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Understanding Desertification

Desertification is defined as the destruction of the biological potential of the land, a process that can ultimately lead to desert-like conditions. This severe form of land degradation is primarily an issue in arid and semi-arid regions where the restoration of the fragile ecosystem is exceptionally slow. The fundamental causes of this process are not natural climatic variations or cyclical droughts, but rather unsustainable human actions. In India, desertification is a pressing challenge faced by areas adjoining existing deserts, stretching extensively across parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. The primary anthropogenic drivers include intense population pressure, an exponential increase in cattle populations leading to overgrazing, the unchecked expansion of agriculture, large-scale development activities, and pervasive deforestation.

Status of Indian Desertification

The state of land degradation in the country has been comprehensively mapped in the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India, published by the Space Application Centre, ISRO, Ahmedabad. According to the 2021 edition of the Atlas, approximately 68% of the country falls under the category of dry lands. The total area currently undergoing the process of land degradation in India stands at an alarming 97.58 million hectares, which constitutes 29.07 percent of India's total geographical land area. Out of this, 82.64 million hectares are specifically classified under desertification (representing land degradation within dryland areas). The Atlas also provides crucial change analysis data, tracking the evolution of degraded lands over a 15-year timeframe from 2003-05 to 2018-19.

In response to this ecological crisis, land restoration has been identified as the most effective solution for halting biodiversity loss. India has made strong international and domestic commitments to address this. The nation has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, an upward revision from its earlier target of 21 million hectares. Underscoring its leadership in this domain, India hosted the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 14) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in September 2019. The country is striving to achieve its national commitments toward Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), focusing on the sustainable and optimum utilization of land resources.

Control Measures and Afforestation

As a signatory to the UNCCD, India prepared its National Action Programme for combating desertification in 2001 to initiate appropriate remedial actions. Several major programmatic interventions are currently being implemented to address land degradation and desertification. These encompass a multi-pronged approach, integrating various governmental schemes.

• Integrated Watershed Management Programme
• National Afforestation Programme
• National Mission for Green India
• The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
• Soil Conservation in the Catchment of River Valley Project and Flood Prone River
• National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas
• Desert Development Programme
• Fodder and Feed Development Scheme (a component of Grassland Development including Grass Reserves)
• Command Area Development and Water Management programme

A critical component of these control measures is afforestation. The desert regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, and the Trans-Himalayan regions are inherently scarce in vegetation. The local populations rely heavily on firewood, timber, and fodder for domestic consumption and livestock rearing. The presence of vegetation is vital as it anchors the soil to prevent erosion and actively modifies the hostile local climate.