Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management for Poverty Alleviation and Livelihood Improvement in India

Food, water and livelihood security of the masses can be ensured through restoration of ecosystem health by way of reversing land degradation, conserving natural resources and practicing sustainable land management. The sustainable land and ecosystem management (SLEM) is a joint initiative between the Government of India and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to help address the issues of land degradation in a comprehensive manner with support of World Bank, Food and Agricultural Organization and United Nations Development Programme. Watershed management, rain water harvesting, its economic utilization and ground water recharge, reclamation of degraded lands and sustainable land management, integrated farm development, livelihood activities in collaboration with joint forest management and alternative source of energy have emerged good approaches and practices for poverty alleviation and improved livelihoods. The project envisages dissemination of such best practices to larger areas for benefit of stakeholders. Policy gaps and barriers are also being addressed in order to suggest interventions for suitable policy reforms.