The Farms and Forests initiative focuses on restoration of degraded agricultural land to achieve ecological security and rural livelihood enhancement. For restoration of degraded agricultural land in Raichur and Chikballapur, they will conduct soil testing and aspiration study to understand user needs.
Identify safe and cheap innovation to operationalise localised bioenergy clusters. Drive convergence among ecologists on the way forward with lantana removal and restoration.
By 2030, provide 10 lakh livelihoods while restoring 20 lakh acres of degraded land.
Regenerative AgricultureIn rainfed farming, there are multi-layer regenerative models emerging. Regenerative agriculture could prove to be a win-win for farmers and the environment. We envision that transition finance could be enabled at scale through two potential sources–carbon credits through the voluntary carbon market and government funds. In irrigated agriculture, any agricultural solution will have to solve the problem of how to spread the available water more equitably. However, local collective action may not be scalable because aquifers – from where farmers pump groundwater – behave differently based on rainfall and geology. Incentivising ‘carbon farming’ policies will help smallholder farmers transition to regenerative practices. It is crucial to establish the link between soil chemistry and soil biology. |
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Pump SolarisationSolar irrigation is being promoted in all parts of India to address the twin problems of irrigation access and groundwater overexploitation. Solar irrigation addresses the water access problem. It works to curb groundwater over abstraction through net metering, where farmers can draw the groundwater they need to irrigate and can then sell the excess electricity back to the grid and earn money through feed-in tariffs. However, this impact on groundwater depends on farmer crop choices. Our agent based models alone suggest that sustainable transitions are possible. However, expert consultations have shown us that deep lock-ins exist in agriculture and farmers are unlikely to break out of them. |
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We are always looking to welcome like-minded people into our team. If our work interests you, browse open positions below.
We are looking for a senior statistician with 4-5 years of experience to help make knowledge, data and tools more accessible to the larger ecosystem
We are looking for a senior statistician with 4-5 years of experience to help make knowledge, data and tools more accessible to the larger ecosystem
We are looking for a senior statistician with 4-5 years of experience to help make knowledge, data and tools more accessible to the larger ecosystem
To understand multiple perspectives around lantana removal and ecological restoration, CSEI-ATREE and the Biodiversity Collaborative sat down with key stakeholders in July 2022.
The 'Living Labs Protocol' provides a Science-based approach to restoration of lantana-invaded landscapes
Even as the city experiences environmental degradation, there are signs of renewed interest in sustainable farming and safe food production
Lantana, a drought-resistant, hardy weed has taken over our forests, replacing native tree cover. Is there a solution?
India faces a looming groundwater crisis. But to be able address this effectively, we need solutions to work at scale and a clear grasp of..
The Farms and Forests team successfully convened researchers with divergent views on restoring lantana-infested forests and found a way forward.
In this newsletter we talk about the importance of soil health in improving agricultural production.
