Daily Hot Topic
Topic : Alarming Loss of Trees in Indian Farmlands (2019-2022)
GS-3 Mains : Environment Conservation
Revision Notes
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Study Reveals: A recent study by researchers suggests a concerning loss of trees in Indian agricultural lands.
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Scale of Loss: Nearly 5.8 million full-grown trees disappeared between 2019 and 2022.
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Agroforestry in India: Traditionally, India has practiced agroforestry, integrating trees into farmlands.
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Examples of Agroforestry Trees: Mahua, coconut, sangri, neem, babul, shisham, jamun, etc.
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Benefits of Agroforestry:
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Carbon Sequestration: Trees act as carbon sinks, mitigating climate change.
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Improved Crop Yields: Trees provide shade, wind protection, and regulate microclimates, benefiting crops.
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Reduced Flood Risk: Tree roots absorb excess rainwater, minimizing flooding.
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Groundwater Recharge: Improved water infiltration helps replenish groundwater.
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Additional Income: Trees offer fruits, nuts, and medicinal plants for income generation.
Reasons for Loss:
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Shift to Monoculture: Conversion of diverse agroforestry systems to monoculture agriculture (e.g., paddy fields) leads to removal of large trees.
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Perceived Low Benefits: Farmers may view the benefits of agroforestry trees as outweighed by maintenance costs or effort. This can lead to deliberate tree removal for convenience or profit.
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Water Scarcity: In water-limited regions, farmers remove trees to install borewells or irrigation systems for additional water access.
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Natural Mortality: Tree deaths due to wildfires, fungal infections, insect infestations, and droughts are natural occurrences.
Agroforestry in India:
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Area Under Agroforestry: Around 8.65% of India’s total land is dedicated to agroforestry.
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56% of India is farmland, and 20% is forest.
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Top States: Uttar Pradesh (1.86 million ha), Maharashtra (1.61 million ha), Rajasthan (1.55 million ha), and Andhra Pradesh (1.17 million ha) have the highest concentrations.
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Government Initiative: The Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (Har Medh Par Ped) Scheme (2016-17) promotes tree plantation on farmlands to increase income and climate resilience for farmers.
Looking Forward:
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Importance of Accurate Data: While India’s tree cover has increased, reporting methods only account for gross losses, not separate tree gains.
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Natural Tree Loss: Some tree loss is natural, and cutting trees can be part of agroforestry management. Not all lost trees relate to climate change or human actions.
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Shifting Practices: Mature trees in fields might be removed for cultivation of new trees in separate plantations, which may have lower ecological value.
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/nearly-6-million-trees-disappeared-from-farmlands-in-three-years-says-satellite-mapping-study/article68187264.ece