Farming in LEDC's and MEDC's Can Have a Negative Impact on Soils

Farming in LEDC's and MEDC's Can Have a Negative Impact on Soils

Soils are a vital resource to humans as without them there would be no

means to feed the world's growing population. However, the global

demographic changes are putting increasing pressure on farmers to grow

more and in response to this, more land is being used for farming and

the methods used to farm the land are not always beneficial to the

soil in the long term. Agricultural activities are the one of the main

causes of soil degradation.

In both the MEDW and LEDW farming techniques have changed. In Britain,

the most drastic change was in the 18th century when the Agricultural

Revolution saw the manorial system and open field cultivation in

strips replaced. Instead, large scale farming in consolidated units

was introduced, along with the extension of arable farming, intensive

livestock farming and new agricultural techniques such as crop

rotation as well as new crops such as potatoes and improved grasses.

The aim of these changes was to increase agricultural production and

over the following years more technological advances allowed output to

be increased and higher yields to be achieved. In the LEDW change is

relatively slow to happen as a result of the slow development of a

country and a lack of money to effect the changes. However, in the

1960's the Green Revolution allowed developing countries to increase

their output with high yielding varieties of crops such as IR8.

The increased use of inorganic fertilizers is having a negative impact

on the soils, though it is the main reason for increased productivity.

When farmers first used these fertilisers they used ex...

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...open to erosion. The increase in population has also lead to

an increase in demand for fuel that has led to greater deforestation.

The exposed soil is baked dry and becomes cracked and loose so that it

can be blown or washed away. Farmers have also practiced slash and

burn which has made the land infertile. Around 250 000 hectares of

land in the Niger alone are being lost to desertification. At the

present time there are many projects that are trying to reduce

desertification and improve soil quality. These are ideas such as

using animal manure and crop stalks as fertilizer, terracing on steep

slopes and providing windbreaks with fences or trees.

Farming can cause a lot of damage to the soil but if farmers take care

and look to the future farming can be done sustainably and as organic

farming shows, improve the soil.