What is soil erosion? | |
Soil is naturally removed by the action of water or wind: such 'background' (or 'geological') soil erosion has been occurring for some 450 million years, since the first land plants formed the first soil. Even before this, natural processes moved loose rock, or regolith, off the Earth's surface, just as has happened on the planet Mars. In general, background erosion removes soil at roughly the same rate as soil is formed. But 'accelerated' soil erosion — loss of soil at a much faster rate than it is formed — is a far more recent problem. It is always a result of mankind's unwise actions, such as overgrazing or unsuitable cultivation practices. These leave the land unprotected and vulnerable. Then, during times of erosive rainfall or windstorms, soil may be detached, transported, and (possibly travelling a long distance) deposited. Accelerated soil erosion by water or wind may affect both agricultural areas and the natural environment, and is one of the most widespread of today's environmental problems. It has impacts which are both on-site (at the place where the soil is detached) and off-site (wherever the eroded soil ends up). More recently still, the use of powerful agricultural implements has, in some parts of the world, led to damaging amounts of soil moving downslope merely under the action of gravity: this is so-called tillage erosion. Soil erosion is just one form of soil degradation. Other kinds of soil degradation include salinisation, nutrient loss, and compaction. source: |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
erosion
Monday, October 10, 2011
What is the global future of Agriculture?
This is a complex question to summarize in a few words, but let’s take a general look. The future of global agriculture is mixed, with both positive and negative signs.
First, there are positive signs. Many of those who address the future need for food and fiber assume the worst case in terms of global population growth. However, as we recently pointed out in our Future Trends article“Population Explosion Ends In a Whimper”, world population may level out sooner than commonly understood. So the challenge, while very large, may not be as dire as often thought.
In addition, it is generally understood that world food production tends to outstrip world food demand, despite population growth. There is some uncertainty whether this has been true in very recent years, but the long-term trend has been toward increasing food supplies. Distribution of food is another issue, and countries without democracy or free markets, or those engaged in war or facing extreme poverty obviously tend to have the greatest problems feeding their populations. But in at least a hypothetical sense there tends to be sufficient food to feed the world if it were distributed correctly.
Recent advances in agriculture technology are aiding in food production. These tend to be of two types, biological and digital. Biotech advances are leading to more productive and nutritious crops. For example, it was announced on September 8, 2000 that biochemist Dr. Evangelina Villegas of Mexico and plant geneticist Dr. Surinder K. Vasal of India are this year’s winners of the World Food Prize, for vital contributions to global food. Dr. Villegas is the first woman ever to receive The World Food Prize.
The recent results of the George Washington University, Delphi study suggest that something they call “precision agriculture” will be one of the ten key breakthroughs in the next ten years. This involves the integration of satellite observations, on-the-ground instruments, and sophisticated farm machinery to apply the appropriate amounts of seed, water, fertilizer, and so on, literally meter by meter, so that maximum efficiency in food production is realized. This will become more feasible as technological advances are made in the next ten years, and lead, it is assumed, to better food production (More information at The George Washington University Forecast of Technology and Strategy).
At the same time as these positive signs can be found, there are negative indicators as well. Perhaps most ominous is continuing depletion of ocean resources, as various fish varieties are harvested to near extinction. Second is depletion of arable lands, either through development, or through agricultural practices that lead to erosion, salination, or simple loss of productivity through over-use. The World Resources Institute estimates that nearly 40% of the world’s agricultural lands are depleted in some way.
A related issue is depletion of ground water used for irrigation, a particular problem in certain parts of the world.
And new technology is its own kind of threat. For many years it has been understood that the use of inorganic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides depletes the land over time. This continues, though positive efforts are being made with precision farming, sustainable agriculture practices, and more resistant crops to minimize the impacts.
On the near future horizon is a relatively new issue however, and this is the threat to biodiversity. Farmers have changed and improved crops and livestock since the beginning of agriculture, through breeding practices. These changes have typically been localized however. Now, with global agribusiness and chemical and biotech firms becoming ever larger, the prospects are for decreasing variety in crops and animals. A cow cloned to provide more milk, or a corn crop designed to be more nutritious, while terrific in a local area, may become problematic if spread worldwide should it later develop that the animal or crop fails, succumbing to some unknown threat. This will be a topic of debate and decision in the coming years. One futurist I know has forecast that eventually what is likely to emerge are distinct zones, those where genetically modified organisms are allowed, and those where they are outlawed. Such zones may exist both within and between nations and larger regions.
In summary, we are optimistic that world food production will be sustainable for a gradually leveling population. If the world trend toward free markets continues, this food supply may be distributed in a way that tends to decrease the percentage of the global population living in hunger.
article taken from:
http://www.futurist.com/articles-archive/questions/future-of-agriculture/
GERAI PAMERAN TERBAIK
Saturday, October 8, 2011
HARI PELADANG 2011
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yang juga Menteri Kewangan berkata proses transformasi itu melibatkan program untuk menarik lebih ramai usahawan tani muda, menggalakkan amalan pertanian baik dan menaik taraf prasarana pertanian.
Bajet 2010 untuk sektor itu, antara lain:
* Menaik taraf dan membaik pulih sistem infrastruktur pengairan dan saliran di dalam dan luar jelapang padi melibatkan 180,000 petani dengan peruntukan sejumlah RM137 juta.
* Melaksanakan projek Empangan Paya Peda di Terengganu, yang akan meningkatkan kapasiti bekalan air Skim Pengairan Padi di Besut membabitkan sejumlah RM70 juta.
* Memodenkan industri akuakultur dan pelaksanaan skim latihan keusahawanan bagi pengusaha dan penternak akuakultur dengan tumpuan kepada pembenihan perikanan dan penternakan ikan hiasan. Skim itu akan memberi faedah kepada 1,150 peserta melibatkan peruntukan sejumlah RM82 juta.
* Membangunkan industri tanaman makanan seperti buah-buahan, sayur-sayuran, perladangan organik, herba, rumpai laut dan sarang burung walit dengan peruntukan sejumlah RM149 juta.
* Membangunkan prasarana keperluan asas ladang ternakan dan mewujudkan rantaian bekalan dalam industri pengeluaran daging lembu dan kambing dengan peruntukan sejumlah RM58 juta.
* Melaksanakan program inkubator untuk melatih dan membimbing belia serta graduan untuk menjadi usahawan tani berjaya.
Membentangkan Bajet 2010 di Dewan Rakyat, Najib berkata kerajaan akan menyediakan subsidi, insentif dan bantuan berjumlah hampir RM2 bilion untuk membela nasib golongan petani dan nelayan.
Antara subsidi dan insentif yang akan disediakan termasuk subsidi harga padi berjumlah lebih RM400 juta dan subsidi baja padi hampir RM300 juta.
Insentif untuk meningkatkan pengeluaran hasil padi dan subsidi beras pula membabitkan hampir RM220 juta manakala RM170 juta diperuntukkan untuk menyediakan elaun sara hidup nelayan, katanya.
Katanya usaha sedang dilakukan untuk menjadikan kawasan penempatan Felda sebagai gedung makanan negara yang mampu mengeluarkan hasil tanaman berskala besar.
Tanah lapang di penempatan Felda akan ditanam dengan tanaman seperti lada, terung, bunga kantan dan pisang dan FAMA akan membantu memasarkan hasil tanaman tersebut, katanya.
Najib berkata konsortium Felda, Felcra (Lembaga Penyatuan dan Pemulihan Tanah Persekutuan) and Risda (Pihak Berkuasa Kemajuan Pekebun Kecil) dengan modal berbayar sebanyak RM300 juta akan diwujudkan menjelang akhir 2009 untuk melaksanakan pelbagai projek hiliran dan huluan berimpak tinggi.
Setiap agensi akan menyumbang RM100 juta dan konsortium itu akan terlibat dalam perkongsian teknologi, pengurusan perladangan, kerjasama perniagaan termasuk aktiviti pembekalan dan pemprosesan keluaran pertanian.
Katanya MASKargo akan meningkatkan kapasiti kemudahan kargo udara bagi pengedaran hasil pertanian yang mudah rosak untuk dieksport dan langkah itu akan dapat membantu pengusaha untuk mengeksport lebih banyak hasil pertanian.
Perdana Menteri berkata pertanian merupakan antara sektor yang menjadi sumber penting pendapatan rakyat di luar bandar dan pertumbuhan ekonomi negara.
-- BERNAMA
BELANJAWAN 2011
Bajet 2012: Penjawat awam disaran tingkat produktiviti
KUALA LUMPUR 8 Okt. — Penjawat awam perlu bekerja lebih rajin dan meningkatkan produktiviti mereka selepas mendapat kenaikan gaji dan pemberian bonus dalam Belanjawan 2012, kata Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.
Beliau berkata, pemberian imbuhan itu merupakan satu pengiktirafan kerajaan terhadap sumbangan oleh semua penjawat awam tanpa mengira pangkat.
"Saya meminta penjawat awam meningkatkan prestasi dan produktiviti mereka dari semasa ke semasa dalam memastikan negara mencapai status negara maju menjelang tahun 2020 dan menjadi sebuah negara yang kompetetif dalam semua sektor seperti ekonomi, pendidikan dan modal insan,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, demikian kepada pemberita selepas mewakili Sultan Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah merasmikan majlis konvokesyen Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) ke-27 di kampus universiti itu di Gombak di sini hari ini.
sumber
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=1008&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Terkini&pg=bt_26.htm
