Satellite imagery and geographic information system (GIS) technology have helped identify over 3.4 lakh hectares of cultivable wasteland in Meghalaya, accounting for 15.2 per cent of the state’s geographical area, according to a study.
The study, published in the Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International earlier this month, estimated that 3,40,673.36 hectares of land could be assessed for agricultural reclamation and sustainable land-use planning.
Sparse scrubland accounted for the largest share of the identified area at 2,06,595.18 hectares, or 60.64 per cent, followed by dense scrubland at 99,488.89 hectares (29.20 per cent), the study found.
Areas under shifting cultivation accounted for 34,331.34 hectares (10.08 per cent), while grasslands and grazing lands covered 257.94 hectares, or 0.08 per cent.
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 (NESAC), Umiam.
The researchers used multispectral satellite imagery from the LISS-IV sensor for 2025-26 to classify the land into four categories — dense scrubland, sparse scrubland, grasslands and grazing lands, and shifting cultivation areas.
Sparse scrubland received the highest relative reclamation priority score of 95 out of 100, followed by dense scrubland at 80, shifting cultivation areas at 60, and grasslands and grazing lands at 25.
The researchers said the findings could provide a baseline for land-use planning, resource management and agricultural development, while stressing that the identified areas would require further assessment before reclamation.
The study cautioned that the classification does not mean all the mapped land is immediately suitable for cultivation, as factors such as soil properties, slope, water availability, accessibility and economic feasibility were not assessed.
It also said reclamation planning should take into account the ecological functions of scrub vegetation and the livelihood importance of shifting cultivation, 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 further field verification and detailed land evaluation would be required to determine the suitability of individual sites for agricultural use.
The study however, did not assess the suitability of the identified land for specific crops or undertake actual reclamation.
