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3.2 - Land-use Changes in India

Interactive Audio Lesson

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Introduction to Land-use Categories

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Teacher
Teacher

Today, we are going to discuss the various land-use categories in India. Can anyone name some of the typical uses of land?

Student 1
Student 1

Agricultural land for farming?

Student 2
Student 2

Forests and unused wastelands?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! We categorize land into forests, agricultural lands, and wastelands. Forests are demarcated areas, while agricultural lands are crucial for our food production.

Student 3
Student 3

What exactly is wasteland?

Teacher
Teacher

Great question! Wasteland refers to areas that can't be cultivated due to terrain or current technological constraints. Can you think of any examples?

Student 4
Student 4

Deserts or rocky terrains?

Teacher
Teacher

Correct! And these contribute to our understanding of how land is utilized in differing regions.

Teacher
Teacher

To summarize, we have learned about different land uses - forests, agriculture, and wastelands - and their importance in India's context.

Economic Influence on Land-use Changes

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Teacher
Teacher

Let's move to how economic activities influence land use. What types of economic activities can change land use?

Student 1
Student 1

Building cities and factories?

Student 2
Student 2

More farming since the population is growing?

Teacher
Teacher

Absolutely! Growth in secondary and tertiary sectors often leads to increased non-agricultural land use. For example, urbanization converts agricultural land into cities.

Student 3
Student 3

So, what about the pressure on agricultural land?

Teacher
Teacher

Good point! As the population grows, the pressure on agricultural land also increases, leading to changes in land use priorities.

Teacher
Teacher

To summarize, economic growth shifts land from agricultural uses to urban and industrial purposes, thereby impacting the landscape and livelihoods.

Changes in Land-use from 1950 to 2015

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Teacher
Teacher

Now, let's look at the changes in land-use from **1950 to 2015**.

Student 4
Student 4

What kinds of changes have we seen?

Teacher
Teacher

The area under non-agricultural uses has increased significantly, primarily due to urban expansion and industrial development.

Student 1
Student 1

And how does this relate to forests?

Teacher
Teacher

Good question! The increase in forest area is primarily due to more land being marked for forest growth rather than actual forest cover increasing.

Student 2
Student 2

What about agricultural land?

Teacher
Teacher

Agricultural land has decreased as urban land increased, indicating a trend towards non-agricultural uses.

Teacher
Teacher

In summary, between **1950 and 2015**, we observe a significant shift towards non-agricultural uses, impacting the economy and environment.

Impact of Land-use Change on Society

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Teacher
Teacher

Now let's discuss how these land-use changes affect society.

Student 3
Student 3

Like how?

Teacher
Teacher

As agricultural land declines, farmers may face challenges. What do you think could happen?

Student 2
Student 2

They might struggle to produce enough food?

Teacher
Teacher

Precisely! Reduced agricultural land can lead to food shortages and affect rural livelihoods.

Student 1
Student 1

So, urbanization might bring problems to rural areas?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Urbanization can lead to migration pressures, putting stress on urban infrastructure.

Teacher
Teacher

To summarize, land-use changes can substantially affect societal structures, economies, and food security.

Introduction & Overview

Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.

Quick Overview

This section analyzes the various land-use categories in India and highlights the significant changes from 1950 to 2015.

Standard

The section provides insights into the different categories of land use in India, including forests, wastelands, agricultural and non-agricultural uses, and the ongoing shift in land-resource priorities. It stresses the impact of economic activities and demographic changes on land use over time.

Detailed

Land-use Changes in India

This section examines the land-use categories maintained by the Land Revenue Department alongside the changes that have occurred in land utilization from 1950 to 2015. Land in India is categorized primarily into:

  1. Forests: Area demarcated for forest use vs actual forest cover.
  2. Barren and Wastelands: Areas that cannot be cultivated with current technology.
  3. Non-agricultural Uses: Includes urban settlements, infrastructure, and industrial areas.
  4. Permanent Pastures and Grazing Lands: Primarily managed by village panchayats; only small areas are privately owned.
  5. Miscellaneous Tree Crops and Groves: Orchards and land under fruit trees.
  6. Culturable Wasteland: Lands that have been left uncultivated for more than five years.
  7. Current Fallow: Land that is left uncultivated for a year or less.
  8. Fallow Land Other Than Current Fallow: Cultivable land uncultivated for more than one year but less than five.
  9. Net Area Sown: Total area of land on which crops are grown.

Between 1950 and 2015, significant shifts in land use were noted, dominated by increasing urbanization and industrialization leading to declines in certain agricultural categories. The section emphasizes the need for understanding the interactions between land-use changes, economic sectors, and demographic shifts to promote sustainable land management in the country.

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Audio Book

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Understanding Land-use

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You must have observed that the land around you is put to different uses. Some land is occupied by rivers, some may have trees and on some parts roads and buildings have been built. Different types of lands are suited to different uses. Human beings thus, use land as a resource for production as well as residence and recreation. Thus, the building of your school, roads on which you travel, parks in which you play, fields in which crops are grown and the pastures where animals graze represent different uses to which land is put.

Detailed Explanation

Land-use refers to how land is utilized for various purposes. It includes areas for growing crops (agriculture), building infrastructure (like roads and schools), and natural landscapes (like forests and rivers). Each type of land serves specific functions that contribute to human life, such as agricultural production, dwelling places, recreational spaces, and environmental balance.

Examples & Analogies

Think of land like a kitchen. Just as a kitchen has different areas for cooking, storage, and cleaning, land has different sections for agriculture, homes, and nature. Each area serves its own important purpose, contributing to the overall functioning of the household.

Categories of Land Use

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The land-use categories as maintained in the Land Revenue Records are as follows:
(i) Forests: It is important to note that area under actual forest cover is different from area classified as forest.
(ii) Barren and Wastelands: The land which may be classified as a wasteland such as barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc. normally cannot be brought under cultivation with the available technology.
(iii) Land put to Non-agricultural Uses: Land under settlements (rural and urban), infrastructure (roads, canals, etc.), industries, shops, etc., are included in this category.
(iv) Area under Permanent Pastures and Grazing Lands: Most of this type land is owned by the village ‘Panchayat’ or the Government.
(v) Area under Miscellaneous Tree Crops and Groves: The land under orchards and fruit trees are included in this category.
(vi) Culturable Wasteland: Any land which is left fallow (uncultivated) for more than five years is included in this category.
(vii) Current Fallow: This is the land which is left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year.
(viii) Fallow other than Current Fallow: This is also a cultivable land which is left uncultivated for more than a year but less than five years.
(ix) Net Area Sown: The physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested is known as net sown area.

Detailed Explanation

There are various categories of land use, each defined by its purpose. Forests and permanent pastures are dedicated to nature and grazing, while non-agricultural use land includes urban infrastructure and industry. Cultivable wasteland is land that could potentially be farmed but is currently not used, whereas current fallow land is temporarily not being farmed. Net area sown refers to land actively used for planting crops. Understanding these categories helps in assessing how land is utilized and managed.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a house with different rooms: a living room (urban land use), a garden (forest), a recreation area (parks), and a kitchen (agricultural land). Each room serves a distinct function just like different types of land serve their unique purposes in the economy and environment.

Economic Influences on Land Use

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Land-use in a region, to a large extent, is influenced by the nature of economic activities carried out in that region. However, while economic activities change over time, land, like many other natural resources, is fixed in terms of its area. At this stage, one needs to appreciate three types of changes that an economy undergoes, which affect land-use.

Detailed Explanation

The way land is used in a region heavily depends on the economic activities there. As economies evolve—like moving from agriculture to industries—land usage changes accordingly. However, the total area of land remains constant, leading to shifts in how land is allocated (e.g., more urban development over agricultural land). Various economic growth patterns can shift priorities for land usage.

Examples & Analogies

Consider a city transitioning from a rural agricultural economy to an industrial one. It’s like a person changing hobbies—if they start focusing on photography (industries), they might stop gardening (agriculture) because they only have limited time and space to dedicate to one.

Trends in Land Use from 1950 to 2014

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India has undergone major changes within the economy over the past four or five decades, and this has influenced the land-use changes in the country. These changes between 1950–51 and 2014–15 have been shown. The rate of increase is the highest in case of area under non-agricultural uses. This is due to the changing structure of Indian economy, which is increasingly depending on the contribution from industrial and services sectors.

Detailed Explanation

Significant changes in land use over the decades indicate a shift from agricultural to non-agricultural uses. Between 1950 and 2014, land devoted to industries (non-agricultural uses) has expanded sharply as India's economy has evolved. This shift reflects broader economic trends, such as industrialization and urbanization, which can sometimes come at the expense of agricultural land.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a growing neighborhood where old farms are replaced with shopping malls and factories. Just as neighborhoods evolve to meet new needs or preferences, land use in India is changing to accommodate a growing economy and population demands.

Challenges and Declines in Land Use

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The four categories that have registered a decline are barren and wasteland, culturable land, area under tree crops and groves and fallow lands. As the pressure on land increased, both from the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, wastelands and culturable wastelands have witnessed decline over time. The decline in land under tree crops and groves can be explained by pressure from agricultural land.

Detailed Explanation

Despite increases in certain land-use categories, some areas are witnessing decline, especially those that don’t have as much demand, such as barren wastelands and traditional farming lands. As urbanization and industrial pressure increase, these lands may not be utilized effectively, which reflects on land sustainability and ecosystem health.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine an orchard slowly disappearing as more homes are built around it. The more we expand into what used to be natural spaces for housing and development, the less we have for agriculture or nature, just like a community might lose a park to new buildings.

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Land-use Changes: The transformation of land resources from one category to another based on economic demand and population needs.

  • Economic Impact of Land-use: How the pressures from economic growth lead to changes in land priorities and resources.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.

Examples

  • The conversion of agricultural land to residential or commercial purposes in urbanizing areas.

  • Government-led afforestation initiatives resulting in increased areas labeled as forests, regardless of the actual forest cover.

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Land of many shades, each serves its role, / Forests, farms, and cities, making us whole.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once upon a time, land was plentiful. People used it for forests, farming, and homes. As they grew, cities expanded, and forests became smaller, but management helped restore balance.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • F W N P M C: Forests, Wasteland, Non-agricultural, Pasture, Misc. groves, Cultivable wasteland – remember the land-use categories!

🎯 Super Acronyms

LAND – 'Land Allocation for Nature and Development' to remind us to balance all land uses.

Flash Cards

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Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Landuse Categories

    Definition:

    Classifications of land based on its primary use, including forests, agricultural, wasteland, and urban areas.

  • Term: GA (Gross Area)

    Definition:

    Total area including all cultivated and uncultivated land.

  • Term: NA (Net Area Sown)

    Definition:

    The physical extent of land on which crops are actually sown and harvested.

  • Term: Culturable Wasteland

    Definition:

    Land that is currently uncultivated but can potentially be brought under cultivation.

  • Term: Current Fallow

    Definition:

    Land left uncultivated for one agricultural year.