World Soil Day 2025: Grassland soils, not trees, anchor India’s climate resilience
Historical perception of grasslands
India’s semi-arid grasslands and savannas were historically misclassified as “wastelands”, a legacy of British colonial forestry that prioritised timber.
Post-independence policies continued this view, culminating in the National Wastelands Development Board (1985).
Importance of grasslands
Grasslands support unique biodiversity and sustain millions of pastoralists.
Example: Maharashtra’s livestock economy (2018–19) valued at over ₹59,000 crore.
Soil health and carbon storage
Grasslands have deep, fibrous root systems that:
Stabilise soils
Enhance structure and water infiltration
Reduce erosion
Buffer soils against drought
Support rich microbial and fungal communities
Grassland productivity is mostly below ground, unlike forests.
These roots deposit organic matter, increasing stable soil organic carbon (SOC) that can persist for centuries.
Grassland soils maintain SOC even after fires, unlike forests where carbon is mostly above ground.
Ecological risks of grassland degradation
Afforestation or degradation disrupts soil processes → compaction, erosion, decline in SOC, reduced resilience.
Maharashtra CAMPA grassland restoration (Solapur)
Maharashtra’s forest department used CAMPA funds to restore degraded grasslands in Malshiras forest range (Solapur).
Native grasses used: Dicanthium annulatum, Chrysopogon fulvus, Cenchrus setigerus.
Study by ATREE + The Grasslands Trust + Forest Department compared restored sites (1–3 years old) with unrestored grasslands.
Findings
SOC increased 21% after 2 years of restoration.
SOC increased 50% after 3 years compared to untreated sites.
Demonstrates strong climate mitigation potential of grassland restoration.
Banni Grassland, Kutch (Gujarat)
Once Asia’s largest tropical grassland.
Was degraded due to policies promoting the invasive mesquite (Prosopis / Neltuma juliflora).
Community-led restoration removed Prosopis and revived native perennial grasses.
Land-use SOC trends
Highest SOC → Restored grassland patches (wada)
Next → Wetlands
Next → Dense woodlands
Lowest → Mixed woodlands and saline grasslands
Carbon storage
Banni stores 27 metric tonnes of carbon up to 30 cm soil depth.
SOC density ~ 120 tonnes of carbon per hectare → among the richest arid ecosystem soils globally.
Role of Maldhari pastoralists
Practices: rotational grazing, controlled biomass harvest, monitoring grass recovery.
Demonstrates that community-led governance is essential to resilient grasslands.
Global context
IPCC: Soils hold twice as much carbon as the atmosphere and all living biomass combined.
In a warming climate with frequent fires, stable SOC in grasslands offers superior resilience compared to forest biomass.
India’s climate solutions are not limited to tree planting.
In drylands, restoring native grassland ecosystems is more effective for long-term carbon storage and resilience.
World Soil Day 2025 – “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities”
Overview
Date: 5 December every year
Theme for 2025: Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities
Emphasis: Building greener, healthier, and more resilient urban landscapes through improved soil management.
Institutional background
Facilitated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) since 2014.
Linked to efforts under:
Global Soil Partnership
UN initiatives on sustainable land management and climate resilience.
Prelims Practice MCQs
Q. Which of the following correctly explains why grasslands are significant carbon sinks?
a) Most biomass in grasslands is stored in woody stems.
b) Grasslands store the majority of their carbon below ground in deep root systems.
c) Grasslands release carbon rapidly after fires.
d) Grasslands require afforestation to enhance carbon storage.
Correct answer: b
Explanation:
Grasslands store carbon in deep, fibrous roots and soil, making SOC stable even after fires.
Q. Which invasive species severely altered the Banni grasslands of Gujarat?
a) Lantana camara
b) Parthenium hysterophorus
c) Prosopis / Neltuma juliflora
d) Acacia auriculiformis
Correct answer: c
Explanation:
Large-scale planting of Prosopis (mesquite) transformed Banni’s open savannas into dense thickets.
Q. Arrange the following land-use types in descending order of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Banni Grasslands:
Wetlands
Restored grassland patches (wada)
Mixed woodland
Dense woodland
Select the correct answer:
a) 2 > 1 > 4 > 3
b) 1 > 2 > 4 > 3
c) 2 > 4 > 1 > 3
d) 4 > 2 > 1 > 3
Correct answer: a
Explanation:
SOC highest in restored patches, followed by wetlands, then dense woodland, then mixed woodland.
Q. The classification of “wastelands” under post-independence Indian policy included:
Grazing lands
Degraded scrub forests
Glaciers and snow-covered mountains
Rocky and ravine areas
Select the correct answer:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 4 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct answer: d
Explanation:
All listed categories were included in the National Wastelands Development Board (1985) classification.