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Context

The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2025 Report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)  highlights a growing global crisis—human-induced land degradation.

What is the State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) Report?

The SOFA Report is FAO’s annual publication that provides evidence-based analysis on critical issues affecting global food and agricultural systems. 

The 2025 edition focuses on how human activities accelerate land degradation, mapping its economic, social, and environmental consequences. 

Around 1.7 billion people globally live in areas where crop yields are at least 10% lower because of human-induced degradation

What is Land degradation?

It is defined as the long-term decline or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of land resources, including soil, vegetation, and water. 

It is considered a pervasive and "silent crisis" driven by human activities, although natural factors can also contribute.

 Reason for Land Degradation in India

Unsustainable Agriculture

Soil health is degraded by excessive tillage, monocropping, unbalanced fertilizer use, over-irrigation, heavy pesticide application, and poor residue management.

Deforestation and Overgrazing

Increased cultivation and overgrazing remove protective vegetation, exposing soil to erosion from wind and rain, causing degradation.

Water Mismanagement

Over-irrigation in dry regions (eg. Punjab, Haryana) causes waterlogging and salinity; unsustainable groundwater use reduces water availability, worsening land stress.

Urbanization and Industrial Pollution

Rapid urban expansion and industrial activity have sealed fertile land under concrete and polluted nearby soils through untreated effluent discharge.

Population and Poverty Pressure

A fast-growing population pushes cultivation into fragile areas, while poverty forces farmers to prioritize short-term survival over sustainable land use.

Climate Change

Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and more frequent floods and droughts amplify degradation, particularly in already stressed regions.

Consequences of Land Degradation

• Falling Productivity: Degraded soils yieldless, cutting into national food output and farmers’ incomes.
• Nutrient Loss: Erosion and salinity strip topsoil of vital nutrients, lowering fertility.
• Food Insecurity: Lower yields lead to higher food prices, greater import dependence, and worsening malnutrition.
• Livelihood Risks: Farmers dependent on rainfed crops—face declining returns and rising vulnerability.
• Environmental Damage: Degraded land absorbs less carbon and supports fewer species, weakening natural resilience against climate shocks.

Policy Responses and Restoration Efforts by Indian Government

India has recognized the urgency of the problem and committed to achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030—ensuring that any new degradation is offset by equivalent restoration.

Major National Programs:

• National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (NAP): Provides a national framework for tackling desertification through afforestation and sustainable land use.
• MGNREGS: Funds local soil and water conservation works, improving community participation in land restoration.
• Green India Mission (GIM) and Forest Fire Protection & Management Scheme: Increase forest cover and protect existing ecosystems.
• CAMPA Fund: Supports compensatory afforestation where forest land is diverted.
• Soil Health Card Scheme: Promotes balanced fertilizer use through soil testing.
• Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP): Encourages soil and water conservation in rainfed areas to boost productivity.

State-Level Examples:

• Green Tamil Nadu Mission: Restores coastal habitats using species like mangroves and Casuarina to act as natural bioshields.
• Karnataka’s Jala Sanjeevini Initiative: Uses GIS mapping, remote sensing, and community participation under MGNREGA to improve groundwater recharge and reduce degradation.

Way Forward

Holistic Planning: Align agricultural, forestry, and water policies to prevent overlapping efforts.

Technology Integration: Use remote sensing and GIS for real-time monitoring and precision planning.

Support for Smallholders: Provide credit access, technical training, and targeted incentives for sustainable farming.

Community-Led Restoration: Empower local institutions to co-manage resources and monitor progress.

True Cost Accounting: Factor environmental and social costs into agricultural decision-making to promote sustainability.

Policy Tools Suggested by FAO:

• Regulations: Land zoning, anti-deforestation rules, and mandatory soil conservation.
• Incentives: Payments for ecosystem services and financial support for sustainable farming.
• Cross-Compliance: Linking subsidies or credit access to environmentally sound practices.

FAO’s analysis suggests that restoring just 10% of degraded cropland worldwide could feed an additional 154 million people annually.  

Source: DOWNTOEARTH