land degradation

Land degradation has affected some 1900 million hectares of land word-wide. In Africa an estimated 500 million hectares of land have been affected by soil degradation, including 65% of the region's agricultural land. The rate at which arable land is being lost is increasing and is currently 30-35 times the historical rate. The loss of potential productivity due to soil erosion world wide is estimated to be equivalent to some 20 million tons of grain per year. And this is happening worldwide, not just in Africa or Asia (UNEP, 1999).

The understanding of the extent and causes of this phenomenon - "desertification", however incomplete, is now far too clear for the global community to ignore. In some cases the cause could be solely natural or purely human, but often both human and natural causes combine to accelerate desertification. However the graphic talk of marching sand dunes and expanding deserts distracts attention from the real problem - the continuing human impact of the degradation of the dry lands on the millions of desperate people facing hunger and despair.

There are close linkages between desertification and poverty. No long-term strategy of poverty eradication can succeed in the face of environmental forces that promote persistent erosion of the physical resources upon which poor people depend.

No programme for protecting the environment can succeed without alleviating day-to-day pressures of poverty. These pressures leave people little choice but to discount the future so deeply that they fail to protect the resource base to ensure their own and their children's well being. The feminization of poverty in areas affected by desertification is an aspect that must not be ignored. Strategies to improve and safeguard the local environment should be built on the knowledge and resourcefulness of local women, and remove their special burdens and constraints. (UNEP, 2000)

The negotiation and signature of the Convention to Combat Desertification by June 1994 was a major post-Rio accomplishment, providing a mechanism to assess and respond to the problems of dryland degradation around the world.

what is land?
In difining land, different authors and publishers have brought to knowledge as to what land is, this however is base on individual's area of speciallization. thus several difinitions such as the following has been published;

1. The solid part of the surface of the earth; -- opposed to water as constituting a part of such surface, especially to oceans and seas; as, to sight land after a long voyage.
2. Any portion, large or small, of the surface of the earth, considered by itself, or as belonging to an individual or a people, as a country, estate, farm, or tract.
3. Ground, in respect to its nature or quality; soil; as, wet land; good or bad land.
4. Any ground, soil, or earth whatsoever, as meadows, pastures, woods, etc., and everything annexed to it, whether by nature, as trees, water, etc., or by the hand of man, as buildings, fences, etc.; real estate.

this just to mention but a few. following these difinitions of land, it can be observed that many use land base on thier understanding of what a land is.

this however result to a problem of land degradation. land degradation can be seen as a concept in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land.[1] Natural hazards are excluded as a cause, however human activities can indirectly affect phenomena such as floods and bushfires.

Land degradation is a global problem, mainly related to agricultural.

The major causes include:
Land clearance, such as clearcutting and deforestation
Agricultural depletion of soil nutrients through poor farming practices
Livestock including overgrazing
Urban conversion
Irrigation and overdrafting
Land pollution including industrial waste
Vehicle Off-roading
Weeds
Walking tracks

Effects

The main outcome of land degradation is a substantial reduction in the productivity of the land.[3] The major stresses on vulnerable land include:
Accelerated soil erosion by wind and water
Soil acidification or alkalinisation
Salination
Destruction of soil structure including loss of organic matter
Derelict soil
People walking on the land

Agricultural activities that can cause land degradation include shifting cultivation without adequate fallow periods, absence of soil conservation measures, cultivation of fragile or marginal lands, unbalanced fertilizer use, and a host of possible problems arising from faulty planning or management of irrigation. They are a major factor in Sri Lanka and the dominant one in Bangladesh

Severe land degradation affects a significant portion of the earth's arable lands, decreasing the wealth and economic development of nations. Land degradation cancels out gains advanced by improved crop yields and reduced population growth. As the land resource base becomes less productive, food security is compromised and competition for dwindling resources increases, the seeds of famine and potential conflict are sown.

Land degradation therefore has potentially disastrous effects on lakes and reservoirs that are designed to alleviate flooding, provide irrigation, and generate hydroelectricity.

Combating Land Degradation – The Way forward:
The execution of the aforementioned activities does not replace the
significance of adoption of newly developed and innovative approaches
for the comprehensive achievement of UNCCD goals. Most of all to curtail
and holt the advance of desertification processes still in progress. The
Way Forward to combat desertification requires emphasis on the
following:
Contrary to the sectoral systems a more wholestic approach evolving
from bottom-up development and geared towards ecosystem integrated
approach is a must to achieve meaningful progress.
Activities of synergies among the major three environment Conventions,
i.e., UNCCD, CBD and UNFCCC is of high priority to prevent duplication of
activities, achieve efficiency of funding, elaborate needed capacity
building at the various levels and coordinate the use of human resources
and facilities.
Elaboration of thematic databases, to address gaps and achieve proper
processing of available data. This would lead to activation of meaningful
and unified networking for all six countries of the sub-region for efficient
exchange knowledge, experiences and lessons learned.
Establish and activate ample considerations of potential change of
climate. Investigate possible impacts and formulate plans for mitigation
and adaptation activities, with special reference to impacts on the
lengthy coastal areas.