Maarg Manthan · Topic 19.18

National Action Programme to Combat Desertification

Environment & Ecology › Environmental Institutions and Schemes in India · Topic 19.18

The National Action Programme to Combat Desertification (NAPCD) is India's plan, prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and published in 2001, to meet its obligations under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which India ratified in 1996. The Programme assesses the extent and causes of desertification and land degradation in the country, sets out priorities, and aims to prevent land degradation, rehabilitate partly degraded land and reclaim desertified land, with community participation. According to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India (ISRO, 2021), about 97.85 million hectares, or 29.7 percent of the country's area, was under land degradation in 2018-19, with water erosion, vegetation degradation and wind erosion the main processes, and about 68 percent of the country is prone to drought. The Programme draws on existing schemes: the Desert Development Programme (DDP) and Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), now part of the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana; the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme; the National Afforestation Programme and Green India Mission; the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture; and soil and water conservation schemes. Institutions are the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as the national focal point, the Central Arid Zone Research Institute at Jodhpur, ICAR bodies and the Space Applications Centre. India hosted UNCCD COP14 in 2019 and aims to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, in line with Land Degradation Neutrality. Hedge details: the programme has been updated for the UNCCD 2018 to 2030 framework.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Environmental Institutions and Schemes in India

At a Glance

Prepared 2001
Convention UNCCD, ratified 1996
Degraded area 29.7 percent, 2018-19
Schemes DDP, DPAP, watershed
Goal Restore 26 Mha by 2030
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Environmental Institutions and Schemes in India

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the river conservation plan and returns to land and desertification, which links the UNCCD treaty with Indian schemes in the macro on programmes. Previous topic: National River Conservation Plan. Next topic: Pradhan Mantri Sauchalay Yojana.

What Is the NAPCD and What Does It Cover?

Aspect	Details
Basis	India’s obligation under the UNCCD, which it ratified in 1996; the Programme was prepared by MoEF in 2001
Aim	Prevent degradation, rehabilitate partly degraded land and reclaim desertified land, with community participation
Assessment	Describes desertification processes and hotspots; ISRO atlas of 2021 gives 97.85 Mha (29.7 percent) as degraded
Approach	Bottom-up, based on watersheds and local institutions
Schemes used	DDP, DPAP, IWDP, NAP, Green India Mission, NMSA, watershed development
Focal point	Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Science	CAZRI, ICAR, ISRO Space Applications Centre, FSI

Which Schemes and Targets Support It?

Desert Development Programme: launched 1977-78 for hot and cold deserts, now under the Watershed component of PMKSY
Drought Prone Areas Programme: launched 1973-74, covering drought-prone blocks
PMKSY watershed: Watershed Development Component, with area treatment, water harvesting and livelihoods
Green India Mission: restoration of forest and tree cover
Agroforestry: trees on farms in dry zones
Land Degradation Neutrality: India’s goal under the UNCCD
26 million hectares: restoration target by 2030 announced at COP14
Bonn Challenge: India’s pledge is part of this global effort

What Else Should You Remember?

UNCCD ratification: India ratified in December 1996
Focal point: MoEFCC
NAPCD 2001: identified priority areas in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and others
Hot desert: Thar, mainly in Rajasthan
Cold desert: Ladakh and Lahaul-Spiti
Drought: about two-thirds of the area is drought-prone to some degree
Land degradation processes: water erosion, vegetation degradation, wind erosion, salinity
Hotspots: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir
Revised programme: NAP updated for UNCCD 2018-2030 strategy
Land degradation atlas: ISRO SAC publishes with state-wise data
CAZRI: Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur
ICAR: Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Arid zone forestry: Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur
Sand dune stabilisation: planting of grasses and shrubs
Shelterbelts: rows of trees reduce wind erosion
Water harvesting: johads, tankas and farm ponds
Indira Gandhi Canal: irrigation to the Thar with side effects like waterlogging
UNCCD COP14: Delhi Declaration of 2019
India’s presidency: held the COP presidency from 2019 to 2022
Link to previous: see National River Conservation Plan
Link to next: see Pradhan Mantri Sauchalay Yojana
Link to UNCCD: see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Caution: percentages and plan details are updated, so check the latest atlas and ministry documents
Exam hint: remember 2001, UNCCD 1996, 29.7 percent and the main schemes
Desertification definition: The UNCCD defines desertification as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from factors including climatic variations and human activities
Drylands: Only arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid zones count as drylands, so degradation in humid regions is land degradation but not desertification in the strict sense
Human causes: Overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable irrigation, salinisation and mining of groundwater are the leading human drivers
Natural causes: Low and erratic rainfall, high temperature, strong winds and drought speed up the loss of topsoil in dry regions
Community role: The programme relies on villagers, panchayats and user groups for watershed committees, grazing control and tree planting
Monitoring: Satellite mapping by ISRO is repeated at intervals, allowing comparison of degradation between periods and states
Reporting duty: As a party to the Convention, India submits national reports on land degradation and progress on targets
Link with climate: Degraded land stores less carbon and soil moisture, so restoration also supports climate adaptation and the carbon sink goal
Livelihood angle: Dryland farmers and pastoralists are the worst affected, so schemes combine land treatment with income from fodder, horticulture and livestock

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Programme: 2001
Convention: UNCCD
Degraded: 29.7 percent
Current affairs link: 26 Mha target
Common errors: confusing UNCCD with UNFCCC

As an analytical point, India’s desertification programme works through existing schemes rather than a single new one. Coordinating watershed, forestry and farm programmes under the same land target is the challenge.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Treaty UNCCD
Tools Schemes
Goal LDN

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Pradhan Mantri Sauchalay Yojana. Next topic: Pradhan Mantri Sauchalay Yojana.

Key People and Terms

NAPCD National Action Programme to Combat Desertification
DDP Desert Development Programme
DPAP Drought Prone Areas Programme
LDN Land Degradation Neutrality
CAZRI Arid zone research institute
IWMP Integrated Watershed Management Programme

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

NAPCD prepared 2001.
UNCCD ratified 1996.
Degraded area 29.7 percent.
Schemes: DDP, DPAP.
Target: 26 Mha by 2030.

Do Not Confuse With

NAPCD and NAP Desertification programme versus afforestation programme
DDP and DPAP Deserts versus drought-prone blocks
Desertification and land degradation Dryland subset versus general decline

Memory Hook

Ninety-six ratify, oh-one plan; DDP and DPAP hold the land.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for plan year, atlas figure and schemes. These points help.

Plan UNCCD duty
Tools Watershed
Goal LDN

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Explain India’s National Action Programme to Combat Desertification and the schemes that support it.”

How to Answer

Treaty UNCCD.
Plan 2001.
Schemes DDP, DPAP.
Goal 26 Mha.

GS Relevance

Prelims: programme, year, schemes, atlas. GS Paper 3: desertification and land.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification?

It is India's plan under the UNCCD, prepared in 2001, to prevent land degradation, rehabilitate degraded land and reclaim desertified land with community participation. It relies on existing schemes such as the Desert Development Programme, Drought Prone Areas Programme, watershed development and afforestation, coordinated by the Environment Ministry.

How much land is degraded in India?

The Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India, prepared by ISRO's Space Applications Centre, estimated that about 97.85 million hectares, or 29.7 percent of the country's area, was undergoing land degradation in 2018-19. The main processes were water erosion, vegetation degradation and wind erosion.

What are the Desert Development Programme and the Drought Prone Areas Programme?

The Desert Development Programme, started in 1977-78, and the Drought Prone Areas Programme, started in 1973-74, aim to control desertification, restore ecological balance and improve livelihoods in desert and drought-prone areas through soil and water conservation, afforestation and pasture development. They are now part of the watershed component of the PMKSY.

What is India's land restoration target?

At UNCCD COP14 in 2019, India announced that it would raise its target to restore degraded land to 26 million hectares by 2030, in line with Land Degradation Neutrality and the Bonn Challenge. The target is to be reached through forestry, watershed and agriculture programmes.

Which institutions support research on desertification in India?

The Central Arid Zone Research Institute at Jodhpur and the Arid Forest Research Institute study dryland farming, forestry and sand dune stabilisation. The ISRO Space Applications Centre maps land degradation, the Forest Survey of India monitors forests, and ICAR institutes work on soil and water.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 India ratified the UNCCD in 1996.

True

And hosted COP14 in 2019.

2 The NAPCD was prepared in 2011.

False

In 2001.

3 The ISRO atlas says 29.7 percent land was degraded.