From Wasteland To Oasis: Transformative Effects of Sustainable Agricultural Development

Abstract

In light of the alarming trends in resource degradation and human vulnerability, innovative strategies are urgently needed to increase the resilience of smallholder farmers. However, there is a limited evidence base to inform the development of effective policies. In response to this challenge, we examine the “Wadi” model, which fosters sustainable agricultural intensification, including fruit tree cultivation, water resource development, soil conservation, and intercropping. Our goal is to determine whether this approach can transform the so-called wastelands into valuable assets and thereby lift marginalized smallholders out of chronic poverty. The program’s geographic rollout facilitates a natural experiment, allowing an evaluation design with treatment and control groups. In this study, I follow a mixed-methods approach, including a survey of 2,000 households, randomly sampled from 188,231 participants across four Indian states, covering diverse geographic areas. I compare the program’s household participants with the non-participants and run a linear regression analysis, ceteris paribus, comparing farmers who established integrated farming systems at different points in time. For the first time, impacts of such farming systems are analyzed on a large scale and after up to 23 years since establishment. I find significant improvements in socioeconomic factors, such as higher incomes, diversified income sources, positive life changes, higher life satisfaction, and better prospects for children. Additionally, I find environmental benefits associated with the program. Moreover, I assess the program’s potential to reduce the dependency on seasonal migration, a deeply entrenched but burdensome coping strategy for the rural poor who face seasonal livelihood insecurity, trapping many in a vicious cycle of chronic poverty, seasonal migration, and debt. A significant reduction in the intensity and frequency of seasonal migration can be reached, with spillover effects benefiting entire villages. My analysis of the challenges and migration patterns of seasonal migrants indicates that altering the underlying reasons for seasonal migration is crucial to enable the transition from distress to selective migration. My results show that degraded farmlands can be converted into green assets when poverty alleviation and environmental regeneration are addressed holistically. The Wadi program’s effectiveness in promoting sustainable development pathways suggests that scaling up the program could yield substantial benefits in other regions as well. In this regard, I synthesize key lessons for success. The study's results and conclusions drawn from them contribute evidence that is valuable to the science–policy dialogue on rural development programs.