Land Degradation & Restoration Opportunity - 50% of the land in Badwani district is unproductive due to water erosion, reflecting a widespread issue across India [1] - India has 100 million hectares (247 million acres) of land suitable for restoration through forest protection and landscape restoration [3] - Restoration has the potential to improve incomes for 700 million people in India who depend on the land [3][17] - Restoration could sequester 3 to 42 billion tons of above-ground carbon by 2040, aiding India in meeting its NDC commitments [3][17] Restoration Approach & Implementation - Restoration involves landscape principles, topography, and geology, considering both development and conservation [4] - Interventions should be community-driven and locally led, adapting to each village's unique challenges and ecology [6][5] - An integrated approach to restoration includes soil moisture conservation, water holding structures, tree-based interventions, and sustainable agriculture [7] - The "right place, right use, right species" mantra guides the selection of forestry plantations (slopes > 25%), horticulture (slopes 10-15%), riparian restoration, open grasslands, and agroforestry [8] - Local wisdom, knowledge, leaders, self-help groups, and farmer producer organizations are crucial for driving implementation [9] Scaling Restoration Efforts - Simplifying landscape restoration plans, codifying them, and making them accessible to local institutions is necessary [13] - Leveraging technology, including geospatial technologies and citizen science tools, is essential for measuring improvements in biodiversity, soil health, and carbon capture [14] - Unlocking working capital and low-interest debt for small enterprises can spur local economies [15]

[music] [music] [applause] Good afternoon everyone. Uh so I'm going to start by taking you to party block of Bwani district of Madhya Pradesh. What you see here is a story of heartbreaking loss.The soil is parched. The top soil is gone. Land is parched.The rainwater that falls rushes away. This land is no longer productive. 50% of the land in Badwani district is no longer productive primarily due to water erosion. And Badwani is not the only district in India where this is happening.Millions of hectares of ...