Impacts of Land Degradation on Crop Yields and its Management Options: A Review

Abstract

Land degradation will remain an important global issue for the 21st century because of its adverse impact on agronomic productivity of crop yields, the environment and its effect on food security and the quality of life. However, the on-site impacts of land degradation on productivity are easily screened due to use of additional inputs and adoption of improved technology and have led some to question the negative effects of extreme land degradation. The relative magnitude of economic losses due to productivity decline versus environmental deterioration also has created a debate. Therefore, land is a non-renewable resource, and the productive capacity of the land would be reduced unless proper management options would be taken at a right time. The proper management options of land degradation for sustaining the crop yields are controlling overgrazing, reduced population pressures on natural resources, using energy efficient sources, contour farming, avoiding cultivation of steep slopes for crop production purposes, afforestation and hillside tree plantations and along gullies, increasing soil fertility by adding organic matter, reducing compaction of soil structures and making soil and water conservation structures to reduce soil erosion, sediment loss and run-off.