May 09: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has released a new study showcasing how watershed interventions in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region of Central India have significantly improved water availability, agricultural productivity, and rural livelihoods over six years.
Published in Elsevier’s Cleaner Food Systems, the study titled “Restoration potential of degraded landscapes for strengthening rural livelihoods” documents the transformation of Pura Birdha village from severe water scarcity to a water-surplus ecosystem through science-led landscape restoration initiatives.
According to the study, groundwater levels in the region have risen by 4–6 meters, while cultivated land expanded from just 4 hectares in 2018 to over 100 hectares by 2021. Improved irrigation access enabled farmers to adopt double-cropping systems, resulting in higher yields for crops such as wheat and chickpea.
The report identifies 2021 as a key turning point, when high-intensity rainfall combined with water-harvesting structures helped capture runoff effectively, improving groundwater recharge and creating reliable irrigation sources for the rabi season.
Himanshu Pathak said the findings demonstrate how scientific land restoration can simultaneously address drought, desertification, and land degradation while strengthening social and economic resilience in rural communities.
Stanford Blade noted that one of the study’s major strengths lies in its ability to measure the long-term impact of restoration efforts across both natural resources and livelihoods, helping design scalable solutions for degraded landscapes.
Ramesh Singh highlighted that groundwater improvements became measurable within two years, with rainfall increasingly contributing to recharge while maintaining sustainable water use through balanced cropping patterns.
The transformation also delivered strong socio-economic outcomes. Total annual income in the village increased significantly between 2019 and 2023, while average household incomes improved substantially. Reliable access to drinking water reduced the burden on women, and improved farming opportunities encouraged several migrant families to return to agriculture.
Lead author Venkataradha Akuraju stated that restoring degraded landscapes requires patience and systems-based planning, as visible ecological and livelihood benefits emerge progressively once critical environmental thresholds are crossed.
The initiative was supported by the Government of Uttar Pradesh under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and formed part of the One CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Science Program, which promotes integrated approaches to land, water, biodiversity, and livelihood management across agricultural landscapes.
