Ecological Solutions to Agricultural Land Degradation

This book provides an overview of the current status of land degradation globally and the different approaches used for its restoration. In addition to the technical aspects, it also delves into the social and economic implications of land restoration, such as in terms of policy planning. Land degradation is a serious threat to agriculture, affecting soil function and productivity. There are up to 6 billion hectares of degraded soil worldwide. It is estimated that 30% of forests, 20% of agricultural land and 10% of rangelands are severely affected by land degradation. The main causes of land degradation are soil erosion, acidification, compaction and salinization, intensive agriculture, overgrazing, poor management of arable land and deforestation. The consequences of such degradation include sand dune expansion and displacement, reduced rainfall, rangeland depletion, wind and rain erosion, and loss of biomass and biological integrity.

In 2015, the global goal of achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) was included in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as sustainable development goal 15.3. Developing productive soil ecosystems by restoring degraded soils is therefore a future perspective for food security and environmental sustainability. This can be achieved through crop rotation, agroforestry, conservation agriculture, cover crops, terrace farming, ditching, geo-jute, and contour farming and zero tillage. Ecological restoration of farmlands offers an opportunity to reconcile agricultural production with improving ecosystem services. Restoring degraded land through environmentally friendly agroecological approaches has the potential to improve agricultural production and provide healthy ecosystems for organisms.

This book is an important resource for students, academics, researchers, national and international agricultural scientists, and soil experts.

Dr. Subhash Babu is a Senior Scientist at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. He completed his doctorate in Agronomy from IARI in 2012. He is currently involved in developing bio-intensive cropping and farming system models for profit maximization and environmental sustainability, precision resource management in diversified cropping systems. Dr. Babu has developed different cropping and integrated farming system modules for organic production systems for year-round income generation, and nutritional and environmental security for the north-eastern hill region of India. He has been conferred with National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) India-Fellowship-2025 and Associateship-2023, Indian Young Academy of Science- Indian National Academy of Science (INYAS-INSA) membership, 2023, best Scientist of ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region Sikkim Centre during 2016 and Young Scientist Award 2020 by National Environmental Sciences Academy, New Delhi and PS Deshmukh Young Agronomist Award by ISA, New Delhi.

Dr. Anup Das is the Director at ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna, Bihar. His extensive research works led to development of practices for no-till production of pulses and oilseeds in rice and maize fallow areas, and organic production packages of 33 important crops. Dr. Das is associated with release of one Soybean variety (Umiam Sb-1) and 3 maize varieties (Megha maize 1, Megha maize 2 & Mizo mimpui). He has published 215 research articles, 74 books, compendium and technical bulletins, and 75 book chapters. He has served as a Vice president, Secretary & Joint Secretary at IAHF; Co-Chief Editor at IJHF; Editor and Councilor at ISA/IJSC; and President at Society for Advancement of Agricultural Innovations.

Dr. Sanjay Singh Rathore graduated from Agra University, Uttar Pradesh, and completed his Masters in Agronomy  from Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (1998) and doctorate from ICAR-IARI in 2003. He has twenty years of research experience in ICAR with specialization in agronomy for shifting to micro-irrigation, and conservational agriculture practices for oilseed-based cropping system. He has also developed climate-resilient oilseed-based production system. Dr. Rathore served as an Executive (PE) in National Dairy Development Board, ARS- Scientist at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland, Jharnapani, Senior Scientist (Agronomy) at Directorate of Rapeseed Mustard Research (DRMR) Bharatapur, and is currently working as Principal Scientist at Division of Agronomy, IARI. He has published 150 international and national research articles, 30 book chapters and six books.

Dr. Raghavendra Singh is currently working as Head, Division of Cropping Systems and Resource Management, ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has developed system approaches for conserving natural resources, and enhancing farm productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability under organic and inorganic management scenarios. He has developed Integrated Organic Farming Systems (IOFS) models for small and marginal farmers that enhanced profitability by 2-3 folds and reduces greenhouse gas intensity considerably over traditional systems. Dr. Singh is associated with the development and notification of four rice, two maize, and one rajmash varieties for organic conditions in Sikkim. He has published 110 research articles, 32 books, compendium and technical bulletins, 64 book chapters, 25 popular articles/extension leaflets with total citation of 1725 and h-index 23.. Dr. Singh is recipient of the prestigious Fellowship of the Indian Society of Agronomy (2018) and Indian Association of Hill farming (2018).

Dr. Rajbir Singh is currently working as an Assistant Director General in Natural Resource Management Division of ICAR, New Delhi. There he is instrumental in planning, coordinating and monitoring of R&D programs for sustainable agricultural production and resource conservation under changing climate change conditions. Previous to this, he served as Director at ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Ludhiana for almost 8 years where he put all-out efforts to popularize conservation agriculture and natural farming for sustainability, addressing the issue of climate change, soil health deterioration, low farm profitability and environmental pollution. He has over 28 years of experience in research, research management and coordination. He has been bestowed with many prestigious awards including top ICAR Award of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award during 2021 and Nanaji Deshmukh ICAR Award for Outstanding Team Research in Agricultural Sciences during 2019. He is a Fellow of NAAS, ISA, HSI and published more than 125 research papers and10 books.