Desertification Advances in India: Food Security Threatened
Desertification Advances in India: Food Security Threatened
A quarter of India's land is now turning into a desert. With rapid desertification setting in, food security is now under threat as population continues to rise and cultivable land declines. As the second most populated country in the world, India has many people who are still not able to access healthcare, food and sanitation. As if that was not enough of a challenge to cope with already, desertification has come along to make things even more complicated for our country.
India has just 2% of the total territory of the world yet it is home to 17% of its population. This has led to the over-exploitation of land as well as excessive grazing from livestock. Changing rainfall patterns are adding to the conundrum and the NDA government is now faced with an additional challenge: desertification.
As land is becoming barren, degradation is on the rise, according to Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar. What is now under discussion is now to stop the onslaught of desertification. Land degradation is defined as the loss of productivity and it is currently estimated at around 105 million hectares. This is around 32% of the total land.
According to the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) making the report on the desertification in the year 2007, nearly 69% of the land in the country is currently dry. This increases water logging, water as well as wind erosion and salinization.
The most arid areas of the country inlude Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. But with plans to make India “land degradation neutral” by 2030, may be the eventuality of desertification can be combated. Sustainable management of water and soil is needed. Conservation of natural habitats is a must. Preserving biodiversity is the goal.
As it is with all issues, the problem of desertification is connected to a lot more than meets the eye. While creation of wasteland can impact livelihood and ability to eradicate poverty, desertification cannot be halted without sustainable development. While infrastructure is a must, so is preservation and conservation of resources. One cannot be achieved at the cost of the other. If both are worked for, a win-win situation can then result in a positive endgame.
But with announcements that development will cause a rise in CO2 emissions, the NDA government will now have to manage the delicate balance between conservation and development. Can both aims be met, especially in ecologically fragile or sensitive areas? If course, with new systems for environmental clearance such as the nod for Cairn in Rajasthan, there is hope that development at the cost of the environment will not be initiated.
But for those who want data to prove it, a good idea would be the app used by China to check GHG emissions in factories. Using technology to combat climate change is a good idea. But, the translation of idea into action is by far the most important step which has to be taken. With June 17th just celebrated as the World Day to Combat Desertification, the time has come for action beyond that, if deadly desertification is to be halted in India.
