The mountain ecosystem is characterised by abundant marginal lands that include sloping lands. These lands have been variously called resource poor lands, fragile lands, vulnerable lands, or degraded lands; in data reporting systems, they are reportedunder different categories like cultivable land, barren and uncultivated land, and pastures. As a result, the mountains have a very small amount of cultivated land. For example, in the HKH region, only 11% of the total geographical land is suitable forcultivation. While the population density per sq. km is very low, it is extremely high relative to the available agricultural land. However, because of varied agro-climatic conditions, reflected in diverse niches, there is a huge potential for growing different high value cash crops on the marginal lands. Experiences in different HKH regions have shown that the adoption of high value cash crops, compatible with the mountain niches, has helped some pocket areas in multiple ways. In Himachal Pradesh thishas been achieved first, by converting the abundant marginal land into more productive land and harnessing local niches; second, by maintaining and improving the ecology and environment of the region in terms of soil conservation and increasing soil fertility; and third, by making a qualitative impact on the economic conditions of the people, which helped break the so-called poverty-environmental degradation-poverty cycle. Thus, contrary to popular beliefs and notions, the evidence from these areas suggests that the processes of development and conservation of ecology and environment can be mutually supportive and reinforcing. The present study was undertaken to study the trends in the process of marginalisation of holdings, and the availability of marginal lands for expanding farming in different areas of the state of Himachal Pradesh (HP). The study, drawing on the experiences of fruit farming in the state, highlights the impact of the use of marginal lands on the quality of life, equity, ecology, and environment of the local area. The emerging challenges and the need to evolve new technologies for the productive use of marginal lands are also discussed.
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