negative-effects-of-improper-waste-management

5. https://www.explainthatstuff.com/land-pollution.html

6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/land-degradation

7. http://www.fao.org/3/v4360e/V4360E03.htm 

8. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/12/third-of-earths-soil-acutely-degraded-due-to-agriculture-study 

9. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/177155/Synt_R_5.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y 

10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0143622814002793 

11. https://www.un.org/popin/fao/centasia/faotext3.htm 

12. http://www.fao.org/3/v9909e/v9909e02.htm 

13. http://www.fao.org/soils-2015/news/news-detail/en/c/275770/ 

14. https://www.ommegaonline.org/article-details/Restoration-of-Degraded-Agricultural-Land-A-Review/1928 

15. https://www.globalagriculture.org/report-topics/soil-fertility-and-erosion.html

16. https://www.farmprogress.com/soil-health/economics-soil-loss 

17. https://theweek.com/articles/554677/america-running-soil 

18. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/only-60-years-of-farming-left-if-soil-degradation-continues/ 

19. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/to-feed-the-world-sustainably-repair-the-soil/ 

20. https://www.fewresources.org/soil-science-and-society-were-running-out-of-dirt.html

21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_agriculture

22. http://www.earthsave.org/environment.htm

23. https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/why-soil-is-disappearing-from-farms/

24. https://www.soils.org/files/sssa/iys/november-soils-overview.pdf

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Soil degradation: the problems and how to fix them

A third of the world’s soil is moderately to highly degraded, threatening global food supplies, increasing carbon emissions and foreshadowing mass migration. A change in farming practices has never been more urgent.

Soil is a priceless, non-renewable resource that's home to thousands of animals, plants and other important organisms. It supports countless ecosystems and provides us with essential food and resources. The dirt beneath our feet often goes unnoticed but it is key to sustaining all life on Earth.

Silvia Pressel, a Museum researcher in the Algae, Fungi and Plants Division, says, 'Soil is full of millions of living organisms that interact with one another. These organisms have a major influence on soil, such as its formation, structure and productivity.'

What is soil degradation?

Soil degradation describes what happens when the quality of soil declines and diminishes its capacity to support animals and plants. Soil can lose certain physical, chemical or biological qualities that underpin the web of life within it.

Soil erosion is a part of soil degradation. It's when the topsoil and nutrients are lost either naturally, such as via wind erosion, or due to human actions, such as poor land management.

What does healthy soil look like?

There are many types of soil around the world. The UK alone has over 700 varieties, such as clay, sand, silt, loam and peat. These soils have different characteristics which can be useful for humans.

Healthy soil has a good combination of soil structure, chemistry, organic matter content, biology and water permeation for its type.

A typically healthy soil will be teeming with biodiversity and may include a variety of earthworms, 20-30 types of small arachnids, 50-100 species of insects, hundreds of different fungi and thousands of bacteria species.

'There are some things in soils which will be visible to the naked eye, like invertebrates and plant roots,' explains Silvia. 'But there are also millions of things people won't be able to see like micro-organisms and all the fascinating work they do together.'

Nowhere else in the world is nature so densely packed. A teaspoon of soil can contain more organisms than there are humans living on Earth.

An extreme close up of fungi roots

A type of mycorrhizal fungi forming a symbiotic relationship with a plant root. These fungi help plants absorb hard-to-get soil nutrients, such as phosphorus in exchange for sugar. Mycorrhizal fungi are ubiquitous on land, but are being destroyed by farming practices such as tilling and use of chemicals. Research on mycorrhizal fungi is increasingly important and could be a viable solution for sustainable agriculture. Image by Ellen Larson/ wiki ( CC BY 2.5 ).

One of the most widespread soils in Britain is brown earth, which covers about 45% of land in England and Wales.

Brown earth has a deep top layer where most of the nutrients are and biological activities take place. At around 20 centimetres deep, it provides a lot of space and encouragement for roots to grow comfortably.

Brown earth also drains water at a moderate rate, which allows plants to absorb enough water without drying out or flooding.

These qualities make brown earth well-suited for agriculture, and most British farms depend on it.

The benefits of soil

The millions of organisms that live within soil interact with one another and contribute to a number of cycles that make all life on Earth possible. These include carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles.

Soil plays a vital role in cleaning water. Minerals and microbes filter and buffer potential pollutants, some of which are absorbed by soil particles. This is promoted by the thousands of organisms that live in soil, including earthworms, ants and termites, which create channels and routes for water and air to flow through.

Soil also regulates the movement of water and prevents floods by controlling whether rainfall, snowfall and irrigation water will flow over land or through it.

Healthy soil contains high biodiversity, which helps fight off pests and allows fresh, nutritious plants to grow.

Soil also contains organisms that can kill harmful bacteria. A variety of medicines have been made from organisms that live in soil, such as penicillin - a group of antibiotics widely used to fight off bacterial infections.

Soil provides physical stability for plants by allowing the roots to anchor to something. This in turn helps create oxygen and clean water for all life on Earth. Soil also provides support for manmade structures, including treasured but fragile archaeological sites.

Finally, soil plays a very important role in mitigating climate change . It is the second-largest carbon sink after the ocean, constantly storing and releasing carbon, which regulates atmospheric CO 2 concentrations and, ultimately, the greenhouse effect. 

A frozen peatland

Peatland landscapes vary from frozen, open spaces in Scotland to swamp forests in Indonesia. Peatlands are the largest natural form of carbon storage on land and are vital for reducing global carbon emission. Due to lack of awareness, many peatlands have been overexploited and damaged by draining, burning and mining. Image by Ross/ wiki ( CC BY-SA 2.0 ).

The cause of soil degradation and how it affects us

Soil is not an inert medium but a living ecosystem that is essential to life. It takes hundreds and thousands of years to form an inch of topsoil , and many more centuries before it is fertile.

While soil degradation is a natural process, it can also be caused by human activity. In the last few decades, soil degradation has been sped up by intensive farming practices like deforestation, overgrazing, intensive cultivation, forest fires and construction work.

These actions disturb soil and leave it vulnerable to wind and water erosion, which damages the complex systems underneath.

Silvia says, 'Several practices associated with intensive agriculture, especially tilling, disrupt soil structure. They accelerate surface runoff and soil erosion, loss of organic matter and fertility and disruption in cycles of water, organic carbon and plant nutrients. These practices also have a major negative impact on soil biodiversity.

'When soil degrades, the processes that take place within it are damaged. This causes a decline in soil health, biodiversity and productivity, leading to issues at all levels of many ecosystems, and resulting in large environmental consequences such as floods and mass migration.'

When natural land such as a forest is converted into farmland, it removes important nutrients and prevents the recycling and replenishing of organic material.

It also reduces the amount of carbon the soil can store by 50-75%. With global warming being one of the biggest environmental crises of our time, this would be a giant step backwards.

Soil compaction occurs when there is a combination of wet soil and a heavy weight, for example unwieldy machinery in farming. Networks of tunnels and pores created by various organisms collapse beneath the pressure and air is squeezed out, threatening underground habitats and the availability of nutrients. Tilling soil also has similar results.

Salination - salty water - is a result of excessive irrigation or extraction of groundwater in coastal areas. This can make some bacterial species inactive and can kill many other microorganisms.

Without underground life, land would become barren. In a worst-case scenario, it can lead to desertification , where the soil is damaged beyond repair and nothing grows except a handful of plants that can handle very harsh conditions.

But it's not just agriculture that is to blame: increasing urbanisation also has a negative impact. The widespread use of tarmac and concrete prevents water from being absorbed into the ground. This results in the death of millions of microorganisms and can lead to water runoff in other areas where it may cause flooding and erosion.

Soil degradation can have disastrous effects around the world such as landslides and floods, an increase in pollution, desertification and a decline in global food production.  One of the biggest threats to our future food security is land degradation and the associated loss in soil productivity. 

Areas that are most likely to be affected are developing countries which usually provide services and materials to middle- and high-income countries. Many of the people who live in low-income countries could be forced to leave their homes in search of safety and fertile lands, resulting in the loss of cultural identity as well as possible economic and political instability in other areas.

Acknowledging soil for what it is and recognising the irreplaceable role it plays can help us change the way we care for it which is something that needs to happen now.

A female African farmer tends to crops in a forest

Agroforestry in Lushoto, Tanzania. Agroforestry is the practice of growing a variety of plants together, which allows different biological systems to support each other and flourish. Planting crops around trees is particularly useful as trees protect the soil from wind and water erosion and stabilise the crops. © CCAFS/ Flickr ( CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ).

How can we mitigate soil degradation?

Many practices can be changed to prevent, and in some cases reverse, soil degradation.

These include simple acts such as leaving vegetation on soil to allow nutrients to return into the earth.

Communities, farmers and corporations can be educated about sustainable practices to promote respect and responsibility for nature and reduce their carbon footprint.

Education can also encourage individuals to grow their own produce, which can foster a curiosity and appreciation for nature, as well as motivate to protect the planet. It also alleviates some of the pressure experienced by farms to support an ever-growing population.

Other changes may be harder to establish, such as avoiding monocultures (growing one single crop in a large area), because that would require lots of farmers to overhaul the way they work.

However, monocultures can be extremely damaging to the soil - growing the one type of plant in one area of soil means the same nutrients are continuously being absorbed, which eventually leads to depletion.

Monoculture also makes soil susceptible to pests, pathogens and diseases which adapt to the unchanging environment and cause devastating destruction of crops.

Farmers often end up using chemical products to fight pests and diseases, and fertilisers to try and encourage crops to continue growing.

While this may work in the short term, it has bigger and wider consequences in the long run. Soil and food are contaminated with unnatural substances and the surrounding environment. This damages nature further and can cause sickness in both humans and animals.

Here are some solutions:

  • Practicing crop rotation allows different plants to grow in an area of soil every year. This allows the soil to replenish itself of nutrients that are lacking after the growth of one type of plant.
  • Agroforestry involves growing crops around trees and other plants such as hedges. Trees create their own microclimate, which is favourable for crops. They also act as a form of protection against wind and water damage and encourage biodiversity, which keeps ecosystems strong and healthy.
  • Permaculture is a form of sustainable farming that respects nature and its design. It incorporates practices such as creating an integrative space where beneficial relationships between different organisms can flourish, and avoiding unnatural substances and waste.

Young farmer and grandmother grow vegetables via hydroponics

Hydroponics is good for growing some vegetable like onions, carrots, coriander and mint. Here, Rinesh Sharma plants tomatoes with his enthusiastic grandmother. © Smart Farms Fiji/ Facebook .

Case study: hydroponics and aquaponics

Rinesh Sharma is a Commonwealth Youth Awards finalist based in Fiji. The young entrepreneur founded Smart Farms Fiji , an initiative that aims to provide sustainable food using hydroponics.

Hydroponics is a form of soil-less farming where seeds are grown in nutrient-rich water instead.

Rinesh says, 'Fiji has a lot of problems which make it hard to grow crops, such as salt in the soil, heavy rain and cyclones at certain times of the year, and a lack of land and space.

'With hydroponics, we grow the plants indoors and control every aspect of its environment, including sunlight, temperature, moisture and the amount of nutrients we put in.

'With soil farming, you're not always sure what the soil contains, and you have to wait to see the outcome.

'Hydroponics is a lot more certain and adjustments can be made in seconds. This results in a high yield over a shorter period with minimum waste.'

However, hydroponics is a difficult procedure as the conditions require a delicate balance between the elements and needs to be monitored closely.

Rinesh says, 'Hydroponics is feasible in Fiji because the knowledge and material are available here. It's useful for growing really good veggies like carrots, coriander and mint. But the future of farming is aquaponics.'

A man rows a boat standing up, while another sits

Aquaculture is booming in Bangladesh, contributing to the country's overall economic growth. Fish production has more than doubled in less than a decade. If this continues, it could push Bangladesh from being a low-income country to lower-middle-income in the near future. Worldfish/ Flickr ( CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )

Aquaponics is a man-made system of fish and plants. The fish eat and excrete ammonia which is converted into nutrients by bacteria, and the plants absorb the nutrients, which cleans the water. This is a natural cycle that happens all over the world.

Rinesh says, 'Hydroponics uses a lot of water, but aquaponics recycles existing water. It also produces healthier fish and proteins and doesn't have any negative impacts.'

The organic process uses a fraction of water compared to soil-based farming. It can also be created almost anywhere from a small back garden to a large, industrial farm. What's more, both fish and plants can be eaten.

Soil and science

Scientists like Silvia are trying to find new, natural ways of managing soil to improve its function.

Silvia's research explores mycorrhizal associations, or the symbiotic relationship between plant roots and soil fungi. The fungi help plants extract hard-to-get soil nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for sugar.  They can also bring additional benefits to their plant hosts and to the environment by increasing plant resistance to drought and pest attacks. They also improve soil structure as well as the plants' carbon storage and retention of nutrients.

'This process has been taking place for some 500 million years,' explains Silvia. 'We think the first plants to colonise land from freshwater formed this key association with fungi and this was a major event that helped plants become the huge success story that they are today.

'By learning more about this association between plants and fungi, a long-term goal of my research is to exploit this partnership in an agricultural setting and reduce the use of chemical fertilisers.'

The global population size is projected to increase from seven billion today to more than nine billion by 2050.

Crop production has risen dramatically over the past few decades due to intensive agricultural practices, but this has had a huge negative impact on the environment and cannot be sustained. In fact, agricultural productivity is now declining because of this, posing a major threat to global food security.

Altering our eating habits and moving towards a plant-based diet is something we can all do to help make a difference.

More policies that protect the environment against unsustainable practices are needed, and individuals can exercise their rights by applying pressure on the government to prioritise this.

Earth has gifted us with resources and it's time for us to give back by fighting to protect it.

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  • Published: 10 February 2020

How to halt the global decline of lands

  • Louise Willemen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1026-5865 1 ,
  • Nichole N. Barger 2 ,
  • Ben ten Brink 3 ,
  • Matthew Cantele 4 ,
  • Barend F. N. Erasmus   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1869-8091 5 ,
  • Judith L. Fisher   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1773-9832 6 ,
  • Toby Gardner 7 ,
  • Timothy G. Holland 8 ,
  • Florent Kohler 9 ,
  • Janne S. Kotiaho   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4732-784X 10 ,
  • Graham P. von Maltitz 11 ,
  • Grace Nangendo 12 ,
  • Ram Pandit   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4053-5694 13 ,
  • John A. Parrotta 14 ,
  • Matthew D. Potts 15 ,
  • Stephen D. Prince   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2237-1884 16 ,
  • Mahesh Sankaran 17 ,
  • Anastasia Brainich 18 ,
  • Luca Montanarella 19 &
  • Robert Scholes 20  

Nature Sustainability volume  3 ,  pages 164–166 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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The assessment of land degradation and restoration by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services shows that land degradation across the globe is a wide and severe issue and is showing no signs of slowing down. This trend must be halted and reversed.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the hundreds of people who volunteered their expertise in producing and reviewing the IPBES Land Degradation and Restoration Assessment. A full list of their names is presented in the Supplementary Information.

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Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands

Louise Willemen

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA

Nichole N. Barger

PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague, the Netherlands

Ben ten Brink

School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Matthew Cantele

Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

Barend F. N. Erasmus

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Judith L. Fisher

Stockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

Toby Gardner

University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

Timothy G. Holland

University of Tours, Tours, France

Florent Kohler

School or Resource Wisdom / Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

Janne S. Kotiaho

Smart Places, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa

Graham P. von Maltitz

Wildlife Conservation Society, Kampala, Uganda

Grace Nangendo

UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia

Research and Development, USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC, USA

John A. Parrotta

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Matthew D. Potts

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Stephen D. Prince

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Luca Montanarella

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Willemen, L., Barger, N.N., Brink, B.t. et al. How to halt the global decline of lands. Nat Sustain 3 , 164–166 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0477-x

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Land is a vital resource to humankind, like air and water. Land degradation—the deterioration or loss of the productive capacity of the soils for present and future—is a global challenge that affects everyone through food insecurity, higher food prices, climate change, environmental hazards, and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Land degradation is happening at an alarming pace, contributing to a dramatic decline in the productivity of croplands and rangelands worldwide.

Land degradation is one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems and it will worsen without rapid remedial action. Globally, about 25 percent of the total land area has been degraded. When land is degraded, soil carbon and nitrous oxide is released into the atmosphere, making land degradation one of the most important contributors to climate change. Scientists recently warned that 24 billion tons of fertile soil was being lost per year, largely due to unsustainable agriculture practices. If this trend continues, 95 percent of the Earth’s land areas could become degraded by 2050.

Globally, 3.2 billion people are affected by land degradation, especially rural communities, smallholder farmers, and the very poor. The world population is projected to increase by about 35 percent to 9.7 billion in 2050, with rising demands for agricultural products including food, feed, fiber, and fuel. However, pressure on the global land resource is increasing due to other factors as well, such as agricultural production systems made less resilient by the loss of biodiversity, and natural factors such as climate variability and extreme weather events. Climate change exacerbates variations in yields and income from agriculture, threatening the resilience of agro-ecosystems and stability of food production systems.

The problems are particularly severe in the driest parts the planet. Dryland landscapes cover approximately 40 percent of the world’s land area and support two billion people. The vast majority of people who depend on drylands live in developing countries, where women and children are most vulnerable to the impacts of land degradation and drought.

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GEF Report to UNCCD COP15

The GEF recognizes that all productive landscapes, from the drylands of Africa and Asia to the sub-tropical grasslands of South America, and temperate forests in Europe must be managed carefully and sustainably. Our investments to arrest and reverse desertification and deforestation cover a wide range sectors — from crop and livestock production to water resource management.  

The GEF is the financial mechanism for the  United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification  (UNCCD), and has a mandate to invest in global environmental benefits from production landscapes. The Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD recognizes Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) as a concept that can help communities, businesses, and governments reconcile the need to intensify food production without degrading land resources. Essentially, LDN is about managing land more sustainably to reduce degradation, while increasing rates of land restoration. The two ends converge to give a zero-net rate of land degradation. 

Since 2006, when land degradation became a focal area, the GEF has invested more than $1.069 billion in resources for at least 190 projects and programs that encourage use of sustainable land management practices (SLM) to support national and regional development priorities. 143 million hectares are now under SLM, benefitting more than 80 million smallholders. Our investments have greatly enhanced the potential for restoring degraded land. And our work in land degradation supports other focal areas such as  Biodiversity  and  Climate Change  by generating multiple benefits. 

In Burkina Faso, several multilateral partners financed the  Sustainable Rural Development Program  implemented by IFAD in the North Central Plateau. The GEF support helped to mainstream SLM into village development plans, develop conflict resolution systems, including specific financing mechanisms, and training. In terms of outcomes, the land related conflicts significantly decreased, 109 cases of access to land, services, and infrastructures were solved, and 26,000 producers were given sustainable access to land for cultivation and market gardens, 67% of beneficiaries being women. The project also successfully supported the restoration of 64,000 hectares of lands using indigenous soil and water conservation techniques locally called zaï and demi-lunes (respectively circular pits and half-moon ridges). 

Looking Ahead

The GEF is well-placed to help countries implement convention decisions and facilitate coordinated investments in sustainable land management practices, including LDN. GEF investment will seek to address the drivers of land degradation, robust assessment of experience and existing knowledge, and knowledge and experience. The GEF strategy has two primary objectives:   

Support on the ground implementation of sustainable land management 

The three GEF Impact Programs form a major component of the GEF delivery towards combating land degradation and deforestation. The Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration ( FOLUR ) Impact Program provides the opportunity for an integrated approach to implementing sustainable land management to increase the prospects for food security for smallholders and communities that are dependent on farming for their livelihoods. The Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Impact Program seeks to avoid further degradation, desertification, and deforestation of land and ecosystems in drylands through the sustainable management of production landscapes. The Sustainable Cities Impact Program will create opportunity for countries to integrate voluntary LDN targets into urban planning.  

Creating an enabling environment to support voluntary LDN target implementation 

A conducive enabling framework and overarching political support through the Convention is essential for LDN investments. GEF, for example, is working to embed the LDN concept into existing planning frameworks and participatory land-use planning, and is promoting policy work at national levels leading to the resolution of land tenure issues that are obstacles to LDN objectives. GEF will also make targeted investments to sustain and rebuild productive areas, mitigate the effects of drought, increase resilience, and prevent conflict and migration.

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A plum orchid planted in dry soil as a result of drought.

The Causes and Effects of Soil Erosion, and How to Prevent It

  • restoration
  • agriculture
  • food security

Soil erosion is agriculture’s enemy: a major environmental threat to sustainability and productivity with knock-on effects on the climate crisis and food security.  

This is particularly true for places with the highest risk of erosion , such as watersheds in Indonesia, India, the Philippines and more. In these areas, protecting against soil erosion through sustainable land management can solve a multitude of problems.

Here’s a deeper look at the causes and solutions to soil erosion:

Why Is Soil Erosion Such a Big Problem?

Soil is a natural resource that may look robust and endless, but is in fact the fragile product of thousands of years of formation. Topsoil, which lies closest to the surface of the land, contains essential nutrients for crops. It is this layer of soil that is endangered by wind and water erosion. Soil erosion decreases soil fertility, which can negatively affect crop yields. It also sends soil-laden water downstream, which can create heavy layers of sediment that prevent streams and rivers from flowing smoothly and can eventually lead to flooding. Once soil erosion occurs, it is more likely to happen again.

This is a global problem. Soil is eroding more quickly than it is being formed, causing land to become unsuitable for agriculture – a particularly serious concern in a world where the population is expected to top 9 billion by midcentury. Smarter land management is a necessity.

How Does Soil Erosion Affect Climate Change?

Erosion degrades land, which means it can support fewer plants that can take in climate-warming carbon dioxide. Soils themselves could potentially sequester enough greenhouse gases in a year to equal about 5% of all annual human-made GHG emissions. Better land management can help keep soils intact so they can grow more carbon-sucking vegetation. This is already happening in China, where the Grain-for-Green project in the Yellow River basin conserved soil and water and reduced carbon emissions.     

On the flip side, unchecked climate change can worsen erosion. A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that when cultivated without conservation practices, soil is currently eroding up to 100 times quicker than it’s forming.  The risk of erosion will become even higher in the future due to emissions-driven temperature changes, with resulting decreases in agricultural production, land value and human health.

What Are the Impacts of Soil Erosion?

We’re already seeing the risks of soil erosion play out around the world. Jakarta’s deadly floods earlier this year are a prime example. Eroded sediments from further upstream clogged Jakarta’s rivers and canals, causing them to overflow. Similar erosion-related floods have occurred in many other countries, such as Colombia , India , the Philippines and Democratic Republic of the Congo .

Soil erosion is not only an environmental issue; it also causes huge losses to the economy. One  study  estimated global economic losses from soil erosion to be around $8 billion, due to reduced soil fertility, decreased crop yields and increased water usage. In Java, Indonesia, soil erosion is responsible for a 2% loss in total agricultural GDP , taking into account the losses farmers face directly and the losses others face downstream. Another study showed that soil erosion in Sleman, a district located in Java, costs 17% of an average farmer’s net income per hectare of agricultural land.

The U.S. agricultural sector loses about $44 billion per year from erosion. This value includes lost productivity, along with sedimentation and water pollution. Lost farm income is estimated at $100 million per year. Soil erosion also costs European countries $1.38 billion in annual agricultural productivity losses and $171 million in lost GDP (about 1% of total GDP). South Asia loses $10 billion annually thanks to soil erosion.

What Solutions Exist to Prevent Soil Erosion?

1. use soil-friendly agricultural practices.

Terraced farming needs to be implemented to make hillside agriculture manageable. Terraces prevent erosion and allow more water to flow to crops. In addition, hillside farm fields need full crop cover to help keep the soil in place. This can be accomplished by intercropping, which means growing two crops together in the same field, such as planting rows of maize or soybean between rows of oil palm trees. For smallholders, agroforestry systems where a diverse set of crops, including trees, are grown together can be effective. Access to manure improves the organic matter of the soil, which inhibits erosion. Finally, alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted crops improves soil structure and reduces erosion at the same time.

2. Offer Incentives for Land Management

Although the science of sustainable land management has been gaining support, the socio-economic context often makes implementation difficult. Sustainable land practices need to be financially viable for farmers. Anti-erosion measures have a median cost of $500 per hectare , a considerable investment for a farmer. Governments and banks must help farmers get access to credit and support in implementing erosion prevention. This is not only a good deal for the farmer, but for the whole community. The cost of erosion prevention is far lower than the price of land restoration and rehabilitation, which one source estimated to be around $1,500–$2,000 per hectare . Another source found it could reach $15,221 per hectare.

3. Prevention AND Rehabilitation

The key to managing and reducing soil erosion is to rehabilitate already-damaged land , stop further degradation and put erosion-preventative measures at the core of land management policy. In this way, we can help prevent hunger and mitigate the climate crisis.

To learn more about WRI's work restoring eroded soils, click here .

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Roots of prosperity: the economics and finance of restoring land, the road to restoration, how you can help.

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Together, we can unleash the positive, tangible and system-wide transformations needed to protect our planet for this and future generations.

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Understanding Land Degradation pp 39–51 Cite as

Control of Land Degradation

  • Stanley Weeraratna 2  
  • First Online: 28 September 2022

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Part of the SpringerBriefs in Geography book series (BRIEFSGEOGRAPHY)

Land degradation is one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems and it will worsen without rapid remedial action. Globally, about 25% of the total land area has been degraded and 24 billion tons of fertile soil was being lost per year, largely due to unsustainable agriculture practices. If this trend continues, 95% of the Earth’s land areas could become degraded by 2050. Globally, 3.2 billion people are affected by land degradation, especially rural communities, smallholder farmers, and the very poor. The problems are particularly severe in the driest parts of the planet. Dryland landscapes cover approximately 40% of the world’s land area and support two billion people. The vast majority of people who depend on drylands live in developing countries, where women and children are most vulnerable to the impacts of land degradation and drought. Land degradation causes a decrease in its productivity. According to Food and Agriculture Organization, 33% of the Earth’s soils are already degraded. Hence, it is extremely important that action is taken by farmers as well as relevant authorities to control this process. The main issue related to land degradation is soil erosion caused by water and wind. Hence, It is important that appropriate action is taken to control soil erosion. One of the important methods to control erosion is reducing the amount and velocity of run-off water by constructing contour drains to remove the run-off water. Terracing is an extremely effective means of erosion control in hilly areas, which has been practiced for thousands of years by people all over the world. Having a soil cover or a mulch to protect the top soil from the impact of raindrops is also a strategy to control land degradation. Wind breaks are rows of trees planted along the edges of agricultural fields. These control erosion by wind. Traditional planting methods, such as mixed-cropping and crop rotation have also been shown to significantly reduce soil erosion and hence land degradation. Zero tillage, sloping agricultural land technology (SALT) and cultivation of vetiver on sloppy lands are also effective methods to control land degradation in sloping lands. Communities affected by erosion need to take measures to control this process.

  • Soil erosion
  • Contour drains
  • Zero tillage
  • SALT technology

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Rice grows in water logged soils as oxygen is supplied from the leaves to roots through aerenchymatous tissues in the rice stem.

Barungi M, Ng’ong’ola DH, Edriss A, Mugisha J, Waithaka M, Tukahirwa J (2013) Factors influencing the adoption of soil erosion control technologies by farmers along the slopes of Mt. Elgon in Eastern Uganda. J Sustain Dev 6(2):9–26. https://doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v6n2p9

My Agriculture Information Bank (2016) Wind breaks and shelter belts. https://agriinfo.in/wind-breaks-and-shelter-belts-1640/

Phithag I, Sawatdee B (2003) Research on vetiver grass for soil and water conservation in the Upper North of Thailand. Office of Land Development Region 6, Land Development Department, Chiang Mai, Thailand. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.484.3365

Tacio HD (1993) Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT): a sustainable agroforestry scheme for the uplands. Agrofor Syst 22:145–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705143

UNEP (2021) Combating land degradation through reforestation. https://www.unep-wcmc.org/news/combating-land-degradation-through-reforestation

Weeraratna CS, Asghar M (1992) A study of the effects of grass and dadap mulches on some soil (an Inceptisol) properties and yield of taro ( Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) in Western Samoa. Trop Agric 69:83–88

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National Geographic Society Newsroom Press Releases

Sustainable land management is key to reducing the impacts of climate change.

Today’s UN special report on climate change and the future of land use makes it clear we must transform the way we use land and produce food around the world if there is to be hope of keeping global temperatures under 1.5 degrees Celsius.

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UN Report Says Human Demand Driving Unprecedented Depletion of Natural Resources

Today’s UN special report on climate change and the future of land use makes it clear we must transform the way we use land and produce food around the world if there is to be hope of keeping global temperatures under 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ), report shows we are exploiting our natural resources faster than they can be renewed and that land degradation and desertification at this scale poses significant, wide-reaching consequences for the well-being of the planet.

The report makes clear that ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option and that dramatic short-term action is required. Delays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions will not only undermine the global economy by destabilizing the ecosystems that underpin it through loss of biodiversity and jeopardizing sufficient food production.

A failure to protect critical lands and ecosystems will only exacerbate the impacts a warming climate will have on people and economies. Conserved lands not only sequester excess carbon, but also provide natural protections to local communities against the worst impacts of climate change. Carbon sequestration, local communities and Indigenous Peoples are some of our best weapons in the fight against climate change.

The Campaign for Nature has issued the following response:

Jonathan Baillie, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist for the National Geographic Society

“In the face of these alarming trends, the IPCC report is another important wake-up call to find a more sustainable path. The report clearly shows how rapid deterioration of nature threatens our food, water, health, and security. The opportunity is here and now to achieve not only our economic and development goals, but also our climate goals.”

“This is a global problem, which requires action by all sectors of society – countries, companies, and communities – to solve. As a core element of the solution, Campaign for Nature is calling on governments to listen to the scientific consensus and adopt a new global framework for the conservation and restoration of nature in 2020 that includes a goal of protecting at least 30 percent of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030.”

Brian O’Donnell, Director, Campaign for Nature 

“Charting a sustainable path will require more funding and collaboration than ever before. A more sustainable world is still possible if governments and businesses make big transformative changes within the next ten years. By acting right now, we can use nature as part of the solution to combat climate change.”

“The destruction of nature and the rising threat of climate change are the challenges of our times. Protecting nature is critical to the global effort to combat climate change and vice versa.”

“By urgently protecting habitats, changing land management practices and increasing financial commitments to conservation, we can help address the crisis facing nature. Scientists have shown us what it as stake and have given us a path forward. Now it is up to us to act as a global community.”

Learn more about the Campaign for Nature and the effort to protect at least 30 percent of the planet by 2030 at www.CampaignForNature.org.

For Campaign for Nature interviews and quotes, please contact:

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Land Degradation – How Can We Solve the Problem?

Land Degradation – How Can We Solve the Problem?

The quality of the earth around us is important, whether it’s so that we can grow plants and vegetables on our own property, or so that farmers can continue to provide vital crops. Most living things rely on the earth, to some extent. This is why the degradation of land is such a major issue.

Land degradation occurs when the earth’s topsoil is damaged. Much of this damage is caused by human actions, such as deforestation , urbanisation and pollution. The good news is that there are things which can be done to limit the amount of land degradation which takes place.

Looking after the soil on individual property

On a personal level, everyone can make a contribution, by taking care of their own piece of land. Each person can get help from a building surveyor , to determine issues which may be present, such as erosion. We can all also take certain actions, to help improve the quality of the topsoil on our property.

  • Use natural fertilizer to help replenish nutrients.
  • Build fences and plant trees and bushes to protect the soil from wind damage.
  • Make sure to plant where possible. Covering the ground with vegetation helps to prevent soil from being washed away.

It’s not difficult to reduce the risk of land degradation on an individual piece of residential property.

Dealing with land degradation overall

Of course, land degradation is not limited to just a few pieces of property; it’s a global problem. Over the years, the human race has caused considerable damage to the land. There is now work underway to try and put a stop to some of the damage, and reverse some of the effects. This work includes:

  • Afforestation and reforestation. Creating forest land in an area which was previously barren is known as afforestation. This practice helps to prevent topsoil from being washed away. It also creates a specific resource from where we can obtain the wood which we need, without affecting the balance of nature. Reforestation has the same results, but occurs when forest land has been depleted and is replaced.
  • Crop rotation. Rotating crops on a piece of land can help keep the level of nutrients at a stable level. This should include a fallow period.
  • Building restrictions. It’s important that the urbanisation of the planet has restrictions placed upon it, in order to order to retain the overall quality of the earth around us.
  • Building of dams. Dams help to reduce the chances of areas of land being unintentionally flooded. Constant flooding in an area leads to the loss of good quality topsoil.

All of these actions are important in helping to reduce the amount of land degradation that takes place. If we want to protect the planet we live on, we should all ensure that we take care of our own piece of land, as well as supporting wider conservation efforts.

Related Posts

How Can We Stop Our Land from Being Degraded

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Explain the ways to solve the problem of land degradation in the Himalayan region

Explain with examples, the ways to solve the problem of land degradation in the Himalayan region. 

Methods to control land degradation in the Himalayan regions:

  • Contour Ploughing - Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes.
  • Terrace cultivation steps can be cut on the slopes making terraces.
  • Strip Cropping - Large fields can be divided into strips , strips of grass are left to grow between the crops.
  • Shelter Belt - planning lines of trees to create shelter also helps in breaking up of the force of wind. These shelter belts  have contributed significantly to the stabilization of sand dunes and in stabilizing the desert in western India.

Related Questions

Dense and efficient network of transport is a pre-requisite for local and national development. Analyse the statement. 

Which organisation is responsible for constructing and maintaining State Highways in India

Chapter Chosen

Book chosen, subject chosen, previous year papers, resources and development.

There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation. (i)Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to some extent. (ii)Planting of shelter belts of plants, control on over grazing, stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes are some of the methods to check land degradation. 

(iii)Proper management of waste lands, control of mining activities, proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial and suburban areas .

Fill the crosswords given below:

ways to solve the problem of land degradation

Across: 1. The other name of black soil. (1) 3. Develops on crystalline igneous rocks. (3) 5. Erosion of top soil as water flows over large areas. (5) 7. The club advocated resource conservation for the first time at international level. (4) 9. Deccan plateau is made up of. (4) Down: 2. Soil that develops in areas with high temperature and heavy rain fall. (8) 4. Subset of the stock (8) 6. Obtained from biosphere and have life. (6) 8. An example of ravine. (7) 10. Denudation of soil cover. (7)

Across: 1. Regur, 3. Red soil, 5. Sheet erosion, 7. Club of Rome, 9. Lava. Down:  2. Laterite, 4. Reserves, 6. Biotic, 8. Chambal, 10. Soil erosion.

Write a note on importance of resource planning in India.

Resource planning: (i)Planning is the widely accepted strategy for judicious use of resources. It has importance in a country like India, which has enormous diversity in the availability of resources. (ii)There are regions which are rich in certain types of resources but are deficient in some other resources. (iii)There are some regions which can be considered self sufficient in terms of the availability of resources and there are some regions which have acute shortage of some vital resources. For example, the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are rich in minerals and coal deposits. (iv)Arunachal Pradesh has abundance of water resources but lacks in infrastructural development. The state of Rajasthan is very well endowed with solar and wind energy but lacks in water resources. (v)The cold desert of Ladakh is relatively isolated from the rest of the country. It has very rich cultural heritage but it is deficient in water, infrastructure and some vital minerals. This calls for balanced resource planning at the national, state, regional and local levels.

Write a note on 'Soil as a Resource'.

Soil as a Resource in India: (i)Soil is the most important renewable natural resource. It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth. (ii)The soil is a living system. It takes millions of years to form soil upto a few centimeters in depth. Relief, parent rock or bedrock, climate, vegetation and other forms of life and time are the important factors in the formation of soil. (iii)Various forces of nature such as change in temperature, actions of running water, wind and glaciers, activities of the decomposers, etc. contribute to the formation of soil. (iv)Chemical and organic changes which take place in the soil are equally important. (v)Soil also consists of organic (humus) and inorganic materials.

Describe the characteristics of laterite soils and places where they are found.

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Define land degradation. Explain with causes and control measures

Land degradation is defined as the reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rainfed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest or woodlands resulting from natural processes, land uses or other human activities. land degradation is due to the activities of human hands which loses all the fertility and quality of soil . this is very dangerous to nature which causes further disasters. causes of land degradation listed below are few causes of land degradation soil pollution soil erosion overgrazing extraction of minerals at a repeated stage drought control measures of land degradation listed below are few control measures of land degradation afforestation and proper management of grazing land. control on mining activities. sheltering belts are planted for plants..

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The major cause for land degradation in our country is :

Explain the controlling measures for water pollution caused by sewage.

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  1. Land & Soil Degradation: Types, Causes, Effects, & Solutions

    As just one example of a possible solution aimed at a specific cause of land degradation, ground cover, cover crops, and building up the top layer of soil (with more organic matter), may all help protect against soil erosion, and particularly wind and water erosion Another example - crop rotation might improve soil health over the long term

  2. Soil degradation: the problems and how to fix them

    ANTHROPOCENE Soil degradation: the problems and how to fix them By Tammana Begum First published 16 April 2021 345 A third of the world's soil is moderately to highly degraded, threatening global food supplies, increasing carbon emissions and foreshadowing mass migration. A change in farming practices has never been more urgent.

  3. From Land Degradation to Land Restoration

    Combating desertification and land degradation and mitigating the effects of drought will secure long-term socio-economic benefits for people living in the drylands and reduce their vulnerability to climate change. LDN—with conservation, sustainable use, and restoration as its three pillars—provides an effective framework.

  4. How to halt the global decline of lands

    2. Set clear, quantifiable, legally binding and ambitious targets to ensure that policies to halt and reverse land degradation match the scale and urgency of the problem. Currently, none of the ...

  5. Land Degradation

    March 16, 2022 What We Do The GEF recognizes that all productive landscapes, from the drylands of Africa and Asia to the sub-tropical grasslands of South America, and temperate forests in Europe must be managed carefully and sustainably.

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    Editorial Land degradation: a solution is possible Land degradation is harming the wellbeing of 3·2 billion people and the impact of its efects will only grow with time.

  7. The Causes and Effects of Soil Erosion, and How to Prevent It

    Topsoil, which lies closest to the surface of the land, contains essential nutrients for crops. It is this layer of soil that is endangered by wind and water erosion. Soil erosion decreases soil fertility, which can negatively affect crop yields. It also sends soil-laden water downstream, which can create heavy layers of sediment that prevent ...

  8. UN Offers Warnings and Remedies against Land Degradation

    UN Climate Change News, 27 April 2022 - The way land resources - soil, water and biodiversity - are currently mismanaged and misused threatens the health and continued survival of many species on Earth, including our own, warns a stark new report from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ().. It also points decision makers to hundreds of practical ways to effect local ...

  9. Land degradation: a solution is possible

    Land degradation is harming the wellbeing of 3·2 billion people and the impact of its effects will only grow with time. So reports the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), an independent intergovernmental body set up by UN member states, in a new summary for policy makers. Land degradation is the human-induced loss of biodiversity ...

  10. Global land degradation serious, U.N. report finds, but ...

    Reversing global land degradation can alleviate three big problems—the effects of climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity, according to a U.N. report released today. The Global Land Outlook 2 from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) points out that 40% of Earth's land has been compromised by ...

  11. Full article: A framework to evaluate land degradation and restoration

    1. Introduction. Land degradation is a complex, pervasive and global problem with context-specific solutions. It refers to the many processes that drive the decline or loss in biodiversity, ecosystem functions or services and includes the degradation of all terrestrial ecosystems (IPBES Citation 2018a).Addressing it through international collaboration is extremely important because ...

  12. Control of Land Degradation

    Traditional planting methods, such as mixed-cropping and crop rotation have also been shown to significantly reduce soil erosion and hence land degradation. Zero tillage, sloping agricultural land technology (SALT) and cultivation of vetiver on sloppy lands are also effective methods to control land degradation in sloping lands.

  13. Climate change: Land degradation and desertification

    These social and environmental processes are stressing the world's arable lands and pastures essential for the provision of food and water and quality air. Land degradation and desertification can affect human health through complex pathways. As land is degraded and deserts expand in some places, food production is reduced, water sources dry up ...

  14. Soil Degradation: Causes, Effects, Solutions & Prevention

    Soil degradation refers to the loss of land's physical, chemical, biological, and ecological qualities due to either natural or human-caused disturbances. Some examples of soil degradation processes are the exhaustion of nutrients and organic matter, soil erosion, acidification, desertification, and pollution. There are a number of factors ...

  15. What are the ways to stop land degradation?

    Solution: Ways to stop land degradation are: Afforestation: Planting more trees helps in preventing soil erosion because tree roots hold the soil tightly thereby decreasing the chances of soil erosion. In arid regions, strong winds are a major cause for soil erosion.

  16. Sustainable Land Management is Key to Reducing the Impacts of Climate

    UN Report Says Human Demand Driving Unprecedented Depletion of Natural Resources. Today's UN special report on climate change and the future of land use makes it clear we must transform the way we use land and produce food around the world if there is to be hope of keeping global temperatures under 1.5 degrees Celsius.

  17. (PDF) The global problem of land degradation: A review

    Land degradation has become a severe environmental problem. It is observed that a complex interplay between a variety of interrelated processes leads to what we defined as land degradation. It ...

  18. Land degradation

    Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land. It is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. Natural hazards are excluded as a cause; however human activities can indirectly affect phenomena such as floods and bush fires.

  19. Land Degradation

    Use natural fertilizer to help replenish nutrients. Build fences and plant trees and bushes to protect the soil from wind damage. Make sure to plant where possible. Covering the ground with vegetation helps to prevent soil from being washed away.

  20. Explain the ways to solve the problem of land degradation in the

    Answer Methods to control land degradation in the Himalayan regions: Contour Ploughing - Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes. Terrace cultivation steps can be cut on the slopes making terraces.

  21. Explain the ways to solve the problems of land degradation.

    Answer Fill the crosswords given below: Across: 1. The other name of black soil. (1) 3. Develops on crystalline igneous rocks. (3) 5. Erosion of top soil as water flows over large areas. (5) 7. The club advocated resource conservation for the first time at international level. (4) 9. Deccan plateau is made up of. (4) Down: 2.

  22. Define land degradation. Explain with causes and control measures

    Solution Land degradation is defined as the reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rainfed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest or woodlands resulting from natural processes, land uses or other human activities.

  23. "There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation

    There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation. -Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to some extent. -Planting of shelterbelts of plants, control on overgrazing, stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes are some of the methods to check land degradation in arid areas.