Basic Knowledge in Agriculture #33

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Greetings to all the hardworking farmers in this great community. It is a pleasure to participate in this basic knowledge in Agriculture contest.
Today's topic is soil degradation.

Discuss Soil Degradation

The loose surface layer of the earth in which our plants grow needs to have a good structure and enough nutrients in good proportion for plants to feed on. It must not be contaminated with materials that can affect crops, resulting in poor yield.

Land that has lost some or all of its agricultural value is said to have degraded. Land degradation is a term used to describe land after any event, practice or condition has resulted in a decline in the quality and productivity of the soil. Sometimes soil degradation is totally caused by natural forces, but in most cases it occurs as a result of human activity, resulting in increased erosion and reduced fertility.

Causes of soil degradation.

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Erosion:
Running water or wind can create soil erosion that carries away the topmost fertile part of the soil, resulting in a less fertile land.

Nutrient depletion:
Continuous farming on the same portion of land over and over without intentionally doing anything to recover the soil's nutrients. Such poor agricultural practices result in soil degradation.

Salinisation:
Irrigation that is poorly managed after some time will build up soil salinity, with Increased salt levels, the soil becomes unfit for agriculture.

Pollution
Dumping waste on land could result in contamination from chemicals, oil and other materials that are not friendly to crops, resulting in a loss of biodiversity and segments of the ecosystem.

Effects of soil degradation

Poor soil means poor yield; a lot of work is done, but fewer results are obtained from the farm. A poor harvest can be discouraging, and food security is threatened.
A degraded farm will mean poor income. If the degradation is caused by pollution, it may take a very long time for the soil to recover, and in some cases, it is irreversible. Farmer-friendly living organisms in the soil are killed by pollution, reducing the fertility of the soil.

Mitigating soil degradation

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Engaging in good farming practices, like crop rotation, conservation tillage to avoid disturbing the soil, and organic farming, can help mitigate soil degradation.
Using natural materials like compost to enrich the soil and avoid deep tilling of the soil. Plant crops that will prevent soil erosion and control it with walls.

My 3 invitations goes to @dove11, @josepha and @okere-blessing