Analysis of Land use Efficiency Pattern in Bara Tehsil of Prayagraj District

Shailendra Kumar¹, D. K. Tripathi²

¹Research Scholar, Department of Geography, Rana Pratap P.G. College, Sultanpur, U.P.

²Principal, Rana Pratap P.G. College, Sultanpur, U.P.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: dr.nalinseth123@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

There are 2 development blocks and 19 Nyaya Panchayats in Bara Tehsil of Prayagraj district. Due to various social, economic and physical factors, spatial disparity in land use is observed in the study area Bara Tehsil. Due to this reason, spatial disparity is also observed in land use efficiency at Nyaya Panchayat level in the tehsil. The main objective of this research paper is to analyze the spatial pattern of land use efficiency at Nyaya Panchayat level in the tehsil, and for these 5 factors have been taken as the base. General ranking method has been used to determine land use efficiency for Nyaya Panchayats. The presented research paper is based on secondary data, which has been obtained from the Census Handbook of Prayagraj district. According to this study, in the study area Bara Tehsil, Nyaya Panchayat Lotadh has the highest land use efficiency while Amagodar Nyaya Panchayat has the lowest.

KEYWORDS: Land Use, Spatial Disparity, Ranking, Natural Resources, Sustanibility.

INTRODUCTION:

Land is a valuable natural resource that provides essential food, fuel, fodder and various other facilities to all human beings and animals (NRSA, 2007). Land is a limited, non-renewable, fragmented resource that has been used by human civilization since ancient times for food supply and housing (Lal, R., 1995). Land is the basis of all human activities, and human prosperity depends on the optimal use of land (Young, 1998).

The history of land use can be considered to have started with the idea of land use map by Carl O. Souver in 1919. In 1925, Whittelesey mentioned that land use survey should reflect the interrelationship between cultural and natural environment. In 1930, Sir Laurence Dudley Stamp prepared a plan for land use survey in Britain and this plan was implemented in the whole of Britain in 1931. Dr Stamp's book 'The Land of Britain: Its Use and Misuse' was published in 1962 in which he gave a comparative analysis of past land use in England and Wales. Poland's Prof. Jiwenski (1947) and Prof. J. Kostrowicki (1968) also emphasized on land use analysis. Classification of land use in India started with the efforts of P. Mahalanobis, S.P. Chatterjee (1941) and M. Shafi (1956) took initiative in this direction. Shafi (1956) surveyed 12 villages of Uttar Pradesh which holds an important place in this field. In 1959 V.L.S. Prakash Rao prepared land use map and presented methodology. In 1964 M. Shafi did a detailed study of land use of Ganga-Yamuna Doab on the basis of statistical and quantitative method.

Land use efficiency is a critical concept in sustainable development, referring to the optimal utilization of land resources to maximize productivity while minimizing environmental impact. As global populations continue to rise and urbanization accelerates, the demand for land, whether for agriculture, housing, infrastructure, or industry, has intensified. Consequently, the effective management of land resources has become imperative to meet the needs of a growing population without compromising ecological integrity.

Efficient land use is particularly relevant in the context of agriculture, where the challenge lies in balancing food production with environmental stewardship. Traditional farming practices often lead to land degradation, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity, emphasizing the need for strategies that promote higher yields while preserving natural ecosystems. By adopting practices such as crop rotation, agro-forestry and precision agriculture, land use efficiency can be enhanced, ensuring sustainable productivity over the long term.

Land use efficiency of an area is an indicator of growth and development in land use and is the centre of land related problems and policies (Barlow and Johnson, 1954). It reveals the presence and combination of various elements present in any area or landmass which is variable. Providing food grains for the rapidly increasing population is still a challenge. Due to over exploitation of natural resources many problems like soil erosion, environmental degradation etc. are arising. Due to urbanization, land use is rapidly increasing towards non-agricultural activities such as housing, transportation, industry, retail trade and service activities etc. At present, due to increasing population pressure and increase in land used in non-agricultural activities, it has become essential to make optimum use of the available agricultural land.

Study Area:

Prayagraj is divided into 7 tehsils (Soraon, Phulpur, Handia, Meja, Karchana, Koraon, Bara) and one urban area Sadar. Study area Bara tehsil has two development blocks - Jasra and Shankargarh. Jasra block covers 36.4% of the tehsil area and Shankargarh block covers the remaining area. The total area of Bara tehsil is 744 km², out of which 735.85² km is rural area and the remaining 8.36km² is urban area. There are about 325 villages in Bara tehsil, out of which 114 villages are located in Jasra block and 211 villages in Shankargarh block. There are a total of 19 Nyaya Panchayats, out of which 9 are in Jasra and 11 in Shankargarh block (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Location Map of the study area Bara tehsil

Bara tehsil is located in the transition zone between Yamuna and Tons rivers in the southwest of Prayagraj district. The latitudinal extension of Bara tehsil is between 25⁰ 2' 30" to 25⁰ 22' 30" north latitude and longitudinal extension is between 81⁰ 31' to 81⁰ 50' east latitude and its area is about 744km². The length of the study area is 33.82km from east to west and width is 33.77km from north to south. Bara tehsil is connected to Prayagraj city in the north, Karchana tehsil in the east, Meja and Koraon tehsils in the south-east. Rewa region of Madhya Pradesh state is situated to the south of Bara tehsil, Chitrakoot in the south-west and Kaushambi district in the west.

The population of Bara Tehsil consists of a mix of communities, primarily engaged in agriculture and related activities. Major crops include wheat, rice, pulses, and sugarcane, along with a variety of fruits and vegetables. The agricultural practices in the region are often traditional, but there is potential for the adoption of modern techniques to improve productivity.

Despite its agricultural potential, Bara Tehsil faces challenges such as water management issues, seasonal flooding, and land degradation due to intensive farming practices. Additionally, socio-economic factors and access to markets can impact the livelihoods of local farmers. However, the region's geographical advantages, coupled with potential infrastructural development and educational initiatives, present opportunities for sustainable growth.

OBJECTIVES:

The following are the main objectives of the present paper:

1. To study the factors affecting land use efficiency in the study area.

2. To analyse the spatial pattern of land use efficiency.

3. To study the interrelationship between land use efficiency and level of development.

DATA SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY:

The presented research paper is based on secondary data. The secondary data used in this research paper has been obtained from the Census handbook of Prayagraj district. Tables, maps and charts have been prepared with the help of computer. Arc GIS software has been used for the preparation of the map. General ranking method has been used for determining land use efficiency for each Nyaya Panchayat.

The following factors have been taken as the base for assessing land use efficiency:

Table 1: Factors selected for assessing land use efficiency

Variables	Selected factors
X₁	Barren land
X₂	Agricultural wasteland
X₃	Present fallow
X₄	Actual sown area
X₅	Spatial distribution of irrigation

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

In the study area Bara tehsil, due to various social, economic and physical factors, spatial disparity in land use is observed. Due to this reason, spatial disparity in land use efficiency is also observed at the Nyaya Panchayat level in the tehsil. To find out the spatial disparity in land use efficiency on Nyaya Panchayat level, 5 factors have been selected, which are shown in Table 1.

Table 2: Percentage value of selected factors in total reported area by Nyaya Panchayat Source: District Prayagraj, Census Handbook 2011

Block	Nyay Panchayat	Nyaya Panchayat wise percentage value of factors in total reported area (%)
Block	Nyay Panchayat	Barren land	Agricultural wasteland	Present fallow	Actual sown area	Spatial distribution of irrigation
Jasra	Manpur	10.66	.25	1.57	64.40	44.71
	Tikri Kalan	9.43	6.94	1.31	63.77	87.95
	Parsara	0.90	0.36	1.89	78.24	68.25
	Jasra	2.02	1.28	4.74	80.43	77.76
	Ghurpur	4.99	3.00	10.07	67.43	52.44
	Kanti	1.29	1.46	10.43	78.50	99.44
	Asarwai	1.99	1.04	2.20	82.27	95.75
	Lotarh	0.63	0.13	0.49	85.28	89.35
	Gauhani	2.15	3.04	2.37	77.85	74.83
Shankargarh	Bhatpura	2.96	0.98	6.63	62.84	63.85
	Golhaiya	6.13	0.65	3.22	64.20	66.68
	Nivi	16.37	1.17	4.33	28.52	57.42
	Amgodar	9.19	5.51	10.71	39.29	44.94
	Jorwat	1.85	0.99	2.64	48.16	86.55
	Sidhtikar	7.79	1.36	2.33	67.12	76.80
	Surwal Sahini	3.34	1.17	2.22	74.47	72.76
	Bashra Uperhar	7.98	0.69	2.55	79.97	82.53
	Nauriha Uperhar	0.99	0.28	5.91	74.87	43.45
	Lohra	0.16	0.31	1.18	66.91	56.44

Table 3: Calculation of Average rank coefficient for each Nyaya Panchayat

Block	Nyay Panchayat	Rank coefficient					Average Rank coefficient
Block	Nyay Panchayat	Barren land	Agricultural wasteland	Present fallow	Actual sown area	Spatial distribution of irrigation	Average Rank coefficient
Jasra	Manpur	2	18	16	7	2	9
	Tikri Kalan	3	1	17	5	15	8.2
	Parsara	17	15	15	14	9	14
	Jasra	12	7	6	17	13	11
	Ghurpur	8	4	3	10	4	5.8
	Kanti	15	5	2	15	19	11.2
	Asarwai	13	10	14	18	18	14.6
	Lotarh	18	19	19	19	17	18.4
	Gauhani	11	3	11	13	11	9.8
Shankargarh	Bhatpura	10	12	4	4	7	7.4
	Golhaiya	7	14	8	6	8	8.6
	Nivi	1	8	7	1	6	4.6
	Amgodar	4	2	1	2	3	2.4
	Jorwat	14	11	9	3	14	10.2
	Sidhtikar	6	6	12	9	12	9
	Surwal Sahini	9	9	13	11	10	10.4
	Bashra Uperhar	5	13	10	16	13	11.4
	Nauriha Uperhar	16	17	5	12	1	10.2
	Lohra	19	16	18	8	5	13.2

Land use efficiency in Bara tehsil has been determined on the basis of rank-coefficient method (Singh, 1977). For this, ranks have been determined by placing the percentage values of five elements of land use - cultivable wasteland, barren land, present fallow, actual sown area and spatial distribution of irrigation in ascending or descending order (Table 2). Of these, the highest percentage value of three indicators barren land, present fallow and cultivable wasteland, which show unfavorable conditions for agriculture, has been given 1 mark and the lowest percentage value has been given 19 marks (because the number of Nyay Panchayats is 19).

The highest percentage value of the other two indicators, actual sown area and spatial distribution of irrigation, has been given 19 marks and the lowest percentage value has been given 1 mark, because both these indicators show favorable conditions for agriculture. After this, the average rank coefficient of each Nyay Panchayat has been obtained by dividing it by 5 (Table 3). After analysing the average rank coefficient calculated for each Nyaya Panchayat using the five indicators taken for the study, the spatial distribution pattern of land use efficiency has been divided into four categories high, medium, medium low and low with the help of standard deviation method (Table 4).

High Category:

3 Nyaya Panchayats namely Lotadh (18.4), Asarvai (14.6) and Parsara (14) are included in the high category. Due to abundance of actual sown area and irrigated agricultural land in these Nyaya Panchayats, these have been included in the high category.

Medium Category:

7 Nyaya Panchayats namely Jorwat (10.2), Lohara (13.2), Surwal Sahini (10.4), Bashar Uparhar (11.4), Nauriha Uparhar (10.2), Jasra (11) and Kanti (11.2) are included in the medium category.

Medium Low Category:

6 Nyay Panchayats namely Sidh Tikar (9), Tikri Kalan (8.2), Gauhani (9.8), Bhatpura (7.4), Golhaiya (8.6), Manpur (9) are included under medium low category. In these Nyay Panchayats, the actual sown area and irrigated agricultural land is of medium low category.

Low Category:

3 Nyay Panchayats namely Neevi (4.6), Ghurpur (5.8), Amgodar (2.4) are included under low category. In these Nyay Panchayats, the actual sown area and irrigated agricultural land is low and due to abundance of barren land, fallow land and cultivable waste land, they have been included in the lower category.

Figure 2: Land Use Efficiency Pattern Map of Bara Tehsil

CONCLUSION:

Land use efficiency in any area is affected by various social, economic and physical factors. In the study area Bara tehsil, there is a lot of disparity in the spatial distribution of land use efficiency. Due to availability of water resource base, abundance of actual sown area and good irrigation facilities, land use efficiency is of high category in Lotadh, Asarwai, Parsara Nyay Panchayats. There is a need to study the reasons for low land use efficiency in other Nyaya Panchayats and make better planning for their solution. In those Panchayats where there is more barren land, first of all, programs and techniques should be implemented for barren land improvement in those areas like use of gypsum, selection of suitable crop cycle, use of organic manure, use of green manure of dhaincha, proper arrangement of irrigation and drainage etc. In those Panchayats where irrigation facilities are of low category, watersheds, canals and ponds etc. should be constructed there and new techniques of rain water conservation like rainwater harvesting, check dams etc. should be adopted. By examining the principles and practices that underpin efficient land use, this study seeks to provide insights into how societies can effectively manage their land resources in a manner that fosters sustainability, economic viability, and social equity.

REFERENCES:

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Range	Rank	Number of Nyaya Panchayat	Nyaya Panchayat
> X̅+ σ (>13.62)	High	3	Parsara, Asarwai, Lotadh
X̅ to X̅+ σ (9.96 to 13.62)	Medium	7	Jorvat, Lohra, Surval Sahini, Bashra Uperhaar, Nauriha Uperhaar, Jasra, Kanti
X̅- σ to X̅ (6.3 to 9.96)	Medium Low	6	Sidhtikar, Tikri Kalan, Gauhani, Bhatpura, Golhaiya, Manpur
< X̅- σ(Below 6.3 )	Low	3	Nivi, Amgodar, Ghurpur