Land is one of the major natural resource of a developing country like Nepal. More than 90% of the population is dependent upon the land for their fulfillment of basic needs as food, fodder, fuel, fiber and timber. Land degradation is decline in land quality or reduction in its potential productivity of land. Land degradation may occur through different physical, chemical and biological processes which are directly or indirectly induced by human activities. These include soil erosion, compaction, acidification, leaching, salinization, decrease in Cation retention capacity, depletion of nutrient, reduction in total biomass carbon and decline in biodiversity. Soil structure is major factor for all forms of degradative processes. It also affects the provision of ecosystem services. Human activities are responsible not only for the degradation of land but also important for improvement of land through prevention, rehabilitation and reclamation.

Land degradation is one of the greatest challenges faced by Nepal. Both the natural conditions and human activities have contributed to the degradation of land in Nepal. Some of the major causes of land degradation are fragile geological structure, forest fire, avalanches and dry landslides in which increasing population, fragile economy and sometimes farm policies add fuel to it in its natural condition. Natural calamities like landslides in the hills, drought in the most of the areas of the country and flooding in the foothills and the Terai have frequently occurred. Most of all, flooding is a major cause of land degradation leading to the poor socio-economic conditions and the deterioration of the natural ecosystems. Anthropogenic causes such as deforestation, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, overgrazing, construction works, and unscientific farming in the hills (steep slope) have resulted in the loss of flora and fauna, erosion of top soil, occurrence of landslides in the hills and flooding in the plain areas. This has led to severe environmental degradation leading to poor socio-economic condition and disruption of natural ecosystems in Nepal.

The repeated pressure of grazing on grasslands beyond its carrying capacity, shifting cultivation in the mountains and overgrazing in the open public lands lead to land degradation and damage the ground vegetation and grassland ecosystems. The heavy grazing pressure in the mountain areas has speeded up the soil erosion, which lead to increase run-off and compaction of soil. Cultivation on steep slope without taking considerations of improved farming such as terracing, use of organic manures has contributed to increase in soil erosion resulting in high water turbidity which leads to harmful effects to the aquatic flora and fauna including fish species.

It is realized that the balance between the land degradation and restoration rates should be maintained so as not to further degrade the land .Forest and tree cover is declining at alarming rates in Nepal. As a result, essential source of food, fuel, shelter, fodder, medicines, and many other products are disappearing, and the soil and water base for food production is being degraded. Agro forestry, association of trees and shrubs with crops, livestock or other factors of agricultural production, holds great promise for contributing to sustainable land use systems which can overcome the problem of land degradation and the imminent food crisis. It provides diversified production and consequently greater food diversity.