Reclamation as a response to erosion

The Assam government’s move to reclaim land made available following the changes in the course of the Brahmaputra is a pragmatic step towards offsetting the vast tracts of agricultural land lost annually due to unabated erosion. While the state has experimented with a range of anti-erosion measures over the years, land reclamation as a complementary strategy has largely remained outside the state’s policy framework. Traditionally, riverine communities have been adopting land reclamation for seasonal farming or raising alternative crops, but these are largely confined to erosion-affected pockets. The low-income households rendered homeless due to erosion lack the required capital to invest in agriculture or other economic activities to optimally utilise the vast tracts of land made available due to shifts in the course of the Brahmaputra. Official data shows that the state’s land loss due to erosion is enormous – 8,000 hectares every year – further reducing the availability of cultivable land per capita, exacerbating the pressure on land due to population rise. Checking erosion must remain a priority to reverse this trend. Reclamation of land for agriculture and allied activities, such as ecotourism projects, is crucial for making agricultural activities along the riverbank sustainable and to generate alternative livelihood opportunities for households affected by erosion. The state government’s initiative to map land available along the river course and implement large-scale reclamation projects can significantly increase the agricultural land base. Such reclaimed land being fertile and rich in minerals can be ideal for boosting organic farm production in the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement that the state government will make decisions regarding projects to be undertaken on reclaimed land only after comprehensive scientific studies is a wiser decision. The scientific evaluation of the soil quality will help the state government to plan different projects on mapped reclaimed land depending on the suitability of the land for specific purposes. While the state government mobilises the required funding for large-scale projects, it is crucial to prioritise riverbank erosion mitigation to prevent further loss of land. A morphological study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, for the Central Water Commission brought to the fore that while the state lost an estimated 252 sq. km to erosion between 2003-2005 and 2008-2011, the deposition of sediment led to the creation of an estimated 118 sq. km. The figures highlight the multidimensional challenges posed by erosion caused by the mighty river and call for strengthening anti-erosion measures along its bankline. The impact of the engineered solution of the construction of bridges for road and railway connectivity on flow regime demands dynamically updating the scientific data on erosion and deposition to ensure the long-term economic viability and ecological sustainability of projects undertaken on reclaimed land. Traditional knowledge of riverine communities can provide important insights into the Brahmaputra’s behaviour and strengthen decision-making on utilisation of the reclaimed land. As reclaimed land forms part of the Brahmaputra’s floodplain, the vulnerability of agricultural and tourism projects on such land to flood and erosion risks will always be high, and this must be kept in mind while preparing detailed project reports. Dairy farming on sandbars of the Brahmaputra, which are formed by the continuous process of erosion and deposition, has long been a traditional livelihood activity. There is tremendous scope to bring this traditional community land reclamation practice under organised dairy farming with improved milk collection, market linkage, and branding. Milk produced in these unorganised dairy farms on permanent sandbars and reclaimed land are high in demand because of its superior quality ensured by abundance of nutritious green fodder for cattle and buffaloes. Combining the dairy farming activities with ecotourism activities like boat rides, camping on sandbars, bird watching, etc., can create diversified and sustainable livelihood opportunities for riverine communities. Depending on soil quality and ecological stability of reclaimed land, decisions regarding architectural design for any construction activities and structural features that are undertaken as part of the projects can be firm up to balance economic objectivity and environmental stability. Roping in agricultural experts is crucial finalising policy guidelines on identification of suitable crops and farming models to maximise the productive use of reclaimed land without compromising ecological stability and keeping in mind the potential loss of standing crop due to flood or erosion. The two-pronged approach of strengthening the embankments and exploring the reclaimed land is a rational and forward-looking approach and response to addressing both the causes and consequences of riverbank erosion. This has raised hopes for transforming the persistent challenge posed by alarming loss of land due to erosion caused by the Brahmaputra into an economic opportunity by widening the intervention to cope with this ecological challenge, which has remained largely outside the policy focus for decades. Assam has taken a decisive step from merely combating floods and erosion to new economic resource creation.