Land degradation has emerged as a serious problem during the last few decades. Soil fertility has declined considerably in many parts of the world due to intensive agriculture, over-grazing, water pollution, increasing use of fertilizers and pesticides, salinization, deforestation and accumulation of non-biodegradable waste. Vast tracts of land are facing desertification. Climate change is further aggravating land degradation, soil erosion and soil fertility. Evidence suggests during the last 6-7 decades over 35 percent of arable land has been degraded due to human induced activities. Soil being the natural medium for plant growth supports all life on earth. Rapidly increasing population, growing food-waste and declining soil fertility are posing serious challenges to humanity for already today food security. Therefore, land degradation must come to a halt. Education, changes in agricultural policy and technological innovations are instruments that should be used for restoration of degraded land and stop further land degradation.
Climate change is reversing the global trends in reducing hunger and malnutrition. In the regions already affected by drought and famines, the prices rise and the food crisis is at its worst. Even the high-income food-secure countries such as the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) are having an impact of cost inflation due to food insecurity. The situation is much more serious to the 2007-08 world food crisis that led to economic instability, food shortage, and price rise.
Today 1 billion people facing food insecurity due to weather extremes.
The food insecurity has a long-lasting impact of health and cognitive development in children.
Malnutrition in children is high in countries suffering food crises for reasons of food shortage, poor infant feeding practices, high childhood illnesses and lack of sanitation and clean drinking water.
The frightening high incidence of food insecurity and rates of malnutrition blatantly reveals the fragility of the global food systems further strained by natural disasters.
Do you recognize the problem? What do you think needs to be done already today to resolve the problem?