Potential of wastelands for mixed farming system in India

Abstract

The paper presents estimated potential of wasteland for biomass production from selected categories i.e., underutilized/degraded forest (scrub dominated), under-utilized/ degraded forest (agriculture), degraded pastures /grazing land and degraded land under plantation crops. A mathematical model was developed to estimate wastelands potential for green fodder production. These categories of wastelands account for 23 % of total area under wastelands (47 million ha) of the country. Study estimated that at national level, selected categories of wastelands have potential to produce 16 million tonnes of green fodder, an additional quantity other than cultivated green fodder and grass from grazing area. The selected categories of wastelands in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan have potential to produce more than 50% of total fodder production from wastelands. With scarce information on potential of wastelands in terms of fodder production, these estimates can serve an important input into policy making particularly wastelands development programmes in different parts of the country.