Research Projects

Jammu and Kashmir (UT) is experiencing rapid changes in agricultural land use due to policy and market changes. Reductions in domestic rice prices and increased demand for horticulture have led to declining rice and expanding fruit cultivation. The horticulture industry generates Rs. 10,000 crores revenue and provides livelihood to 35 lakh people in J&K. The area under fruit cultivation in J&K has increased from 2.21 lakh hectares in 2001 to 3.31 lakh hectares, nearly 20 times larger than in 1950. This shift is expected to impact ecosystem services, such as soil and air quality, due to the common practice of fruit tree residue burning and heavy pesticide application. The air quality in the Kashmir Valley deteriorates significantly during autumn, with PM2.5 levels reaching nearly six times the permissible level. Black carbon or black ash deposits on snow and glaciers cause glaciers to melt more rapidly. This has led to an exponential increase in chest disease patients and high risk of exacerbation for patients suffering from bronchitis and asthma. To understand the impacts of land use changes in J&K on carbon emissions, soil health, and rural well-being, a comprehensive and interdisciplinary study approach is proposed. The objectives include mapping major cropping system conversions from 2000-2010 and 2010-2022, using the remote sensing Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (Rs-EPIC) modeling framework to quantify the effects of biomass burning and alternative residue management strategies on crop productivity, erosion, and carbon dynamics, and quantifying biomass emissions.