Brief Description of Land Resource Base in The Country

Course: Environmental Planning & Practice (3671) Semester: Spring, 2020
ASSIGNMENT - 1
Q.5 Discuss the major reasons of soil and land degradation in Pakistan.
1. Brief Description of Land Resource Base in The Country
Pakistan is predominantly a dry-land country where 80 percent of its land area is arid or semi-
arid, about 12 percent is dry sub-humid, and the remaining 8 percent is humid. Two-thirds of
Pakistan’s rapidly increasing population depends on dry-lands to support their livelihood
mainly through agro-pastoral activities (GOP, 2006). However, like many other developing
countries dry lands in Pakistan are severely affected by land degradation and desertification
due to unsustainable land management practices and increasing demands on natural resources
(Zia et al 2004). This causes enormous environmental problems, including degradation of
dry-land ecosystems, loss of soil fertility, flash floods, loss of biodiversity, reduction in land
productivity, soil erosion, water logging, salinity, in addition to other problems associated
with rapid population growth - all are putting pressure on natural recourses. The situation is
further aggravated by water scarcity, frequent droughts and mismanagement of land
resources, contributing to desertification and reduced productivity, consequently increasing
rural poverty. Some threats of land degradation are greater than others in terms of their
manifestation: Water logging and salinity, as a result of poor irrigation practices, affect 14
million hectares, while deforestation and overgrazing affect 11 and 24 million hectares,
respectively. While deforestation is the cause of the most widespread land degradation in
river basins (in Sind and the Punjab), overgrazing (mostly deforestation, water and wind
erosion) affect the greater dry land and upland areas (Balochsitan, North West Frontier
Province (NWFP) and parts of Punjab) causing considerable damage to the integrity of
ecosystems and provision of essential ecosystem services - soils, trees, water and biodiversity
(GOP, 2006).
2. History of Soil Surveys
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & PRACTICE 1

In 1962, an inventory of soils in the country was initiated through a Soil Survey Project,
undertaken by the Government of Pakistan with the assistance of the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP), and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The
main purpose of this initiative was to assist the government in areas such as new land
settlements, irrigation extension and drainage schemes, soil reclamation and conservation,
afforestation and rangeland improvement, among others. In 1973, the Soil Survey Project -
the Soil Survey of Pakistan (SSP) - became a permanent institution—under the Ministry of
Food and Agriculture. The Soil Survey of Pakistan has surveyed about 715,000 square
kilometres of land, covering 81% of the total area of the country (including the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas, the Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir). The surveyed area is
representative of all those parts of the country that are important for agriculture. The
inventory consists of 55 reconnaissance soil surveys and five integrated soil and vegetation
reports, along with maps of ‘Land Forms’, ‘Soils’, ‘Land Capability’ and ‘Present Land
Use/Natural Vegetation’ at 1:125,000 or 1:250,000 scale, and of Generalized (Agricultural)
Development Potential’ at 1:750,000 scale. The reconnaissance reports provide basic data on
soils for agricultural development planning and rational land use to ensure that this resource
is conserved while agricultural production is maximized. The integrated survey reports
provide data on soils as well as on natural vegetation to guide the development and
conservation of rangelands. All these reports have been distributed among prospective users
in various national, provincial, semi-government as well as non-governmental organizations
involved in the planning of development projects. In addition, the Soil Survey of Pakistan has
been engaged in semi-detailed soil surveys of areas under important forest plantations,
livestock farms and soil conservation projects, covering over 700,000 hectares. These reports
can be used in the planning and execution of development projects in these areas. Detailed
soil surveys of some important agricultural areas of the country have also been made to guide
in the planning of intensive agricultural development. About 320,000 hectares of land have
been covered in different parts of Pakistan, and mainly in the Peshawar, Multan, Hyderabad
and Nawabshah Districts. This information, in the form of over 300 reports along with
relevant maps at the village/watercourse-command level, has been distributed among various
agricultural organizations and enlightened farmers to help in the adoption of appropriate
measures to improve and conserve agricultural land, and increase agricultural production.
Almost all-important agricultural research farms/stations of the country have also been
surveyed in detail to facilitate the application of agricultural research to the type of soil
cultivated by the farmer. An area of about 5,000 hectares has been covered through these
surveys.
3. Land Degradation
The present use of land is not quite in accordance with its potential. In fact, at present there is
no organization in the country responsible for coordinating and monitoring the use of land
according to its potential. This makes the quantitative assessment of the impact of land
misuse in Pakistan extremely difficult. Only some generalized examples of misuse can,
therefore, be quoted. Present land use in the country is based either on the opportunity and
economic status or the socio-economic needs of the user. While much land on the steep
slopes of mountains—suitable only for forestry or rangeland—has been subjected to
ploughing in order to meet the food requirements of the population, a significant portion of
good and very good arable land in the Indus plains remains under irrigated forests or is used
for non-agricultural purposes. Extensive areas in the Thal and Thar have been overgrazed and
are now gravely threatened by desertification. Poor use of soil resources is emphasized when
efforts are made to bring marginal or non-agricultural land into arable use, at the expense of
large tracts of potential arable land in the Indus plains that remain under-utilized primarily
because of water and economic 4 constraints created by the diversion of resources to
relatively unimportant land. Not only are there imbalances between current and potential use
of land, but also there are problems in crop planning for areas with high agricultural value.
Consequently, land optimality suitable for one crop is used for growing a less suitable one. A
good example is how fine basmati rice is generally cultivated on well drained loamy soils of
Northern Punjab, when these soils are really ideal for the cultivation of maize, sunflower,
groundnut and pulses. Rice continues to be cultivated, partly because of climatic suitability,
and partly because it brings a higher return.
4. Forms & Types of Land Degradation
There is a serious problem of desertification in many parts of the country. Northern

mountains of Pakistan are the major source of water for Tarbela and Mangla Dams. However,
due to heavy soil erosion caused by deforestation in the catchments, these reservoirs are
silting up, thus reducing the capacity of power generation and availability of irrigation water.
Barani lands are subjected to heavy soil erosion, primarily due to improper land use by crop
cultivation, livestock grazing and illegal removal of vegetation cover (Ashraf, 1993). The
following are the key issues related to desertification:
 Water erosion
 Wind erosion
 Depletion of soil fertility
 Deforestation
 Livestock Grazing Pressure
 Loss of Biodiversity
 Water logging and Salinity
 Drought and Flooding
 Socio-economic constraints
 Soil Pans
 Soil Nutrient Degradation
Dealing With Land Degradation Policy Environment In the country
Priority status of dealing with land degradation in the national development plan The
program on combating desertification focuses, inter alia, on the following areas:
 Afforestation/agro- forestry in degraded areas
 Improved crop production in dry lands
 Improved range/livestock feeding and management
 Soil and water conservation, water harvesting and increased water use efficiency
 Rehabilitation and reclamation of saline/sodic soils
 Improvement of drainage and on-farm management, production and promotion of
horticultural crops

 Conserving biodiversity.
The National Action Plan (NAP) also addresses the effects and mitigation of droughts in
Pakistan.
The implementation of the National Action Plan requires inter-agency cooperation for joint
programming, planning and, in some cases, joint implementation and day-to-day operational
10 coordination. For example, range improvement, development and management cannot be
carried out without joint programming of the Departments of forestry, livestock, agriculture
and soil survey department, in addition to the involvement of ranchers and CBOs. In order to
focus on the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in general, and to enable
them to participate in the implementation of the National Action Plan in particular Building
the capacities, it is essential to build the capacities and review the mandate of the of the
following organizations:
Federal Organizations
 Pakistan Agricultural Research Council
 Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources
 Water and Power Development Authority and its institute for Water logging and
Salinity Research
 Arid Zone Research Centre, Quetta and its institutes
 Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
 Soil Survey of Pakistan
 Pakistan Forest Institute
 Meteorological Department
 Marine Fisheries Department
 National Council for the Conservation of Wildlife
 National Institute of Oceanography
 Zoological Survey Department
Provincial & Local Organizations
 Universities of Agriculture, including University of Arid Agriculture
 Agricultural Research Institutes/Stations in arid/semi arid areas
 Agency for Barani Area Development, Punjab
 Fisheries Research Institutes/Stations
 Environmental Protection Agencies
 Forestry Research Institutes/Stations/Divisions
 Sindh Arid Zone Development Authority
 Cholistan Institute of Desert Studies
 Cholistan Development Authority
 Coastal Development Authority (Sindh)
 Wildlife Departments/Boards

Reference:
1. Review of Available Knowledge on Land degradation in Pakistan by Dr. Azeem Khan,
Dr. Munir Ahmad and Hasnain Shah Hashmi (March 2012)
2. Class Lectures

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Course: Environmental Planning & Practice (3671) Semester: Spring, 2020

1. Brief Description of Land Resource Base in The Country

2. History of Soil Surveys

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & PRACTICE 1

4. Forms & Types of Land Degradation

There is a serious problem of desertification in many parts of the country. Northern

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & PRACTICE 3

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & PRACTICE 4

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & PRACTICE 5

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