erlERLNALEnvironmental Research LettersERLEnviron. Res. Lett.1748-9326IOP Publishingerlac413a10.1088/1748-9326/ac413aac413aERL-112100.R2LetterLandscape resource management for sustainable crop intensificationAnanthaK H1GargKaushal K1 * k.garg@cgiar.orgSinghRamesh1AkurajuVenkataradha1DevInder2PetrieCameron A30000-0003-4840-7670WhitbreadAnthony M1DixitSreenath1 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru 502 324, Telangana, India ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi 284 003, Uttar Pradesh, India University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, United Kingdom

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1202222122021221220211710140062132021112202181220212872021© 2021 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd2021 Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.Abstract

Crop intensification is required to meet the food demands of an increasing population. This paper presents data from three paired scaling-up initiatives to compare the benefits of landscape-based interventions over individual plot-level interventions using evidence generated in the Indian semi-arid tropics. A range of soil and water conservation interventions were implemented in a decentralized manner following the landscape-based approach. The plot-level approach focused only on balanced fertilizer application and improved crop cultivars while the landscape-based interventions primarily addressed moisture availability, which was the key to reducing risks of crop failure besides aiding productivity gain and enhanced land and water-use efficiency. These interventions have additionally harvested 50–150 mm of surface runoff and facilitated groundwater recharge in 550–800 mm rainfall zones. Individual plot-level interventions also improved the crop yield significantly over the control plots. However, crop intensification was not achieved due to limited moisture availability. Landscape-based interventions produced 100%–300% higher crop production per year, greater income generation (>100%), and improved water productivity. Landscape-based interventions were also found to be beneficial in terms of reducing soil loss by 75%–90% and improving base flow availability additionally by 20–75 d in a year compared to untreated watersheds. With increased moisture availability, fallow lands in respective watersheds have been utilized for cultivation, thereby enhancing crop intensification. The findings of the study provide critical insights into the design of approaches suitable for scaling-up projects in order to both create impact and target the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

water balance componentgroundwater rechargesystem productivityrural livelihoodsemi-arid tropicsccc1748-9326/21/014006+19$33.00printedPrinted in the UKcrossmarkyes