Sustainability to the development of the agrarian economies of canning subdivision, sundarbans, West Bengal, India: A geographical appraisal

Abstract

Sundarbans is a region of fragile ecosystem but full of resource potentiality to explore for the development of its people. But its physical structure, geographical location, lack of proper infrastructure, and nature of exploitation by the implementation of various developmental projects make this area a vulnerable from time to time. The area has its international importance for its locational extent and natural role to the developed societies of the modern civilization. The area is inhabited by more than five million people right now, even with the worst impact of natural calamities on their socio-economic activities. The indigenous people of this area are intensively dependent on the agrarian and collective economy which is known as primitive primary sectors of the economic development. The study area canning subdivision lies at the juncture point in between the developing urban area and the retarded Sundarban Tiger Reserve Forest (STRF). That's why the area has a nature of dichotomy in respect of economic development. But modern approaches of developments are gradually changing the scenario. This chapter tries to find out the impact of the continuous development on its agrarian economy through the changing nature of the occupational structure, standard of living, migration, land use changes etc. and to look for some management strategies those are essential to implement the developmental project without hampering the agricultural practices. Sustainable thinking is essential for the sustainable development of this agriculture dominated area.