DESERTIFICATION

What is desertification?
Land degradation loss of lands biological productivity One of worlds most alarming processes Caused by human activities and climate change It is the persistent degradation of dryland ecosystems by human activities and climatic variations.

THE PROCESS OF DESERTIFICATION

HOW DOES DESERTIFICATION OCCUR?

Human activities Climatic conditions Biological diversity

CAUSES & FACTORS

Climatic factors Technological factors Economic factors Deforestation Population pressure Over exploitation of natural resources

Globalization leading to desertification

Global trade regimes and linked government
policies inuence food and consumption

On the other hand, Improved access to

agricultural inputs (like fertilizers, pesticides,

and farm machinery) and export markets

typically boosts productivity.

THE ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF DESERTIFICATION

The negative impacts of desertification are twofold:

Ecological Socio-economic

ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Soil Resources

It changes soil quality, damages soil structure and leads to the loss of soil nutrients It changes land surface characteristics It reduces the agricultural productivity of the land It leads to the loss of Ecosystem diversity

Water Resources
It changes water quality and
quantity It causes loss of productivity and impairment of aquatic ecosystems

Wildlife, Plants And People

It leads to the reduction in biodiversity It reduces plant composition and abundance

Climate
It affects the regional and global energy balance, reduce carbon sequestration and storage and increase carbon dioxide emission contributing to the greenhouse effect It undermines the structure and functions of ecological systems such as biogeochemical cycles (i.e. carbon, hydrological, and nutrient cycles)

Climate (contd)
It influences the movements of atmospheric masses and rainfall It may intensify a general climatic trends

toward greater aridity or it may initiate a

change in local climate

SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS
It can worsens the effects of poverty and dependence
It weakens populations and institutions It reduces food security

Socio-economic development is disequilibrium

Dryland populations are often socially and politically marginalized Crop production, livestock and dairy production is constrained.

Geographical extent of desertification

20% of the dry lands is suffering from humaninduced soil degradation.

70% of dry lands (excluding hyper-arid areas) were

suffering from soil and or vegetation degradation

10% of global dry lands (including hyper-arid areas)

are degraded as on 2003

EXTENT OF DESERTIFICATION GLOBALLY

EXTENT OF DESERTIFICATION GLOBALLY

Some more examples of desertification trends

COMBATING DESERTIFICATION GLOBALLY

MEASURES TAKEN TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION

Terracing
Contour Ploughing

Crops can be grown on ridges and along slopes

Mix Cropping Steep slopes should be used for forest and pasture

Contour Ploughing

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Raising awareness of the problem Planting and protecting indigenous trees and shrubs Using alternative sources of energy Mobilizing and involving people Development of local crops and rural markets

The creation of a culture of prevention

Integrated land and water management

DESERTIFICATION IN INDIA

ONE- FOURTH OF INDIA HEADED FOR DESERTIFICATION

TOTAL AREA UNDER DESERTIFICATION --81.45 MN HECT Desertification because of : water erosion -- 26.21 million hectares wind erosion -- 17.77 million hectares degradation of vegetation -- 17.63 million hectares frost shattering -- 9.47 million hectares other reasons -- 10.37 million hectares

Measures to Combat DesertificationINDIA

India became a signatory to the UNCCD on 14th October 1994. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is the nodal

Ministry in the Government of India for the UNCCD.

National Action Programme (NAP) to combat desertification(Yr 2001). Programmes and monitoring mechanism to Control Desertification.

CONCLUSION
Implementation of new laws and regulations

Enforcement of existing laws and regulations

Raising awareness about the problem. Mobilizing and involving people in the fight against desertification through education Reintroducing and promoting traditional farming practices Developing and Promoting sustainable agricultural practices

Restoration

THE END