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.
   

1. Avoid excessive use of large farm machines in order to curb land degradation
2. Land degradation can be corrected by using terraces and bolds within the farm.
3. 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

You can read any of our exciting articles here and leave your

1. economic tools for nation building
2. budgeting
3. factors affecting the expansion of industries
4. mineral resources and the mining industries
5. demand and supply
6. types of demand curve and used
7. advertising industry
8. factors of production
9. entrepreneur
10. joint stock company
11. public enterprises
12. private enterprises
13. limited liability companies
14. migration
15. population
16. market concept
17. money market
18. shares
19. how companies raises funds for expansion

WEED AND THEIR BOTANICAL NAMES
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

1. IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE
   19. IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
   20. INCUBATORS
   21. MILKING MACHINE
   22. SIMPLE FARM TOOLS
   23. AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION
   24. THE CONCEPT OF MECHANIZATION
   25. PROBLEMS OF MECHANIZATION
   26. SURVEYING AND PLANNING OF FARMSTEAD
   27. IMPORTANCE OF FARM SURVEY
   28. SURVEY EQUIPMENT
   29. PRINCIPLES OF FARM OUTLAY
   30. SUMMARY OF FARM SURVEYING
   31. CROP HUSBANDRY PRACTICES
   32. PESTS AND DISEASE OF MAIZE- ZEA MAYS
   33. CULTIVATION OF MAIZE CROP
   34. OIL PALM
   35. USES OF PALM OIL
   36. MAINTENANCE OF PALM PLANTATION
   37. COCOA

3h