Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: A recent study identified 3,40,673.36 hectares of potentially cultivable wasteland across Meghalaya. This accounts for 15.2 per cent of the total state area. Researchers published these findings in the Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International this month. The team used multispectral satellite imagery from the LISS-IV sensor for the 2025-26 period.
Sparse scrubland dominates the findings. It covers 2,06,595.18 hectares, or 60.64 per cent of the total area. Dense scrubland follows at 99,488.89 hectares, with shifting cultivation sites adding 34,331.34 hectares. Grasslands and grazing lands represent a tiny fraction at only 257.94 hectares. Experts from the Department of Horticulture at North-Eastern Hill University in Tura and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre in Umiam conducted the research.
The study assigned reclamation priority scores based on their assessment. Sparse scrubland hit 95 out of 100, while dense scrubland scored 80. Shifting cultivation areas received 60, and grazing lands scored 25. The researchers noted that these findings serve as a baseline for future resource management. However, they provided a vital caveat: "The classification did not establish the immediate agricultural suitability of all the mapped areas."
Important variables remain unstudied. The team did not evaluate soil properties, slope, water availability, or economic feasibility. They also emphasized that planners must respect the ecological role of scrub vegetation and the importance of shifting cultivation to local livelihoods. The model achieved 86 per cent accuracy using 200 reference samples. Field verification remains the next step for any potential agricultural development.
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