Land Degradation Neutrality

GS-III: Land Degradation Neutrality

Context

Union Environment Ministry has committed to rejuvenating 50 lakh hectares (5 million) of degraded land between 2021 and 2030. A Centre for Excellence would be set up in Dehradun for land degradation neutrality.

Why such a move?

India faces a severe problem of land degradation, or soil becoming unfit for cultivation. About 29% or about 96.4 million hectares are considered degraded.
The State of India’s Environment report, 2017 calculates that nearly 30 per cent of India is degraded or facing desertification. This figure touches 40 to 70 per cent in eight states—Rajasthan, Delhi, Goa, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Tripura and Himachal Pradesh.

Land Degradation Neutrality

Land degradation neutrality (LDN) is a condition where further land degradation (loss of productivity caused by environmental or human factors) is prevented and already degraded land can be restored.

Benefits of Land Degradation Neutrality

As land is fixed in quantity, there is ever-increasing competition to control land resources and capitalize on the flows of goods and services from the land.
LDN represents a paradigm shift in land management policies and practices.
It is a unique approach that counterbalances the expected loss of productive land with the recovery of degraded areas.

India’s Initiative

This January, India became part of the “Bonn Challenge”, a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030.
India’s pledge is one of the largest in Asia.
Schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme, Soil Health Management Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana are seen as prongs to tackle this land degradation.

Source: The Hindu

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