Degraded lands transform into productive farms in Latur, India

Scientific innovation and collaboration

April 10, 2025

Matephal village in Maharashtra’s Latur district tells a compelling story of scientific innovation and collaboration that has revitalized agriculture and improved rural livelihoods.

For decades, Latur has struggled with erratic rainfall, groundwater depletion, and soil degradation. Smallholder farmers with fragmented landholdings of just 1–2 hectares found it increasingly difficult to sustain productivity.

Determined to change the situation, a science-led project launched in 2023 by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in partnership with the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency (GSDA) of Maharashtra and the CGIAR initiative-Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SI-MFS), addressed these challenges through integrated landscape management and climate-smart farming practices.

“This initiative shows what is possible when farmers, scientists, and government agencies work together. It is a prime example of how data-driven approaches can address complex agricultural challenges, ensuring interventions are precise and impactful. Matephal village is a model for other semi-arid regions in India and beyond,” said Stanford Blade, director General-Interim.

Using ICRISAT’s Multidimensional Sustainability Assessment Tool (MSAT), the team conducted comprehensive analyses of the region’s economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Land Resource Inventory (LRI) and hydrological assessments further guided the planning of targeted interventions.

“The assessments helped us understand where we could make the most difference. It was crucial to ensure every intervention, from soil health to water management, addressed farmers’ real needs,” explained ICRISAT scientist Kaushal Garg, principal investigator of the project.

Transformative Interventions

Key interventions focused on three critical areas: water conservation, land enhancement with crop diversification, and soil health improvement. Rainwater harvesting structures recharged groundwater across 500 hectares, raising water tables by four meters and securing reliable irrigation. Farm ponds provided supplemental irrigation while bunding across 320 acres reduced soil erosion. Advanced monitoring tools, including weather stations and TDR sensors, enabled real-time tracking of water resources.

“Extensive watershed development has brought significant economic benefits to all farmers in Matephal. Through ICRISAT’s efforts, the community is now more aware of effective water management and how to select crops based on soil testing and water availability,” said Shubham Ashokrao Shinde, watershed conservation expert, district program management unit, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Latur.

Farmers diversified their crops, converting 50 hectares of previously fallow land into productive farmland with legumes, millets, and vegetables. Horticulture-linked markets for fruits and flowers improved income stability. Crop yields increased by 30% during the kharif season, translating to an additional income of US$ 500,000 for the farming community.

“This ICRISAT project improved yields, diversified crops, and boosted incomes. It also spared women from walking over a kilometer for drinking water, now available in the village for people and animals,” said Govind Hinge of Matephal Village.

“ICRISAT’s natural resource management work has greatly helped our village—wells have more water, farms are thriving, and people are benefiting. If this continues, we won’t face water shortages,” said Vinita Nanasaheb Kadam, a woman farmer.

A Model for the Future

The project’s success lies not only in scientific solutions but also in community ownership. Farmers actively participated in planning and decision-making, fostering long-term commitment.

Looking ahead, the partners aim to scale these interventions across similar agro-ecologies in the Global South. As Matephal’s fields flourish, the village is a testament to the power of collaboration and science in transforming lives and landscapes.

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An English-language food and beverage processing and packaging industry B2B platform in print and web, IndiFoodBev is in its third year of publication. It is said that the Indian food and beverage industries represent approximately US$ 900 billion in revenues which implies more than 20% of the country’s GDP. Eliminating the wastage on the farmside can help to deliver more protein to a higher number of the population apart from generating sizable exports. The savings in soil, seeds, water, fertilizer, energy and ultimately food and nutrition could be the most immense contribution that country is poised to make to the moderation of climate change.

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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025

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