Preserve topsoil for sustainable future

Farmers can safeguard their crops and enhance soil health while protecting their own livelihoods through the adoption of sustainable land management techniques.

In the past few weeks, incessant rains have unleashed their fury upon the northern and western regions of the country, bringing widespread destruction and wreaking havoc on the lives of people. The timing of this deluge is particularly critical for the agricultural sector, as the Kharif sowing season has just begun and farmers are busy cultivating Kharif crops such as paddy, pulses, millets, and more. With runoff due to heavy rains, the top soil, rich in organic matter and organic carbon, is washed away, leading to a decline in soil health. This causes vast damage to agricultural lands and negatively impacts the economic value of crops and farmers’ income.

Agricultural losses in our country account for around 23 per cent of the total estimated economic loss, and water erosion (removal of the top layer of land by water from irrigation, rainfall, snowmelt, runoff, and poor irrigation management) is responsible for more than half of the total losses. A 2015-16 report on the status of land degradation in India showed that water erosion accounted for around 80 per cent of the degradation of the 91.21 million hectares of unirrigated farmland. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that more than half of the degraded land in India is either rainfed farmland, which is crucial to ensure food security, or forest land, which offers the best protection.

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Globally, water erosion caused by excessive rainfall has been acknowledged as one of the most common types of soil erosion, affecting approximately 750 million hectares of land.

In India, the situation is even more precarious in regions with low cropping intensity. These areas, where agricultural land remains fallow for large parts of the year following the harvest of Kharif crops, include parts of Andhra Pradesh (123.9 per cent ), Rajasthan (152.6 per cent ), and Jharkhand (136.3 per cent ).

Indian agriculture is characterised by the dominance of smallholders, who constitute 86 per cent of the farmers in the country with an average land holding of 1.08 hectares. They are vulnerable to climate change and ecological poverty. Disaggregated state-level analysis shows wide variation in average agricultural household income.

The lowest incomes were earned by states with a higher degree of land degradation. For instance, states like Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh with more than 50 per cent degradation of land have performed badly in terms of farm income. The situation is even worse for marginal and small farmers, as income from crop cultivation on a meagre piece of land is not enough
to maintain a healthy and respectable life.

According to a study commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, the economic ramifications of this issue are significant, with the annual economic loss due to degraded land and changes in land use estimated at Rs 3.17 lakh crore in 2014–15, accounting for 2.5 per cent of the country’s GDP during that period. The report also raised concerns that the annual cost of land degradation would outstrip the cost of reclamation by 2030.

With the likelihood of flash floods and floods increasing in the future due to uninhibited climate change, government authorities, agricultural institutions, and communities must collaborate to raise awareness about the importance of soil conservation and provide support and resources for implementing these practices. It is the need of the hour and of paramount importance to protect agricultural lands and the environment.

Strong mechanisms must be put in place to mitigate soil erosion and preserve topsoil. One of the most effective ways to prevent soil erosion is through cover crops, which not only allow the natural infiltration of excessive rainwater but also serve as natural carbon sinks. According to research carried out in Malawi, cover crops on degraded soils allow the rainwater infiltration rate to increase from about 15 per cent to 60 per cent . Other soil conservation practices such as contour farming, terracing, and mulching can help reduce water runoff, trap sediment, and promote the retention of soil organic carbon.

Farmers can safeguard their crops and enhance soil health while protecting their own livelihoods in the long run through the adoption of sustainable land management techniques. By taking proactive measures to combat water erosion and preserve topsoil, India can mitigate the impact of soil degradation and enhance agricultural productivity. Only through concerted action can we ensure a greener, healthier, and more secure tomorrow for our nation.

(Terway is an agri-policy analyst and Roy is a research fellow with ICRIER)