A case study of agricultural sustainability in an arid clear-felled site : a cautionary note

By maintaining plantation for 14 years, a difficult site Village Dhanawas, District Gurgaon, Haryana in arid Aravalli hlls was reclaimed. The plantation was a major fodder source but was clear-felled in 1999 and leased out for agriculture. Freshly reclaimed site had potential of sustainable higher yields. The inputs used in the site and the income generation were studied for two years to assess the agricultural sustainability. The lessee farmer made enormous savings and earned handsome profits from crops. The farmer's benefits were compared with those of three farmers cultivating adjoining fields. Although the advantage of the site amelioration was still evident in second year, but the fall in the monetary advantages indicated that benefit of site amelioration may be threatened. However, maintenance of sustainable yields may require additional periodic external inputs and rejuvenation.