ASSIGNMENT

10-05-2023

Assignment topic:

1. Reforestation and its scope

2. Agricultural intensification

Submitted to:

Mam Nazia

Submitted to:

Aqsa(2020-ag-8305)

BS zoology 6th semester (M1)

Topic:
Agricultural intensification

Agricultural intensification is a strategy that aims to increase agricultural production per unit of
input for sustainability. This strategy is essential to feed the growing and increasingly
demanding human population. The core strategy of sustainable agricultural intensification is to
increase yield per unit of land by enhancing the application of industrial inputs and technologies
that can improve eco-efficiencies, reduce waste in land use, restore soil health, and save land
for nature conservation.
The concept of agricultural intensification has been defined in various ways. Agricultural
intensification is a type of strategy for rural livelihood that helps farmers to increase their
agricultural production per unit of input for sustainability. Rockström et al. (2016) proposed that
a paradigm for sustainable intensification can be defined and translated into an operational
framework for agricultural development. It is stated that sustainable intensification has the
characteristics of increasing production and reducing environmental damage and is widely used
in agricultural, biological, and environmental sciences.
Objectives of Crop Intensification:

• To increase the national income.

• Maximum use of land.
• To decrease the insect, pest and disease.
• To increase the soil fertility and productivity.
• To increase the employment opportunity.
• To recover the crop loss for different dormant condition.
• To increase mixed or inter crop production.
• To maximum utilization of solar radiation.
• To increase intensification index by multiple cropping.
• To ensure food security.

Benefits of agricultural intensification:

Agricultural intensification has several benefits.

• It can increase food production, reduce poverty, and improve rural livelihoods.
• It can also help to reduce the pressure on natural resources by increasing yields per unit
of land, thus saving land for nature conservation.
• Sustainable intensification can also improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, and enhance biodiversity.
Challenges of agricultural intensification:
However, agricultural intensification also has its challenges.

• One of the main challenges is the potential negative impact on the environment. The
use of industrial inputs and technologies can lead to soil degradation, water pollution,
and loss of biodiversity.
• Another challenge is the potential negative impact on human health.
• The use of pesticides and fertilizers can lead to health problems for farmers and
consumers. Additionally, agricultural intensification can lead to social and economic
inequalities, as small-scale farmers may not have access to the necessary inputs and
technologies.
To address these challenges, sustainable agricultural intensification is needed. By 2050, the
world’s population could grow to 9.7 billion, food demand is expected to increase by 50% and
global demand for grains such as maize, rice and wheat could increase by 70%. How can we
meet the food and nutrition demands of a rising population, without negative environmental
and social consequences? Sustainable intensification is an approach using innovations to
increase productivity on existing agricultural land with positive environmental and
social impacts. Both words, “sustainable” and “intensification,” carry equal weight.
CIMMYT conducts research on sustainable intensification to identify ways farmers can increase
production of crops per unit of land, conserve or enhance important ecosystem services and
improve resilience to shocks and stresses, especially those due to climate change and climate
variability. This approach aims to increase agricultural production while minimizing negative
impacts on the environment and human health. It involves the use of agroecological practices,
such as crop rotation, intercropping, and the use of natural fertilizers, to improve soil health and
reduce the use of industrial inputs. Sustainable intensification also involves the use of precision
agriculture, which uses technology to optimize the use of inputs and reduce waste.
In conclusion, agricultural intensification is a strategy that aims to increase agricultural
production per unit of input for sustainability. It has several benefits, including increased food
production, reduced poverty, and improved rural livelihoods. However, it also has its challenges,
including potential negative impacts on the environment and human health. Sustainable
agricultural intensification is needed to address these challenges and ensure that agricultural
production is sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Topic:
Reforestation and its scope
These forests play a vital role in providing natural resources for humans, habitats for animals,
and it also helps by preventing soil erosion, maintaining the balance of carbon dioxide and
oxygen the in earth’s atmosphere, watershed protection, moderate the climatic changes, etc.
Therefore, forests play a very important role in order to maintain a balance in the ecosystem.
Deforestation is a serious hazard to the existence of mankind. Due to deforestation, serious
issues have risen like the greenhouse effect, which is caused due to excessive carbon
compounds present in the air.
What is Reforestation?
Reforestation mainly refers to the replanting of plants on those land which has been destroyed
for the benefits of mankind.
It is the major solution to two of the phenomena that most impact the deterioration of the
earth: desertification and deforestation. These two have numerous negative effects on the
environment:

• Loss of habitat for millions of species, which could become extinct.

• Changes in the water cycle: Reduces the availability of drinking water and rain is
concentrated in greener areas.
• Erosion leads to the loss of fertility in the soil and a greater risk of landslides and floods.
Reforestation is not similar to afforestation. Afforestation mainly refers to the planting of trees,
whereas, Reforestation, refers to the replanting of trees. The goals of both afforestation and
reforestation are the same. Generally, during reforestation, trees of same species which were
present before deforestation are planted. To maintain the ecological balance, it is important to
plant at least the same count of plants that were destroyed for human benefits. This process
can also take place by itself if the destroyed areas are left undisturbed. Thanks to birds and
insects which help in seed-dispersal and pollination. Both reforestation and
afforestation represent a conversion of forests and the green environment.
Benefits of reforestation:

• Helps carbon sequestration by fixing atmospheric carbon dioxide in their leaves, trunks,
and roots
• Removes air pollutants by absorbing them into their leaves and bark
• Prevents soil erosion by growing roots that hold the soil together
• Provides habitat for over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity
• Acts as natural air conditioner sby reducing ambient air temperatures by up to 8° Celsius
• Reduces the impact of global warming and climate change
• Helps to protect endangered species
 • Filters our drinking water through their roots
• Prevents floods and landslides by absorbing water and slowly releasing it via
transpiration
Challenges:

• Reforestation is expensive, difficult to plan, and even harder to execute.

• Success is subject to weather, pests, weeds, and continued maintenance.
• It is time consuming and more often than not the opportunity cost to reforest is much
higher than the current land use.
Reforestation projects:
Rwanda africa
20,671 trees were grown and planted by Jyambere Munyarwanda, a woman-led cooperative
that strives to improve the lives of vulnerable people. The goal was to sustainably restore
agricultural land to increase productivity, improve community livelihoods, and restore the local
environment.
The pacific northwest USA:
What happens on land affects ocean creatures, and in the Pacific Northwest, there’s no clearer
testament to that than the endangered Southern Resident Orca, who have been affected by
sharply declining salmon stocks, pollution from stormwater runoff, and sonar disturbances from
ships traveling through their hunting grounds. As part of an ongoing project, we’re planting
trees to help the orcas by restoring riparian zones across the Pacific Northwest, which helps to
filter out toxins in the water, provides important habitat and nutrients to young salmon and
prevents erosion along river banks.
The government has come forward with any plans to implement this. The Forest Conservation
Act, 1980 is a part of this where the preservation and conservation of the forest are the primary
focus. Another important measure taken by the government is the World Environment Day
which is celebrated on June 5th and Van Mahotsav is a week-long festival celebrated in India
during the month of July to keep our environment clean and green by planting more number of
trees all around us. If you want to gift a green world to our future generation, it’s time, to begin
with, reforestation.