Land degradation and water productivity in agricultural landscapes.

Abstract

This paper reviews a range of studies and concepts regarding options for improving water productivity through improved land management that mitigates soil degradation, and aims to highlight its importance as part of a comprehensive strategy to address global water scarcity. The focus is primarily on crop water productivity at the field scale, but the importance of taking a landscape-scale perspective when evaluating impacts of changes in water use is also discussed.

Dismantling Barriers to Upscaling Agro-ecological Farming in India

“…It is important to understand the key relationship between soil quality and water productivity and recognize that every land-use decision is also a water-use decision (Bossio et al 2008). Rattan Lal (2012) explains how soil organic matter (SOM) affects the physical, chemical, biological, and ecological qualities of the soil.…”

Soil and water conservation for optimizing productivity and improving livelihoods in rainfed areas

“…Bossio et al (2010) reviewed the global experiences relating to land degradation and highlighted the important degradation processes (loss of soil organic matter, soil physical degradation, nutrient depletion, chemical degradation, soil erosion and sedimentation, and degradation of landscape functions) that are closely linked to water use and management. Investing in improved land management, such as resources-conserving technologies, can considerably improve on-farm WUE in both rainfed and irrigated agriculture (Table 10.21) (Bossio et al, 2008). Resourcesconserving technologies cover a broad range of systems which have the potential to improve WUE and water management in various ways.…”

Determination of land conservation policy using the analytical hierarchy process method in Weninggalih Village, Jonggol District, Bogor Regency, West Java

“…Land degradation seen from the physical, chemical, and biological aspects is caused by natural and artificial influences [5]. Land improvement is the main goal of land conservation, in the form of preventing soil damage, repairing critical land, and maintaining soil productivity to achieve production.…”