Soil Erosion: And Its Impact on Agriculture

The earth is a mega land full of soil.

It can be called as the globe’s skin as well as it holds onto and brings together whatever is on this planet.

When we talk about soil,  it is basically the major element that is holding everything together.  This also includes and means the different species that make up for the complex ecosystem.

So what is causing the phenomenon is soil erosion?

How is it that we are not realizing that we are actually hurting the major thing that is keeping us all into a sustainable surrounding?

To put in simple words- our need and raised demand for agricultural products is leading to a negative impact on our environment.

In our need to generate and gain more, we have been involved in a transition mechanism in which we have been actively involved in actually removing the natural strip of forests as well as grasslands to fields of produce, the soil erosion has been actively on the rise.

So let’s get into this highly interesting topic to know more on how soil erosion is happening , the causes , impact and how can we play a role in balancing agriculture with soil maintenance.

What is Soil Erosion?

Did you know that when it comes to the topsoil of the planet, it has been slowing being lost and eroded for the past century or so?

Not just the erosion, but the quality of the soil is hit in a major way too.

So what is the major problem with soil erosion- well for starters it actually leads to the minimization of fertile land.

When this happens, you will see more of sedimentation in rivers. And this leads t0 more of clogging and causes a decline in the existence of fish and other species.

One of the major concerns which any farmer has to face with is the health and condition of the soil.

It is directly relating to quality agriculture projects as biodiversity is the main element that needs to be considered when it comes to sustainability and ensuring agriculture practice is done keeping in mind the overall well-being of the fragile skin that is earth.

Moving on, let’s look into the leading causes of soil erosion:

Causes of Soil Erosion

So how is soil erosion becoming a major concern and what are the major reasons why it is a common dilemma.

As the human population continues to grow, as we continue to increase our carbon footprint,  we are actually adapting more of land for agricultural usage, which is leading to heavy soil erosion.

So how are humans playing their negative role in making the situation worse than it should actually be:

The Rise in Deforestation

Yes removing forests and thick and vast lands of green is definitely one of the major causes of erosion.

Since there are no solid trees and agricultural plants to firmly hold soil into its place, this is leading to a huge soil erosion impact.

We are actually losing our fertile land and with the continuous rise of agricultural projects, it seems the clearing of forests and soil loss is going on steady rise.

Overgrazing Dilemma

This is another major concern that needs to be addressed. It is what we call the way in which natural ecosystems can change into and pasture lands.

It is actually damaging the lands as we continue to emphasize on over crop production. This means there is excessive crop yielding in focus.

It can lead to higher rates of erosion in land.

So how is this impacting the environment?

Well, when there is over erosion, you are actually losing the topsoil extensively.

And this also takes away the majority of nutrients which makes the soil fertile and beneficial.

It is also what causes the ground cover to reduce, which is also heavily impacted by heavy winds and torrential rains.

When this happens, it makes the plants unable to actually grow in proper growth and can also lead to harm to soil microbes, further accelerating the condition of soil erosion.

The Rise in Agrochemicals

In a world where we have become so accustomed to and adapted various ways to keep the focus on yields and remuneration, it doesn’t come as a surprise that we focus so heavily on the use of pesticides.

When we make use of chemicals, we do so with the focus on being increased yields and the major disadvantage it has is that it actually leads to the imbalance of microorganisms in the soil.

So this is what leads to the stimulation of bacteria and it can lead to many harmful affects to the soil, leading to the acceleration of soil erosion which in turn also impacts the quality of agricultural  mechanism.

Now that you have had a good understanding of what leads to soil erosion and its major causes, we will  now talk about how there are major impacts of soil erosion on the environment.

Impact of Soil Erosion

So now let’s talk about the major impacts of soil erosion. It is a major cause for concern if not handles and taken care of in a timely manner.

One thing is for certain.

If you don’t have a fertile land because of sol erosion, it means that there will be less productivity yielding from agriculture as well.

Let’s now look into the ways how it can have disastrous impacts:

Arable Land Loss

This means that there won’t be any productive land available which would lead to the growth of productive crops. The top soil is highly important.

When you are not practicing proper ways to make the most of the lush green land, it cause for the crops and soil quality to be impacted.

These are the reasons why you should focus upon and aim to keep the fertility of the land in focus and adapt sustainable practices which ensure the top soil is not impacted in the process.

Waterways in Pollution

Now that we have already talked about how we need to focus on agriculture concepts. This will keep the ecosystem in focus and emphasize the need to adapt fertile solutions that don’t harm the eco-environment.

Turns out the erosion of soil  and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides makes it wash out into the major streams, waterways and rivers. This is the sedimentation which actually leads to the damages to the freshwater as well as the marine habitats.

Heavy Flooding

Flooding is a major problem in any case. But in certain cases, it becomes even more common and harder to control.

One such case is when agriculture leads to destruction of natural habitats.

This creates simple plains.

And when this happens, the new landscapes which are basically crop fields are not strong enough to soak any water if heavy rainfalls happen.

This can lead to heavy flooding and it becomes hard to maintain or even restore the same lands.

Also the subsoil becomes majorly exposed which doesn’t have strong physical properties.  It can also lead to new planted crops being readily destroyed.

So what can be done? How can we play a role in maintaining and major the soil better?

Read on to know more:

Solutions to Soil Erosion Problem

So what can be done to make a difference in adapting strong, agricultural practices. Let’s look into some of the most common ways:

Adapt Soil-Friendly Methodologies

Heard of terraced farming? It is one of the most interesting and manageable ways. This will ensure that agriculture is maintained in sustainable ways.

Having terraces also is better as it leads to better management of crops with controlled water flow.

Also intercropping is yet another impactful way.

This ensures that crop planting is economical and productive.

It is where two kinds of crops come together in the same field.

Improving the soil structure is the key here and it is by using of alteration between deep-rooted crops and shallow-rooted crops.

Accessibility to Sustainable Practices

It is always helpful to bring insight into the practices of sustainable land management. If the government adapts a strong plan in which farmers will involve themselves to make use of reachable methodologies for anti-erosion measures, it can lead to a huge implementation of erosion prevention practices.

Being able to also provide the key factors and knowledge on the programme allows for its practicality to come into the focus by all key stakeholders in charge.

Prevention Tactics in Focus

Lastly the best way to avoid any major disaster is by focusing on prevention tactics and their importance.

You can manage ways to reduce the stance of soil erosion. This is by making use of and adapting rehabilitation tactics on land which wasn’t in good condition.

This is a major step that will emphasize the need to minimize degradation. It puts into practical work the tactics needs to keep the land management in line with effective preventive measures.

This is one of the leading ways in which the crisis of soil erosion will revert.