Land For Cultivation

Since the later part of nineteenth century, land under agriculture has been decreasing. This was due to urbanisation and industrialization. More and more land was taken away from cultivation and used for putting up factories, officer, houses, roads and high ways. To increase food production, we have to

• keep the land that is presently under cultivation, and not take it away for other purposes;

• maintain soil fertility of the land under cultivation by manuring, adding chemical fertilizers, practicing crop rotation and preventing soil erosion; and 

• convert land that is not fit for crop cultivation into fertile land.

   Non - productive desert land can be converted to fertile fields by irrigation. This  has been done successfully in certain regions of south western USA. However, it is not easy to irrigate desert land as the soil water dries up fast under desert conditions. This may eventually make the upper layers of the soil salty. Many desert soils are usually shallow, with an underlying layer of rock.

   Much of the world's land is covered with hills and mountains. Some of these  slopes can be used for cultivation. Terracing and cover crop planting have to be done to prevent soil erosion on slopes.

   Some land for cultivation can be obtained by clearing tropical jungles and forests. Such land has a very poor humus content..

Therefore, it has to be managed carefully to improve and maintain its fertility.