Land Degradation in India

In several regions of India, especially the arid and semi-arid regions, environmental degradation is nearing irreversible levels even as replacement costs continue to rise. Land degradation occurs mainly in the form of water-induced soil erosion, though agrochemical and wind erosion have also made an impact. This paper seeks to measure the extent of damage due to land degradation of various types and their expected trends in the future. Besides examining trends in land-use pattern across states and estimating the extent and costs of degradation, it also explores the linkages between degradation and policy and institutional environment in the context of agro-climatic regional planning.