Question.
How do you measure total cultivable land?
(NCERT class 12 geography, India People and Economy, Chapter-5. Land Resources and Agriculture)
Answer.
The land which is suitable and available for agricultural purposes is called cultivable land. The total stock of agricultural land resources is known as total cultivable land.
Total cultivable land = net sown area + current fallow land + old fallow land( other than current fallow land) + cultivable waste land.
Net Sown Area:
- The land areas on which crops are sown and harvested are called net sown areas.
- The net sown area increased from 41.7% in 1950-51 to 45.5% in 2014-15.
Current fallow land:
- The land which is left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year is known as current fallow land. Leaving the land fallow to a single crop, the land regains its lost fertility through natural processes.
- The current fallow land has increased from 1950-51 to 2014-15. In the year 1950-51, it was 3.7% of the total land while in 2014-15 it increased to 4.9%.
Other than the current fallow (old fallow land):
- The land which is left uncultivated for more than one year but less than five years is known as "Other than the current fallow ".
- This land declined from 6.1% of the reporting areas in the year 1950-51 to 3.6% in the year 2014-15.
Cultivable Waste Land:
- The land which is left without cultivation for more than five years is called cultivable wasteland. By cultivating the land and giving fertilizers, it can be brought under cultivation.
- In the year 1950-51, cultivable waste land stood at 8% of the reporting area, while in the year 2014-15, it decreased from 8% to 4%.
The total cultivable land was 59.5% in 1950-51, while it declined to 58.0% in 2014-15 due to the transfer of cultivable land to non-agricultural activities.
You may like also:
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon