Massive fallow land spreading length and breadth of Jharkhand has called the attention of the top green institute of the country. Forest Research Institute, Dehradun (FRI), for the first time, has offered its assistance in studying the entire unused lands and suggesting measures to bring the vast stretch into production cycle.
The institute has sent a ‘terms of reference’ (ToR) to the Secretary of Forest and Environment Department, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Chairman of the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board and proposed to extend its expertise to study the fallow land, find out reason behind and also list the alternate ways.
“We have proposed to take a stock of the problem which is alarming in Jharkhand. The study would focus on why there is so much of land out of the production cycle and also what should be done to bring it back into productivity. It is significant considering the gravity of the problem which is in no way helping poor people of the State to come out of it through farm practices,” MP Singh, Head of Climate Change and Forest Influence Division at FRI, told The Pioneer from Dehradun over phone.
Jharkhand, figuring amongst the poorest states of the country with one of the lowest per capita income of its farmers, has left whopping 34.79 per cent of its geographical area virtually unused as fallow land. The share goes up to 2774000 hectare out of total 7972000 hectares of geographical area and against just 1085000 hectares of the net area shown.
“The figure is alarming if we see Chhattisgarh (03.9 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (1.42 per cent), Tamil Nadu (19.95 per cent) and Uttarakhand (2.39 per cent) in comparison of Jharkhand. It has been one of the main reasons behind low farm productivity which also keeps pushing up the poverty level,” said Singh.
FRI has in its proposal stressed over need to introduce specific programmes to contain the problem of fallow lands by putting them into productive use and improve the household earnings. For this a team of expert from the premier institute would assist the aforesaid stakeholders in developing synergy and preparation of DPR for ‘greener and richer Jharkhand- Response to climate change, environmental responsibility and sustainable development through agro forestry’. The detailed survey would include all the districts, especially of Santhal Pargana and Palamau where the rate is quite high.
“The study would suggest alternate ways of productivity like agro forestry which provide additional income besides improving on carbon foot print of the State,” said a senior official of the Department confirming that the proposal was under consideration.Tamil Nadu has already introduced ‘Tree cultivation on private land’ scheme to bring more area under production cycle.
Similar project is being run in Punjab where farmers have been encouraged to plant species like poplar on the farm bunds which fetch them good amount besides reducing carbon emission level. Carbon footprint of Jharkhand is not encouraging either with 1:25 in comparison with Chhattisgarh’s 1:9.
JSPCB Chairman AK Mishra said the Board was studying the proposal and had positive thoughts towards it. “We are visiting it. We can assist them with our database and also sponsor the initiative,” he said. The project is expected to incur about Rs 23 lakh and proposed nine months to prepare a final report.