Land degradation and sustainable land management practices in Pacific Island Countries

Abstract

Land degradation in many Pacific Island Countries (PICs) has become an emerging concern in recent years. The causes of land degradation in PICs include: deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices, overgrazing, mining, population pressure, land tenure issues and changing climate. Deforestation and inappropriate agricultural practices especially on sloping lands often lead to soil erosion, a key process leading to land degradation. On-site effects of accelerated soil erosion include decline in soil physical properties, loss of soil organic carbon and loss of plant nutrients and subsequently low crop productivity. This threatens the environment and food security for the growing population in PICs. The PICs are embarking on sustainable land management practices to address land degradation and safeguard the resource for their future generation. However, limited resources, lack of capacity and awareness on land degradation amongst the population are serious obstacles to implementation of sustainable land use plans and management.