Degradation of Rural Environments

Question 1

What are the three main factors responsible for rural environmental degradation?

Answer 1

1) Population - Rural cultures are reliant on agriculture. As the population increases, the land can no longer sustain the population as families grow. Too many crops are grown in one area, leading to land degradation. With land not being able to produce enough goods, malnutrition becomes inevitable.

2) Deforestation - Used to increase the area under cultivation, and can cause landslides in hilly areas. Made worse by the use of trees for fuel wood and other uses. When demand exceeds rate it can be replaced the area can become treeless. Lack of tree roots can lead to soil erosion even faster.

3) Poor agricultural techniques - eg Overgrazing, where the pastures are grazed above their livestock capacity. Animals can trample, leaves die and reduce the ability of plants to photosynthesise, soil begins to erode and loose soil particles are carried away by wind or water. Loss of soil structure means less water can infiltrate and plant growth is reduced.
Agricultural mismanagement, a major problem due to lack of knowledge and the pursuit of short-term gain. This can include shifting cultivation without the proper fallow periods, cultivation of fragile or marginal lands, unbalanced fertiliser use and more.

Question 2

What are some constraints which make reducing rural degradation difficult?

Answer 2

• Profit motive (a ‘quick-buck’ for companies who deforest trees)
• Lack of control (governments pass laws eg banning logging in Brazil, but they cannot easily be enforced). Corruption also leads to officials turning a blind eye.
• Poverty/Lack of choice (no money to invest in quality equipment to sustainable farm eg over cultivating)
• Ignorance; many farmers don’t realise the destructive long-term consequences. Even if they do, they’re unsure of what changes to make.
• Continuing population pressure leaves farmers no choice as the food and fuel is needed.

Question 3

What are the impacts of rural degradation?

Answer 3

• Increased deforestation
• Desertification
• Salinisation
• Reduced biodiversity
• Flooding
• Food insecurity
• Air pollution
• Eutrophication
• Health concerns for farm workers

Question 4

What can be done to reduce rural degradation?

Answer 4

• Education on reducing birth rates, even could go to extreme of laws eg China’s one child policy, however this comes with it’s own problems.
• Make rural-urban migration easier to reduce pressure on rural environments.
• Aid and development of LIC farming methods; education.
• Conservation areas to reduce deforestation, laws against logging.