Srinagar- A food security crisis is brewing in Jammu and Kashmir as farmland continues to shrink, raising alarms about the region’s ability to sustain itself agriculturally.
Once the backbone of J&K’s economy, agriculture is now under severe strain, with official data revealing a steady decline in cultivated land. Urban expansion, erratic weather, and dwindling irrigation sources are accelerating this decline, pushing the region toward greater dependence on food imports.
According to the Financial Commissioner (Revenue), J&K, the net sown area has remained stagnant at around 30-31% of total land over the past four years. In 2020-21, it stood at 736,000 hectares, dipping to 733,000 hectares in 2022-23 before a marginal recovery to 738,000 hectares in 2023-24. At the same time, fallow land—once-cultivated fields now left uncultivated—has surged from 120,000 hectares in 2020-21 to 135,000 hectares in 2023-24, signaling distress in the agricultural sector. Barren and uncultivable land has also increased from 295,000 hectares to 302,000 hectares in the same period.
Urban Expansion Eating Into Farmland
A major contributor to this shift is the rapid conversion of agricultural land into residential colonies, commercial complexes, and roads. The land used for non-agricultural purposes has increased from 214,000 hectares in 2020-21 to 215,000 hectares in 2023-24. Though seemingly small, this trend represents a gradual yet persistent erosion of farmland, threatening the region’s long-term food security.
Farmers say fertile land is being lost to real estate and infrastructure projects, with little oversight. “Once a piece of land is used for construction, it’s lost forever for farming,” said a farmer from Pulwama.
Climate Change Worsening the Crisis
Erratic weather patterns, including unpredictable rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and untimely snowfall, are further disrupting farming. The depleting water levels in Jhelum and other rivers, worsened by glacial melt and climate change, have made irrigation increasingly difficult.
“Our streams are drying up, and without reliable irrigation, we cannot sustain our crops,” lamented farmers in north Kashmir.
Experts warn that J&K is at risk of becoming heavily dependent on food imports if the trend continues. “The government must introduce sustainable farming programs, improve irrigation networks, and create better market access for farmers,” said Dr. Mir Tariq, an agricultural expert.
He added that climate change has drastically altered traditional farming patterns. “Erratic rainfall and shrinking water resources have made it difficult for farmers to sustain their crops. Without strong climate-resilient strategies, agricultural productivity will keep falling,” he said.
In districts like Bandipora and Baramulla, once-thriving paddy fields now lie dry, forcing many farmers to either abandon their land or switch to less water-intensive but lower-value crops.
A Future of Food Insecurity?
With farmland depleting at an alarming rate, experts are urging immediate policy interventions. Sustainable agricultural practices, stricter regulations on land conversion, and incentives for farmers to continue cultivation are seen as urgent needs.
If corrective measures are not taken soon, J&K could face a severe food security crisis, transforming from an agrarian society into a region heavily dependent on external food supplies—an outcome that could have far-reaching economic and social consequences.
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