https://doi.org/10.33451/florafauna.v28i1pp11-16 FLORA AND FAUNA ISSN 2456 - 9364 (Online) 2022 Vol. 28 No. 1 PP 11-16 ISSN 0971 - 6920 (Print) A Study on Land use Pattern Followed by the Farmers in Western U. P., India *Kshitij Parmar, N. K. Singh 1 , D. K. Singh 2 and Vineeta Pandey G.L.A. University, MATHURA -281406 (U.P.) INDIA 1 B.V.R.I. Bichpuri, AGRA , (U.P.) INDIA 2 S.V.P.U.A. & T. Modipuram, MEERUT (U.P.) INDIA *Corresponding Author E-mail : kshitig.parmar@gla.ac.in Received : 15.03.2022; Accepted : 02.04.2022 ABSTRACT The present investigation was done with the objective to know the land use pattern followed by the farmers of western Uttar Pradesh. The study was conducted in Meerut and Bulandshashar districts of Western Uttar Pradesh. From each district two blocks, from each block four villages and from each village 10 respondents were selected randomly. Thus, the total sample size was of 160 respondents. The data were collected by personal interview through structured schedule and analyzed through proper statistical techniques. Results regarding land use pattern followed by the farmers revealed that the majority (75.00%) of the respondents had medium cropping intensity, Majority (63.80%) did not use pest and disease resistant varieties, Most of the respondents did not use light traps, sticky traps or bird scares for pest control, Most of the farmers were ignorant about biological control of pests and most of respondents i.e. 88.80 percent always avoided the repeated use of same pesticides. Regarding nutrient management, majority never applied bio-fertilizer, Neem cake coated urea, green manure or rock phosphate to their field. About weed management, majority of the farmers never followed summer ploughing, proper seed rate and proper water management. The important water management practices like use of mulches and cover crops, lining channels with concrete/ polythene sheets and land leveling and shaping were also not adopted by majority of the respondents. Figures : 02 References : 02 Tables : 03 KEY WORDS : Farmers, Land use, Western U.P. Introduction Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures and managed woods. LAND USE is referred to “man’s activities which are carried on land” whereas LAND COVER is referred to “natural vegetation , rock/soil artificial cover and other noticed on the land” (NRSA 1989). The rapid population growth along with economic development, urbanization and industrialization create tremendous pressure on the limited natural resource based on a country as well as state like Uttar Pradesh. This makes serious challenge to us like researchers and policy makers to strike a balance in the use of natural resources, keeping in mind the need for their conservation of sustainable development and food and livelihood security. Land management refers to the way in which humans use the land, along with the plants and animals living on it, as a resource to fulfill the needs of the society. For a farmer, Land use pattern indicates the problems and prospects of technology available and adopted by them on a particular area. Farmers’ yield and income depends on what type of crops they choose, crop rotation followed and land use efficiency i.e. cropping intensity of the farm. People’s awareness about recommended agricultural technology and improved land use practices affects the level of adoption and ultimately productivity of their farms. In 2020, it was reported that in order to meet future food production demands, agricultural lands are likely to expand, and existing farmlands need to be intensified. However, both processes will result in biodiversity losses. It was stated that because of unprincipled use of natural resources, the component of the environment is getting spoiled raising threats to the survival of human beings. Unscientific use of agricultural input (either man made or natural) and inefficient farming system are resulting in the aggravation of many environmental deservers, like contamination of ground water, acid deposition in the air, greenhouse effect, depletion of ozone layer in the atmosphere, soil erosion and loss of diversity of flora and fauna species. Thus, keeping all these facts in mind this study was undertaken with the objective to know the land use pattern practices followed by the farmers in western U.P.