Question
Explain the causes and consequences of degradation of cultivable land in India.
Solution
The causes and consequences of degradation of cultivable land in India are:
(i)Degradation of cultivable land is a serious problem which arises due to faulty, strategy of irrigation and agricultural development. This is serious because it may lead to depletion of soil fertility. The situation is particularly alarming in irrigated areas.
(i)Degradation of cultivable land is a serious problem which arises due to faulty, strategy of irrigation and agricultural development. This is serious because it may lead to depletion of soil fertility. The situation is particularly alarming in irrigated areas.
(ii)A large tract of agricultural land has lost its fertility due to alkalization and salinization of soils and waterlogging. Alkalinity and salinity have already affected about 8 million ha land.
(iii)Another 7 million ha land in the country has lost its fertility due to waterlogging. Excessive use of chemicals such as insecticides and pesticides has led to their concentration in toxic amounts in the soil profile.
(iv)Leguminous crops have been displaced from the cropping pattern in the irrigated areas and duration of fallow has substantially reduced owing to multiple cropping. This has obliterated the process of natural fertilization such as nitrogen fixation.
(v)Rainfed areas in humid and semi-arid tropics also experience degradation of several types like soil erosion by water and wind erosion which are often induced by human activities.
