Controlling gully erosion: an analysis of land reclamation processes in Chambal Valley, India

ABSTRACT

Programmes for environmental protection and land reclamation have been deeply embedded in local political and social contexts. This article focuses on the effectiveness of such measures to control ravine erosion in the lower Chambal Valley, one of the most degraded regions in India. The study used field observation to see whether the measures had any impact on further gully and ravine formation. The findings suggest that agricultural practices, including those often based on the short-term economic needs of households, lead to inefficient land-use practices, particularly in land-levelled and reclaimed areas.

Les programmes de protection de l'environnement et de mise en valeur des terres sont profondément ancrés dans les contextes politiques et sociaux locaux. Cet article se concentre sur l'efficacité de ces mesures pour contrôler l'érosion en ravines dans la vallée basse de Chambal, l'une des régions les plus dégradées de l'Inde. Cette étude a utilisé l'observation sur le terrain pour déterminer si les mesures avaient eu un impact sur la formation d'autres ravines. Les conclusions suggèrent que les pratiques agricoles, y compris celles souvent basées sur les besoins économiques à court terme des ménages, aboutissent à des pratiques inefficaces d'utilisation des terres, en particulier dans les zones remblayées et mises en valeur.

Los programas orientados a la protección ambiental y a la recuperación de suelos están profundamente arraigados en contextos políticos y sociales locales. El presente artículo aborda la eficacia mostrada por dichos programas para controlar la erosión de quebradas en el valle inferior de Chambal, una de las regiones más deterioradas de India. El estudio utilizó la observación en campo para determinar si tales programas evitaron la formación de barrancos y quebradas adicionales. Las conclusiones al respecto sugieren que las prácticas agrícolas, incluyendo aquellas basadas a menudo en las necesidades económicas cortoplacistas de los hogares, conducen a usos ineficientes de la tierra, especialmente en áreas de terrenos aplanados y recuperados.

KEYWORDS:

• Environment (built and natural) – Agriculture, Food security
• Governance and public policy
• South Asia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Padmini Pani is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

Notes

1. The Chambal Valley is infamous for its high crime rates and inaccessibility. In the 1970s and 1980s the area was known for its bandit problems, with the inaccessible ravines used as hideouts. Morena’s population growth rate was higher than that of the state and Indian average, its sex ratio at 839 (child sex ratio 825) females per thousand males was low, and its female literacy rate was only 57.6%, while male literacy was 84.2% in 2011. The share of workers engaged in agriculture and allied activities was 79.2%, as against the state average of 66.9% in 2001. The population density of the district was 394 in 2011, making it among the densely populated districts of the state.

2. Since 1974–75 there has been a phenomenal growth of area under winter crops (rabi) in the district.

3. The programme’s objective is much broader: (i) in situ moisture conservation and use of natural resources, i.e. land, water, and vegetation; (ii) scientific management of land and water; (iii) enhancement of production and productivity in rain-fed areas; (iv) train and motivate the farmers for enhancing the productivity through the schemes of concerned departments; (v) promotion of agriculture/cottage industries; (vi) employment generation during and after the project; and (vii) to ensure people’s participation in project activities.