Reckoning with land degradation in a changing world

The Ground Beneath Us: Reckoning with Land Degradation in a Changing World

Part II: India’s Land Dilemma and Its Global Responsibility

“We cannot restore land while subsidising its destruction.” — Dr. Ramesh Chand, NITI Aayog

India enters CRIC23 with a complex and consequential narrative. As one of the most land-stressed nations in the world, with nearly 30% of its geographical area degraded, India faces a dual challenge: healing its own soil while contributing meaningfully to global restoration efforts. The country’s commitment to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 is ambitious, but its path has been uneven.

Progress Worth Noting

At home, India has launched several initiatives that deserve recognition. The National Mission for a Green India focuses on afforestation and ecosystem revival. The CAMPA fund has supported compensatory afforestation across states. Namami Gange integrates river basin restoration with forestry interventions. ISRO’s Desertification Atlas and real-time monitoring tools are among the most advanced in the world, offering granular insights into land degradation patterns.

India’s partnership with UNDP in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra has impacted over 180,000 people through community-led restoration. These projects emphasise agroforestry, water conservation, and sustainable livelihoods. The Centre of Excellence at ICFRE Dehradun has emerged as a hub for South-South cooperation, sharing India’s low-cost, scalable models with other developing nations.

The Fault Lines Beneath

Yet, beneath these successes lie persistent challenges. Governance remains fragmented. Land restoration spans agriculture, forestry, water, and climate—but coordination across stakeholders is weak. Policies often operate in silos, undermining holistic implementation.

Most degraded land in India is privately owned, but there are few legal mandates or incentives for restoration. Small landholders lack the resources and awareness to adopt sustainable practices. Agricultural subsidies continue to promote intensive practices that degrade soil and water—such as excessive fertiliser use and groundwater extraction. Reforming these subsidies is politically sensitive but essential. Without aligning economic incentives with ecological goals, restoration efforts will remain superficial.

India’s land policies often speak in two voices—one that pledges restoration, and another that rewards degradation. The scars on India’s soil are not just ecological; they’re institutional. “India’s land is scarred, but not broken. What it needs is not just policy—but purpose.” This purpose must be rooted in reform, not just rhetoric.

What India Must Bring to Panama

India’s voice at CRIC23 must be both assertive and introspective. It has the tools, the data, and the experience to lead. But it must also confront its contradictions. The country can offer a blueprint for integrating land restoration into climate and development policy—if it’s willing to reform its own systems.

India is in a position to advocate for simplified access to global restoration funds, especially for developing nations. It can push for the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and community-led governance in global frameworks. It can showcase its technological innovations, from satellite mapping to digital land registries. But it must also listen—to farmers, to forest dwellers, to scientists, and to civil society.

As Kofi Annan once warned, “All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.” India’s global pitch must reflect this truth—not just in words, but in action. “India has the tools. What it needs is the courage to use them wisely.” — Sunita Narain

Conclusion

Land degradation is not just a technical problem—it is a mirror reflecting how we govern, how we grow, and how we value the natural systems that sustain life. The road to Panama is paved with pledges, but CRIC23 must be where those promises are tested. The world needs bold, integrated action—rooted in science, equity, and political will.

India stands at a crossroads. It can either continue patchwork restoration efforts, or it can lead a global shift toward land-centric climate policy. The tools are in hand. The data is available. The urgency is undeniable. What remains is the resolve to act—not just for the land, but for the generations who will inherit it.

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(Views are personal.) (The writer is a retired officer of the Indian Information Service and a former Editor-in-Charge of DD News and AIR News (Akashvani), India’s national broadcaster. Also served as an international media consultant with UNICEF Nigeria and contributes regularly to various publications.)