Regenerating Hope
the reclamation of wastelands

Facts which bear out the gravity of the present situation. 

The term land degradation is defined as the reduction in the productivity, capability and capacity of land due to certain processes, mainly human and biological activities. 

Development Alternatives has been attuned to the issue and has been working in the semi arid tracts of Bundelkhand for the last nine years.  Through it’s programmes of afforestation and natural regeneration, Development Alternatives has rehabilitated more than four thousand hectares of wastelands.  The first intervention was in Datia district and it’s huge success led to the expansion of the programme in Jhansi and Tikamgarh districts. 

The watershed programmes and the construction of low cost checkdams have either reclaimed or increased the productivity of about two thousand hectares for agriculture. 

The success of Bundelkhand and the broader organisational policy of generating sustainable livelihoods, led to a “needs assessment” “ study in different parts of the country.  Tumkur district in Karnataka satisfied the basic needs for the initiation of a similar project. 

Tumkur has a large wasteland area, a low and erratic rainfall, low soil fertility and productivity of land which is responsible for the poverty in the rural areas, resulting in the destruction of the forest cover, encroachment of government forest and revenue land, the reduction of area under cultivation and migration to urban areas. 

Diminishing knowledge of sustainable agriculture, the traditional land working practices coupled with the ever increasing population, has created conditions of scarcity and put great pressure on the meagre natural resource base.  The most critical issues that emerged out of dialogues with the rural and urban communities in the district were related to natural resource management, particularly of land, trees and water. 

Sanction from NWDB to develop around 927 ha. in a group of 6 remote villages in Huliyar hobli of Chikkanayakanhalli taluk was obtained in 1994.  The location was decided after discussions with the district administration. 

The scientific strength of the approach to wasteland development has already been proved in Bundelkhand, therefore, Tumkur has adopted a different approach - that of popular participation to achieve the same goal. 

Awareness generation in the villages is of utmost importance and rapport with the local community had to be developed to solicit their cooperation in all matters relating to our programme in the area.  Several gram sabha meetings were held in the target villages where issues like species to be planted, protection, and sharing of produce were discussed.  These meetings led to the realisation that protection issues are of prime importance considering the location of the villages as being on the border with Chitradurga district.  The villagers felt that issues like produce sharing would need more clarification from the local authorities. 

The plot sizes in the project area are farily large.  To ensure protection, cattle protection trenching was decided.  Digging these was particularly strenuous as rain fall was very low in 1994.  Direct seeding with `Prosopis juliflora’ was done on the trench berms.  It was subsequently noticed that shepherds were pushing down soil from the berms to create pathways to enable goats and sheep to enter the trench enclosed plots.  Therefore, chowkidars were employed not only to prevent entry but also to create awareness of the need and importance of trees. 

Soil and moisture conservation work was starated along with protection.  Based on discussions with the Forest Department and other experts, an action plan was drawn up and it includes, stone bunding, earthen bunding and gully plugging.  All protection and soil conservation works are complete in the villages being considered in Phase 1 of the project. 

Wasteland regeneration by way of afforestation requires species which have the following characteristics:

In Tumkur, these species fall into usage categories like fuelwood, fodder, timber, green manuring, fruit, income generation etc.  Among the species are `Acacia nilotica’, `Tamarindus indica’,  `Albizia amara’, `Hardwikia binata’ etc.  These species are to be planted in August when the rainfall is usually the highest.  To prepare the species for planting, a nursery was set up on private land which has been rented for the purpose.  The filling, arrangement of poly bags and seeding are a continuous cycle.  For some species, a mother bed was made and plants transplanted after a couple of months.  In an attempt to introduce planting and caring for trees on an individual basis, a programme of distributing free seedlings of tamarind, acacia nilotica and acacia auriculiformis was taken up.  The main beneficiaries of this program are women in the villages.  Coir pith, which is a waste generated from the local coir processing units, has a good moisture retentive capacity.  This waste is to be used in the pits prior to planting. 

For the past decade, rainfall has been very low and an awareness has been created that action from the community alone can save it from disaster.  Soil erosion due to deforestation, community inaction and negligence has left the land barren and infertile.  The programme has ben concentrating on public and community wastelands.  The larger percentage of private lands need attention and only in it’s redemption will the migration of the small and marginal farmers be stopped.  The time to introduce a programme of sustainable agriculture is ripe and there will be enthusiasts from the farming community once it’s effectiveness is proved.  As part of a programme to promote sustainable agricutlrue, vermicomposting is being tried out.  Vermicomposting was started with two epigamic earthworm species: Eudrilus eugeniae and Eisenia foetida. 

One of the main problems being faced is encroachment.  This problem is endemic to Karnataka as well as many other states.  Other issues include that of the supply of free electricity to farmers leading to large scale misuse, the adoption of monoculture  (coconut, arecanut) which is dangerous when the activity is in a low rainfall area, setting fire to grasses is also common in the area.  When new saplings have been planted, such fires need to be prevented or else plant mortality rates will rise. 

Wasteland development cannot be an isolated programme.  It has served as an entry point in the area.  Surely this alone will not fulfil the basic needs and aspirations of the community.  Issues of shelter, productive employment and those realted to “real” education still need to be addressed.  Integrated and overall development is the need and it is our endeavour to address it.  q

The author is Chief, Tumkur field station 

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