Strategies to reduce the impact of salt on crops (rice, cotton and chili) production: A case study of the tsunami-affected area of India

Abstract

This research project took place after a postgraduate course attended by the author at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), nearby the tsunami-affected area of the Ramathapuram district of Chennai State, India. Actually it is well known that the ever-growing desire of farmers the world over and particular in India is to increase their productivity and to alleviate their poverty; based on the negative impact generated by synthetic products (inorganic fertilizers and pesticides) on the environment and human health, the concept of organic farming has become very popular of late, with many advocating a return to traditional methods of agriculture. Furthermore, with the tsunami that took place in India neighbourhoods there was an intrusion of saline water on coastal land with an adverse impact. A direct consequence was soil erosion, an increase of the soil’s salinity and groundwater contamination. Therefore, appropriate strategies are considered to promote awareness and understanding on the tsunami’s impact on the environment through integrated soil-nutrients management in agro-ecosystems. This process encompasses salt control through efficient soil and water management with emphasis on soil nutrients .Actually, the general objective is to find suitable options to reduce the impact of salt on crop production, and the specific objectives are: (1) to assess the relationship between salt and crop production, and (2) to assess the sustainable approaches to tackle salt contamination with a view to make recommendations and to improve the agricultural environment for future generations. Lastly, the findings led to the identification of the direct symptoms of agricultural production shortages and to tackle the causes with regard to future generations.