Satellite mapping identifies degraded scrubland as the biggest potential resource for agricultural reclamation, but researchers caution against blanket conversion.
SHILLONG, Oct 22: Meghalaya has about 3.4 lakh hectares of land classified as cultivable wasteland, accounting for 15.2% of the state’s geographical area, according to a new study that uses satellite imagery to identify areas with potential for agricultural reclamation.
The study, published in the Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International, mapped 3,40,673 hectares across Meghalaya using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.
Researchers from North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Tura, and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), Umiam, found that sparsely vegetated scrubland accounted for the largest share of the identified wasteland, covering more than 2.06 lakh hectares.
The findings could help planners identify degraded land for further assessment and explore ways to expand agricultural production without placing additional pressure on existing farmland.
However, the researchers stressed that the mapped areas should not be treated as land ready for immediate cultivation.
Scrubland accounts for nearly 90% of mapped wasteland
The study, titled Identification of Cultivable Wastelands in Meghalaya, India Using Geospatial Technology for Agricultural Reclamation, was conducted by Ronak Meena, Chandan Goswami, C. P. Suresh and Akmaul Hoque.
Using satellite imagery from 2025–26, the researchers classified the identified wasteland into four categories: sparse scrubland, dense scrubland, shifting cultivation areas and grasslands or grazing lands.
Sparse scrubland emerged as the dominant category, covering 2,06,595 hectares, or 60.64% of the mapped wasteland.
Dense scrubland accounted for another 99,489 hectares, while areas classified as shifting cultivation covered 34,331 hectares. Grasslands and grazing lands made up a relatively small 258 hectares.
Together, the two scrubland categories accounted for nearly 90% of the identified wasteland.
The researchers assigned sparse scrubland the highest reclamation priority, followed by dense scrubland. The lower vegetation density of sparse scrubland could make restoration and land preparation comparatively easier, they said.
Satellite maps offer a starting point for land planning
The researchers used multispectral satellite data and GIS analysis to identify and map the different land categories across the state.
The classification was assessed against 200 reference samples, with 172 correctly classified, giving the map an overall accuracy of 86%.
The resulting maps provide a state-level inventory that could help government agencies and land managers identify areas for more detailed investigation.
The researchers said the information could support agricultural planning, land restoration and resource management, including future assessments for horticulture and other forms of cultivation.
But the study does not establish which crops could be grown on the identified land, nor does it calculate the economic returns from reclamation.
Reclamation must account for Meghalaya’s terrain and ecology
The researchers cautioned that identifying land as cultivable wasteland does not mean it is suitable for immediate conversion into farmland.
Meghalaya’s rugged terrain, heavy rainfall and vulnerability to soil erosion make careful assessment essential before any reclamation work is undertaken.
Some sparsely vegetated areas may have steep slopes, shallow soil, poor drainage or limited water availability. Clearing vegetation without appropriate safeguards could also increase erosion and damage ecological functions.
The study further notes that shifting cultivation is linked to local agricultural practices and livelihoods. Such areas should not automatically be regarded as degraded land requiring conversion to permanent agriculture.
The researchers recommended that satellite-based identification be followed by field verification and detailed assessment of soil conditions, slope, rainfall, water availability, land ownership and local livelihood dependence.
The study’s reclamation priority scores are intended as preliminary screening indicators, not guarantees that agricultural conversion will succeed.
The findings provide Meghalaya with a broad picture of potentially reclaimable land. The next challenge is to determine which areas can support agriculture without undermining soil conservation, biodiversity and traditional land-use practices.
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