Growing Populations, Changing Landscapes Studies from India, China, and the United States (2001) / Chapter Skim
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6. Population and Land Use in Haryana
6. Population and Land Use in Haryana
Pages 107-144
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From page 107... ...
For them, two key issues are food security the ability of nations to feed their growing numbers of citizens and the sustainability of agricultural systems in the face of intensified cultivation, the rising use of chemical inputs, and the increasing pressure on already scarce water resources. Because the relationships among population growth, land use, and sustainability of resources are complex, exploration of these relationships must depend on detailed, region-specific studies and cross-regional comparisons.
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From page 108... ...
Intensity of land use in the two regions does not differ significantly, yet agriculture in the semiarid region is dominated by the cultivation of highyielding, high-value crops such as rice and wheat, which accounted for 58.3 percent of the gross cropped area in 1991-1992. By contrast, in the same year a large proportion of the cropped area (63.4 percent)
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From page 109... ...
Rice and wheat together accounted for only 12.6 percent and 40.2 percent of gross cropped area in the arid and semiarid zones, respectively.
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From page 110... ...
Its death rate for the same period was 8.6 per thousand persons, which is lower than the national average of 9.8. Combining these rates results in a natural growth rate for 1991-1996 of 23.3 per thousand persons for Haryana compared with 19.4 for India.
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From page 111... ...
1992-1993. National Family Health Survey-Haryana.
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From page 112... ...
112 of ._, H 5V)
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From page 113... ...
Haryana 1.90 0.42 -1.51 0.40 Arid region 1.63 -0.58 -0.70 -0.04 Semiarid region 2.00 0.77 -2.14 0.81 Central tract 2.03 0.31 -2.70 0.58 Southern tract 1.96 1.40 -0.53 1.38 aRefers to people residing in Haryana whose last place of residence was outside Haryana (all durations) that is, in-migration is net of migration across districts within Haryana.
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From page 114... ...
Statistical Abstract of Haryana (various issues) for rural and urban population, net sown area, landholding, and household data; (4)
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From page 115... ...
Nearly 40 percent of the rural population is concentrated in villages with populations under 5,000. CHANGES IN LAND USE This section describes the history of agricultural development in Haryana since 1950, reports the results of a state-level analysis of changes in land use, examines how cropping patterns have changed over time, and compares the practices and effects of the Green Revolution in the two major agroecological regions of the state.2 Agricultural Development of Haryana since 1950: Five Phases Haryana is primarily an agricultural region; more than 80 percent of its area is classified as net sown area.
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From page 117... ...
The national government implemented measures to facilitate the adoption of the new Green Revolution technology and to procure food from surplus areas such as Haryana, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh.3 Diffusion of Green Revolution technology was facilitated by the creation of infrastructure, including private investment in irrigation sources, and government regulation of wheat prices. These activities benefited the economy of Haryana.
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From page 118... ...
According to the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) , which classifies soil by its physical and chemical degradation, one-third of the land area of Haryana has degraded soil, of which 23 percent suffers from mediumlevel degradation and 5 percent from high-level degradation (Table 6-8~.
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From page 119... ...
of India specifies that not less than 2 percent of the land area of each district should be classified as forest cover. A combination of government policies, population pressures, and available technological options are responsible for other types of changes
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From page 120... ...
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From page 122... ...
The decline in area classified as permanent pastures and grazing land is a direct result of the increased population pressure from both humans and animals. Permanent pastures and grazing land declined by 30,000 hectares between 1970 and 1990.
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From page 123... ...
Pulse production, however, declined from 682,000 tonnes to 273,000 tonnes over the same period. In Haryana, where more than 80 percent of the total reported area is utilized by cropping systems, farmers individually own and operate small TABLE 6-10 Shifts in Cropping Patterns, Haryana, 1960-1990 (thousand hectares)
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From page 124... ...
While conversion of the agricultural land to purposes other than agricultural is generally not permitted, farmers do make almost all the other decisions related to crop production and allocation of land. Effects of the Green Revolution on the Arid and Semiarid Regions Haryana is a relatively small state in area, but, like other states, its climate, rainfall, soils, and infrastructure development vary widely across districts.
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From page 125... ...
Even in the arid region, which is less favorable for agriculture, the area devoted to rice cultivation increased from 19,000 hectares in 1971 to 64,000 hectares in 1991 (Table 6-13~. In both regions the area under wheat, the dominant cereal in the state, increased substantially between 1971 and 1991.
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From page 126... ...
TABLE 6-14 Area Under Major Crops as Percentage of Gross Cropped Area by Region, Haryana, 1971-1991 Cereals Pulses Oilseed Cotton Sugarcane Total 1971 Arid region 40.8 32.9 4.4 9.7 0.6 88.3 Semiarid region 63.7 17.8 2.9 1.5 3.4 89.3 Central tract 65.8 14.5 2.0 1.9 3.5 87.6 Southern tract 61.2 21.8 4.0 1.0 3.3 91.4 All Haryana 54.5 23.9 3.5 4.8 2.3 88.9 1981 Arid region 39.0 30.9 4.8 10.5 0.4 85.5 Semiarid region 69.3 9.3 2.8 1.6 4.2 87.3 Central tract 71.2 7.7 1.8 1.9 4.7 87.3 Southern tract 65.3 12.8 5.1 0.9 3.2 87.3 All Haryana 55.5 19.1 3.7 5.7 2.5 86.5 1991 Arid region 43.4 11.3 17.6 18.2 0.3 90.8 Semiarid region 68.1 3.6 8.7 2.0 4.9 87.2 Central tract 71.6 2.8 4.3 2.4 5.4 86.6 Southern tract 58.9 5.5 19.7 0.9 3.6 88.8 All Haryana 57.2 7.0 12.6 9.1 2.9 88.8 SOURCE: Prepared by the author based on district-level data obtained from Statistical Abstract of Haryana (various issues)
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From page 127... ...
Cereals Pulses Oilseed Cotton Sugarcane 1971 Arid region 1,001.9 476 547.9 351.2 4,621.8 Semiarid region 1,577.7 683 575.2 218.7 4,476.6 Central tract 1,842.5 707 585.7 209.5 4,594.3 Southern tract 1,224.8 664 568.8 240.0 4,321.3 All Haryana 1,403.9 568 561.4 326.9 4,491.7 1981 Arid region 1,352.8 319 696.8 366.7 3,153.2 Semiarid region 1,953.8 287 692.9 280.0 4,037.3 Central tract 2,180.5 180 725.2 285.4 3,941.2 Southern tract 1,423.6 426 668.0 255.9 4,343.8 All Haryana 1,761.1 311 695.2 353.4 3,969.7 1991 Arid region 2,479.5 660 1,102.4 471.3 5,588.2 Semiarid region 2,903.7 806 1,046.2 301.8 5,626.2 Central tract 3,115.5 912 1,233.1 316.4 5,778.7 Southern tract 2,246.9 670 941.2 207.3 5,046.7 All Haryana 2,762.4 702 1,080.7 450.7 5,624.6 SOURCE: Prepared by the author based on district-level data obtained from Statistical Abstract of Haryana (various issues)
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From page 128... ...
By contrast, in 1971 the cotton yield in the arid region was greater than that in the semiarid region, and the difference had increased further by 1991. The semiarid region has more advanced irrigation and agricultural technology than the arid region as indicated by the number of tube wells and tractors per thousand hectares of net sown area utilized by the semiarid region from 1971 to 1991.
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From page 129... ...
The decline in the water table is more marked in the semiarid region than in the arid region. The semiarid region, which has good groundwater quality, derives approximately 80 percent of water for irrigation and drinking purposes from subsurface sources.
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From page 130... ...
In Kurukshetra the water table declined from 8.2 meters in 1974 to 17.8 meters in 1994 (Table 6-18~. The phenomenon of a declining water table is not confined to the semiarid region.
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From page 131... ...
The underlying problem is that profit-driven farmers are making excessive use of groundwater through tube wells. The problem of faulty drainage calls for appropriate technical solutions.6 Waterlogging and Salinization In contrast to the emerging water scarcity in Haryana's semiarid region, the water table is rising elsewhere in the state, primarily in the arid region.
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From page 132... ...
Of the total estimated irrigation demand, approximately 65 percent will be met by groundwater resources, the rest by surface water and rainfall. The model indicates that when demand for drinking water is given priority, the total demand for water for irrigation purposes is constrained by the supply over the simulation period.
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From page 133... ...
Artificial recharge, efficient irrigation practices, and a watershed management approach that saves and mobilizes water resources have long been implemented in Haryana, but it is essential to continue these operations. Moreover, information should be adequately disseminated on optimum irrigation scheduling and efficient irrigation practices in the case of waterintensive crops, with the objective of conserving water without a negative impact on crop yields.
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From page 134... ...
At present, the state government provides subsidized electricity to farmers based on a flat rate structure. The government might consider following a more rational pricing policy, based on a unit rate, that would prevent exploitation and misuse of water resources.9 Moreover, if consumers were aware of the growing water scarcity in the region, they might find higher electricity charges more acceptable, provided the power supply is uninterrupted.
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From page 135... ...
In terms of total household expenditures, the overall share of food declined in rural areas from 73 percent in 1972 to 63 percent in 1993 and in urban areas from 65 percent to 55 percent. The share of cereal grains in total food expenditure declined from 63 percent in 1972 to 1lThe section on household consumption is largely based on surveys on "Consumer Expenditure in India," carried out in Haryana between 1972 and 1993 by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO)
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From page 136... ...
An important feature of the food consumption pattern TABLE 6-20 Changes in Pattern of Household Expenditures, India, 1972 and 1993 (current prices) Rural Urban 1972 1993 1972 1993 Percent share of total expenditure Food 72.8 63.2 64.5 54.7 Nonfood 27.2 36.8 35.5 45.3 Percent share of total food expenditure Foodgrains 63.1 44.8 42.1 31.7 Fruits and vegetables 6.3 12.3 9.9 14.8 Livestock products 13.4 20.3 19.5 24.1 Edible oil 4.9 7.0 7.5 8.0 Sugar 5.2 4.8 5.6 4.3 Spices and salt 3.8 4.2 3.5 3.8 Beverages and refreshments 3.3 6.6 11.8 13.2 SOURCE: Sarvekshana, Vol.
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From page 137... ...
Dairy products have replaced cereal grains as the most important component of food expenditure in both rural and urban areas. Trends in Livestock The rapid growth of agriculture has significantly shifted the pattern of household food consumption in favor of livestock products, particularly milk.
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From page 138... ...
Changes in the livestock population in recent decades are attributable to several factors (Table 6-22~. Intensive cultivation of wheat and rice after the spread of the Green Revolution necessitated rapid completion of tillage and sowing operations.
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From page 139... ...
The National Family Health Survey indicates that fertility rates are lower among women in urban areas than those in rural areas and are inversely proportional to the level of education of women (Table 6-23~. Furthermore, urban households have lower infant mortality rates than rural households.
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From page 140... ...
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From page 141... ...
The driving forces behind land use change in both semiarid and arid regions are increased cultivation intensity, utilization of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, and high inputs of fertilizer and water. Other forces are infrastructure development, private investment in irrigation sources, and a wheat/rice support policy regulated by the government of India.
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From page 142... ...
The policies related to infrastructure development and pricing of crop inputs and outputs seem to be the most crucial. While the Green Revolution has contributed to achieving food security in Haryana as well as in the country at large, environmental constraints arising out of the shifts in cropping patterns in favor of crop rotation such as rice-wheat are beginning to surface.
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From page 143... ...
P Motiramani Memorial Lecture and Panel Discussion on Agricultural Water Management: Issues and Priorities, October 21, 1995, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.
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From page 144... ...
1997. Strategy for Water Logging and Flood Control in Canal Commands of the Semiarid Region.
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