Agricultural Socio-economic Effects in Colombia due to Degradation of Soils

Abstract

Colombia, due to its tropical context of adverse climatic regimenes intensified by global climatic change, join to geological complex and geomorphologic linked to Andean System of Mountain Range and a vast alluvial plain, which are soils highly susceptible to degradation by erosion process, landslides, salinization, in the soil sustainability and Agricola useful are impacted.

Through different studies the indicators of soil degradation in Colombia show a profressive increase. From the continental extension, 114.2 million hectares, nearly 48% of Colombian land, have shown some degradation level, with 14.2% being high affectation, 8.9% moderate, 9.5% low, and 4.6% very low degradation intensity.

The agriculture sector in Colombia shows a reduction in the growth rate, from 3.0% to 1.8% during the 2002–2016 period, and then the gross domestic product is placed below of growth rates. This phenomenon is due to soil degradation, which affects abandoned areas abandoned and occupation to other places, growing border agriculture area, pushing over strategic ecosystems.

This chapter contribution sets out some goals such as to open spaces for proposal generation that join to mitigating politic measures for soil erosion and to look for agriculture sustainable management strategies and make an effort in the way to avoid dietary safety issues.