Land degradation is a process where the value and productivity of land are reduced due to human activities. It is defined as the reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rainfed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest or woodlands resulting from natural processes, land uses or other human activities. Land degradation is due to the activities of human hands which lose all the fertility and quality of soil, making it dangerous to nature and causing further disasters.
Causes of land degradation include:
- Extreme weather conditions, particularly drought
- Human activities that harm or degrade soil quality and land utility, such as deforestation, overgrazing, mining and quarrying, agricultural intensification, and land reclamation
- Soil erosion and pollution
- Repeated extraction of minerals from the soil
Control measures against land degradation include:
- Controlling mining activities
- Planting sheltering vegetation
- Reducing deforestation, irrigation, urban sprawl, mining and quarrying, agricultural intensification, and land reclamation
- Implementing sustainable land management practices
Land degradation is an important global issue that has adverse impacts on the environment, food security, life quality, and agronomic productivity. It also threatens the stability of food production and resilience of ecosystems. Desertification is a form of land degradation by which fertile land becomes desert. Land degradation and desertification can affect human health through complex pathways, such as reducing food production, drying up water sources, and pressuring populations to move to more hospitable areas.
