(A) There are various measures which can be adopted to prevent soil erosion caused due to natural forces.
Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes. This is called contour ploughing.
Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion. Western and central Himalayas have well developed terrace farming.
Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up the force of the wind. This method is known as strip cropping.
Planting lines of trees to create shelter also works in a similar way. Rows of such trees are called shelter belts. These shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilisation of sand dunes and in stabilising the desert in western India. Natural forces like wind, glacier and water lead to soil erosion.
(B) There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation.
Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to some extent.
Planting of shelterbelts of plants, control on overgrazing, stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes are some of the methods to check land degradation in arid areas.
Proper management of waste lands, control of mining activities, proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial and suburban areas.