Earth Day 2025
Gandhinagar: On the occasion of Earth Day, multiple stakeholders led by the Agriculture and Co-operation Department and the Forests & Environment Department, Government of Gujarat, and WWF-India came together to strengthen their commitment to conserve Nalsarovar wetland, a Ramsar site and a crucial habitat for over 250 bird species. This collective action model will focus on the conservation of Nalsarovar and its satellite wetlands through nature based farming and technological intervention, integrated water management, catchment management, and participatory governance for long-term management.A meeting was organised on 22 April 2025 at Gandhinagar to develop a roadmap for multi-sectoral (water resources, agriculture, forest, markets, technology, and premier research institutions) and multi-stakeholder collaboration in this direction.
Dr Anju Sharma, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of the Agriculture & Co-operation Department, Government of Gujarat, in her keynote address, highlighted the value of using natural farming methods and conserving biodiversity, especially in environmentally vulnerable places. She articulated the vision to make the Nalsarovar wetland catchment area a model for natural farming, reducing chemical inputs and making it chemical-free in the future, a crucial step towards its long-term conservation.
Dr K. Sasikumar, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Gandhinagar Wildlife Circle, said, "The commitment of the various stakeholders is key to ensuring the long-term sustainability of Nalsarovar and its surrounding wetlands and the project's success. Technical collaboration, knowledge exchanges, stakeholder engagement, market linkages, and participation are important. I congratulate the Government of Gujarat and WWF-India for this initiative."
Suresh Babu, Senior Director of Ecological Footprints at WWF-India, said, "The project will test an integrated landscape approach to wetland conservation while enhancing the livelihoods of the local communities. Engaging with wetland-dependent communities, particularly farmers, and enabling them to adopt sustainable agricultural, irrigation, and water management practices while enhancing productivity and livelihoods will go a long way in demonstrating community stewardship and wise use in this Ramsar site."
Discussions drew diverse perspectives from senior government officials, supply chain partners, NGOs, CSOs, agro-tech innovators, and research institutions, focusing on their roles and contributions to reducing the environmental footprint of farming in Nalsarovar. The dialogue highlighted solutions such as bio-based inputs, including biofertilisers and biopesticide, technology's role, market incentives, and improved irrigation efficiency. It was decided to establish a coordination group with several stakeholders to oversee and offer strategic direction as needed.
A brochure highlighting the project and its objectives was released at the meeting. WWF-India and the Agriculture & Co-operation Department, Government of Gujarat, have agreed to collaborate to take this forward, signifying a strategic move to integrate nature-based farming to address the use of chemicals, a significant threat to the eco-fragile system of Nalsarovar wetland.
The project, supported by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, is a model for demonstrating how regenerative cotton farming can support the conservation of critical ecosystems. Over 10,000 farmers in over 50 villages have already been engaged to take up nature based farming and will work together to help restore wetland health while enhancing their livelihoods. Key interventions include mapping hydrological linkages, improving irrigation efficiency, and engaging with sustainability certification bodies and markets.
For more information, please contact Gargi Upadhyay, Programme Lead, WWF-India at gupadhyay@wwfindia.net or Abhishek Sah, Communications Manager, WWF-India at asah@wwfindia.net.
NOTES:
Nalsarovar is the largest natural wetland in the Thar Desert Biogeographic Province in Gujarat and a crucial habitat for over 250 species of wetland birds. It is also an important stopover site within the Central Asian Flyway. Nalsarovar was designated as a Ramsar site in 2012, and it plays a vital role in biodiversity conservation and supports local communities through fishing and tourism. However, the Nalsarovar wetland faces significant threats mainly due to unsustainable agricultural practices and inappropriate water use from the barrages, which severely impact the water level of the wetland and other satellite wetlands.
