Impact of Climate Change and Land Degradation on Agriculture
摘要
Two interconnected global issues that have a significant impact on agricultural output, food security, and rural livelihoods are land degradation and climate change. This chapter provides a thorough analysis of how land degradation processes like deforestation, soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and salinisation interact with climatic variability, which includes rising temperatures, changed rainfall patterns, extended droughts, and extreme weather events that make agroecosystems more vulnerable. The chapter demonstrates how various climatic stressors and unsustainable land management practices combine to exacerbate soil fertility loss, water scarcity, and food insecurity across a range of agro-ecological settings. It does this by drawing on regional and global data, as well as case studies from the Jaggar Watershed in India and the Mount Elgon watershed in Uganda. This evaluation emphasizes the interrelated effects of environmental and socioeconomic factors on agricultural sustainability by combining global trends with local experiences. In vulnerable farming systems, it identifies scalable, context-sensitive land and water management techniques that have proven successful in reducing degradation and boosting resilience. The chapter emphasizes the increasing importance of precision agriculture, remote sensing technologies, and involving multiple stakeholders in building long-lasting resilience in farming systems, while also reiterating the key roles of climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management, and community-based efforts. By providing research-backed comparisons that help shape both global policies and local plans for climate-friendly and environmentally sustainable food systems, the insights contribute to the worldwide discussion on sustainable agriculture and land management.