In eastern Uttar Pradesh, more than 90 percent of the economy is based on primary production. The area has a high population density with some 1200 persons per square km. Land is divided each generation between the sons of the family and this has lead to very high land fragmentation. The average land holding is now extremely small and around 70 percent of the families have access to less than 0.4 ha. This includes the 10-15 percent of families who are landless and work as agricultural labourers, cattle rearers, or as wage labourers in nearby towns. This article is based on a study conducted in some villages in Gorakhpur district where the Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG) is active. However, it reflects the general situation in eastern Uttar Pradesh. In the villages studied 60 percent of the land holdings are smaller than 1ha and farmers with larger holdings are considered to be better off. Only about 5 percent of farmers own more than 2 ha of land and this, in combination with other sources of income through employment or running small businesses, makes them relatively wealthy.
