Jaipur: Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav Tuesday called for community-led afforestation efforts across the fragile Aravalli range, highlighting the urgent need to combat rising desertification through sustainable land restoration practices. Speaking at a one-day national workshop on “Strategies for Combating Desertification and Drought” organised by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education – Arid Forest Research Institute (ICFRE-AFRI) in Jodhpur, the minister proposed the development of ‘Matri Van’ (Mother’s Forest) on barren and community lands along the 700-km stretch of the Aravalli hills.Yadav emphasised that India’s land degradation crisis, primarily driven by unsustainable farming, excessive use of fertilisers like urea, and indiscriminate pesticide use, poses not only an environmental threat but also a serious developmental challenge, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. “Desertification is not just an ecological issue — it directly affects livelihoods, biodiversity, and food security. We must involve communities in ecosystem restoration,” he said.He outlined the Centre’s plan to build a ‘Green Wall’ along the Aravallis, a major ecological initiative involving plantations in 29 reserved forest areas covering over 42,000 hectares. “This initiative will act as a natural barrier to desertification, and it requires mass public participation to be successful,” Yadav said. TNN
Yadav flags urgent need for land restoration amid desertification crisis | Jaipur News
