LAND DEGRADATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON AGRICULTURE
WHAT IS LAND DEGRADATION
Land degradation occurs when the topography of the soil is destroyed through the use of high end machinery, continuous tillage of a given piece of land and the effects of volcanic eruptions. The issue with land degradation and its effects on agriculture cannot be over emphasize.
When you enter inside a land you want to use for agricultural activities and the landscape is not uniform, it is the result of land degradation. Land degradation can lead to loss of soil nutrients. The effect of soil erosion is one major cause of land degradation. A land that is degraded will not be easy to make good roads within the farm settlement.
CAUSES OF LAND DEGRADATION
1. Degradation of soil as a result of Erosion
2. Continuous tillage of the soil definitely lead to land degradation and leaching which in turn leads to loss of soil nutrients.
3. Continuous cropping activities on a piece of land leads to land degradation. This land degradation is a result of uprooting of farm produce, use farm machine, wearing away of topmost soil due to erosion. Land degradation that is due to continuous cropping can be corrected through manuring, crop rotation, bush fallowing and the application of organic fertilizers.
4. Land degradation can be caused by Sedimentation which can lead to the land becoming either acidic, clayed or sandy in most cases.
EFFECTS OF LAND DEGRADATION
1. Land degradation leads to poor crop yield
2. Land degradation causes leaching
3. Land degradation destroys the landscape for farming activities
4. The implication of land degradation due to erosion causes loss of soil nutrient. When a land is degraded, it affects every agricultural activity on the land.
• 5. A degraded land is also very difficult to erect farm buildings
How to correct land degradation
1. Land degradation checkmated by planting tall trees that can prevent wind erosion
2. Planting of cover crops to prevent sheet erosion is one major way to correct land degradation
3. The use of proper drainage system in the farm prevents soil erosion which would have led to land degradation.
4. Avoid excessive use of large farm machines in order to curb land degradation
1. Land degradation can be corrected by using terraces and bolds within the farm.
2. Apart from using crop rotation, cover cropping and good drainage system to correct land degradation, it advised to always plan you land by surveying and taking soil samples be any farming activity.
CONCLUSION
For any farming or agricultural activities on a land, there are basic principles of agriculture that needs to be followed, in order to avoid land degradation, they are
1. Pre-planting operation READ HERE
2. Post planting operation READ HERE
3. Nursery activities READ HERE
4. Bush burning READ HERE
5. Liming READ HERE
6. Farm survey READ HERE
7. Soil profile READ HERE
8. Soil topography and READ HERE
9. Type of agriculture to be practiced READ HERE
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1. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
2. DISEASES
3. 52. SOIL MICRO-ORGANISMS
4. ORGANIC MANURING
5. FARM YARD MANURE
6. HUMUS
7. COMPOST
8. CROP ROTATION
9. GRAZING AND OVER GRAZING
10. IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE
11. IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
12. ORGANIC MANURING
13. FARM YARD MANURE
14. HUMUS
15. COMPOST
16. CROP ROTATION
17. GRAZING AND OVER GRAZING
18. IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE
33. CULTIVATION OF MAIZE CROP
34. OIL PALM
35. USES OF PALM OIL
36. MAINTENANCE OF PALM PLANTATION
37. COCOA
38.
39. PROCESSES IN COCOA CULTIVATION
HOLING AND LINING
40. YAM
41. LAND PREPARATION FOR YAM
42. DEPT OF PLANTING
43. SPACING OF YAM
44. PLANTING DEPT OF YAM
45. STORAGE OF YAM
46. STAKING OF YAM
47. HARVESTING OF YAM
48. COWPEA
JUTE
49. FORAGE CROP AND PASTURE
50. FORAGE GRASSES
51. SILAGE
52. PASTURE
53. TYPES OF PASTURE
COMMON GRASSES AND LEGUMES
54. GRASSES
55. LEGUMES
56.
57. 201. FORAGE PRESERVATION
58. HAY SILAGE
59. FORESTRY IMPORTANCE OF FORESTRY 206. FOREST MANAGEMENT FOREST REGULATION DEFORESTATION AFFORESTATION
60. DISEASES AND PESTS OF CROPS
61. MAIZE SMUT
62. RICE BLAST
63. MAIZE RUST
64. LEAF SPOT OF GROUNDNUT
65. COW-PEA MOSAIC
66. COCOA BLACK POD DISEASE
67.
68. CASSAVA BACTERIA BLIGHT
69. BLACK ARM BACTERIA BLIGHT OF COTTON
70. TOMATO ROOT KNOT
71. DAMPING-OFF OF TOMATO
72. ONION DOWNY MILDEW
73. STORED PRODUCE MOULD
74. PESTS OF CROPS
75. STEM BORERS
76. ARMY WORM
77. COCOA MIRIDS(CAPSIDS)
78. APHIDS
79. WHITE FLY SEED BUGS
80. CASSAVA CULTIVATION
81. CASSAVA MEALYBUGS
82. VARIEGATED GRASSHOPPER
83. GREEN SPIDER MITE
84. COTTON STAINER
85. COTTON
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