LAND USE PATTERN AND LAND USE EFFICIENCY OF THE KURNOOL DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH

The Present study aims to discuss the Land use pattern and Land use Efficiency of the Kurnool District. Land Resource are limited, it can be said that non- renewable Resources. The key task is in their rational use, which hangs from their effectiveness. Agricultural land use efficiency is the main factor that has a significant impact on the socio-economic situation both in individual regions and in the country as a whole. Land use data is important in analysis of environmental process and understanding its problems, if the living conditions and standards to be improved or maintained at current level and to avoid the adverse development. The Kurnool district has at typical geographical aspects and climatic variation comparatively from the other districts of Rayalaseema region. The district is rich in regur, ferruginous soils which constitute about 60 and 40 percentages respectively. The crops mainly raised are paddy, jower, Pulses, cotton, Ground nut. The annual average precipitation of the district is 653 mm. Its land use components are Net sown area, forest, current fallows, Land put to the non-agricultural use, Barren & Uncultivable land, other fallow lands, cultivable waste land, Permanent Pasture and other grazing lands, misc. tree crops and groves. The depth to water level ranges from 2.20 to 12.67 m bgl. The Increasing population puts enormous pressure on the land in the district. As a result, the land use pattern of the district keeps on changing. The agricultural lands are being acquired for human settlements and various Developmental activities. The forest land has been increased due enhancement of social forestry. The district is predominantly farmed via Rain fed agriculture. Low rainfall, labour scarcity and lack of irrigation facilities have had its impacts on the land; many areas formerly under cultivation have been transformed in to waste lands and uncultivable lands.