Halting Soil Degradation

Agriculture stands at the intersection of human survival and environmental stewardship.

- Dr Milind Kokje

Yet the very foundation Jike land that sustains it is being eroded, polluted, and exhausted at an alarming rate. This stark reality has been highlighted in the "State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2025" report released last month by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

The gradual loss of soil fertility, structure, and productivity is directly reflected on the farmers' fields in the form of declining yields and stagnating farm output. As a result, more than 1.7 billion people worldwide face the risk of diminishing agricultural production, undermining both food security and rural livelihoods. The FAO report notes that over 3.5 million hectare (mha) of cropland are being abandoned annually, with land degradation being a key reason. The crisis is unfolding quietly across continents with far more insidious effect. Globally the largest affected population are in the regions of eastern and southern Asia. India is no exception.