Addressing Soil Loss

Introduction

  • India’s land area is about 2.5 per cent of the global land area, and it supports more than 16 per cent of the total human population along with around 20 per cent of the global livestock population.
  • Clearly, the pressures of constantly increasing production have in turn resulted in a persistent decline in soil fertility, a major challenge that Indian agriculture is currently facing.
  • With rising population, limited availability of agricultural land, small land holdings and declining soil fertility, India is under serious threat of losing its food surplus status in the near future.
  • According to estimates, the demand for food grain is expected to increase from 192 million tonnes in 2000 to 355 million tonnes in 2030.

Need for ensuring soil fertility

  • Los of soil fertility led to rise in cultivation cost.
  • Sustainability of food production is directly affected by soil sterility.
  • Ensuring livelihood sustainability of poor.
  • Protection of ecology and environment and thereby support ecosystem services.
  • Ensuring minimum level of soil fertility is important to check desertification.

Present Issue in Kerala

  • Roads and houses will be rebuilt, and crop losses compensated partially through insurance, the gradual loss of soil productivity can have a lasting impact on the local economy.
  • Soil degradation due to Flooding:
  • Soil degradation due to flooding is a serious concern. A 2014 review of soil degradation in India by multiple institutions shows that an estimated 14 million hectares suffer soil degradation due to flooding annually.
  • The impact of floods on soil was also studied in detail following the 2009 floods in North Karnataka, which killed over 170 people and caused an estimated loss of over `16,500 crore.

Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

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