{"id":15678,"date":"2021-06-15T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/15-06-2021\/india-to-restore-2-6-crore-hectares-of-degraded-land-by-2030\/"},"modified":"2021-06-15T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T00:00:00","slug":"india-to-restore-2-6-crore-hectares-of-degraded-land-by-2030","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/15-06-2021\/india-to-restore-2-6-crore-hectares-of-degraded-land-by-2030","title":{"rendered":"India to Restore 2.6 Crore Hectares of Degraded Land by 2030"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Recently, a High-Level Segment Meeting of the 14<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><sup>th<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Conference of Parties (<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>COP14<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>(UNCCD)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, was held.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Key Points of Meeting<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India reaffirmed its commitment to addressing all the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>three main concerns of the Rio Conventions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Climate change<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Biodiversity<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Land degradation<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India intends to raise its ambition of the total area that would be restored from its land degradation status, from twenty-one million hectares to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>twenty-six million hectares<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> between now and 2030.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Major emphasis on:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">restoring land productivity and ecosystem services of 26 million hectares of most degraded and vulnerable land,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">degraded agricultural, forest and other wastelands by adopting a landscape restoration approach.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India proposed to setup a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>global technical support institute<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> for the member countries of the UNCCD for their capacity building and support regarding the Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Program<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Degraded lands and water scarcity go hand in hand. Leadership of UNCCD, was applauded, to conceive a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>global water action agenda<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> which is central to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Land Degradation Neutrality strategy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Eradicate the menace of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>single use plastic<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>The Delhi Declaration<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> will be released.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Delhi Declaration of 2019 called for better access and stewardship over land, and emphasised gender-sensitive transformative projects.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Due to this, around 3 million hectares of forest cover have been added in the last decade, enhancing the combined forest cover to almost one-fourth of the country\u2019s total area.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">A <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Centre of Excellence<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> is being set up in India <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>to promote a scientific approach towards land degradation issues<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Reasons for Land Degradation<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Loss of Fertility by Mismanagement: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Due to the use of various scientific inputs like irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides etc. Unscientific cropping practices are also causing harm. This results in problems like soil erosion, loss of natural nutrients, water-logging and salinity and contamination of ground and surface water.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Soil Erosion: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">This is the process by which the top soil is detached from land and either washed away by water, ice or sea waves or blown away by wind. An area of around 8C mHa is exposed to the threat of soil erosion, while 43 mHa is actually affected.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Salinity\/Alkalinity: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">This problem occurs in areas of temporary water surplus and high temperatures due to over-irrigation or high rainfall. The salt layer plays havoc with the fertility of topsoil and renders vast stretches of useful land infertile. This problem is particularly serious in areas with assured irrigation in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, western Maharashtra, Bihar and northern Rajasthan (the Indira Gandhi Canal command area). Such lands are known by local names, such as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>reh, kallar, usar, chopan<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Waterlogging: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">This happens when the water table gets saturated for various reasons\u2014over- irrigation, seepage from canals, inadequate drainage or presence of a hard pan below. The land under waterlogged conditions can be used neither for agriculture nor for human settlements. This menace can be tackled by adopting scientific norms for the amount of irrigation, checking seepage from canals by proper lining and providing adequate drainage through field channels.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Floods and Droughts: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Both these hazards have the harmful effect of limiting the use of good soil.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Desertification: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It is also the end result of Land Degradation but it could also be the reason. Advancement of sand from the desert to the adjoining regions is called desertification. The sand covers fertile soil and affects its fertility. This problem is particularly serious in areas adjoining the Thar desert in Rajasthan.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Measures to Check Land Degradation<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Improved agricultural practices:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> Better practices need to be adopted in different regions. Tillage on higher slopes should be avoided, while contour ploughing on the slopes prone to erosion may help in maintaining the soil depth.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Shelterbelts<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">: Planting of shelterbelts and stubble mulching help in conserving the soils in desert regions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Avoid overgrazing<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">: The pressure of livestock on pastures in hilly, desert and plateau regions has to be reduced in order to avoid overgrazing, such as in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Prevent Ravines:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> The ravines and gullies should be plugged to prevent head-ward erosion.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Land Degradation Neutrality:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">A state whereby the amount and quality of land resources, necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security, remains stable or increases within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/NAczwww3mPLhBwdZBSxs6f1eYRhkonrucpSmz9Ax_m6iiiOH_9pkTKnXyuRPXrcPnQhUVdLXHwz3kwpiy8E8xp4CVzhmLzatxoK-ZlpjZhMdcRybJrTjVjk2jGRDXfRjvDIBFOgy\" style=\"height:721px; width:578px\" \/><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Image Courtesy: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal15\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><u>SDG<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Established in 1994, came into force in 1996.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India ratified in 1996<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">UNCCD is the sole <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Convention addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>drylands<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The new <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>UNCCD 2018-2030 Strategic Framework<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> is the most comprehensive global commitment <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in order to restore the productivity of vast expanses of degraded land, improve the livelihoods of more than 1.3 billion people, and reduce the impacts of drought on vulnerable populations to build.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Focus on:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">to mitigate the effects of drought.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The UNCCD is particularly committed to a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>bottom-up approach<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, encouraging the participation of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>local people in combating desertification and land degradation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The UNCCD secretariat facilitates <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>cooperation between developed and developing countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, particularly around knowledge and technology transfer for sustainable land management.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">As the dynamics of land, climate and biodiversity are intimately connected, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>the UNCCD collaborates closely with the other two Rio Conventions; the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, to meet these complex challenges with an integrated approach and the best possible use of natural resources.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/wA9VkfrsBryxk4nF3UTy2ja-sggsiboblUOH11kEHF0JNdibnE3A7iV2fxTS_HgOEXzzXzNvwzqty8jt-EuQoyk6Ce1mnYd9-4yAvwbeM2T_NyHTZEPvopslB1Hf1ZxaZ2LrsYBn\" style=\"height:339px; width:602px\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">(<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Image Courtesy:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imotforum.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/5993463A-1C59-47C7-88DC-D59A527A0D42.jpeg\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><u>http:\/\/www.imotforum.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/5993463A-1C59-47C7-88DC-D59A527A0D42.jpeg<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Conclusion<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Restoration of land will not only ensure good soil health, increased land productivity, food security but also improved livelihoods.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">About one-third of the net sown area in India is irrigated. The increasing pressure of population on the arable land will necessitate a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong> higher level of intensification of agriculture<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> with the help of adequate inputs of irrigation, high yielding varieties of seeds and intensive use of fertilisers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The agreements reached about how to restore, protect and manage the land on a massive scale and how to include private sector partnerships can immediately strengthen action plans for all the stakeholders.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#ffe599; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Best Practices<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Banni region<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in Rann of Kutch in Gujarat\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">suffers from highly degraded land and receives very little rainfall.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In that region, land restoration is done by developing grasslands, which helps in achieving land degradation neutrality.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">It also supports pastoral activities and livelihood by promoting animal husbandry.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">In the same spirit, we need to devise effective strategies for land restoration while promoting indigenous techniques.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\t\t\t\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong><u>Bonn Challenge<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The Bonn Challenge is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>global goal<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> to bring <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>150 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes into restoration<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Launched by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Government of Germany and IUCN<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in 2011, the Challenge surpassed the 150-million-hectare milestone for pledges in 2017.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Their work is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>SDGs<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">), the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Aichi Biodiversity Targets<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">, the Land Degradation Neutrality (<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>LDN<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">) goal, and the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Paris Climate Change Agreement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> \u2013 all together providing a roadmap for a sustainable planet. ?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">To achieve this, reliance is on <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Forest landscape restoration (FLR)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">FLR is the ongoing process of restoring the ecological functionality of degraded and deforested landscapes while enhancing the well-being of people who coexist with these places.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>IUCN and<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> the World Wide Fund for Nature (<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>WWF<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">) coined the term forest landscape restoration in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>2000<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> as a framework for managing landscapes, complementing both forest conservation and sustainable management.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Since then, FLR has evolved into a powerful nature-based solution, transforming landscapes and the lives of people worldwide.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">At the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Conference of the Parties (COP) 2015<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> in Paris, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>India joined the voluntary Bonn Challenge<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"> and pledged to bring into restoration 13 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2020, and an additional 8 million hectares by 2030.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">India\u2019s pledge is one of the largest in Asia.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">The government sees schemes are formulated as tools to tackle the problem of land degradation namely<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Soil Health Card Scheme\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">Pradhan Mantri Krishi Synchayee Yojana etc<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#000000\">:<\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/india-working-towards-restoring-2-6-crore-hectares-of-degraded-land-by-2030-pm-7359043\/\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><u> IE<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 In News Recently, a High-Level Segment Meeting of the 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), was held. \u00a0 Key Points of Meeting India reaffirmed its commitment to addressing all the three main concerns of the Rio Conventions: Climate change Biodiversity Land degradation India intends to raise [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15679,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[60],"class_list":["post-15678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-environmental-pollution-degradation"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3892936current-affairs.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15678\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}