Utilization potential of rangeland shrubs of Bundelkhand: Areview

Abstract

Rangelands in India are spread over 12.15 million ha. More than 40% of the
large population of livestock still depend upon grazing in the rangelands / pastures on high
altitudes, desert, semi arid/arid areas. The Bundelkhand region in central India is a typical
rainfed semi-arid region. This area has degraded, undulated rocky land and constraints in
arable farming, and mainly supports the growth of shrub vegetation diversity. The integration
and augmentation of promising shrubs to rangeland in arid/semi-arid conditions can play
important role in sustaining the rainfed and fragile ecosystem of Bundelkhand ecologically and
economically. The woody perennials provides small timber, food, fodder, fuel wood, tan, dyes,
fiber , ethno-medicine, live fences, windbreak, browsing reserves, fodder bank and improved
fellow for various benefits. The prominent shrubs like Ziziphus oenoplea, Z. nummularia,
Grewia asiatica, Opuntia dillenii, Capparis decidua, Carissa spinarum for food; Grewia
flavescence, G. asiatica, Helicteres isora, Vitex nigundo, Securinega virosa and Ehratia aspera
for fodder and Commiphora wightii, Helecteris isora and Barleria prionitis for medicines are
few examples to mention. Shrubs are utilised for variety of purposes in Bundelkhand and a
major bioresource for the livelihood options. Thus, shrubs need to be promoted for reducing
the pressure on natural forest and to augment the green cover in the tropics of arid/semi-arid vis
a vis increase resource base outside the forests for local population. Due to wide adaptations
the shrubs have the ability to improve and reclaim the degraded wasteland to cope with the
future challenges of global climate change. Sustainable scientific management and utilisation
of shrub diversity is urgently needed for integrated rangeland development in Bundelkhand
region. The paper reviewed the existing information & literature with analysis for the
importance, preservation and management of rangeland shrubs in the semi-arid tropics of
Bundelkhand.