Land Management and Sustainable Agricultural Development: Myths, Challenges and Opportunities

There is now widespread evidence of natural resource depletion and environmental degradation threatening the very survival of the life support system in India, and a recognition by academics, planners and policymakers for greater conservation efforts. Though belated the notion of unregulated and rapacious development has been vigorously challenged by everyone concerned with the need of ecologically sustainable development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. With minor exceptions, per-capita income has increased steadfast in India over the last five decades and overall developments coupled with economic growth have taken place. At the same time, however, the natural resource system has been allowed to degrade. It would be unrealistic to think that natural resources (land, water, and vegetation) could ever be managed in such a manner that no loss of quality and quantity takes place. Can we produce enough food in a sustainable manner without damage to the natural resources? This question has also to be addressed. Development can, however, still be ecologically sustainable where change in condition of resources occurs provided the user takes adequate care of the degrading resources. There is, however, enough scope for managing the resources. Landis vital to all forms of life on earth and is hub for a host of life supporting processes. Land and water determine the potential of an area for holistic development in a country like ours where majority of the population depend on these resources. In recent decades land is subjected to various forms of degradation through various processes. In the present paper a modest attempt is made to highlight the challenges of land degradation and appropriate measures to solve it.