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The Thar DesertThar desert of IndiaLand management, spanning approximately 200,000 km2 in northwest India, is a critical ecological and socio-economic region characterized by an arid climateArid climate with 100–500 mm annual rainfall and high evapotranspirationEvapotranspiration rates exceeding 2500 mm. This chapter examines the region’s agricultural evolution, environmental impacts of land use changesLand use change, projected climate challenges, and resilience-building strategies to ensure sustainable land managementSustainable land management. Historically, the Thar transitioned from nomadic pastoralismPastoralism to modern irrigated agricultureIrrigated agriculture, driven by innovations like the Indira Gandhi CanalIndira Gandhi Canal, which irrigates 1.96 Mha and supports the majority of irrigated agricultureIrrigated agriculture in western RajasthanWestern Rajasthan. However, intensification has caused soil erosionSoil erosion (15–20 tons/ha annually), salinization (affecting 35% of irrigated lands), and biodiversity lossBiodiversity loss, with 75 plant species at risk. Climate changeClimate change, with projected 2.5–5.5 °C temperatureTemperature rises and 20–30% rainfall variability by 2100, threatens 18–22% yield declines and increased water scarcityWater scarcity, as groundwater extraction exceeds recharge by 182%. By integrating traditional knowledgeTraditional knowledge with modern technologies, the Thar offers a model for sustainable land managementSustainable land management in arid regionsArid regions, balancing ecological conservation with livelihoodsLivelihoods for its 30 million inhabitants.

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Transforming the Thar Desert of India: Land Management and Resilience in an Arid Environment

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Mahesh Kumar Gaur

摘要

The Thar DesertThar desert of IndiaLand management, spanning approximately 200,000 km2 in northwest India, is a critical ecological and socio-economic region characterized by an arid climateArid climate with 100–500 mm annual rainfall and high evapotranspirationEvapotranspiration rates exceeding 2500 mm. This chapter examines the region’s agricultural evolution, environmental impacts of land use changesLand use change, projected climate challenges, and resilience-building strategies to ensure sustainable land managementSustainable land management. Historically, the Thar transitioned from nomadic pastoralismPastoralism to modern irrigated agricultureIrrigated agriculture, driven by innovations like the Indira Gandhi CanalIndira Gandhi Canal, which irrigates 1.96 Mha and supports the majority of irrigated agricultureIrrigated agriculture in western RajasthanWestern Rajasthan. However, intensification has caused soil erosionSoil erosion (15–20 tons/ha annually), salinization (affecting 35% of irrigated lands), and biodiversity lossBiodiversity loss, with 75 plant species at risk. Climate changeClimate change, with projected 2.5–5.5 °C temperatureTemperature rises and 20–30% rainfall variability by 2100, threatens 18–22% yield declines and increased water scarcityWater scarcity, as groundwater extraction exceeds recharge by 182%. By integrating traditional knowledgeTraditional knowledge with modern technologies, the Thar offers a model for sustainable land managementSustainable land management in arid regionsArid regions, balancing ecological conservation with livelihoodsLivelihoods for its 30 million inhabitants.