And Its Control

DESERT~FICATION AND ITS CONTROL Released on the occasion oi THE UN CONFERENCE ON DESERTIFICATION, NAIROBI 29 August -9 September, 1977 !CAR INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH NEW DELHI PRINTED AUGUST 1977 Chief Editor: P. L. JAISWAL Associates: RAJINDER SINGH N. N. CHHABRA KRISHNA SUNDARARAMAN Chief ofProduction: KRISHAN KUMAR Production Assistant: J. B. MEHRA Dy. Chief Artist: M. K. BARDHAN Senior Artist: RAJENDRA MOHAN Printed in India by Megh Raj at Model Press (P) Ltd., 6-E, Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi-llOOS5, and published by S. S. Grewal, Under-Secretary, for the Indian Council of Agricultural Researcb New Delhi-l10001. FOREWORD I am happy that the Indian Council of Research Institute was established at Agricultural Research is bringing out a Jodhpur in 1959 to conduct basic and publication on "Desertification and Its applied researches on the problems of arid Control" on the occasion of the United areas. As a result of the intensive work Nations Conference on Desertification. I carried out at this Institute, considerable would like to congratulate the United experience has been gained on different Nations and its specialized agencies for aspects of the problem. The scientific and focusing attention on this important technical basis for dryland agriculture and problem. horticulture, grassland management, live About one-third of the world's land stock farming, afforestation and water surface today is in the grip of deserts. The harvesting have been explored with a fair man-made deserts alone, total about 9.1 degree of success. Operational research million sq km in area. In India, the projects have also been initiated in the arid zone occupies nearly 12 per cent of arid areas of Rajasthan to expedite effec the total area sustaining a human popula tive transfer of technology. tion of over 19 millions and livestock of However, despite useful contributions over 23 millions. According to a recent and efforts by research organisations, we study on Desertification completed at the have not been able to achieve a significant Central Arid Zone Research Institute, it breakthrough on the development front. has been found that 4.35 per cent of A major reason for this is the lack of an western Rajasthan has already been affec integrated approach. The available scien ted by the processes of desertification and tific information on the rational use of that another 76 per cent area is modera eco-system resources are yet to be conver tely vulnerable to desertification. ted into action programmes. The develop An important factor in the accentuation ment of the desert area, thus, is a major of desert condition is the escalation of task which covers programmes under human and livestock population. The many disciplines and consequently several human population in the Rajasthan desert departments. In view of its magnitude itself has increased from 3.42 millions in and complexity, it is important to have 1901 to 8.84 millions in 1971. In fact, the comprehensive time-phased plans of de Indian desert is one of the most thickly velopment with a clear knowledge of re populated among the desert areas of the lative priorities. world. The ultimate success of all our pro During the past few years, several grammes will depend on the extent of in studies on the problems of arid zone volvement of the desert people themselves have been promoted by international who have been fighting for survival bra organisations such as the UNESCO and ving the sun, wind and lack of water over F AO. In India, the Central Arid Zone the centuries. Backed by science and iii FOREWORD technology they can bring about the re control. The message of the papers is quired transformation. clear, namely, "Given the will and appro I hope the papers contained in the book priate action, the desert can bloom": It will be found useful by all interested in is now up to everyone concerned to take the problems of desertification and its action to convert the potential into reality. New Delhi SURJIT SINGH BARNA LA 26 July, 1977 Union Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation PREFACE THE arid zone of India occupies an area fit only for forestry or range management, of 3.2 lakh sq km of hot desert, mostly land is increasingly being brought under in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and cropping. The areas cropped rose from Karnataka and 0.7 lakh sq km of cold 26 per cent in 1960 to 38 per cent in 1970, desert in Ladakh. In Ladakh, extreme thus extending cultivation even to sub aridity combined with low temperature marginal areas. Thirdly, the area under limits the possibility of growing crops to forests is only 2 per cent although the ex about 5 months in a year. Hence, the tent of land classified under barren un strategy for agricultural development in cultivable waste is 28 per cent and cultu Ladakh has to depend largely on the cul ral waste is 18 per cent, all of which could tivation of qUick-growing cereals, oil seeds be planted with tree species like Acacia and fodder crops and the rearing of goats, tortilis, Prosopis juliflora and Eucalyptus giving Pashmina wool. The hot desert sp. Fruit trees like ber (Zizyphus mauritiana) regions, in contrast, have an abundance of and pomegranate can also be grown. sunshine, land and soils capable of respon Afforestation has to be the focal point ding to management, well-adapted grasses for reclaiming the desert. Techniques for and trees, excellent breeds of sheep, goat soil and water conservation and for sand and cattle, and considerable reserves of dune stabiliza ion are fortunately avail ground-water. Water and not land, is able today. Large scale planting of shel the principal limiting factor and hence all ter-belts could help to minimise wind attempts have to be focused on maximi erosion and decrease the dust over the sing income per litre of water This will dese:t. Scope for the establishment of ~e possible only if the ecological balance pastures and grazing lands is great and ]s not further disturbed and a proper land strip cropping involving the setting up of use pattern is adopted. permanent grass strips to prevent wind Let me cite three examples to illustrate damage will help to increase the yield of the trends which are aggravating the un crops like bajra (Pennisetum typhoides) and favourable consequences of aridity. First, moong (Vigna radiata) substantially. If the area used exclusively for grazing in steps of this kind can be taken, it may be Western. ~ajasthan has dropped from possible for the nomadic tribes to start 13.09 millIOn hectares to I 1.04 million leading a more settled life. he?tares during 1951-61, while the popu Rajasthan has many fine breeds of latIOn of grazing animals increased during sheep and research has shown that appro the same period from 9.4 millions to 14.4 priate cross-breeding procedures can help milli.ons. The same trend of diminishing to improve the yield and quality of wool wazmg area and rapidly expanding graz a,d of mutton. Fortunately, techniques mg. population is persisting. Secondly, for arti ficial insemination have been de whlle most of the land in the arid zone is veloped and hence more widespread gene- v PREFACE tic improvement programmes are possible. bad season or to derive maximum ad An important need in the desert areas vantage from a good season. For example, is the preservation of organic matter for 1977, because of the good monsoon, pro the soil. Unfortunately, due to deficiency vides a unique opportunity for planting of fuel, the available organic wastes are in the desert a large number of trees and generally used for burning and trees are for seeding large areas with grasses. In cut in an unplanned manner. It is here spite of the shallow nature of the soils and that more extensive research and extension the calcium carbonate pans which occur efforts on the utilization of solar energy in the subsoil, thereby increasing run-off for purposes like heating. cooking, light and reducing infiltration, abundant mois ing and distilling water will be of grea t ture will be available to facilitate the es value. Often in the desert areas, the tablishment of trees, shrubs and grasses. water is saline and people have to walk The present publication brought out on several miles every day to fetch sweet the occasion of the United Nations Con water. Solar stills to produce water for ference on Desertification provides a drinking in such area will be a great boon synoptic account of the work done in to the villagers. India on problems relating to the Rajas Sophisticated techniques for raising than desert. I am grateful to Dr H.S. crops in desert a'reas with very limited Mann, Director, Central Arid Zone Re quantities of water are now becoming search Institute, Jodhpur and his band of available. These involve cultivation of devoted scientists of CAZRI as well as to vegetables and high-value crops under air the other contributors to this volume for inflated polyethylene houses using econo the trouble they have taken to prepare the mic methods of water supply like drip or material. Besides the editorial and pro sprinkler irrigation. Since the Lathi duction staff of ICAR whose names are aquifers of the Thar desert are rich, it listed in this volume, Dr K.S. Bedi served may be possible to develop efficient water as Honorary Editor and paid detailed use systems at least for raising community attention to the language aspect of the nurseries of different crops so that trans presentation. My sincere thanks are also planting can be done if there is a delayed due to him.

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