Context:
Land Use and Land Cover Atlas of India released
LULC Atlas:
- Released by – National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
- Objective – To systematically examine land utilization patterns to offer invaluable insights into the evolving dynamics of our environment.
Key Highlights:
- Over the past 17 years, Kharif and Rabi cropland has expanded by 46.06% and 35.23% respectively, as fallow land diminished by 45.19%.
- Double/ triple/ annual cropping areas have also increased by 82.22%.
- Double/ triple crop land are areas where crops are sown and harvested twice/ thrice in one crop year.
- Annual crop are perennial and grow throughout year such as sugarcane
- Since 2005, shifting cultivation increased until 2016- 17, after which it witnessed a decline.
- Minimum water body surface showed an increase by 146 % since 2005.
- Built-up land shows an increase with an overall growth of 30.77% since 2005.
- Built-up area refers to an area with buildings, paved surfaces, commercial and industrial sites, and urban green areas.
Source: NRSC
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following best describes the concept of ‘Small Farmer Large Field?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Resettlement of a large number of people, uprooted from their countries due to war, by giving them a large cultivable land which they cultivate collectively and share the produce
(b) Many marginal farmers in an area organize themselves into groups and synchronize and harmonize selected agricultural operations
(c) Many marginal farmers in an area together make a contract with a corporate body and surrender their land to the corporate body for a fixed term for which the corporate body makes a payment of agreed amount to the farmers
(d) A company extends loans, technical knowledge and material inputs to a number of small farmers in an area so that they produce the agricultural commodity required by the company for its manufacturing process and commercial production
Answer: (b)
