The Silent Fields: Unraveling Migration-Driven Transformations in Agricultural Landscapes in Uttarakhand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53983/ijmds.v14n11.001Keywords:
Rural Out-migration, Land Abandonment, Agricultural Transformation, Uttarakhand Himalaya, Ghost Villages and Fallow LandAbstract
The abandonment of farmlands has become one of the most noticeable effects of long-term rural out-migration in the Uttarakhand Himalaya, where labour shortage, population deprivation and socio-economic restructuring have transformed conventional agricultural environments. The available literature suggests that there is a significant rise in out-migration of males in the last 20 years in the hill districts, which has changed the household labour pattern and also diminished the ability to sustain terraced agricultural systems. At the same time, the studies of agrarian transformation in Himalayas point at the role of labour shortage, ageing, and low yields as factors that have been leading to the substitution of active cultivation by chronic fallowing. World literature is also aware of the fact that mountainous areas with depopulation like the Alps, Carpathians and Japanese uplands pass through a series of gradual abandonment of croplands due to demographic downturn and shifts in livelihood priorities. This paper brings together Census (1991-2011) and agricultural land-use data (1990-2020) to offer quantitative data on relationships between demographic loss and loss in net sown acreage and gray acreage growth in Uttarakhand. The results highlight that labour shortages due to migration are core to agricultural recession in the Himalayan area, which are playing a role in expanding social-economic fragilities and environmental changes. The paper notes that the ecologically vulnerable mountainous landscapes require district-specific measures to stabilize agricultural activity and deal with abandoned landscapes.
Downloads
References
A Scientometrics Review on Farmland Abandonment Research. (2020).
Agarwal, S., Kumar, V., Kumar, S., Sundriyal, Y., Bagri, D. S., Chauhan, N., Kaushik, S., Khan, F., & Rana, N. (2023). Identifying potential hotspots of land use / land cover change in the last 3 decades , Uttarakhand , NW Himalaya Department of Geology , HNB Garhwal University , Srinagar , India Department of Geology , University of Delhi , Delhi , India * Correspondence : v.chauhan777@gmail.com Identifying potential hotspots of land use / land cover change in the last 3 decades , Uttarakhand , NW Himalaya.
Article, J., Tiwari, P. C., & Joshi, B. (2015). Environmental Changes , Rural Out-Migration and Social Dynamics in Himalayas EnvironmEntal changEs , rural out-migration and social dynamics in himalayas. https://doi.org/10.7163/SOW.38.5
Awasthi, I., & Singh, B. (2020). Forced Out ‑ Migration from Hill Regions and Return Migration During the Pandemic : Evidence from Uttarakhand. The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, 63(4), 1107–1124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41027-020-00291-w
Bansal, N. (2024). Migration From Uttarakhand and Developmental Implications in Rural Hill Areas. 4(2), 472–479.
Benayas, M. R., Martins, A., Nicolau, M., & Schulz, J. J. (2007). Abandonment of agricultural land : an overview of drivers and consequences. 057. https://doi.org/10.1079/PAVSNNR20072057
Biella, A., Biella, R., Hoffmann, R., & Upadhyay, H. (2023). Climate , Agriculture , and Migration : Exploring the Vulnerability and Outmigration Nexus in the Indian Himalayan Region Climate , Agriculture , and Migration : Exploring the Vulnerability and Outmigration Nexus in the Indian Himalayan Region. 42(2).
Change, C. (n.d.). LOCKED HOUSES , Climate Change and Migration.
Chauhan, R. B. (2024). Migration in the Border Areas of Uttarakhand : An Emerging Security Threat. 19(1), 227–233.
Dinc, P., & Eklund, L. (2024). Syrian farmers in the midst of drought and conflict : the causes , patterns , and aftermath of land abandonment and migration. 5529. https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2023.2223600
Farooquee, N., & Maikhuri, R. K. (2015). Communities and their agrobiodiversity Uttarakhand Himalaya , India. December 2009. https://doi.org/10.5367/000000009790422151
Final Report OUTMIGRATION FROM HILL REGION OF UTTARAKHAND: Magnitude, Challenges and Policy Options. (n.d.). 1–27.
Grunawalt, P. (2012). Why are Cities the Only Place for Dreams ? Outmigration of Youths From Rural Uttarakhand Why are Cities the Only Place for.
Hoffmann, E. M., Konerding, V., Nautiyal, S., & Buerkert, A. (2019). Is the push-pull paradigm useful to explain rural-urban migration ? A case study in. 1–22.
Imai, N., Otokawa, H., Okamoto, A., Yamazaki, K., & Tamura, T. (2023). Abandonment of Cropland and Seminatural Grassland in a Mountainous Traditional Agricultural Landscape in Japan.
Joshi, B. (2018). Recent Trends of Rural Out-migration and its Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts in Uttarakhand Himalaya. 1–14.
Journal, E. C. (2021). Impact of Rishikesh-Karanprayag railway line on the agroecosystem of Maletha village of Garhwal Himalaya. 22, 6–11.
Kala, C. P. (2014). Changes in Traditional Agriculture Ecosystem in Rawain Valley of Uttarakhand State in India. 2(4), 90–93. https://doi.org/10.12691/aees-2-4-1
Khulbe, S. (2024). The Impact of Migration on Land Use Pattern and Agriculture Production in Almora District with Special Reference to Salt and Bhikiyasen Blocks (Vol. 6, Issue 3).
Khulbe, S., & Kumar, D. (2024). Out-Migration in Salt Block of Almora District : Study of Demography , Status and Nature of Migrants. 6(3), 1–10.
Maharjan, A., Kochhar, I., Sudhir, V., Hussain, A., & Gioli, G. (2020). Understanding rural outmigration and agricultural land use change in the Gandaki Basin , Nepal. Applied Geography, 124(July), 102278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2020.102278
Maikhuri, R. K., & Rao, K. S. (2016). National Institute of Ecology. January 2015.
Majchrowska, A. (2013). ABANDONMENT OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN CENTRAL POLAND AND ITS ECOLOGICAL ROLE. 32(3), 320–327. https://doi.org/10.2478/eko-2013-0028
Malik, A., Sharma, S. V, Nagar, S., Sharma, A., & Nikhil, U. (2019). Forests and livelihoods in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand – Exploring the interlinkages through large N study.
Osgouei, P. E., & Sertel, E. (2022). Agricultural Land Abandonment in Bulgaria : A Long-Term.
Pargaien, A., Prakash, V., Pargaien, S., Prakash, R., & Dubey, V. P. (2024). Change of Agriculture Area Over the Last 20 Years : A Case Study of Nainital District , Uttarakhand , India Published By : Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Change of Agriculture Area over the Last 20 Years : A Case Study of Nainital District , Uttarakhand , India. 14(5), 983–990. https://doi.org/10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2023.05.009
Paromita, P. (2025). UNLOCKING AGRIPRENEURIAL POTENTIAL : 11(02), 1–9.
Parveen, S., & Mamgain, P. (2022). An Empirical Study on the Trend and Government Policies to mitigate the Rural Migration concerning Garhwal District ( Uttarakhand ). 17(1), 17–26.
Pawlewicz, A., & Pawlewicz, K. (2023). The Risk of Agricultural Land Abandonment as a Socioeconomic Challenge for the Development of Agriculture in the European Union.
Practice, S. D. (2019). EVOLVING ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CONTEXT OF MALE OUT-MIGRATION : A STUDY IN A HILL DISTRICT OF UTTARAKHAND. May, 1–65.
Pratheepa, C. M., Raj, R., & Sinha, S. (2023). The socio-ecological contradictions of land degradation and coastal agriculture in south India. https://doi.org/10.1177/25148486221079720
Profile, S. E. E. (2024). Migration in Uttarakhand : A Cause of Concern ISSN NO : 0022-1945 Migration in Uttarakhand : A Cause of Concern Page No : 1183. June. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27218.36809
Rai, R., Zhang, Y., & Paudel, B. (1844). Status of Farmland Abandonment and Its Determinants in the Transboundary Gandaki River Basin. 1–18.
Rajendra, P. (2011). Employment , migration and livelihoods in the Hill Economy of Uttaranchal. 32303.
Rana, J. C., & Bisht, I. S. (2023). Reviving Smallholder Hill Farming by Involving Rural Youth in Food System Transformation and Promoting Community-Based Agri-Ecotourism : A Case of Uttarakhand State in North-Western India.
Rana, K., Kameswari, V. L. V, Chaudhary, S., & Kumar, D. (2019). “ Food Security through Agriculture & Allied Sciences ” Livelihood opportunities through agriculture and allied field in the mid-hills of Uttarakhand. 81–86.
Rana, K., & Mamgain, A. (2022). Pattern and Implication of Youth Migration in the Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand , India. 40(6), 88–101. https://doi.org/10.9734/AJAEES/2022/v40i630907
Rana, L. (2024). THE ISSUE OF OUT-MIGRATION IN UTTARAKHAND. 1(January), 150–159.
Ratna, B., & Bhatt, S. (2019). RESEARCH ARTICLE MIGRATION EXPECTANCY IN RURAL AREA OF NAINITAL DISTRICT IN UTTARAKHAND : A CASE STUDY OF OKHALKANDA BLOCK.
Sati, V. P. (2021). Out-migration in Uttarakhand Himalaya : its types , reasons , and consequences Out-migration in Uttarakhand Himalaya : its types , reasons , and consequences. May. https://doi.org/10.33182/ml.v18i3.957
Sati, V. P. (2025). Water Resource Potential in the Indian Central Himalaya : A Study on Its Conservation through Traditional Practices.
Sati, V. P., & Kumar, S. (2023). Declining agriculture in Garhwal Himalaya : Major drivers and implications Declining agriculture in Garhwal Himalaya : Major drivers and implications. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2167571
Sethi, A. S. (2019). Out of Mind , Out of Sight : A Critical Appraisal of Social Initiatives to Curb Migration in Uttarakhand Out of Mind , Out of Sight : A Critical Appraisal of Social Initiatives to Curb Migration in Uttarakhand. 4(2), 59–68.
Sharma, S. (2024). Migration from Uttarakhand ’ s Border Districts and its Strategic Implications : A Study of District Chamoli. 16, 187–198.
Shengfa, L. I., & Xiubin, L. I. (2017). Global understanding of farmland abandonment : A review and prospects. 27(41161140352), 1123–1150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-017-1426-0
Singh, S. (2015). Increased Burden on Women and Male Out-migration : An Analysis of Khul Gad Micro Watershed of the Kumoun Himalaya. 3(3), 118–123.
Singh, V. (2025). Forest Fire Regime in Himalaya Likely to Change for Worse. 5199(1), 3–5.
Verma, P. R., & Sharma, S. (2025). Ghost Villages in Uttarakhand : A challenge to sustainable development. XXVI, 6298–6311.
Version, P., Provided, L., Development, A., & Economies, T. (2020). Abandonment and recultivation of agricultural lands in future. 0–22.
Xie, H., Wang, P., & Yao, G. (2014). Exploring the Dynamic Mechanisms of Farmland Abandonment Based on a Spatially Explicit Economic Model for Environmental Sustainability: A Case Study in Jiangxi Province, China. 1260–1282. https://doi.org/10.3390/su6031260
Yadav, A., Sharma, G., & Gangwar, R. (2018). DETERMINING FACTORS FOR MIGRATION IN UTTARAKHAND. 8(1), 85–90.
Zhang, X., Yan, G., He, Y., & Yu, H. (2022). Do Disease and Pest Control Outsourcing Services Reduce Arable Land Abandonment ? Evidence from China.
Zhou, H., Wang, J., Sun, M., Wang, J., & Yang, K. (2024). Evolution of Farmland Abandonment Research from 1993 to 2023 using CiteSpace ‑ Based Scientometric Analysis. Journal of Geovisualization and Spatial Analysis, 8(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41651-024-00177-1
Zhu, H., Zhu, X., Xu, Q., Fu, X., Li, M., Jia, X., & Fan, Z. (2025). From hazard mapping to risk governance: 20-year trajectory of land use/cover change impacts on landslide susceptibility via multi-modal scientometrics. 1–14.
Bhuvan (ISRO). (Various Years). Land use/land cover datasets (LULC). National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC). https://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in/
Department of Agriculture, Government of Uttarakhand. (Various Years). State agriculture report. http://agriculture.uk.gov.in/
Directorate of Economics & Statistics (DES), Government of Uttarakhand. (Various Years). Agricultural statistics of Uttarakhand: Land use, cropping pattern, and fallow land statistics. Government of Uttarakhand. https://des.uk.gov.in/
Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Uttarakhand. (1990–2020). Agricultural & land use statistics. https://uk.gov.in
Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Uttarakhand. (2000–2015). Agricultural & land use statistics. https://uk.gov.in
Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. (2021). Land use statistics at a glance: All India and states/UTs. Government of India. https://eands.dacnet.nic.in/
Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. (2021). Land use statistics at a glance. https://agricoop.gov.in/
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). (Various Rounds). Household consumer expenditure, employment–unemployment, and socio-economic indicators. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. https://mospi.gov.in/
National Statistical Office (NSO). (Various Years). Employment and unemployment / periodic labour force survey (PLFS). Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India. https://mospi.gov.in/
National Statistical Office. (2001–2011). NSSO employment–unemployment survey & workforce participation data. https://mospi.gov.in/
National Statistical Office. (2018–2022). Periodic labour force survey (PLFS). https://mospi.gov.in/
Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. (1991). Census of India 1991: Primary census abstracts. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. https://censusindia.gov.in/
Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. (2001). Census of India 2001: Primary census abstracts. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. https://censusindia.gov.in/
Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. (2011). Census of India 2011: Primary census abstracts and population tables. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. https://censusindia.gov.in/
Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. (2021). Census of India 2021 (administrative & population estimates). Ministry of Home Affairs. https://censusindia.gov.in/
