Green-Ag: Transforming Indian Agriculture for Global Environmental Benefits and the Conservation of Critical Biodiversity and Forest Landscapes

Project Objective: To catalyse transformative change of India’s agricultural sector to support achievement of national and global environmental benefits and conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes1. Institutionalization of intersectoral mechanisms (agricultural and allied sectors, forestry and natural resources management, and economic development) at the national and five States to facilitate continued mainstreaming of environmental concerns and priorities related to resilience into the agriculture sector beyond project end. This will include one national platform and one platforms each in Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand. 2. At least six key national and state level agricultural programmes (missions) will have been strengthened with results based environmental indicators integrated in their policy and planning frameworks (or through revised guidelines and other tools based on project support). Key missions that will be targeted for strengthening include the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture; National Livestock Mission; National Food Security Mission; National Initiative on Climate-resilient Agriculture, National Mission for Horticulture and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana3. At least 10 community led initiatives to support conservation of globally important species such as the tigers, elephants and the Great Indian Bustard. Such initiatives could include community led actions such as community anti-poaching patrolling, community led communication/ awareness activities, habitat and species monitoring activities. These will be strongly linked to Tiger Reserve and Elephant reserve management plans in at four landscapes that the project will be working.4. 5. Ten percent reduction in the threat index from baseline (as measured through Green Landscape monitoring programme) at key sites of high biodiversity importance will be demonstrated at five target Green Landscapes (Rajasthan: 277,930 (grassland and orans); Mizoram: 13,725 (Jhum); Madhya Pradesh: 18000 ha (ravines) and the following areas of High Value Forests: Madhya Pradesh (35,000ha); Mizoram (50,000ha), Odisha (1,75,000ha), Uttarakhand (90,000ha)6. At least 104,070 Hectares of farms will be under sustainable land and water management (including organic farming and agrobiodiversity conservation) (Madhya Pradesh: 9000; Mizoram: 13725; Odisha: 34200 Rajasthan: 34145; Uttarakhand: 13000)7. 49,906,455 tCO2eq Greenhouse gas emission reduction (Mt CO2e newly sequestered or avoided) will be achieved through improved agroecosystems management, including climate resilience issues (Annex 5 of full project document)