Maharashtra government signs MoU with WOTR to embed ecosystem-based adaptation into development policies amid rising water scarcity and agricultural risks
The Maharashtra government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) and its research arm, WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS), to embed ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) into state development policies as climate risks mount.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change said the collaboration will integrate ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation into planning, involve rural communities in co-creating solutions, and strengthen local institutions to mitigate risks from droughts, floods and erratic rainfall. The initiative is reflected in the Maharashtra State Action Plan on Climate Change (MH SAPCC): Pathways for 2030.
Agriculture employs nearly half of Maharashtra's workforce and contributes 11 per cent to its GDP. However, large drought-prone regions and increasingly unpredictable weather threaten water security and rural livelihoods. By mainstreaming EbA, the state aims to bolster resilience in farming, regenerate ecosystems, and reduce vulnerability to natural disasters.
The MoU is structured around three pillars: regenerating ecosystems and conserving biodiversity; enabling communities to manage natural resources sustainably and inclusively; and enhancing the adaptive capacity of rural institutions and farmers to secure resilient incomes.
Marcella D'Souza, Director of W-CReS, said: "Ecosystem-based Adaptation must become the backbone of Maharashtra's development journey. Only by weaving nature into policy and practice can we build climate resilience and secure both incomes and biodiversity for the future."
Abhijit Ghorpade, Director of the State Climate Action Cell, added, "EbA should become the bedrock of public policy. Sustainability is the lens through which all our developmental projects, schemes and programmes should be viewed. This collaboration will ensure that vulnerable communities are better prepared for droughts, floods, and other climate shocks."
WOTR brings three decades of experience in watershed development, water management and climate-resilient agriculture, while W-CReS will contribute evidence-based research to support policy decisions. The organisations said the partnership will also align with India's Sustainable Development Goals by adopting an "all-of-society" approach that engages the state, corporates, civil society and rural communities.
To date, WOTR and W-CReS have restored more than 3.84 million hectare of degraded land and improved water security for 8.4 million people in drought-prone districts across ten states. The new partnership with Maharashtra is expected to scale such ecosystem-based solutions to strengthen the state's preparedness for a changing climate.