One of the primary challenges that the world environment is facing in the present times is desertification that seems to have an enormous effect on the lives of people as well as the milieu. Now, it needs to be reckoned that desertification in different places might have different characteristics depending on the respective situations. If one takes into consideration the desertification in India, it would be comprehensible how massive the impact can be. One needs to look into the possible impediments that can emerge owing to the desertification of a country that is so densely populated. Also, the possible solutions to the problem have to be delved into so as to tread toward comprehending the way out for the environment and the people living in it. While India is popularly known as the land of diversities, desertification is the biggest problem that the country is being faced with in recent times. The possible measures and their viability need to be discussed so as to face the environmental challenge in the best possible way caring about the lives of people in the region as well as other factors.
One has to reckon that desertification is the persistent degradation of dry-land ecosystems. Now, dry-land ecosystems have the characteristics of having lack of water and have cultivated lands, grasslands, scrublands, semi-deserts, savannas as well as true deserts. ICFRE refers to the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. GEF refers to
the Global Environmental Facility, while CPP means Country partnership Program. It has to be reckoned that over one-fourth of the total geographical area of the nation of India is undergoing desertification in the present times. The Ministry of Environment went on to submit a report on the matter in context that revealed that a total area of 32.07 percent of the nation’s geographical territory is affected by the process of ongoing desertification. As such, desertification has come to affect almost all the states as well as union territories of the nation as per the government report. This impediment of land degradation that has been bought about by drought and desertification has affected 7,91,475 square km of India. Thus, desertification can be described to be of the major problems of the country’s environment that hinders its sustainable development. “Climate change will further challenge the livelihood of those living in these sensitive ecosystems and may result in higher levels of resource scarcity.” (Vashishtha 1) The greatest challenge that has come up in context of the ongoing desertification is the land use planning, efficient use of water, and the effective management of degraded land as well as waste.
Now, India is a very densely populated country with a huge population that depends on agriculture for a living. As such, desertification can be described to be one of the most dreadful challenges that they face in the present times. With the change in the environment, a huge population is practically forced to live in harsh conditions with unfavorable lands for cultivation. Many of the people choose to move out of their region so as to find employment or better living conditions. With time, the land is becoming drier and the entire population that bases its earning and living on cultivation has to find other ways of survival. This would also take its toll on the food production of the country and would lead to greater societal problems. Hence, there can be no denial of the fact that the Indian government has to come up with immediate measures so as to keep the condition under control ensuring that no bigger problems come to threaten the holistic development of the nation and its population in the future.
Elaborating the primary concern of the ongoing desertification, it has to be noted that more than 1,20,0000000 people live in the country. As the land would get dry, the water bodies would also be affected. The land has to be used for the various purposes of sustenance as per proper planning. Moreover, extensive planning is needed for properly managing the land and the wastes. However, all these things are quite difficult in a country that is so much densely populated. “India has a total geographic area of 328 million hectares, out of which drylands constitute an area of 228.3 million hectares (about 69.6%).” (Hindustan Times 1) There has to be proper awareness regarding the impediment so as to involve one and all in fighting the environmental degradation that would have irreversible effects on the lives of gazillion people in the region of the country.
Again, if large number of people starts to move toward the urban locales for better living standards in conditions of ongoing desertification, the population density of the country would get altered. If cultivation becomes an impossible thing in the region then there can be shortage of food for the people of the country as the nation largely depends on the crops that are grown within the national borders for food. As such, the environmental degradation can lead to greater woes for the people and the nation in the near future. Immediate action needs to be taken so as to avert the impending problems that have been discussed.
It needs to be noted that the SLEM Program is underway. This is a joint initiative of the Union Government of the nation state and the GEF under the CPP. This project is aimed toward the gradual promotion of sustainable land management along with the utilization of biodiversity. “Land degradation results in soil erosion, decline in water table, reduced agricultural productivity, loss of bio-diversity, decline in groundwater and availability of water in the affected regions.” (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change 1) Apart from this, the program aims to maintain the capability of the regional ecosystem in the country to deliver services as well as goods taking into consideration the ongoing climate change that is occurring in the place. Thus, it can be comprehended that this program would be able to bring forth the viable options for development under the present circumstances in the region that is affected by desertification. ICFRE is also engaged in combatting the problems.
A project has been carried out in the village of Arepally in the Mahaboobnagar district of the state of Andhra Pradesh. This is a region that is facing the issue of desertification. The people depend on subsistence living owing to the hilly landscape of the place. The community of people has planted many trees in the land that has been given by the Union Government to the people of the place. “About thirty-five years ago, the government offered ‘Inam’ land to the villagers.” (UNESCO 1) While initially the lands were unfit for cultivation and plantation, years of patience and work on the lands by the locals have finally led to its development as a place for greenery. People have to pay efforts in making the lands cultivable or fit for plantation over the time. However, it would be onerous task to say the least. Moreover, other programs like National Rural Drinking Water Program, Integrated Watershed Management Program, National Rural Livelihood Mission, and Green India Mission have been undertaken to check the desertification in the country.
Hence, it would be correct to conclude that while desertification poses an extreme challenge to the people of India and the country’s development, effective efforts on the part of the people and the government can lead to a better future combating the forces that can lead to problems if not addressed properly. The discussion focuses on the primary concerns encompassing the ongoing desertification in this Asian country that is one of the most populous ones in the entire world. There has to be a close coordination and grit among the people of the country as well as the government to turn the tables and tread on the path of a better future as far as the environmental issues of the region are concerned.
Works Cited
“Combating Desetrification.” Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,
Govt. of India. envfor.nic.in, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.
<http://envfor.nic.in/essential-links/combating-desertification>
“Combating the effects of deforestation: Tree planting carried out by women in a rural
region of India.” UNESCO. Unesco.org, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.unesco.org/mab/doc/ekocd/india.html>
“Desertification affects over one-fourth area of India: Report.” Hindustan Times.
hindustantimes.com, 28 April 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/desertification-affects-over-one-fourth-area-of-india-report/story-OcAsdcFS3vzV6JHUvxQO4L.html>
Vashishtha, Ashis. “A quarter of India's land is turning to desert, government report
finds.” Daily Mail. dailymail.co.uk, 17 June 2014. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2660560/Desertification-land-degradation-affects-quarter-Indias-land.html>
