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Welcome to GattPrep, your Guide for Life and Learning
Welcome back, defender of the Earth! 🌍🛡️
So far, you’ve learned how soil forms, how to care for it, and how to enrich it with nutrients. But what happens when we fail to protect soil? Sadly, this is happening more and more—our soil is becoming depleted.
In this lesson, you’ll explore what soil depletion means, the causes, the consequences for agriculture and the environment, and how to prevent it. This knowledge is essential for sustainable living and is a key topic on the WASSCE exam.
Soil depletion is the loss of important soil properties—especially nutrients, structure, moisture, and organic matter—making the land less productive or even useless for farming.
📉 Think of soil like a bank account. If you keep withdrawing and never deposit (replace) nutrients, you’ll run out!
| Cause | Description |
|---|---|
| Erosion | Wind or water removes topsoil (richest soil layer) |
| Overgrazing | Too many animals eat up all the plants, exposing soil |
| Deforestation | Trees hold soil together; removing them causes erosion |
| Excessive fertilizer use | Damages soil structure and kills beneficial microbes |
| Monocropping | Growing the same crop repeatedly drains specific nutrients |
| Improper irrigation | Waterlogging or salt buildup in soil |
| Surface mining | Removes fertile topsoil and leaves land barren |
| Dumping non-biodegradable waste | Pollutes soil and prevents natural decomposition |
📌 These practices damage soil faster than nature can repair it.
| Effect | Result |
|---|---|
| Reduced crop yield | Less food produced, poor harvests |
| Desertification | Productive land turns into dry, useless desert |
| Food insecurity | Less food = hunger and malnutrition |
| Water pollution | Poor soil can’t filter runoff, leading to polluted rivers |
| Biodiversity loss | Soil organisms and plant species die off |
| Rural poverty | Farmers lose income when land fails |
| Method | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Crop rotation | Replaces different nutrients by changing crops |
| Organic farming | Adds compost and avoids harmful chemicals |
| Afforestation | Plants trees to hold soil and improve quality |
| Terracing & contour farming | Reduces erosion on sloped land |
| Proper irrigation | Avoids waterlogging and salt damage |
| Soil testing | Checks nutrient levels before planting |
| Recycling of organic waste | Turns kitchen/garden waste into compost |
🧠 Protecting soil is protecting the future of food, water, and life.
🧠 Problem:
A farmer plants maize on the same land every season without applying fertilizer or compost. Over time, the plants grow smaller and the yield decreases. What is happening, and what advice would you give?
✅ Step-by-Step Solution:
Growing the same crop continuously drains specific nutrients—this is monocropping.
The soil is becoming depleted.
Recommend crop rotation and adding organic compost to restore nutrients.
✔️ Answer: Soil depletion is occurring due to monocropping. The farmer should rotate crops and use organic fertilizers.
(a) Soil depletion leads to reduced ______ production.
(b) Growing the same crop every year is called _______.
(c) Cutting down trees without replanting leads to ________.
Answers:
(a) food
(b) monocropping
(c) deforestation
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| (i) Overgrazing | A. Loss of tree roots to hold soil |
| (ii) Deforestation | B. Soil left bare and exposed |
| (iii) Surface mining | C. Loss of topsoil and fertility |
Answers:
(i) → B, (ii) → A, (iii) → C
Q: Name two methods that can help prevent soil depletion and explain how each works.
Sample Answer:
Crop rotation – Plants with different nutrient needs are alternated, preventing nutrient loss.
Organic composting – Adds nutrients and improves soil structure.
Here’s what we’ve learned:
Soil depletion is the loss of fertility and structure in soil, making it less productive.
It’s caused by poor land use—like erosion, overgrazing, mining, and bad farming practices.
It leads to lower crop yields, desertification, and hunger.
Prevention includes crop rotation, composting, afforestation, and smart irrigation.
Think of a time when land in your area became dry, cracked, or poor for farming.
What may have caused the soil to lose its quality? What would you do to fix or prevent it?
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