Monsoon has arrived in most parts of India. If the novel coronavirus did not handcuff us, we would have welcomed this season with celebrations and picnic. Rather, the fear remains in the rain adding to the contagious nature of the disease.
It may thus sound little strange to observe Desertification and Drought Day today, on June 17. Before we know the significance of the day, let us understand what exactly the desertification means and how the day was introduced in India.
WHAT IS DESERTIFICATION
It is the procedure of degradation and infertility of the land, in which the land of dry, semi-dry and dehydrated semi-moist areas are converted into a desert due to multiple reasons including climate change and human actions which results in a decrease in the productive capacity of the land.
As per the State of India’s Environment (SoE) figures in 2019, India has reported a rise in the level of desertification in 26 of 29 states from 2003-05 to 2011-13.
Notably, 29.3 per cent of land in the country is affected by erosion. Specifying the increasing sternness of desertification and drought, there was a need to range awareness globally to combat the problem. In October 1994, India signed the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Desertification (UNCCD). After which this day was marked to combat desertification.
WHAT CAUSES DESERTIFICATION IN INDIA
Between 2005 and 2015, the country lost 31 per cent of its grasslands. Cutting trees leads to a rise in the effect of greenhouse gases. ‘Cut and burn farming’ method surges the risk of soil erosion. Overuse of fertilisers and extra rainfall, unbalance the mineral conformation of the soil. Natural disasters such as droughts, floods, landslides can displace fertile soil. Infringement of sand by wind also lessens the fertility of the land, which makes the land prone to desertification.
Did you know: Over 80 per cent of the India’s degraded land is in nine states: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan.
DESERTIFICATION IN INDIA
Desertification is becoming a serious problem in the country. In fact, this is due to 30 per cent of the land has been turned into a desert. Also, 82 per cent of this is in just nine states of the country. According to the reports, desertification in the country has increased to 18.7 hectares between 2003-05 and 2011-13.
Of the 78 districts in the country affected by the drought, 21 are such that more than 50 per cent of the area has been turned into desertification. 29.32 per cent of nation’s land is affected by desertification.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DAY
On January 30, 1995, the United Nations General Assembly resolution proposed this day, following the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
In its 15th year, the UN is running a campaign under named ‘Food. Feed. Fibre.’ which pursues to educate persons on how to reduce their personal impact.
The day is to make the people aware of the problems of drought and desertification and how they can challenge it. The day also objects to educate people about community participation and cooperation at all levels and to reinforce the application of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
WAY FORWARD
