Satellite mapping identifies over 3.4 lakh hectares of potentially reclaimable wasteland in Meghalaya: Study

Satellite imagery and geographic information system (GIS) technology have identified 3,40,673.36 hectares of cultivable wasteland in Meghalaya, accounting for 15.2 per cent of the state's geographical area, according to a study published in the Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International earlier this month.

The study identified areas that could be assessed for agricultural reclamation and sustainable land-use planning, while cautioning that further field verification and detailed evaluation would be necessary before determining their suitability for cultivation.

Sparse scrubland constituted the largest category, covering 2,06,595.18 hectares, or 60.64 per cent of the identified area. Dense scrubland accounted for another 99,488.89 hectares, while areas under shifting cultivation covered 34,331.34 hectares. Grasslands and grazing lands made up 257.94 hectares, representing 0.08 per cent of the total.

The research was conducted by Ronak Meena, Chandan Goswami, C P Suresh and Akmaul Hoque, associated with the Department of Horticulture at North-Eastern Hill University, Tura, and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre in Umiam.

The researchers used multispectral satellite imagery from the LISS-IV sensor for 2025-26 to classify the identified land into four categories: dense scrubland, sparse scrubland, grasslands and grazing lands, and shifting cultivation areas.

Based on their assessment, sparse scrubland received the highest relative reclamation priority score of 95 out of 100. Dense scrubland scored 80, shifting cultivation areas 60, and grasslands and grazing lands 25.

The researchers said the findings could serve as a baseline for land-use planning, resource management and agricultural development in Meghalaya. However, they stressed that the classification did not establish the immediate agricultural suitability of all the mapped areas.

Factors such as soil properties, slope, water availability, accessibility and economic feasibility were not assessed as part of the study. The researchers said these factors would need to be examined through detailed land evaluation before individual sites could be considered for reclamation.

The study also highlighted the need to account for the ecological functions of scrub vegetation and the livelihood significance of shifting cultivation while planning land-use changes. It cautioned that reclamation measures should be designed carefully, particularly in areas vulnerable to soil erosion.

The classification map recorded an overall accuracy of 86 per cent based on 200 reference samples, of which 172 were correctly classified.

The researchers said additional field verification would be necessary to establish the suitability of specific sites for agricultural use. The study did not assess the identified land for particular crops or undertake actual reclamation.

The findings provide a preliminary spatial assessment of land that may warrant further investigation, rather than a definitive estimate of land immediately available for cultivation.