Why in News ?
- FAO’s “State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2025” report (Nov 3, 2025) warns of a global land degradation crisis affecting 1.7 billion people.
- India is among the countries with the highest agricultural yield losses due to human-induced land degradation — a major threat to food security, ecosystem stability, and poverty alleviation.
Relevance:
• GS-3 (Environment): Relates to land degradation, desertification, and India’s commitments under UNCCD and SDG 15.3.
• GS-3 (Agriculture): Examines yield loss, soil fertility decline, and sustainable land management practices.
• GS-3 (Economy): Links degradation with reduced productivity, rural distress, and food security threats.
Key Global Findings
- Land degradation has reduced agricultural productivity across 1.7 billion people globally.
- 90% of global deforestation driven by agricultural expansion — mainly cropland conversion and grazing expansion.
- Between 2001–2023:
- Total agricultural land area fell by 78 million hectares (mha) (−2%).
- Cropland expanded by 78 mha, while meadows/pastures shrank by 151 mha.
- Regional patterns:
- Sub-Saharan Africa: +69 mha cropland, −72 mha forest.
- Latin America: +25 mha cropland, −85 mha forest.
- 3.6 mha of croplands are abandoned annually, largely due to soil degradation and unsustainable farming.
India-Specific Insights
- India among the worst-hit nations in yield loss due to anthropogenic (human-induced) land degradation.
- High population density + intensive agriculture (Punjab, Haryana, UP plains) → rapid soil organic carbon loss, nutrient depletion, and salinisation.
- Desertification Atlas (ISRO 2021):
- 29.7% of India’s total land (≈ 97.8 mha) degraded.
- Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Jharkhand — major contributors.
- Wheat yield loss projected to be 6–9% by 2040 due to combined soil and climate stress.
- Land degradation linked to water overuse — India extracts ~230 billion m³ groundwater annually, the world’s highest.
Drivers of Human-Induced Land Degradation
- Agricultural Expansion:
- Conversion of forests to croplands; intensive monocropping.
- Responsible for ~90% of deforestation globally.
- Unsustainable Input Use:
- Overuse of fertilisers (India: ~165 kg/ha vs. global avg 120 kg/ha).
- Decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) by up to 40% in Indo-Gangetic belt.
- Overgrazing and Pasture Decline:
- Global pasture loss: 151 mha since 2001.
- Urbanisation and Infrastructure:
- In India, ~1.2 mha agricultural land lost yearly to non-farm use.
Economic and Food Security Impact
- Degraded croplands = reduced productivity, lower farm income, and greater food insecurity.
- Reversing 10% of human-induced degradation can restore production to feed 154 million people/year globally.
- Restoring abandoned croplands could feed 292–476 million people.
- FAO identifies 47 million stunted children under age 5 living in degradation hotspots (mostly in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa).
Inequality in Land Use and Resource Access
- Farm size disparities amplify degradation and adaptation gaps:
- 85% of global farms <2 ha, cultivating just 9% of farmland.
- 0.1% of large farms (>1000 ha) control ~50% of farmland.
- Large farms:
- High-tech input use maintains yields but masks degradation.
- Example: Europe, North America — productivity maintained at rising ecological cost.
- Small farms:
- Struggle with degraded soils, low technology, and limited capital.
- Yet supply 16% of global calories, 12% of protein, 9% of fats — crucial for local food diversity.
India’s Policy Response
- National Action Plan on Desertification and Drought (NAPDD) – aligns with UNCCD goals.
- India’s Commitment:
- Restore 26 million ha degraded land by 2030 (UNCCD COP14, New Delhi 2019).
- Integrate Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) in agriculture, forestry, and watershed programmes.
- Flagship Initiatives:
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) – water-use efficiency.
- Soil Health Card Scheme – nutrient balance.
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) – soil organic matter management.
- Green India Mission – forest restoration for ecosystem balance.
- Private-sector participation emerging in soil carbon markets and regenerative agriculture pilots.
Global and Multilateral Linkages
- UNCCD (1994): Framework for combating desertification and promoting sustainable land use.
- FAO, UNEP, and IPBES assessments: Link land degradation to biodiversity loss and climate vulnerability.
- SDG 15.3: Target to achieve Land Degradation Neutral World (LDNW) by 2030.
- FAO warns global land productivity is declining on 25% of agricultural land, threatening SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
Way Forward
- Integrated Land-Use Planning: Balance agriculture, forestry, and water use.
- Agroecological Practices: Crop rotation, conservation tillage, bio-fertilisers.
- Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES): Incentivise soil and forest conservation.
- Tech-enabled Monitoring: Remote sensing (ISRO’s Bhuvan platform) and AI-based soil diagnostics.
- South-South Cooperation: India can lead Global South collaboration under UNCCD and FAO platforms.
