Govt mulls cactus plantation on degraded land for biofuel, food

India is looking to replicate available global models to commercially grow cactus on degraded land, eyeing its multiple uses as bio-fuel, food, fodder and bio-fertiliser.

Budget 2023-24 could lay out a roadmap for cactus plantation and the use of the plant in driving India's energy requirements.

A proposal in this regard has been discussed in multiple meetings over the last one month in the rural development ministry, a senior government official told ET. These meetings were chaired by rural development minister Giriraj Singh.

Government estimates show degraded land increased to 97.84 million hectares in 2018-19 from 96.32 million hectares in 2011-13.

The government is committed to increase farmers' income and cultivation of cactus can significantly push up the rural economy in states which have vast tracts of degraded land. "The minister is of the view that biofuel production will reduce the fuel import burden of the country apart from contributing towards employment and income generation for the poor farmers of these areas," the official, who was part of one of the meetings said.


The rural development ministry has roped in the ministry of petroleum and agriculture along with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Land Areas (ICARDA) for setting up a pilot project in Amlaha Farm of ICARDA in Madhya Pradesh with technical assistance from the ministry of petroleum.

The ministry had earlier held meetings with top officials of several countries including Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy and South Africa as India wants to replicate the success story of Cactus cultivation elsewhere.

The department of land resources has been mandated to restore degraded lands in India through its watershed development component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY).

Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat are the top three states with most degraded land either due to climatic conditions or deforestation along with some north-eastern states.