Which of the following are responsible for land degradation?
(A) Waterlogging
(B) Alkalinization
(C) Organic farming
(D) Soil erosion
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (D) only
(A) Waterlogging — Correct. When water stays in the soil for a long time, as in over-irrigated fields, crop roots cannot grow well.
(B) Alkalinization — Correct. Salts collect in the soil and make it alkaline, so it becomes unfit for crops.
(C) Organic farming — Incorrect. Organic farming avoids chemical fertilisers and pesticides. It protects the soil instead of degrading it.
(D) Soil erosion — Correct. Erosion removes the fertile top layer of the soil, so the land produces less.
NCERT (2026-27): “Land Degradation … The pressure on agricultural land increases not only due to the limited availability but also by deterioration of quality of agricultural land. Soil erosion, waterlogging, salinisation and alkalinisation of land lead to land degradation. … Land degradation is generally understood either as a temporary or a permanent decline in productive capacity of the land.” |