Mains Question:
Question: How climate change not only affects food security but also threatens nutrition security of world and India in particular? Also discuss the challenges faced in the soil conservation and management?
Syllabus Mapping:
- Subject: Environmental Conservation (GS-III)
- Sub-topic: Environmental Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation
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Approach:
- Introducewith the importance of soil for ecology and humans.
- Here explain the reasons for soil erosion
- Now explain the effect of climate change on soil and how it affects food and nutrition security.
- Now enumerate the challenges associatedwith soil conservation and management.
- Conclude with the importance of UNCCDand food security which can be done through soil.
Context:
The consequences of the irreparable damage by soil degradation on human and healthy ecosystems can affect the government’s food security efforts for sustainable future.
Degradation and its consequences:
- Drivers of soil degradation: The primary sources are industrial activities, mining, waste treatment, agriculture, fossil fuel extraction, and processing and transport emissions.
- Depleting health of soil: Nearly 3.7 million hectares suffer from nutrient loss in soil. Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides and irrigation with contaminated wastewater are also polluting soils.
- The area affected: Soil degradation in some form or another affects around 29% of India’s total land area.