The importance of land ownership, access to it and its equitable distribution becomes a major concern of public policy. In fact, the existing structure sets a pre-condition for the manner in which the resources have to be used in a region. It affects the choice of technology as well as the rate of adoption of technological interventions. Due to fragmentation and scatteredness it is becomes difficult to adopt new technologies and innovations on smallholdings. In Nilgiris, the number of marginal and smallholdings witnessed a significant increase during the last four decades. Hence, increase in number of operation holding has not been accompanied by corresponding increase in area owned. On other hand the proportion of large holding to total numbers has declined, still there is skewness in the distribution of land in the district. The average holding size decreased appreciably (2.91 to 1.34 ha) during 1970–71 to 2005–06, which has resulted in degradation of common resources. The marginalization and landlessness has resulted into higher dependency of both human and livestock population on the forest, pasture and common lands. Thus, there is a need to implement the reforms with greater zeal and political will and ensure people's participation in the management of existing land based resources to check further degradation. Further, it is suggested that restrictions on sale of land from smallholdings, land ceiling, consolidation of lands and collective farming type of land reforms may strictly be followed in the district.
Land ownership, Marginal farmers, Operational holdings, Scare resources
