Land and water have been the basic Elements of life support system on our planet since the dawn of civilization.
All great civilizations, flourished where these resources were available in plenty and they declined or perished with the depletion of these resources.
In recent years, the land resource has been subjected to a variety of pressures. Still it is surviving and sustaining mankind.
What is alarming in the way land is being used is the tendency towards over-exploitation on account of a number of reasons leading this pristine resource being robbed of its resilience.
Of all the species on the earth, man is the chief culprit of this degradation. He views land in terms of its utility, meaning the capability to meet his perceived needs and wants.
The most easily categorised varieties of land from the utility point of view are – land fit for use, land with potential for use and land which appears useless at least in the foreseeable future.
Here probably lies the genesis of the problem of land degradation and erosion of Ecosystems. Mahatma Gandhi had said -“The Earth has enough for everybody’s need but not for everybody’s greed”.
Preserving, protecting and defending the land resources has been part of our age-old culture. The respect for the importance of land resources is best depicted in the conventional concept of Panchabhutas – land, water, fire, sky and air that constitute a set of divine forces.
There are innumerable examples of the traditional conservation practices and systems, which are still surviving and are effective. But with the advent of modern age and the advent of newer forces, this tradition is fast deteriorating mainly on account of – consumerism, materialistic value systems, short-term profit-driven Motives and greed of the users
Land Resources
The utilization of land depends upon physical factors like topography, Soil and Climate as well as upon human factors such as the density of Population duration of occupation of the area, land tenure and technical levels of the people.
LAND USE IN INDIA
The major land uses in India are:
Net sown Area
agriculture land means cultivated area, it includes net cropped area and fallow lands. Cropped area in the year under consideration in called net sown area.
India stands seventh in the world in terms of total geographical area but second in terms of cultivated land.
Percentage wise Punjab and Haryana are highest and Arunachal Pradesh is Lowest (3.2% )
The net sown area and the area sown more than once together are called gross cultivated area.
Forest Area
This includes all land classified either as forest under any legal enactment, or administered as forest, whether State-owned or private, and whether wooded or maintained as potential forest land.
The area of crops raised in the forest and grazing lands or areas open for grazing within the forests remain included under the “forest area”.
Area under Non-agricultural Uses
This includes all land occupied by buildings, roads and railways or under water, e.g. rivers and canals, and other land put to uses other than agriculture.
This includes all land covered by Mountains, deserts, etc.
Land which cannot be brought under cultivation except at an exorbitant cost is classified as unculturable whether such land is in isolated blocks or within cultivated holdings.
Permanent Pasture and other Grazing Land
This includes all grazing land whether it is permanent pasture/meadows or not.
Village common grazing land is included under this category.
Land under Miscellaneous Tree Crops, etc.
This includes all cultivable land which is not included in ‘Net area sown’ but is put to some agricultural use.
Land under trees, thatching Grasses, bamboo bushes and other groves for fuel, etc. which are not included under ‘Orchards’ are classified under this category.
Culturable Waste Land
This includes land available for cultivation, whether taken up or not taken up for cultivation once, but not cultivated during the last five years or more in SUCCESSION including the current year for some reason or the other .
Such land may be either fallow or covered with shrubs and jungles which are not put to any use.
Fallow Lands other than Current Fallows -This includes all land which was taken up for cultivation but is temporarily out of cultivation for a period of not less than one year and not more than five years.
Current Fallows- This represents cropped area which is kept fallow during the current year
Policies, Acts, Programmes by Govt. on Land Resources
Ceiling on agricultural holdings and redistribution of surplus land
Updating and maintenance of land records
Consolidation of land holdings
Distribution of government wasteland
Drought-prone Areas Programme
Minimize adverse effects of droughts on the productivity of land, water and human resources
Promote overall Economic Development and improve the socio-economic condition of poor and disadvantaged sections inhabiting the programme areas Capacity building and Empowerment of village community, ensuring participation of Panchayati Raj Institutions and NGOs in programme implementation at grassroots level and transfer of funds as well as decision-making power to the local people
Since 1995-96, a watershed development based approach has been adopted
Desert Development Programme (DDP)- 1977-78
Mitigate adverse effects of Desertification and adverse climatic conditions on crops, human and Livestock population
Restoration of ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing Natural Resources, i.e. land, water, vegetative cover, and raise land productivity
Capacity building and empowerment of village community, ensuring participation of Panchayati Raj Institutions and NGOs
1985 -National Land Use and Conservation Board
Formulate a national policy and perspective plan for conservation, management and development of land resources of the country
Review of the progress of implementation of ongoing schemes and programmes connected with conservation and development of land resources and soils
Take measures to restrict the conversion of good agricultural land to non– agricultural uses
Co-ordinate the work of State Land Use Boards
1985 National Wastelands Development Board (NWDB)
Formulate perspective plan and programmes for the management and development of wastelands in the country
Identify the wastelands in the country
Review the progress of implementation of programmes and schemes for the development of wasteland
Create a reliable data base and documentation centre on related aspects of wasteland development
1989-90 Integrated Wastelands Development Project (IWDP)
Adopt soil and moisture conservation measures such as terracing, bunding, trenching, vegetative barriers, etc
Encourage natural regeneration
Enhance people’s participation in wasteland development programmes at all stages resulting in equitable sharing of benefits
EMPLOYMENT generation, POVERTY alleviation, community empowerment and development of human and other economic resources of the village
Training, extension and creation of awareness among the participants
Strategies for Sustainable Land Management
Tenth Five-Year Plan assigns high priorities to area specific programmes such as watersheds, river valleys, arid areas, wastelands.
Public policies towards land use and the influence of subsequent land uses on natural resources
Coordinate the activities of all line departments and adopt an integrated approach
Expansion and intensification of irrigated agriculture
Weaknesses in land use policies as well as Options that are available to better address natural resource management
Establish the horizontal linkages between various agencies that are involved in land resource management
Involve the stakeholders from the planning stage onwards and address other socio-economic and poverty issues in land development programmes
The government would take the lead role in capacity building at the grassroot level by planning, implementing and monitoring integrated land resources management programmes
Intensification of high-quality rain-fed lands
land is not accounted for, especially when land quality deteriorates or the ecosystems functions change
Intensification of densely populated marginal lands
Increasing Women’s access to productive land by regularizing leasing and sharecropping of uncultivated agricultural land by women’s groups, encouraging collective efforts in bringing wastelands under cultivation and providing policy incentives to women in low-input subsistence agriculture, will have immediate benefits for women’s empowerment and household Food Security
Expansion of farming into sparsely populated marginal lands
The rise of urban and periurban farming with accelerated Urbanization
Natural resource managers and local planning officials need to understand the role each plays in protecting natural resources in the interface. In particular, natural resource managers need to better understand and influence public policies related to natural resources
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Land resources management is the process of planning and managing the use of land to meet the needs of Society while protecting the Environment. It includes a wide range of activities, such as land use planning, soil conservation, water management, forest management, rangeland management, wetland management, urban planning, environmental impact assessment, land reclamation, land degradation, desertification, land tenure, land valuation, land Taxation, land use conflict, land use change, land use sustainability, land use policy, land use planning Software, land use data, land use monitoring, land use change detection, land use change modeling, land use change impact assessment, land use change adaptation, land use change mitigation, land use change governance, land use change ethics, land use change history, and land use change future.
Land use planning is the process of determining how land should be used in a particular area. It involves identifying the needs of the community and developing a plan that will meet those needs while protecting the environment. Soil conservation is the practice of protecting soil from erosion, degradation, and contamination. It includes a variety of techniques, such as terracing, contour farming, and cover Cropping. Water management is the process of controlling and distributing Water Resources. It includes activities such as Irrigation, flood control, and water treatment. Forest management is the practice of managing forests for a variety of purposes, such as timber production, recreation, and watershed protection. Rangeland management is the practice of managing rangelands for grazing, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Wetland management is the practice of managing wetlands for a variety of purposes, such as flood control, water quality improvement, and wildlife habitat. Urban planning is the process of planning and developing urban areas. It includes activities such as zoning, transportation planning, and public works. Environmental impact assessment is the process of evaluating the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project. Land reclamation is the process of restoring land that has been degraded or damaged. Land degradation is the process of land becoming less productive or useful. Desertification is the process of land becoming desert-like. Land tenure is the system of rights and obligations that govern the use of land. Land valuation is the process of determining the value of land. Land taxation is the process of imposing taxes on land. Land use conflict is a dispute over the use of land. Land use change is the process of land being used for a different purpose. Land use sustainability is the use of land in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Land use policy is a set of principles or guidelines that govern the use of land. Land use planning software is a computer program that helps with land use planning. Land use data is information about the use of land. Land use monitoring is the process of collecting data on land use over time. Land use change detection is the process of identifying changes in land use. Land use change modeling is the process of developing models to predict future land use changes. Land use change impact assessment is the process of evaluating the potential impacts of land use changes. Land use change adaptation is the process of adjusting to the impacts of land use changes. Land use change mitigation is the process of reducing the impacts of land use changes. Land use change governance is the process of managing land use changes. Land use change ethics is the study of the moral principles that should guide land use decisions. Land use change history is the study of how land use has changed over time. Land use change future is the study of how land use is likely to change in the future.
Land resources management is a complex and challenging task. It requires a deep understanding of the natural environment, the social and economic needs of society, and the political and legal system. It also requires the ability to make difficult decisions that will affect the lives of many people. However, it is an essential task if we are to ensure that our planet remains healthy and productive for future generations.
What is land resources management?
Land resources management is the process of planning and managing the use of land to meet human needs while protecting the environment. It involves a variety of activities, such as land use planning, soil conservation, and water management.
What are the benefits of land resources management?
Land resources management can provide a number of benefits, including:
What are some examples of land resources management practices?
Some examples of land resources management practices include:
Land use planning: This involves identifying the best uses for different types of land and developing plans to ensure that land is used in a sustainable way.
Soil conservation: This involves preventing soil erosion and degradation.
Water management: This involves managing water resources to ensure that they are used efficiently and effectively.
Forest management: This involves managing forests to ensure that they are sustainable.
Rangeland management: This involves managing rangelands to ensure that they are sustainable.
Wetland management: This involves managing wetlands to ensure that they are sustainable.
What are some of the latest developments in land resources management?
Some of the latest developments in land resources management include:
The use of remote sensing and GIS to monitor land use and land cover changes.
The development of new technologies for soil conservation and water management.
The use of economic incentives to promote sustainable land use practices.
The development of new policies and regulations to protect land resources.
What are some of the future challenges of land resources management?
Some of the future challenges of land resources management include:
The need to meet the needs of a growing population.
The need to adapt to climate change.
The need to reduce the impact of human activities on land resources.
The need to ensure that land resources are used in a sustainable way.
Which of the following is not a type of land use? (A) Agriculture (B) Industry (C) Housing (D) Landfill
Which of the following is the most common type of land use in the United States? (A) Agriculture (B) Industry (C) Housing (D) Forest
Which of the following is the most common type of land use in the world? (A) Agriculture (B) Industry (C) Housing (D) Forest
Which of the following is the most sustainable type of land use? (A) Agriculture (B) Industry (C) Housing (D) Forest
Which of the following is the least sustainable type of land use? (A) Agriculture (B) Industry (C) Housing (D) Forest
Which of the following is the most common cause of land degradation? (A) Agriculture (B) Industry (C) Housing (D) Mining
Which of the following is the most common type of land degradation? (A) Soil erosion (B) Salinization (C) Desertification (D) Deforestation
Which of the following is the most effective way to prevent land degradation? (A) Sustainable land management (B) Reforestation (C) Soil conservation (D) Watershed Management
Which of the following is the most effective way to restore degraded land? (A) Sustainable land management (B) Reforestation (C) Soil conservation (D) Watershed management
Which of the following is the most important factor in determining the sustainability of land use? (A) The type of land use (B) The intensity of land use (C) The management practices used (D) The environmental impact of land use
