This World Soil Day, India’s changing perception of its so-called “wastelands” offers life-changing lessons. Soil health is a lens through which ecological, social and climatic interdependencies are exposed rather than just a measure of agricultural performance. India’s semi-arid grasslands and savannahs have suffered for over a century. It is due to the detrimental colonial legacy that relegated the biodiversity ecosystems to the derogatory term “wastelands.” The British Government considered only dense, woody woods that could support industrialisation and considered them ecologically valuable. It was motivated by a timber-oriented economic mindset. Grasslands were viewed as desolate, unproductive and meaningless because they produced no timber. This colonial fallacy influenced administrative classifications, development goals and even conservation strategies in post-independence land policy.
Long-lasting effects have resulted from India’s land governance systems. Use of the “wasteland” category was established in the National Wastelands Development Board in 1985. Mountains covered in snow, ravines, scrublands, desolate rocky terrain, damaged forests, grazing areas and semi-arid grasslands were all grouped together. These were grouped as areas that awaited “development.” Particularly in dryland areas pastoralist groups have coexisted with these ecosystems for millennia. This homogenisation disregarded the unique ecological roles and socioeconomic significance of grasslands. However, it is now abundantly evident from decades of ecological studies that India’s grasslands are amongst the most productive and climate-critical ecosystems. We are far from being worthless. They are repositories of subsurface carbon, engines of soil formation and support systems for rural economies. Hence their importance goes beyond biodiversity.
Some of the subcontinent’s healthiest soils are preserved by grasslands. Their fibrous, deep root systems reach several meters below the surface. It helps in binding soil particles, enhancing structure and facilitating quick water infiltration. Grasslands store the majority of their biomass below the surface. Whereas forests store most of their carbon above ground. For a long time, these thick root mats have helped soils store carbon by continuously adding organic matter. They sustain microbial populations that are in charge of soil fertility, water retention and nutrient cycling. These functions in turn give semi-arid landscapes their remarkable resistance to heat and drought.
Grassland soils offer more than just an abstract ecological service. The cattle industry in Maharashtra is closely linked to rangelands and pasture availability. It was worth around ₹59,000 crore in 2018–19. Pastoral livelihoods suffer when grasslands are mistakenly designated as wastelands. Further if converted for plantations, linear infrastructure, industry or misdirected afforestation campaigns. In the end, degraded soils compromise ecological stability and agricultural output by losing organic carbon. It is becoming more vulnerable to erosion and experiencing compaction.
Another instance of recent restoration initiatives in the Malshiras forest region in Maharashtra mark a significant change. Instead of planting trees, the state forest service decided to restore degraded grasslands with funds from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). After the monsoon, native species like Dicanthium annulatum, Chrysopogon fulvus and Cenchrus setigerus were transplanted after being multiplied in nurseries. In a joint study, ATREE and The Grasslands Trust compared unrestored sites and undisturbed old-growth grasslands with restored plots of one, two and three years. The results were startling. Soil organic carbon (SOC) rose by 50% in three years and by 21% in two years. This indicates quick increase in carbon sequestration through grassland restoration.
The idea that afforestation is the sole, or even the best, land-based climate solution is debunked by this data. Planting trees can damage soils, lower water levels and interfere with natural processes in many dryland habitats. By utilizing the natural ability of soils to safely store carbon below ground. It is less susceptible to fires and heat stress, grassland restoration. Additionally, it also works with the ecological logic of the landscape.
Another striking example is the Banni Grassland in Gujarat. It was formerly the biggest tropical grassland in Asia. Due to poor policy choices, invasive species of Prosopis juliflora flourished. IT led to choking of the savannah and threatening pastoralist livelihoods for decades. However, Maldhari pastoralists’ community-led restoration efforts. It included restricted biomass harvests and rotational grazing. These techniques have revitalised degraded areas. According to a study published by ATREE, community-restored “wada” grasslands have the highest SOC levels. It even exceeds wetlands and forests. Banni is one of the world’s richest dry ecosystems. It stores an average of 120 tons of carbon per acre down to a soil level of 30 cm. These results cast doubt on long-held policy presumptions. They demonstrate that-
- In arid areas, climatic resilience is supported by healthy grasslands rather than invasive tree plantations.
- Climate planning needs to focus on soil carbon, not simply above-ground plants.
- Community-led management is a fundamental necessity rather than a supplemental tactic.
According to the IPCC, the amount of carbon in soils is over twice that of the atmosphere and all living biomasses put together. The stability of soil organic carbon in grasslands is protected underground. It is a climate benefit that India cannot afford to ignore in a time of rising temperatures and escalating forest fires. By the examples of Banni and Malshiras we can say that India’s climate solutions are right under its feet. Native grasses were quietly storing carbon, keeping soil cohesive and bolstering pastoralist economies long before the term “carbon sequestration” was used in policy. It is a scientific necessity to revitalise these ecosystems, not an act of nostalgia. Rethinking the “wasteland” classification is crucial as India strives for net-zero emissions, land degradation neutrality and climate-resilient growth. Land-use policy must acknowledge ecological specificity rather than general afforestation goals. Restoration based on native grass species, soil biology and community governance is necessary in semi-arid areas.
Clear Cut Climate Desk
New Delhi, UPDATED: Dec 08, 2025 03:57 IST
Written By: Nidhi Chandrikapure
