Lok Sabha Question No. 388 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-05
Subject: Impact of Soil Erosion on Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Amar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 388 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## IMPACT OF SOIL EROSION ON AGRICULTURE

388. DR. AMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government has taken cognizance of the finding of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO), which states that soil erosion is depleting the ability of soil to produce food and could lead to a 10% loss in global crop production by 2050; and
- (b) if so, the details of the initiatives that are proposed to be taken by the Government to save our soil for agriculture?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) & (b): In general, the extent and impact of soil erosion in the country depleting the ability of soil to produce food is being addressed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)  through  research,  technology  development  and  its  dissemination.  ICAR  through Indian  Institute  of  Soil  and  Water  Conservation  (IISWC)  has  developed  several  location Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur has also developed sand dune stabilization and  shelter  belt  technology  to  check  wind  erosion.  Further,  ICAR  provides  technical backstopping and organizes regular training courses for field functionaries and farmers on specific bio-engineering measures to check soil erosion due to run-off of rainwater. ICARparticipatory watershed management.

Several steps have been taken to improve soil health and ecosystem up-gradation along with improving soil fertility status in the country including soil erosion. Under National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to improve the soil health across the country, Soil Health Card (SHC) / Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme is operational through the State Governments under National Project on Management of Soil Health & Fertility. The main  objective  of  the  scheme  is  to  assist  states  in  promoting  Integrated  Nutrient Management (INM) for improving soil health and its productivity. Soil Health Card provides information to farmers on soil nutrient status of their soil and recommendation on appropriate dosage  of  nutrients  to  be  applied  for  improving  soil  health  and  its  fertility.  NMSA  also addresses  the  problem  of  soil  erosion  through  its  schemes  namely  Rainfed  Area Development  (RAD)  and  On  Farm  Water  Management  (OFWM);  Sub  Mission  on Agroforestry (SMAF) and Restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM).

The  Department  of  Land  Resources  (DoLR)  has  been  implementing  Integrated Watershed  Management  Programme  (IWMP)  since  2009-10  with  primary  objective  to develop rainfed / degraded lands. IWMP was merged with the umbrella scheme of PMKSY in 2015-16 and named as the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY). A total of 8214 watershed development projects were  sanctioned  from  2009-10  to  2014-15  under  Integrated  Watershed  Management Programme (IWMP) in 28 States (now 27 States and 2 UTs of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh). Out of the 6382 projects funded by DoLR, 6376 projects have been completed. Under WDC-PMKSY 1.0, a total of 6.56 lakh water harvesting structures have been created / rejuvenated. An additional area of 14.54 lakh hectares has been brought under protective irrigation benefiting 31.94 lakh farmers during the same period. Under WDC-PMKSY2.0, DoLR has sanctioned 1149 projects to States/UTs covering an area of 50.55 lakh hectares and  an  amount  of  Rs.  2858.76  crore  as  central  share  of  fund  has  been  released  to States/UTs.  Under  WDC-PMKSY  2.0  during  FY  2022-23  and  FY2023-24  (till  2nd  Qtr.), 77,000 water harvesting structures have been created / rejuvenated. An additional area of 0.81 lakh hectare has been brought under protective irrigation benefitting 4.30 lakh farmers during the same period.

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