As India pursues economic progress, we overlook a sobering truth — our natural resources have limits. Two vital assets, water and land, face rapid depletion despite appearing abundantly available. By 2030, an estimated 700 million Indians could be displaced due to water scarcity alone, according to some projections.
Satellite data from the Indian Space Research Organisation reveals an even more alarming statistic — the extent of land degradation and desertification in the country was estimated at 97.84 million hectares (approx. 4 times the size of Uttar Pradesh) in 2018-19.
The Interconnection Between Desertification and Water Security
Land and water are intrinsically linked, and their health is mutually dependent. The availability of water is crucial for maintaining land productivity and ecosystem health. The loss of water bodies leads to desertification — in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasingly arid, and its vegetation and wildlife are diminished. This desertification, in turn, reduces the land's ability to retain water, creating a vicious cycle that undermines the reliable availability of sufficient quality water and land necessary to support communities, their health, livelihoods, and production.
Exacerbating Issues: Conflicts and Migration
The implications of unchecked water scarcity and desertification extend far beyond just environmental degradation. These critical resource constraints have repeatedly demonstrated their potential to spark social unrest and mass human displacement.
Water has long been a flashpoint for conflicts within communities as well as between nations. When this precious resource grows scarce, competition over access to dwindling supplies often boils over into violence. Recent data illustrates how depleted watersheds in arid and semi-arid regions have fueled civil conflicts and cross-border water disputes. These clashes not only endanger human lives and livelihoods, but also hinder humanitarian access - creating vicious cycles that further entrench water and food insecurity.
Moreover, as fertile lands degrade due to lack of water access, many communities find themselves forced to abandon ancestral homes. This internal migration creates new population pressures, primarily on urban centres ill-equipped to absorb large influxes of displaced people. Rapid, unplanned urbanisation results in overcrowding, strained civic infrastructure and services, proliferating informal settlements, and heightened resource competition.
These migration-linked challenges are already manifesting in several Indian states grappling with recurrent droughts and groundwater depletion. As the intensity and frequency of such events increase with climate change, temporary migration could transition into permanent population shifts — akin to the creation of climate refugees. Vulnerable groups like subsistence farmers and fishing communities remain most at risk of displacement and loss of livelihoods.
Viable Solutions
Proactive environmental stewardship is a pressing humanitarian need and national security imperative.
However, there are viable solutions if swift action is taken. Reviving traditional pond systems acts as decentralised water harvesting, capturing precious rainfall and runoff during dry periods. These ponds nurture vegetation growth, improving soil fertility while recharging groundwater. Constructing groundwater recharge structures like percolation tanks and check dams helps replenish subterranean aquifers sustainably.
In arid climates, wetlands play a crucial role during dry seasons by releasing stored water, which helps to delay the onset of drought and alleviate water shortages. Additionally, wetlands sequester large amounts of carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation. These areas are among the most diverse and fertile ecosystems, supporting the livelihoods of one billion people and hosting 40% of all plant and animal species.
Stakeholders in Land Restoration
The Government of India has initiated several programs aimed at water security and land restoration. To conserve vital ecosystems, the Government of India launched the Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI initiatives. Amrit Dharohar promotes wetland conservation for biodiversity, carbon storage, ecotourism, and local income. MISHTI focuses on developing 540 square kilometres of mangroves across 11 states and 2 Union Territories to enhance protection of the Indian coastline.
Indian industries are pivotal stakeholders that can bridge India's growing water security gaps. Adopting water-efficient technologies and sustainable practices can substantially reduce their water footprints. Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives should strategically support local water conservation projects like developing decentralised rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging infrastructure and rejuvenating depleted water bodies.
However, large-scale, long-term solutions require public-private partnerships to foster innovation and finance major projects beyond the capacity of individual companies or the government alone. Moreover, industries wield considerable influence to raise awareness and educate employees, supply chains and communities about sustainable water use practices to drive behavioural change.
Community involvement in planning and implementing restoration activities, such as reforestation, soil conservation, and water management, is critical to projects’ sustainability. Community-driven initiatives foster a sense of ownership and stewardship, ensuring long-term maintenance and protection of restored lands. Additionally, engaging communities in land restoration can provide economic benefits — making them vital partners in environmental conservation.
Water security is intrinsically linked to the fight against desertification. By addressing water scarcity through innovative solutions degraded lands can be effectively restored. The efforts of the government, combined with proactive involvement from the industry, can ensure that our resources are managed efficiently for the benefit of all. As we move forward, a collective approach towards water conservation and land restoration will be crucial in combating desertification and ensuring the well-being of future generations.
—The author, Tejashree Joshi, is Head, Environmental Sustainability, at Godrej & Boyce. The views expressed are personal.
Satellite data from the Indian Space Research Organisation reveals an even more alarming statistic — the extent of land degradation and desertification in the country was estimated at 97.84 million hectares (approx. 4 times the size of Uttar Pradesh) in 2018-19.
The Interconnection Between Desertification and Water Security
Land and water are intrinsically linked, and their health is mutually dependent. The availability of water is crucial for maintaining land productivity and ecosystem health. The loss of water bodies leads to desertification — in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasingly arid, and its vegetation and wildlife are diminished. This desertification, in turn, reduces the land's ability to retain water, creating a vicious cycle that undermines the reliable availability of sufficient quality water and land necessary to support communities, their health, livelihoods, and production.
Exacerbating Issues: Conflicts and Migration
The implications of unchecked water scarcity and desertification extend far beyond just environmental degradation. These critical resource constraints have repeatedly demonstrated their potential to spark social unrest and mass human displacement.
Water has long been a flashpoint for conflicts within communities as well as between nations. When this precious resource grows scarce, competition over access to dwindling supplies often boils over into violence. Recent data illustrates how depleted watersheds in arid and semi-arid regions have fueled civil conflicts and cross-border water disputes. These clashes not only endanger human lives and livelihoods, but also hinder humanitarian access - creating vicious cycles that further entrench water and food insecurity.
Moreover, as fertile lands degrade due to lack of water access, many communities find themselves forced to abandon ancestral homes. This internal migration creates new population pressures, primarily on urban centres ill-equipped to absorb large influxes of displaced people. Rapid, unplanned urbanisation results in overcrowding, strained civic infrastructure and services, proliferating informal settlements, and heightened resource competition.
These migration-linked challenges are already manifesting in several Indian states grappling with recurrent droughts and groundwater depletion. As the intensity and frequency of such events increase with climate change, temporary migration could transition into permanent population shifts — akin to the creation of climate refugees. Vulnerable groups like subsistence farmers and fishing communities remain most at risk of displacement and loss of livelihoods.
Viable Solutions
Proactive environmental stewardship is a pressing humanitarian need and national security imperative.
However, there are viable solutions if swift action is taken. Reviving traditional pond systems acts as decentralised water harvesting, capturing precious rainfall and runoff during dry periods. These ponds nurture vegetation growth, improving soil fertility while recharging groundwater. Constructing groundwater recharge structures like percolation tanks and check dams helps replenish subterranean aquifers sustainably.
In arid climates, wetlands play a crucial role during dry seasons by releasing stored water, which helps to delay the onset of drought and alleviate water shortages. Additionally, wetlands sequester large amounts of carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation. These areas are among the most diverse and fertile ecosystems, supporting the livelihoods of one billion people and hosting 40% of all plant and animal species.
Stakeholders in Land Restoration
The Government of India has initiated several programs aimed at water security and land restoration. To conserve vital ecosystems, the Government of India launched the Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI initiatives. Amrit Dharohar promotes wetland conservation for biodiversity, carbon storage, ecotourism, and local income. MISHTI focuses on developing 540 square kilometres of mangroves across 11 states and 2 Union Territories to enhance protection of the Indian coastline.
Indian industries are pivotal stakeholders that can bridge India's growing water security gaps. Adopting water-efficient technologies and sustainable practices can substantially reduce their water footprints. Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives should strategically support local water conservation projects like developing decentralised rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging infrastructure and rejuvenating depleted water bodies.
However, large-scale, long-term solutions require public-private partnerships to foster innovation and finance major projects beyond the capacity of individual companies or the government alone. Moreover, industries wield considerable influence to raise awareness and educate employees, supply chains and communities about sustainable water use practices to drive behavioural change.
Community involvement in planning and implementing restoration activities, such as reforestation, soil conservation, and water management, is critical to projects’ sustainability. Community-driven initiatives foster a sense of ownership and stewardship, ensuring long-term maintenance and protection of restored lands. Additionally, engaging communities in land restoration can provide economic benefits — making them vital partners in environmental conservation.
Water security is intrinsically linked to the fight against desertification. By addressing water scarcity through innovative solutions degraded lands can be effectively restored. The efforts of the government, combined with proactive involvement from the industry, can ensure that our resources are managed efficiently for the benefit of all. As we move forward, a collective approach towards water conservation and land restoration will be crucial in combating desertification and ensuring the well-being of future generations.
—The author, Tejashree Joshi, is Head, Environmental Sustainability, at Godrej & Boyce. The views expressed are personal.
First Published: Jun 5, 2024 1:55 PM IST
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