The recently published Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) underlines the significant increase in land degradation and desertification over the years. The atlas offers a state-wise summary of degraded lands for the period 2018-19 and elaborates the change analysis over a span of 15 years, from 2003-05 to 2018-19. The issue was highlighted during a keynote address by the Prime Minister at the United Nations’ (UN) “High-Level Dialogue on Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought.”
Understanding Land Degradation and Desertification
Land degradation refers to the diminishing quality of soils and overall reduced land utility due to extreme weather conditions, particularly drought, and human activities that cause pollution. Desertification, on the other hand, is the decline in biological productivity within dry land regions – arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions – resulting from natural or human factors. It does not imply the expansion of existing deserts.
Current State of Land Degradation and Desertification
During 2018-19, 97.85 million hectares (29.7%) of India’s total geographical area (TGA) experienced land degradation, a rise from 94.53 mha (28.76% of the TGA) in 2003-05 and 96.40 mha (29.32% of the TGA) in 2011-13. Regarding desertification, 83.69 mha underwent the process in 2018-19, higher than the 81.48 mha in 2003-2005 and 82.64 mha in 2011-13.
State-wise data reveals that Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana contributed around 23.79% of the area undergoing desertification or land degradation with respect to the TGA of the country.
Root Causes of Land Degradation and Desertification
Loss of soil cover due to rainfall and surface runoff is one of the primary reasons for desertification, contributing to 11.01% of the country’s desertification. Deforestation also adversely impacts soil health and causes degradation. Besides, vegetation degradation, defined as the temporary or permanent reduction in the density, structure, species composition or productivity of the vegetation cover, is responsible for 9.15% of desertification.
The other leading factors include water erosion, wind erosion, and climate change, which account for 10.98%, 5.46%, and an unspecified percentage of desertification in India, respectively.
Impacts of Land Degradation and Desertification
Land degradation poses a grave threat to agricultural productivity by reducing soil health, thereby affecting rural livelihoods. It exacerbates climate change events, leading to further degradation. Degraded land loses its capacity to absorb carbon-dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that worsens global warming. Moreover, the degradation results in deteriorating both surface and groundwater resources’ quality and quantity. Such a scenario projects the dryland population vulnerable to water stress and drought intensity to reach 178 million under the most ideal conditions of 1.5 deg-C warming by 2050.
India’s Measures to Mitigate Desertification and Land Degradation
India has launched several programs to contain desertification and land degradation. Programs include the Integrated Watershed Management Programme, which aims at restoring ecological balance and creating Rural Employment and the Desert Development Programme launched to minimize the adverse effect of drought.
In alignment with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), ratified by India in 1996, the country is striving to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Other efforts include the National Afforestation Programme for afforestation of degraded forest lands, the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification, and the National Mission on Green India, aimed at protecting and restoring India’s diminishing forest cover within a ten-year timeframe.