New Delhi, August : The Government of India has stated that while it has not conducted a direct assessment of agricultural yield losses caused by land degradation, multiple initiatives are being implemented to restore soil health, improve water conservation, and strengthen climate resilience across the agricultural sector.

According to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India (2021) published by the Space Applications Centre (ISRO), nearly 97.85 million hectares (9.78 crore hectares) of land in India were affected by desertification and land degradation during 2018–19. Of this, around 6.38 lakh hectares were categorized as human-induced desertification and land degradation.

Among the states, Rajasthan recorded the highest degraded land area with 21.24 million hectares, followed by Maharashtra (14.31 million hectares), Gujarat (10.25 million hectares), Ladakh (7.11 million hectares) and Karnataka (6.96 million hectares).

To address the issue, the Government, through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has developed and promoted a range of location-specific technologies for sustainable land management. These include contour cultivation, intercropping, crop rotation, conservation agriculture, mulching, green manuring, reduced tillage, agroforestry, and integrated watershed management.

For salt-affected soils, ICAR recommends gypsum application, bio-drainage, subsurface drainage, salt-tolerant crop varieties, and bio-reclamation measures. The council has also issued General Fertilizer Recommendations (GFR) and Soil Test Crop Response (STCR) guidelines to encourage balanced fertilizer use, improve soil fertility, enhance soil organic carbon, and increase nutrient-use efficiency.

Water conservation remains another major focus area. ICAR promotes watershed development through contour bunds, check dams, farm ponds, community ponds, rainwater harvesting structures, and other soil and moisture conservation measures.

The Government also highlighted the progress of the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project, which is currently operational in 651 districts across the country. The programme assesses climate risks, develops district-specific contingency plans, and demonstrates climate-resilient farming technologies.

Out of 310 climate-vulnerable districts, 201 districts have been classified as highly climate vulnerable, while 109 districts fall under the very highly climate vulnerable category. Climate-resilient technologies are currently being demonstrated in 448 Climate Resilient Villages spread across 151 vulnerable districts in 28 States and Union Territories.

To strengthen resilience, the programme supports village-level seed banks, community nurseries, Village Climate Risk Management Committees (VCRMCs), and farmer training through the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). During the last decade (2014–2024), ICAR released 2,900 crop varieties, including 2,661 varieties that are tolerant to one or more biotic or abiotic stresses.

The Government is also implementing several flagship programmes to improve agricultural sustainability and productivity. These include the Per Drop More Crop scheme for promoting micro-irrigation, the Rainfed Area Development scheme for integrated farming systems, the Soil Health and Fertility programme for balanced nutrient management, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana for organic farming, and the National Mission on Natural Farming.

Crop diversification is being encouraged under the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds, and the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission. Additional support is being provided through the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, National Bamboo Mission, and agroforestry initiatives.

To protect farmers from climate-related risks, the Government continues to implement the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme, offering insurance coverage against crop failures caused by natural calamities and adverse weather conditions.

Water conservation has also been prioritised under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission – Gramin (VB-G RAM-G), while the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) is restoring rainfed and degraded lands through soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, pasture development, and livelihood support activities.

Despite increasing challenges from climate change and land degradation, India's agricultural sector has continued to register steady growth. Foodgrain production increased from 252.03 million tonnes in 2014–15 to a record 357.73 million tonnes in 2024–25, while horticulture production rose from 280.98 million tonnes to 370.73 million tonnes during the same period.

The information was provided by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.