FAO Report Ranks India Among Countries with Highest Yield Loss Due to Land Degradation.

Index | Dated: 10 Nov 2025

A significant report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations highlighted a critical environmental issue, ranking **India** among the countries suffering the highest yield losses in staple crops due to widespread **land degradation**. This alarming finding underscores the urgent need for large-scale, sustainable land management practices and restoration efforts to safeguard national food security and agricultural livelihoods across the subcontinent.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report specifically identified India as a nation facing one of the highest levels of agricultural yield loss globally.
  • The primary cause cited for the significant crop yield reduction and decline in agricultural output is extensive land degradation across vast agricultural areas.
  • This concerning finding highlights the immediate requirement for sustainable land management and massive restoration initiatives to protect national food security and ecological balance.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • The report emphasized the severe economic toll of reduced crop productivity on marginal farmers.
  • It specifically called for comprehensive integrated watershed management and extensive afforestation drives.
  • India's land restoration commitments are crucial for achieving its national and international climate goals.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

According to the FAO report, which environmental issue is causing India to suffer the highest yield loss in crops?

Correct Answer: Land Degradation

🚀 Quick Recap:

About Land Degradation

  • Definition: Decline in land quality due to misuse, deforestation, or climate effects, Major Impacts: Soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and desertification.
  • FAO: UN body monitoring food and agriculture, India's Priority: Restoring degraded land under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture and UNCCD commitments.