ABSTRACT
The purpose of the chapter is to describe the use of remote sensing techniques to design strategies of arresting soil degradation, and thereby contribute to food security.
Soil degradation is generally be defined as “the deterioration of soil quality through loss of one or more of its functions (production, buffering capacity, etc.)’’ (https://www/iiasa.ac.at/Research LUC/GIS/giswebpage/documents/rs….). The term, land degradation is used interchangeably for soil degradation. Land degradation, which leads to the development of problem soils, generally, manifests itself in the form of a loss or reduction of land productivity as a result of human activity (UNEP, 1993). Two types of human-induced degradation processes, namely displacement of soil material, and internal soil deterioration are, generally, encountered. The processes included in the first category are water erosion, and wind erosion. Included in the second category of soil degradation are chemical deterioration, physical deterioration, and biological deterioration. The chemical deterioration consists of loss of nutrients, pollution and acidification, salinization and/or alkalinization, discontinuation of flood-induced fertility, and other chemical problems. Sealing or crusting of top soil and subsidence of organic soils, soil compaction, deterioration of soil structure and waterlogging comprise physical deterioration. Biological deterioration includes imbalance of (micro) biological activities. Overgrazing of pasturelands, deforestation, over-intensive annual cropping, mining, etc. are causes of soil degradation.
