SALInity - its causes and solutions

 

        

Introduction

 

The presence of soluble salts in the soil, groundwater and surface water bodies is a major

land degradation problem worldwide. Salinity exacts many economic and environmental costs.

These include a reduction in agricultural productivity, a decline in the quality of water

supplies for drinking, irrigation and industrial use, damage to urban infrastructure and the

loss of biodiversity in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems...

 

 

A United Nations study has found that 10.5 per cent of the planet's most productive soils - an

area the size of China and India combined - have been seriously damaged by human activities since

WW II.

 

As many as 9 million hectares of arable land have been irreversibly damaged by overgrazing,

deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices. A further 1.25 billion hectares is

considered to be seriously degraded...

 

Human-induced soil salinization is the major threat to the sustainability of irrigated

agriculture. it has been estimated that 2 per cent of the land area of Africa is salt affected.

China is suffering increasingly throughout its arid regions - 21% of China's arid lands are

salinized and Between 20 million and 36.5 million hectares of land are salt affected. 

 

India has between 6.1  and 7.0 million hectares of salt affected soils. salt affected soils

account for 10 per cent of land area in Eastern europe. Salt affected soils are found in 17

western states of the united states of america and salt affected soils are found in most

countries of south america.

 

Current Department of Agriculture estimates conclude that, worldwide, 10 million hectares

of arable land is lost to irrigation salinity every year. 

 

In Australia alone approximately 2.4 million hectares of land is affected by salinity and

5.7 million hectares of productive land is at risk.  It has been estimated that the area of salt-

affected land in just Australia could increase six-fold in the next 30 to 50 years...

 

 

 

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