India has lost over 1,500 sq km of land due to Soil Erosion.
As per a new study, India’s 30 percent landmass is facing a threat of “minor” soil erosion.
As per the study, 3 per cent of landmass is facing “catastrophic” topsoil loss.
The study titled ‘Geospatial modeling and mapping of soil erosion in India’ has been released for the first time. Ravi Raj is the lead author student of the research.
Topsoil which is the uppermost layer of soil is important for agriculture. It holds nutrients and moisture essential for plant growth.
Soil erosion of the topsoil significantly reduces fertility and can lead to decreased crop yields.
Assam lost nearly 300 square kilometres or 31 per cent of its surface soil due to “catastrophic” erosion.
As per the FAO, it could take up to 1,000 years to produce 2 to 3 centimetres of top or surface soil, which has a depth of 6 cm.
This study has six classifications for soil erosion — ranging from “minor” to “catastrophic”.
Odisha is one of the hotspots for “catastrophic” erosion in India.
As per the study, nine out of the 20 most susceptible districts to soil erosion in the country are located in Assam.
