How many land use categories, sub-categories, classifications, definitions, can you think of? So many departments have their own definitions for different purposes. Let us try and bring it all together and learn the power of mind mapping tools in the process. This chapter is part of a series on Hierarchical Spatial Planning Framework

This chapter is specific to Indian scenario. Still, some sections might be relevant to other regions and countries as well.

The agriculture departments of various states in India have been maintaining land use statistics with a predominant focus on agriculture as a land use. These statistics have been maintained for long under a nine-fold classification as prescribed by Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Five of these nine categories are related to agriculture, one for forests, one for grazing & pasture lands, one for wasteland and one for all other non-agricultural land uses.