What solution is suggested for the degradation of land?

The degradation of land is a significant environmental issue, often resulting from unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and other human activities. Among the options presented, agricultural biotechnology offers a promising solution to combat land degradation.

Agricultural biotechnology involves using scientific techniques to improve plants, animals, and microorganisms for agricultural purposes. This can lead to the development of crop varieties that are more resilient to stress factors such as drought, pests, and disease. By improving crop yield and resistance, agricultural biotechnology can enhance food production on existing land, reducing the need to clear new land for agriculture, which contributes to land degradation.

Additionally, biotechnology can promote practices such as soil health improvement and the efficient use of resources, which help preserve the integrity of the soil and prevent erosion. For instance, genetically modified crops can be engineered to require fewer chemical inputs, thereby minimizing soil contamination and promoting healthier ecosystems.

In contrast, while afforestation, reducing livestock, and organic farming all hold merit in promoting sustainable land use and improving environmental health, agricultural biotechnology specifically targets the enhancement of crop performance and management practices that address the immediate challenges of land degradation effectively.