1. Linkages between Desertification and Human Development in
the Western Dry Region of Rajasthan
Dr. Nisha
Varghese
IGNOU

2. About Rajasthan
 India is the seventh largest country by area and with 1.2 billion people it
is the second most populous country in the world.
 India has 28 states and 7 Union Territories covering a geographical
area of 32.78 lakh Sq. Km of which 24% area is covered under forest.
 The present study relates to Rajasthan, which lies in the northwest of
India and accommodates the Great Indian Desert or the Thar Desert.
 Another important feature of the state is the Aravali range which runs
across the state from southwest to northeast.
 To the west of the Aravali range, there are 11 districts which account
for 50% of state’s area.

3. Area of Study

4. Western Dry Region of Rajasthan
 Of the 11 districts, the Western Dry Region of Rajasthan comprises of 9
districts namely (1) Bikaner (2) Jaisalmer (3) Barmer (4) Jodhpur (5)
Churu (6) Nagaur (7) Sikar (8) Jhunjhunu (9) Jalore.
 About 38% of total population of the state with a density of 137 persons
per sq. km (as per census 2011) area lives in the arid region.
 climate here is characterized by low and erratic rainfall, extremes of
diurnal and annual temperatures, low humidity and high wind velocity
hence prone to wind erosion.
 The average annual rainfall is 343.7 mm with 16 rainy days. Jaisalmer
District is one of the driest parts of the country recording around 9 cm
of rainfall in a year.

5. Analytical framework
1. To Study the direction of change, Markov Chain analysis was done
2. To Study linkages the development and desertification indices were calculated
Development Indicators Desertification Indicators
• Decadal Growth rate of population •% forest area
• % female population •% pop. employed in primary sector
• % of Rural population •Cropping intensity
• % literacy •% irrigation by well
• % female literacy
•Tractor density
• % HH with access to electricity
•Livestock density
• % HH with access to clean drinking water
• Crude birth rate
• Infant mortality rate
• Under five mortality rate
• Sex ratio
• Work participation
• Per capita net district domestic product

6. Operational Definitions
 Forests : This includes all lands classed as forest under any legal
enactment dealing with forests or administered as forests.
 Area under Non-agricultural Uses : This includes all lands occupied by
buildings, roads and railways or under water
 Barren and Un-culturable Land : This includes land like mountains,
deserts, etc. Land which cannot be brought under cultivation except at an
exorbitant cost
Permanent Pastures and other Grazing Lands: This includes all grazing
lands whether they are permanent pastures or meadows.
 Land under Miscellaneous Tree Crops, etc. : This includes all cultivable
land which is not included in ‘Net area sown’ but is put to some agricultural
uses
Culturable Waste Land: Land once cultivated but not cultivated for five
years in succession is included in this category at the end of the five years.

7. Operational Definitions
 Fallow Lands other than Current Fallows : This includes all lands which
were taken up for cultivation but are temporarily out of cultivation for a period
of not less than one year and not more than five years.
Current Fallows: This represents cropped area which are kept fallow during
the current year.
Net Area Sown: This represents the total area sown with crops and
orchards. Area sown more than once; in the same year is counted only once.
Total Cropped Area: Areas sown with crops more than once during the year
being counted as separate areas for each crop.

8. Changes in direction of Area under Non-agricultural Uses
Area Permanen
Land
under Barren t pastures culturable Total
under Net Area
Forest non- uncultiva & other waste Fallow
tree crops Sown
Agricultu ted Land Grazing land Lands
& Groves
ral uses land
Bikaner 0.2787 0.5047 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.2166 0.0000 0.0000
Churu 0.0440 0.6433 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.3127
Jalore 0.1616 0.2872 0.0000 0.0614 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.4899
Jaisalmer 0.1032 0.0000 0.0000 0.0012 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.8956
Jodhpur 0.0000 0.1936 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.8064
Nagaur 0.0000 0.5798 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.4202
Jhunjunu 0.1074 0.8452 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0475 0.0000
Sikar 0.2087 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.7913
Barmer 0.0000 0.2497 0.1029 0.6473 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
 Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Sikar, probability of retention is low or zero.
 Jaisalmer and Jodhpur major parts of Thar desert and major tourist
destinations as well.
 Shift mainly towards net sown area to meet the food needs of
populations that have moved to these areas because of livelihood
opportunities due to flourishing tourism industry

9. Changes in direction of land under Barren and Uncultivated land
Area Permanen
Land
under Barren t pastures culturable Total
under Net Area
Forest non- uncultiva & other waste Fallow
tree crops Sown
Agricultu ted Land Grazing land Lands
& Groves
ral uses land
Bikaner 0.0000 0.0000 0.9606 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0394
Churu 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Jalore 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000 0.0000
Jaisalmer 0.0000 0.0000 0.2170 0.0000 0.0000 0.4211 0.1697 0.1921
Jodhpur 0.0000 0.0000 0.5766 0.0000 0.0000 0.0041 0.4193 0.0000
Nagaur 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000
Jhunjunu 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000
Sikar 0.0831 0.1638 0.7531 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Barmer 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.6537 0.3463 0.0000
 Any shift away from this use should be considered as a positive sign
 In Nagaur, Jalore, Barmer and Jhunjunu the probability of shift is from
barren and uncultivated land towards net sown area or other lands
which may be put to cultivation.
 This also shows the expansion and intensification of land cultivation to
meet the increased demand for food.

10. Changes in direction of land under permanent pastures and
other grazing land
Area Permanen
Land
under Barren t pastures culturable Total
under Net Area
Forest non- uncultiva & other waste Fallow
tree crops Sown
Agricultu ted Land Grazing land Lands
& Groves
ral uses land
Bikaner 0.0000 0.9619 0.0000 0.0381 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Churu 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000 0.0000
Jalore 0.0000 0.0974 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.9026
Jaisalmer 0.0006 0.3220 0.0000 0.3120 0.0000 0.3528 0.0126 0.0000
Jodhpur 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
Nagaur 0.1703 0.2950 0.0000 0.1163 0.0000 0.0734 0.0000 0.3449
Jhunjunu 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.6226 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.3774
Sikar 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.3434 0.0000 0.0000 0.6566 0.0000
Barmer 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000 0.0000
 Transformation of rangelands to croplands increases the risk of
desertification due to increased pressure on the remaining rangelands or
to the use of unsustainable cultivation practices.
 The probability of retention of land under permanent pastures has been
zero in three out of nine districts (Churu, Jalore and Barmer).
 High probability of shift away from pastures has been in districts where the
livestock density is less than the regional average.

11. Changes in direction of land under culturable waste land
Area Permanen
Land
under Barren t pastures culturable Total
under Net Area
Forest non- uncultiva & other waste Fallow
tree crops Sown
Agricultu ted Land Grazing land Lands
& Groves
ral uses land
Bikaner 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0059 0.0000 0.7063 0.0000 0.2877
Churu 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000
Jalore 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.5009 0.0000 0.4991
Jaisalmer 0.0011 0.0000 0.0898 0.0211 0.0000 0.8880 0.0000 0.0000
Jodhpur 0.0000 0.0477 0.0328 0.0000 0.0000 0.4951 0.0000 0.4244
Nagaur 0.0022 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.9978
Jhunjunu 0.0000 0.2938 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.7062 0.0000 0.0000
Sikar 0.0906 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.1541 0.0000 0.7553
Barmer 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.3472 0.6528 0.0000
 Deviation away from culturable waste land towards cultivation could be a
negative indication
 Churu and Nagaur, there is no probability of retention of culturable waste
lands which have shown probability of being diverted to agricultural use
 Bikaner and Jaisalmer being located in the arid western plain and
occupying maximum area of the Thar desert, show high probability of
retention of land under culturable waste.

12. Changes in direction of land under Net Sown Area
Area Permanen
Land
under Barren t pastures culturable Total
under Net Area
Forest non- uncultiva & other waste Fallow
tree crops Sown
Agricultu ted Land Grazing land Lands
& Groves
ral uses land
Bikaner 0.0062 0.0027 0.0000 0.0209 0.0000 0.1433 0.3614 0.4655
Churu 0.0030 0.0180 0.0000 0.0301 0.0000 0.0084 0.0519 0.8887
Jalore 0.0026 0.0256 0.0956 0.0487 0.0000 0.0188 0.0569 0.7518
Jaisalmer 0.0021 0.1176 0.0890 0.0244 0.0000 0.1410 0.1961 0.4297
Jodhpur 0.0000 0.0335 0.0323 0.0000 0.0000 0.0151 0.3402 0.5790
Nagaur 0.0008 0.0065 0.0382 0.0428 0.0001 0.0068 0.2011 0.7038
Jhunjunu 0.0797 0.0027 0.0328 0.0323 0.0001 0.0000 0.0123 0.8402
Sikar 0.0847 0.0511 0.0069 0.0434 0.0001 0.0135 0.0934 0.7070
Barmer 0.0108 0.0244 0.0533 0.0695 0.0000 0.0345 0.1187 0.6888
 Churu, Nagaur, Sikar, Jhunjunu and Jalore show more than 70 percent
retention of land under net sown area
 Not much shift in the land use away from the net sown area in the Arid
Western Plain as well
 the decadal growth of population very high in the districts occupying major
part of the Thar Desert leading to growing demand for food and in turn
exerting pressure for intensifying the agricultural activities.

13. Linkages between development and desertification
Composite Indices and Ranks According to Development and Desertification Indicators
S.No. Districts Development Desertification
CI Rank CI Rank
1. Barmer 0.76 9 0.50 3
2. Bikaner 0.37 3 0.35 1
3. Churu 0.39 4 0.55 4
4. Jaisalmer 0.68 8 0.48 2
5. Jalore 0.67 7 0.67 5
6. Jhunjhunu 0.30 1 0.71 8
7. Jodhpur 0.42 6 0.70 7
8. Nagaur 0.42 5 0.75 9
9. Sikar 0.34 2 0.68 6
 Jhunjunu and Sikar districts having high development indicators also show
high desertification indicators.
Policy Q. Is development taking place at a high cost???
 The districts having high desertification indices are also more populous
districts.
Policy Q. Is the demand for food being met by increasing production in the short run,
undermining the conditions for sustainable production in the long run???

14. Linkages between development and desertification
 Jhunjunu and Sikar have highest number of wells in the region. Increased
irrigation potential through well and canal irrigation has put forward protection
from vulnerability leading to development.
Policy Q. Hasn’t depleting ground water table arising out of overexploitation of water
resources introduced new vulnerabilities???
 Nagaur, Jodhpur, Jhunjunu and Sikar have the highest tractor density(no. of
tractors/1000 ha) in the region indicating practice of intensive tillage
Policy Q. Is intensive tillage desirable in this fragile region???
 In Jodhpur and Nagaur, livestock population is more than the human
population
Policy Q. Can we ensure fodder security to increasing livestock population???

15. CONCLUSION
 There is an urgent need for people and planners to recognize
desertification as a pressing problem in the Western Dry Region of
Rajasthan.
 increased burden on land arising from agriculture based activities is
likely to adversely affect the efforts to arrest desertification in the belt.
 There is an urgent need for policy interventions to prevent
desertification due to human activities particularly in the more
developed districts of the region as they are worse off in terms of
various indicators that are directly related to desertification and land
degradation.

16. THANK YOU