From Wasteland To Oasis: Transformative Effects of Sustainable Agricultural Development
dc.contributor.author
Nienkerke, Inga Mareike
dc.contributor.supervisor
Patt, Anthony
dc.contributor.supervisor
Garschagen, Matthias
dc.contributor.supervisor
Garrett, Rachael
dc.date.accessioned
2024-02-27T13:46:43Z
dc.date.available
2023-12-29T21:50:34Z
dc.date.available
2024-01-03T14:15:34Z
dc.date.available
2024-02-27T13:46:43Z
dc.date.issued
2023
dc.identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/649765
dc.identifier.doi
10.3929/ethz-b-000649765
dc.description.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.
en_US
dc.format
application/pdf
en_US
dc.language.iso
en
en_US
dc.publisher
ETH Zurich
en_US
dc.rights.uri
http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-NC/1.0/
dc.subject
Agricultural development
en_US
dc.subject
Seasonal migration
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dc.subject
Sustainable development
en_US
dc.subject
Sustainable agriculture
en_US
dc.subject
Integrated farming systems
en_US
dc.subject
Horticulture
en_US
dc.subject
Resilience
en_US
dc.subject
Chronic poverty
en_US
dc.subject
Smallholder farmers
en_US
dc.subject
Land use change
en_US
dc.subject
Rural development
en_US
dc.subject
Land degradation
en_US
dc.subject
Fruit trees
en_US
dc.subject
Poverty alleviation
en_US
dc.subject
Agricultural economics
en_US
dc.subject
Development economics
en_US
dc.subject
Mixed farming
en_US
dc.subject
Project evaluation
en_US
dc.subject
Development policy
en_US
dc.subject
Policy evaluation
en_US
dc.subject
Resource degradation
en_US
dc.subject
Climate resilience
en_US
dc.title
From Wasteland To Oasis: Transformative Effects of Sustainable Agricultural Development
en_US
dc.type
Doctoral Thesis
dc.rights.license
In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted
dc.date.published
2024-01-03
ethz.size
115 p.
en_US
ethz.code.ddc
DDC - DDC::3 - Social sciences::333.7 - Natural resources, energy and environment
en_US
ethz.identifier.diss
29472
en_US
ethz.publication.place
Zurich
en_US
ethz.publication.status
published
en_US
ethz.leitzahl
ETH Zürich::00002 - ETH Zürich::00012 - Lehre und Forschung::00007 - Departemente::02350 - Dep. Umweltsystemwissenschaften / Dep. of Environmental Systems Science::02723 - Institut für Umweltentscheidungen / Institute for Environmental Decisions::09451 - Patt, Anthony G. / Patt, Anthony G.
en_US
ethz.leitzahl.certified
ETH Zürich::00002 - ETH Zürich::00012 - Lehre und Forschung::00007 - Departemente::02350 - Dep. Umweltsystemwissenschaften / Dep. of Environmental Systems Science::02723 - Institut für Umweltentscheidungen / Institute for Environmental Decisions::09451 - Patt, Anthony G. / Patt, Anthony G.
en_US
ethz.relation.compiles
10.3929/ethz-b-000590334
ethz.relation.compiles
10.3929/ethz-b-000584779
ethz.date.deposited
2023-12-29T21:50:35Z
ethz.source
FORM
ethz.eth
yes
en_US
ethz.availability
Open access
en_US
ethz.rosetta.installDate
2024-01-03T14:16:15Z
ethz.rosetta.lastUpdated
2024-02-03T08:34:09Z
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true
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true
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Doctoral Thesis [30552]