A PROJECT REPORT ON

SOCIETY OUTREACH PROGRAM

LAND DEGRADATION

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

M.V.S.R. ENGINEERING COLLEGE
(Affiliated to Osmania University & Recognized by AICTE)
Nadergul, Saroor Nagar Mandal, Hyderabad – 501 510
2018-19.

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 MVSR ENGINEERING COLLEGE
(Affiliated to Osmania University & Recognized by AICTE)
Nadergul, Saroor Nagar Mandal, Hyderabad-501510

BE in Computer Engineering
BATCH CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that SOP entitled on “LAND DEGRADATION” is bonafide work
done by

NAME ROLL NO
K SATHWIKA (2451-17-733-002)
KARNALA ROHITH SAGAR (2451-17-733-015)
G.V.V SAI RAMYA (2451-17-733-024)

Project Guide Head of the Department

Dr. Neeraja, (Asst.prof of English) Dr. Akhil Khare

Dr. Ramesh Babu, (Asst.prof of Mathematics) (Head of CSE dept)

Mr. Rangarajan (Asst.prof of Economics)

Dr. N. Srinivas (P.D.E)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We take this opportunity to express our profound and sincere gratitude to all those who
helped us in carrying out this project successfully.

At the very outset, we are thankful to our principal Dr. G.Kanaka Durga and Dr.
Akhil Khare, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Computer Science and
Engineering, MVSR Engineering College, Hyderabad for their consent to do the project work
as a part of our B.E Degree(CSE).We thank them for their valuable suggestions and advices
throughout our stay at the college, during our project work. We would like to thank our
Internal Guide Dr. Ramesh Babu, Asst.prof of Mathematics, Dr. Neeraja, Asst.prof of
English, Mr. Rangarajan, Asst.prof of Economics, Dr. N. Srinivas, P.D.E Assistant
Professor, MVSR Engineering College for their useful suggestions, guidance and
encouragement.

We thank the teaching and non-teaching staff of CSE for extending their support.

Finally, we are thankful to our parents for their cooperation and support
throughout all endeavors in our life.

K.Sathwika (2451-17-733-017)

K.Rohith Sagar (2451-17-733-018)

G.V.V Sai Ramya (2451-17-733-034)

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO CONTENTS PAGE NO

I. Aim 6

II. Objective 6

III. Need to study 6

1 Introduction 8-15

2 Method of Study 16-19

3 Survey 20-21

4 Results 22

5 Conclusion 23

6 Team Size 24
7 Supervisor 24
8 References 25

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 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO NAME OF FIGURE PAGE NO

1 Deforestation 9
2 Soil erosion 10
3 Industrialization 10
4 Urban expansion 10
5 Over grazing of pasture land 11
6 Over cultivation 12
7 Water logging 12
8 Over extraction of wells 12
9 Excessive use of fertilizers 13
10 Afforestation 14
11 Strip Farming 14
12 Crop rotation 15
13 Ridge and furrow formation 15
14 Construction of bunds 15
15 Contour farming 16
16 Interaction with farmers in Nadergul 21
17 Agricultural land in Adibatla 22
18 Tata industries Adibatla 22
19 Samuha industries Adibatla 23
20 Open plots in Nadergul 23

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 LAND DEGRADATION

I. AIM

The aim of our project is to achieve land degradation neutrality: A state whereby the
amount and quality of land resources, necessary to support ecosystem functions and services
and enhance food security, remains stable or increases within specified temporal and spatial
scales and ecosystems.

II. OBJECTIVE
 Evaluation of the impacts of human activities on land degradation.
 Asses the stability and resilience of the ecosystem biodiversity against threats: soil
erosion and physical degradation, decline inorganic content, and soil contamination.
 Develop and standardize tools and procedures to achieve land degradation neutrality

III. NEED TO STUDY

 The two most important driving forces of land degradation in Asia and the Pacific are
limited land resources and population increase. The result is small farms, low
production per person and increasing landlessness. A consequence of land shortage is
poverty.

 Land shortage and poverty, taken together, lead to non-sustainable land management
practices, the direct causes of degradation. Poor farmers are led to clear forest,
cultivate steep slopes without conservation, overgraze rangelands and make
unbalanced fertilizer applications.

 Land degradation then leads to reduced productivity: a lower response to the same
inputs or, where farmers possess the resources, a need for higher inputs to maintain
crop yields and farm incomes. This has the effect of increasing land shortage still
further, thus completing the cycle.

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 Substantial efforts have been made by individual farmers, national governments and
international agencies to counteract the cycle of poverty and land degradation by
research and development of improved technology. Much success has been achieved,
as in the spread of high-yielding crop varieties and use of fertilizers in the 'green
revolution'.

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 1.INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION:

 The change in the characteristic and quality of soil which adversely affect its fertility
is called as Degradation.

 Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is

affected by a combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land. It is
viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or
undesirable. Natural hazards are excluded as a cause; however human activities can
indirectly affect phenomena such as floods and bush fires.

 This is considered to be an important topic of the 21st century due to the implications
land degradation has upon agronomic productivity, the environment, and its effects on
food security.[3] It is estimated that up to 40% of the world's agricultural land is
seriously degraded

 Land degradation is the most important environmental problem currently challenging

sustainable development in many parts of the world. The problem is most acute where
the environment is intrinsically vulnerable and where the population is losing control
of its own resources.

LAND DEGRADATION MEANS:

 Loss of natural fertility of soil because of loss of nutrients.

 Less vegetation cover.

 Changes in the characteristic of soil.

 Pollution of water resources from the contamination of soil through which water
sweeps into ground or runoff to the water bodies.

 Changes in climatic conditions because of unbalance created in the environment.

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CAUSES OF LAND DEGRADATION
 Deforestation

 Soil erosion by wind or water

 Industrialization

 Urban expansion

 Unsustainable agricultural practices

DEFORESTATION:

Deforestation, clearance, clearcutting or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees

from land which is then converted to a non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion
of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated deforestation occurs in
tropical rainforests. About 31% of Earth's land surface is covered by forests.

Fig 1. Deforestation

SOIL EROSION:

Erosion is the term given to soil loss due to the mobilization of topsoil by the forces of wind
and water. Wind and water move the eroded particles to some other location, where it is
deposited as sediment. Soil erosion is a natural process that removes soil from the land.

Fig 2. Soil Erosion

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INDUSTRIALIZATION

Development of industries for the economic growth of the country leads to excessive
deforestation and utilization of land in such a way that it has lost its natural upgradation
quality.

Fig 3. Industrialization

URBAN EXPANSION

Urban growth, road construction, mining and industry are major factors in land degradation
in different region . Valuable agricultural land is lost.

Fig 4. Urban Expansion

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UNSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

Increased mechanism of agriculture has led to increased yields and faster production. Various
methods, techniques and equipment are now used in agriculture at different scales which are
destructive to the soil and water resources, and gradually decrease the productivity of the
land.

1.Overgrazing of pasture land

Overgrazing refers to excessive eating of grasses and other green plants by cattle. It results
into reduced growth of vegetation, reduced diversity of plant species, excessive growth of
unwanted plant species, soil erosion, and degradation of land due to cattle movement.

Fig 5. Overgrazing of pasture land

2.Over cultivation of cropped land and mono cropping

Over cultivation and mono cropping are usually associated with high levels of mechanization
which can compact the soil, leaving the land bare between harvest and planting, both of
which increase the potential for erosion, and continuous loss of nutrients with application of
large quantities of fertilizers.

Fig 6. Over cultivation

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3.Water logging and salinization of irrigation land

Fig 7. Water logging

4.Over extraction of wells, rivers and dams

Fig 8. Over extraction of wells

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5. Excessive and continuous use of fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide

Fig 9. Excessive use of fertilizers

EFFECTS OF LAND DEGRADATION

 Decline in the chemical, physical and/or biological properties of soil.

 Reduced availability of potable water.

 Lessened volumes of surface water.

 Impacts on livestock and agriculture e.g. loss of animals due to dehydration, reduced
yields.

 Decline in productivity.

 Water and food insecurity.

 Biodiversity loss.

CONSERVATION MEASURES
 Afforestation

 Strip Farming

 Crop Rotation

 Ridge and Furrow Formation

 Construction of bunds

 Contour Farming

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Afforestation

Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no
previous tree cover. Many government and non-governmental organizations directly engage
in programs of afforestation to create forests, increase carbon capture and carbon
sequestration, and help to anthropogenically improve biodiversity.

Fig 10. Afforestation

Strip Farming

It is a practice in which cultivated crops are sown in alternative strips to prevent water
movement.

Fig 11 Strip farming

Crop Rotation

It is one of the agricultural practice in which different crops are grown in same area following
a rotation system which helps in replenishment of the soil.

Fig 12 crop rotation

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Ridge and Furrow Formation

Soil erosion is one of the factors responsible for land degradation. It can be prevented by
formation of ridge and furrow during irrigation which lessens run off.

Fig 13 Ridge and furrow formation

Construction of bunds

This usually checks or reduces the velocity of run off so that soil support vegetation.

Fig 14 construction of bunds

Contour Farming

This type of farming is usually practiced across the hill side and is useful in collecting and
diverting the run off to avoid erosion.

Fig 15 contour farming

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 2.METHOD OF STUDY

Types of land degradation assessed:

For the purpose of this study, the many and varied processes of land degradation have been
grouped into six classes: water erosion, wind erosion, soil fertility decline, salinization,
waterlogging, and lowering of the water table.
Water erosion covers all forms of soil erosion by water, including sheet and rill erosion and
gullying. Human-induced intensification of land sliding, caused by vegetation clearance, road
construction, etc., is also included.
Wind erosion refers to loss of soil by wind, occurring primarily in dry regions.
Soil fertility decline is used as a short term to refer to what is more precisely described as
deterioration in soil physical, chemical and biological properties. Whilst decline in fertility is
indeed a major effect of erosion, the term is used here of cover effects of processes other than
erosion. The main processes involved are:
1.lowering of soil organic master, with associated decline in soil biological activity;
2.degradation of soil physical properties (structure, aeration, water holding capacity), as
brought about by reduced organic master;
3.adverse changes in soil nutrient resources, including reduction in availability of the major
nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), onset of micronutrient deficiencies, and
development of nutrient imbalances.
4.Build up of toxicities, primarily acidification through incorrect fertilizer use.
Waterlogging is the lowering in land productivity through the rise in groundwater close to
the soil surface. Also included under this heading is the severe form, termed ponding, where
the water table rises above the surface. Waterlogging is linked with salinization, both being
brought about by incorrect irrigation management.
Salinization is used in its broad sense, to refer to all types of soil degradation brought about
by the increase of salts in the soil. It thus covers both salinization in its strict sense, the
buildup of free salts; and codification (also called alkalization), the development of
dominance of the exchange complex by sodium. As human-induced processes, these occur
mainly through incorrect planning and management of irrigation schemes. Also covered is
saline intrusion, the incursion of sea water into coastal soils arising from over-abstraction of
groundwater.
Lowering of the water table is a self-explanatory form of land degradation, brought about
through tube well pumping of groundwater for irrigation exceeding the natural recharge
capacity. This occurs in areas of non-saline ('sweet') groundwater. Pumping for urban and
industrial use is a further cause.

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Other types of degradation included

Other types of land degradation are treated briefly, treated as causes, or excluded from this
review. This is because they are localized or of small extent on a regional scale, or because
they are more fully treated elsewhere.
Four further classes are recognized as types of land degradation, and as having considerable
importance in the region. One case, deforestation, has been treated by reference to an external
review. The two other types are considered in more generalized terms.
Deforestation The occurrence of deforestation is widespread and extremely serious in the
region. It is not independently assessed here, in view of more detailed treatment in the current
FAO Forest resources assessment 1990 project. Deforestation is also discussed as a cause of
erosion.
Forest degradation This is the reduction of biotic resources and lowering of productive
capacity of forests through human activities. It is under review in a current survey (Banerjee
and Grimes, in preparation).
Rangeland degradation This is the lowering of the productive capacity of rangelands. It is
considered in generalized terms, but no quantitative data have been identified.

Acid sulphate formation, a serious but localized form of degradation, which may occur on
drainage of coastal swamps.
Soil pollution, from industrial or mining effluents, to the atmosphere, rivers or groundwater.
This is an important concern in the region, but is strongly localized.
Soil destruction through mining and quarrying activities, the failure to restore soil after
extraction. The same remarks apply as for soil pollution.
Urban and industrial encroachment onto agricultural land. With the projected increase in
urbanization, this will continue to be a substantial cause of loss of agricultural land, but it is a
different problem from land degradation.
Effects of war. Land degradation on a substantial scale through effects of war has been
reported from Iran (western borderlands) and Afghanistan, in the latter case including the
destruction of irrigation schemes.
Potential effects of global climatic change. It is beyond question that the composition of the
world's atmosphere is being substantially altered as a result of human activities. A small but
significant global warming has already been observed and is projected to continue. It is
possible that this may lead to modifications to the general atmospheric circulation with
consequent changes in rainfall.
These changes could be beneficial or adverse to land productivity or human welfare:
specifically, in semi-arid regions, rainfall might become higher or longer, more reliable or

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less, or with longer or higher incidence of droughts. There is, however, no firm evidence of
what such changes may tee.
If adverse changes occur in some areas, then these will certainly constitute a most serious
form of human-induced degradation of natural resources. It is accepted that, for a range of
reasons, action should be taken to reduce emissions of 'greenhouse gases'. However, until
there is clearer evidence, its potential effects upon climate must remain a master of research,
and these will not be further considered.

Problems of the natural environment

Aridity and drought 'Aridity' and 'drought' are referred to in the ECOSOC resolution on
which this study is based. These, however, are problems of the natural environment in semi-
arid and aria areas. In the subsequent amplifications of the terms of reference it is clear that
degradation, namely human-induced adverse environmental changes, is the intended focus.
Therefore aridity and drought would only properly be included if it could be shown that
rainfall had been reduced, or drought spells made more frequent, as a result of man's
activities. This has not been established.
Problem soils. Soils which present special difficulties for agriculture may be called problem
soils. They include saline soils, sandy soils, cracking clays, strongly acid soils, shallow soils,
and soils on steeply sloping or poorly drained land. A comprehensive review for Asia and the
Pacific is given in FAO/RAPA (1990) and a map of problem soils is in preparation.
To the extent that these are problems of the natural environment, problem soils do not
constitute land degradation. However, land degradation frequently leads to an increase in the
extent or severity of problem soils, for example, erosion causes shallow soils. A clear case is
that of saline soils: these occur naturally, in which case they are problem soils, but their
extent has been greatly increased by human-induced salinization.

Reversible degradation and land reclamation

The effects of water and wind erosion are largely irreversible. Although plant nutrients and
soil organic master may be replaced, to replace the actual loss of soil material would require
taking the soil out of use for many thousands of years, an impractical course of action.
In other cases, land degradation is reversible: soils with reduced organic master can be
restored by additions of plant residues, degraded pastures may recover under improved range
management. Salinized soils can be restored to productive use, although at a high cost,
through salinity control and reclamation projects.
Land reclamation frequently requires inputs which are costly, labour-demanding or both. The
reclamation projects in salinized and waterlogged irrigated areas demonstrate this fact clearly.

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In other cases, the land can only be restored by taking it out of productive use for some years,
as in reclamation forestry. The cost of reclamation, or restoration to productive use, of
degraded soils is invariably less than the cost of preventing degradation before it occurs.

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 3. SURVEY

We have conducted survey in Nadergul and Adibatla which are in the outskirts of Hyderabad.
We interacted with village people and with farmers and got information about the land
degradation and the problems they are facing due to land degradation and we suggested them
some preventive measures so that they can prevent land degradation.

Pictures taken during our survey

Fig 16. Interacting with farmers in Nadergul

Fig 17. Agricultural land in Adibatla

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Fig 18. Tata Industries Adibatla

Fig 19. Samuha industries Adibatla

Fig 20. Open plots in nadergul

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 4.RESULTS
1. Though, there were many schemes and various articles associated with the prevention
of land degradation, they were not implemented as planned. Thus most of the reforms
were failure
2. The malpractices against the land is increasing from previous decade to now. But, it
can be significantly decrease by the proper unification of the public with the
government,
3. Land degradation can be prevented using the following preventive measures
1. Afforestation
2. Strip Farming
3.Crop Rotation
4. Ridge and Furrow Formation
5. Construction of bunds
6. Contour Farming

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 5.CONCLUSION

Land degradation occurs because of land poor management practices. In order to assess
sustainable land management practices, the climate resources and the risk of climate- related
natural disaster need to be documented.
The use of climate information must be applied in developing sustainable practices. There is
need to apply sustainable land management practices in field for conservation of land.
Forests and the products they provide are universally required for the continuation of human
society as we know it. To change our society to one that does not depend on the forest (to the
forest's detriment) and its associated benefits requires such an enormous paradigm shift that
we generally do not even consider it worthy of further investigation. Given this situation
therefore, it is imperative that we discover mechanisms to manage the forest for all the
benefits it can provide, in a sustainable manner.
Few countries have all the answers to all the issues faced, thus there exists a real need for
international cooperation. Loss of forest resources transcends national boundaries and affects
the entire planet. Given this, the roles of various agencies become vitally important in order
to minimise any potential downside and to maximise the upside. Governments, NGOs,
intergovernmental panels and the like must work more closely in order to resolve the pressing
issues facing the forests. In many cases a collaborative approach will provide a solution
which is more acceptable to all parties, and more robust than a solution that is developed
unilaterally.

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 5.TEAM SIZE

K Sathwika Reddy (2451-17-733-002)

As a honor to the project given I hereby done my part in the project as a contribution of field
work, preparing the presentation, collecting the photographs and documentation of the report.

K Rohith Sagar (2451-17-733-015)

As a honor to the project given I hereby done my part in the project as a contribution of field
work, preparing the presentation, collecting the photographs and documentation of the report.

G.V.V Sai Ramya (2451-17-733-015)

As a honor to the project given I hereby done my part in the project as a contribution of field
work, preparing the presentation, collecting the photographs and documentation of the report.

6.SUPERVISOR

Dr. Ramesh Babu

Asst. prof of Mathematics

Dr. Neeraja
Asst. prof of English

M. Ravinder Reddy
Asst. prof of Physics

A.Subramanyam
HOD (S&H)

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 7.REFERENCES
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_degradation
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/land-degradation
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afforestation

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