Technical Report on Greening and Restoration of Wastelands with Agroforestry (G.R.O.W) 2024
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NITI Aayog, Government of India
Abstract
The Technical Report on Greening and Restoration of Wastelands with Agroforestry (G.R.O.W) (2024) by NITI Aayog presents a geospatial analysis framework to identify and prioritize wastelands in India for agroforestry interventions. Using multi-thematic datasets — including land use/land cover, waterbodies, soil organic carbon, and slope — the study develops an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) to classify wastelands into highly suitable, moderately suitable, and less suitable categories. The report highlights that 2,07,455 sq.km (6.31% of TGA) are highly suitable and 1,62,372 sq.km (4.94% of TGA) are moderately suitable for agroforestry. States like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra emerge as top candidates for large-scale greening. The findings support India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, Bonn Challenge, UNCCD, and SDGs, while also contributing to national goals of 33% green cover and carbon sink creation.
Description
The G.R.O.W Technical Report (2024) is a comprehensive study by NITI Aayog that focuses on the greening and restoration of India’s wastelands through agroforestry. It describes how geospatial technologies and multi-thematic datasets—such as land use/land cover, waterbodies, soil organic carbon, and slope—were used to develop the Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI), which classifies wastelands into highly suitable, moderately suitable, and less suitable categories for agroforestry. The report highlights that India has 55.76 million hectares of wastelands, and converting these into agroforestry systems could triple the current agroforestry area, providing ecological, economic, and social benefits. It also emphasizes the role of agroforestry in meeting national and international commitments like the Paris Agreement, Bonn Challenge, UNCCD, and SDGs, while supporting rural livelihoods, enhancing biodiversity, and creating a carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes CO₂e by 2030.
Keywords
FORESTRY, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES and LANDSCAPE PLANNING
Citation
NITI Aayog. (2024). Technical Report on Greening and Restoration of Wastelands with Agroforestry (G.R.O.W). New Delhi: NITI Aayog. ISBN 978-81-956821-3-3.
