Agricultural Engineering Today
  • Year: 2024
  • Volume: 48
  • Issue: 4

Advancing sustainability through multifunctional landscapes: Beyond soil and water conservation

International Water Management Institute, New Delhi

Online published on 30 January, 2025.

Abstract

India, with its vast and diverse landscapes, faces critical challenges of land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate vulnerability. Transitioning from conventional soil and water conservation efforts to multifunctional landscapes provides an integrated solution by combining conservation, regeneration, wetlands, and agroecology. This article examines India's experience with watershed programs, their successes and limitations, and highlights the potential of multifunctional landscapes to address complex socioecological challenges while enhancing resilience and livelihoods.