Sambhav-2025

Approach In introduction, define desertification and its significance in the Indian context. Discuss the impact on Biodiversity and Food Security. Mention India’s Efforts to Combat Desertification. Conclude suitably.

Introduction

Desertification refers to land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid regions due to factors like climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable land use. India, with nearly 30% of its land affected by desertification, faces serious threats to biodiversity and food security. Tackling desertification is crucial for sustainable development and environmental conservation.

Body

Impact of Desertification on Biodiversity:

• Loss of Habitat and Species Extinction: Desertification leads to soil degradation, reduced vegetation cover, and shrinking habitats, causing biodiversity loss.
  • Species dependent on forests, wetlands, and grasslands face severe survival challenges due to habitat fragmentation.
• Decline in Pollinators and Microbial Diversity: Loss of vegetation affects pollinators like bees and butterflies, impacting crop productivity.
  • Soil microbial diversity declines, reducing nutrient availability for plant growth.
• Increased Invasive Species and Altered Ecosystems: Degraded lands encourage invasive species, which outcompete native flora and fauna, disrupting ecological balance.
  • Reduction in water bodies affects aquatic biodiversity, further intensifying ecosystem degradation.

Impact of Desertification on Food Security:

• Decline in Agricultural Productivity: Soil erosion, loss of soil fertility, and water scarcity reduce crop yields, impacting food availability.
  • Drought-prone regions like Rajasthan and Bundelkhand face recurrent crop failures due to land degradation.
• Water Scarcity and Reduced Irrigation Potential: Desertification leads to declining groundwater levels and drying rivers, making irrigation difficult.
  • Desert expansion in states like Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh exacerbates agricultural distress.
• Threat to Rural Livelihoods and Food Prices: Declining agricultural output leads to loss of income for farmers and rural communities.
  • Food shortages drive higher prices, affecting access to nutritious food, particularly for vulnerable populations.

India’s Efforts to Combat Desertification:

• National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (NAPCD): Focuses on afforestation, sustainable land use, and soil conservation strategies.
  • Implements watershed management and agroforestry initiatives to restore degraded land.
• Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India: Published by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, mapping land degradation patterns for targeted interventions.
• UNCCD Commitment & Bonn Challenge: India pledged to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
  • Part of the Bonn Challenge, aiming for large-scale afforestation and ecosystem restoration.
• Green India Mission & CAMPA Fund: Promotes forest conservation and reforestation to enhance carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection.
  • Compensatory Afforestation Programme (CAMPA) funds afforestation efforts to offset deforestation impacts.
• Watershed Development and Agroforestry Initiatives: Programs like PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and National Agroforestry Policy improve soil moisture retention and sustainable agriculture.
  • Rajasthan and Gujarat have adopted drought-resistant crops and water conservation techniques to combat desertification.

Conclusion

Desertification poses severe threats to biodiversity, food security, and rural livelihoods, making it a pressing environmental challenge. India’s multi-pronged approach, including afforestation, sustainable agriculture, and international commitments, is crucial for land restoration. Strengthening community participation, scientific interventions, and policy enforcement can help achieve a land degradation-neutral India.