Ravine Erosion and Livelihoods in Semi-arid India: Implications for Socioeconomic Development. (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pani, Padmini
• Is Part Of: Journal of Asian and African studies. Volume 53:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 437
• Page End: 454
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: Ravine erosion -- socioeconomic development -- Chambal badlands -- Semi-arid India -- land degradation -- ravine morphology; Social change -- Africa -- Periodicals; Social change -- Asia -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Africa -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Asia -- Periodicals; Africa -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; Asia -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; Africa -- Periodicals; Asia -- Periodicals; 950
• DOI: 10.1177/0021909616689798
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9096

Abstract

The ravines found along the Chambal River are among the most severe types of gully erosion found in semi-arid India. This paper estimates the extent and areal expansion of ravines over 40 years in the Lower Chambal Valley and provides a classification scheme to understand ravine characteristics in the region. To examine the implications of ravines on socioeconomic development and livelihoods of the people in the area, a mixed method approach has been followed. A combination of spatial and statistical tests has been run to examine the overall status of land degradation and its impact in the area concerned. Village-level socioeconomic data have been integrated with physical and environmental parameters in a GIS environment, which has been supplemented with findings from a qualitative survey in a few villages of the study region. The results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between indices of natural resources availability and socioeconomic development. A majority of villages within ravines were found to be very poor in development. In this fragile environment, people's livelihoods are being adversely affected because of land degradation.