AGRICULTURAL YIELD LOSSES DUE TO HUMAN-INDUCED LAND DEGRADATION

The PIB release notes that, according to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India (2021) by ISRO, 6.38 lakh ha of land were classified as man‑made desertified or degraded in 2018‑19. State‑wise figures are provided, with Maharashtra showing 14.31 million ha affected. The government, through ICAR, has promoted soil‑restoration and water‑conservation technologies such as contour cultivation, intercropping, mulching, gypsum application, and integrated watershed structures. It is implementing the National Innovations in Climate‑Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) across 651 districts, preparing District Agriculture Contingency Plans and demonstrating climate‑resilient practices in 448 villages. Multiple schemes – Per Drop More Crop, Rainfed Area Development, Soil Health and Fertility, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana – aim to mitigate yield losses and enhance resilience, while food‑grain production rose from 252.03 Mt (2014‑15) to 357.73 Mt (2024‑25).