A one-day workshop on “Agroforestry for Resilient Rainfed Landscapes” was jointly organised by the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), the Natural Resource Management (NRM) Division of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), and the Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture (RRA) Network on 25th June 2025 at the National Agricultural Science Centre (NASC) Complex, New Delhi. The workshop was inaugurated in presence of Shri Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

Other dignitaries included Dr. P.K. Meherda, CEO, NRAA, and senior domain experts including Dr. Susama Sudhishri, Thematic Expert – Watershed Development; Dr. A.K. Mishra, Thematic Expert – Water Management; Dr. Pankaj K. Shah, Director (Agriculture & Horticulture); Dr. S.D. Singh, Senior Technical Consultant (Agroforestry); and Dr. Sabyasachi Das, National Coordinator, RRA Network.

The participants deliberated on the role of agroforestry in enhancing sustainability in rainfed ecosystems. The technical sessions covered a range of themes including agroforestry models, community experiences, policy issues, convergence of government schemes, industry connect, and financial access for farmers.

The following strategic directions were identified as the way forward for scaling agroforestry interventions:

1. Unlock Carbon Potential for Farmers:
2. Enable Whole Ecosystem Planning – Beyond Trees
3. Institutionalise Convergence Through a Dedicated Working Group
4. Reform Unfavourable Restrictions – Localised, Legal-Ecological Integration
5. Target Land Degradation Neutrality Through Bottom-Up Planning

The workshop concluded with a strong consensus on the need for collaborative action. Scaling up agroforestry will require supportive policy reforms, improved institutional coordination, and platforms for knowledge-sharing and innovation.

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PSF/KSR/AR

(Release ID: 2139719)