A new study reveals the Thar desert’s remarkable transformation, driven by increased monsoon rainfall, groundwater use, and agricultural expansion, highlighting the interplay between climate and human activity

The Thar Desert, one of the world’s most arid regions, has experienced a striking 38 per cent rise in greening over the last two decades, according to a recent study by scientists from IIT Gandhinagar and NASA’s Bay Area Environmental Research Institute. The report, titled Greening of the Thar Desert Driven by Climate Change and Human Interventions, sheds light on how the landscape of this vast desert, spanning parts of northwestern India and southeastern Pakistan, has undergone significant transformation due to both natural climate change and human activities.

The study highlights that the Thar Desert has been the only desert globally to see the highest concurrent rise in population, precipitation, and vegetation over the past few decades. From 2001 to 2023, the region saw a 64 per cent increase in precipitation, with rainfall rising at an average rate of 4.4 millimeters per year. This increase in rainfall, primarily during the summer monsoon, has played a major role in the greening of the desert.

However, the researchers also attribute this shift to human interventions, such as large-scale groundwater pumping for irrigation and government-led agricultural expansion. Groundwater has been particularly crucial, contributing 55 per cent to the overall vegetation growth annually, with precipitation accounting for 45 per cent. During the monsoon season, precipitation was the dominant driver of greening, while groundwater use played a more significant role in the non-monsoon months.

The report also notes that the Thar Desert’s agricultural expansion has led to a 74 per cent increase in crop areas and a 24 per cent increase in irrigated areas between 1980 and 2015. While the summer monsoon supports the water needs of crops during the Kharif season, the Rabi season’s crop growth largely relies on groundwater, contributing to its depletion in the region.

The rapid agricultural growth, alongside intensive groundwater extraction, has raised concerns over the sustainability of the region’s water resources. Many wells in the north-central Thar have shown declining water levels, reflecting an imbalance between extraction and recharge.

The study underscores the complex relationship between climate change and human interventions in transforming desert ecosystems. While the greening of the Thar Desert offers a positive environmental shift, the pressures of agricultural expansion and groundwater depletion present significant challenges for long-term sustainability.