By Ashok Jayanthi Comments READ LATER Have you ever paused to feel the richness of soil between your fingers? The texture, warmth, and scent of the soil tell a story of life and vitality, illustrating the invisible web that links all living organisms. This connection emphasises our role in environmental conservation. Every year, on June 5, we observe World Environment Day.
It serves as an occasion to reflect on our actions and understand our duty to protect the planet. A pressing issue is the loss of tree cover. From 2000 to 2023, India lost an astounding 2.
33 million hectares of tree cover. This loss is a significant threat to our environment, but managed farmlands offer a promising solution. Farmlands provide much more than food; they help restore the lost land, serve as bastions of biodiversity and significant carbon sinks, and help maintain soil health and water quality.
In India, about 51 per cent of the land surface is under agriculture. This expanse can either contribute to environmental degradation or promote ecological balance, depending on its management. In managed farmlands, sustainable and regenerative practices are employed to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and support ecological balance.
These practices include agroforestry, use of organic concoctions, enhancing biodiversity, water conservation, and reduced tillage. Agroforestry : Agroforestry integrates trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes, significantly enhancing carbon sequestration. T.