Restoring biodiversity and empowering farmers in rural India

Across large parts of India, agriculture is under growing pressure. Years of monocropping, intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides, and declining soil health have made farming increasingly difficult for many communities. In some of the country’s most vulnerable rural regions, farmers are now looking for new ways to restore both productivity and ecological balance.

One initiative addressing these challenges is the project “Agricultural Transition to Productive Biodiversity”, supported by the Dutch Government, Partners for Water programme and implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The project focuses on nature-based solutions that help farmers restore soil health, reduce crop losses and strengthen biodiversity while maintaining livelihoods.

At the centre of the project is Meghna Mukherjee, Programme Manager at MetaMeta Research, a Wageningen-based consulting organisation specialising in water management, climate adaptation and agricultural development. Originally from India, Mukherjee has spent the past eight years working at the intersection of water management, agriculture and social inclusion. Her role combines programme management with a strong focus on gender and community engagement. “We work on practical solutions that can be implemented directly in the field,” she explains. “The aim is not only to test innovative approaches but also to understand how they can be scaled and adopted by communities themselves.”

A global research network

MetaMeta Research was founded in 2004 in Wageningen and has since expanded into an international organisation with offices in countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Yemen. The company collaborates closely with governments, NGOs and local communities to develop water management and climate-resilient solutions. “What makes us unique is that we combine research with on-the-ground implementation,” Mukherjee says. In 2024, the organisation became part of the German development consultancy GOPA, expanding its international reach while maintaining its focus on water and climate solutions.

Water, gender and daily realities

One of Mukherjee’s core research interests is the relationship between water access and gender. In many parts of the world, women are responsible for collecting water for both household use and agriculture, often walking long distances under difficult conditions. But the issue goes beyond physical labour. “There are also social norms and power dynamics,” Mukherjee says. “Even when water is available nearby, women are still expected to collect it.”

These dynamics also appear in everyday tasks such as laundry, which is still largely performed manually by women in many regions. The water used can contain chemicals or contaminants that cause health problems, yet this aspect of hygiene rarely receives attention. Despite growing awareness, Mukherjee believes much work remains to be done. “In some cases, women’s voices are heard but not included in decision-making,” she says. “In others they are not even heard at all.”

Connecting institutions and communities

Addressing these challenges requires cooperation between many actors. One of the project’s key strategies is therefore to connect stakeholders that normally operate separately. “Different institutions often work in their own ‘boxes’,” Mukherjee explains. “Water departments, agricultural authorities and gender programmes rarely coordinate their activities.” The project aims to break these silos by encouraging dialogue between government agencies, local organisations and farming communities. “When these groups come together, they begin to understand the problems from different perspectives,” she says.

Another important element is evidence building. The project documents result and shares them with policymakers and development organisations through reports, social media and professional networks. “We try many different strategies,” Mukherjee says. “Sometimes you don’t know which one will work, but together they help create awareness.”

Three nature-based solutions

The project focuses on three main interventions that aim to improve agricultural productivity while strengthening biodiversity.

Reviving traditional hedges
The first intervention involves reintroducing hedges as green corridors along agricultural fields. “Hedges used to be a common feature in farming landscapes, both in India and in Europe,” Mukherjee explains. “But over time they disappeared as farmers tried to maximise cultivation areas.”

The project is now reviving this traditional practice by planting species such as pigeon pea and acacia along field boundaries. These hedges serve several functions. They protect crops from animals, improve soil stability and help retain water. They can also generate additional income when crops such as pigeon pea are harvested. Research has also shown that hedges influence the microclimate of agricultural fields. “We are observing temperature differences of up to 2.5 degrees Celsius between fields with and without hedges,” Mukherjee says.

Ecological rodent management
The second intervention addresses a problem that farmers often face but that rarely receives attention: crop losses caused by rodents. “Rodents are responsible for significant pre- and post-harvest losses,” Mukherjee says. “But people rarely talk about it.” Instead of using chemical rodenticides, the project promotes ecologically based rodent management (EBRM). Communities use techniques such as improved storage systems, hermetic bags and coordinated burrow control. The results have been striking. “In the last three months alone, more than 200 households have participated and over 90 rodent burrows have been closed,” she says. For many farmers, recognising the scale of the problem has been a revelation. “Some of them told us nobody had ever asked about rodents before.”

Water-efficient rice cultivation
The third intervention focuses on rice production through a method known as alternate wetting and drying. Traditionally, rice fields are kept continuously flooded. However, research shows that rice can grow well without standing water. The new method alternates irrigation with dry periods, reducing water use and improving soil conditions. “It requires a mind-set change for farmers,” Mukherjee says. “But once they see the results, many become interested.”

Working with farmers

The design of these interventions was strongly influenced by farmers themselves. For example, during discussions about hedges, farmers suggested the species best suited to local conditions. “They know the land much better than we do,” Mukherjee says. The adoption of alternate wetting and drying also began with a small group of inventive farmers. “In one village, two women farmers decided to try the new method,” she explains. “Their success encouraged others to follow.”

Building trust with communities took time. But partnerships with local organisations such as PRADAN and FES, which have long worked in the region, helped establish strong relationships. “At first there was some scepticism,” Mukherjee says. “If someone tells you that what you’ve been doing for years can be improved, you won’t immediately believe them.” Today, however, many farmers are sharing experiences with each other through WhatsApp groups and local networks. “It’s become much more organic,” she says.

Looking beyond pilot projects

The project currently operates in three Indian states – Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal – covering several districts within what is known as the Central India Tribal Belt. These regions are home to many vulnerable communities and smallholder farmers. The next challenge is scaling up successful interventions beyond the pilot areas. “We now have strong evidence that these approaches work,” Mukherjee says. “The question is how to integrate them into larger programmes and policies.” This requires collaboration with government authorities, donor organisations and international partners. “We are already discussing these ideas with district agricultural departments and water authorities,” she says.

A long-term perspective

For Mukherjee, the most rewarding aspect of the project is seeing different groups come together. “My role is often to act as a bridge between the field teams and the donors,” she explains. “I help translate local realities into strategies and policies.” She works closely with a local team that plays a key role in implementing the project on the ground. Pratik Ranjan focuses on ecological rodent management (EBRM), Shubham Jain works on the restoration of hedges and Arpan Mondal supports the implementation of alternate wetting and drying in rice cultivation. Although each has specific responsibilities, they collaborate closely, discussing challenges together and carrying out activities as a team.

Although the project itself will eventually conclude, its impact may continue through the networks and knowledge it has created. Farmers are already sharing techniques with neighbouring communities, and manuals developed during the project can be adapted for other regions. “These solutions are simple and flexible,” Mukherjee says. “That means they can potentially be used in many different countries.”

In the end, the goal is not simply to complete a project, but to initiate a broader transformation. “There is still so much potential,” she says. “But what we are seeing now gives us hope that agriculture can become both productive and sustainable again.”