Land

Land is the fundamental basis for most of the human or natural activities and is one of the major natural resources on earth. Primary production of minerals and agricultural products depends entirely on the availability and use of suitable land. In a state like Punjab where agriculture is the major occupation of majority of population, soils form the basis of economy. Soil is the top covering of the land derived from the disintegration and decay of parent rocks, vegetation and animal organisms through the climate and biological agents spread over a span of time.
 
The land of Punjab is primarily formed of the alluvium deposited by rivers of Indus system. Activities like agriculture, water resources, forests, living spaces, industrial and commercial purpose, transportation, pastures etc share land in Punjab. About 85.5% area of total geographical area of Punjab is under agriculture, out of which some part has been utilized in developing canal and drainage irrigation system, 5.57% under forests, 8% not available for cultivation and 1% each for fallow and culturable waste land. The state land is poor in mineral resources.

As a consequence of diversity in the natural environment, the land of Punjab vary widely and show difference in their nature, properties and profile development. Man above all, influences soils and their fertility through his activities. The improper land use or management by man is responsible for land degradation in the state. The land degradation refers to deterioration and loss of productive capacity of the soil for present and future use. It is due to various causes, but those of most immediate concern in state, are erosion, salinisation, water logging and soil pollution. 

The Degradation of the soil is an important problem connected with land use and environment. It affects, apart from many other or indirect implications, the productivity and fertility of soils which is factor of great agricultural importance, and its more so for an agricultural dependent state like Punjab. About 50% of the state's soil is low in nitrogen, 25% is low in phosphorus content but potassium content is generally sufficient. Organic carbon content is low.   

 There is urgent need to take various measures like afforestation, check on overgrazing, better water management, rotation of crops, keeping the land under vegetation cover, adoption of dry farming, construction of wind brakes, extension of irrigation facilities, etc by the government and people of the state to over come the problem of land degradation.