India is grappling with a grave issue of land degradation, which denotes the soil becoming unfit for cultivation. Statistically, approximately 29%, equivalent to about 96.4 million hectares of land, is deemed degraded. This severe problem has prompted India to devise strategic measures to combat the menace.
India’s Strategy Against Land Degradation
As part of the mitigation plan, India intends to transform nearly 50 lakh (5 million) hectares of degraded land into fertile ground within the upcoming decade (2021-2030). This 5 million hectares conversion commitment is part of the global initiative known as the “Bonn Challenge”.
The Bonn Challenge and its Role
Externally initiated, the Bonn Challenge is a concerted international effort to restore 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land by 2020, and further extend rehabilitation to 350 million hectares by 2030. At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) 2015 in Paris, India willingly joined the Bonn Challenge and pledged to rehabilitate 13 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2020, and an additional 8 million hectares by 2030. India’s pledge is one of the most ambitious in Asia.
Government Schemes to Combat Land Degradation
To realize the Bonn Challenge targets, the Indian Government is deploying different schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme, and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. These are effectively being used as tools to counteract the land degradation issue.
| Scheme | Objective |
|---|---|
| Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana | Comprehensive insurance scheme for farmers |
| Soil Health Card Scheme | Assess the nutrient status of soil and advise farmers on appropriate dosage of nutrients |
| Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana | Aim to irrigate the field of every farmer and improve water use efficiency |
Hosting the UNCCD COP-14
In addition to these initiatives, India will be hosting the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) for the first time. This event will be held from 2nd-13th September 2019 in Greater Noida. The UNCCD was enacted in December 1996 and is one of the three Rio Conventions along with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). India became a signatory to the UNCCD on 14th October 1994 and ratified it on 17th December 1996. It primarily aims to combat desertification and conduct damage control in countries severely affected by drought or desertification.
