Shillong, Dec 20: As the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) calls for a monumental $2.6 trillion in investments to restore over one billion hectares of degraded land by 2030, one state in India is already charting a path forward. Far from the high-profile discussions at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) in Riyadh, Meghalaya’s community-driven approach to natural resource management has emerged as a global model for sustainable land restoration.
With a staggering goal of USD 1 billion in daily investments required to meet global restoration targets, COP16 spotlighted innovative solutions for reversing land degradation. Meghalaya’s holistic strategy, rooted in community engagement, technological innovation, and locally tailored solutions, drew international attention.
Global Attention on Meghalaya’s Land Restoration Model
Themed “Our Land, Our Future,” COP16 called for urgent action to combat land degradation, which is already pushing 7 of 9 planetary boundaries to critical limits. Among the many initiatives presented, Meghalaya’s efforts stood out for their community-first approach.
During the conference, the UNCCD invited Earthbanc AB and the Government of Meghalaya to share their pioneering work in sustainable land management. The state’s initiatives are exemplified by the 2023 launch of the Meghalaya Reforestation and Sustainable Livelihoods Project (Regeneration Meghalaya) — a landmark effort to restore 22,670 hectares of land through regenerative agroforestry. This project, led by Earthbanc in collaboration with the Meghalaya government, AstraZeneca, Earthtree, the Hill Farmers Shiitake Mushroom Coop Society, and Worldview Impact (India), supports biodiversity, improves soil health, and enhances climate resilience.
Meghalaya’s Approach: Nature, Community, and Innovation
Representing Meghalaya at COP16, Gunanka D.B., Joint Secretary of the Government of Meghalaya, outlined the state’s multifaceted approach to natural resource management.
Key initiatives include:
Promoting organic farming to restore soil health.
Land reclamation using medicinal and aromatic plants.
Restoring degraded landscapes to improve biodiversity.
Enhancing water security through sustainable catchment management.
Utilizing bamboo resources to drive sustainable livelihoods.
Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) program to incentivize conservation.
Gunanka’s presentation underscored Meghalaya’s use of traditional ecological knowledge and modern scientific approaches to empower local communities as stewards of the land.
Earthbanc’s Technological Edge: AI and Data-Driven Restoration
Earthbanc, a financial technology firm specializing in land restoration, showcased its cutting-edge geospatial data science and AI solutions at COP16. By using AI to monitor soil health and land productivity, Earthbanc is setting a new global standard for land restoration tracking and verification. The company’s Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) initiatives are helping to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) while generating LDN-based carbon credits.
Rishabh Khanna, CEO of Earthtree (Earthbanc’s subsidiary), highlighted the urgency of financial innovation in land restoration. “Less than 1% of global carbon financing is allocated to land restoration,” he said. “Investors require accuracy and credibility, making robust systems for monitoring and verification essential.”
The Road Ahead: Regeneration of Meghalaya’s 40-Year Vision
The Regeneration Meghalaya project aims to transform the landscape over the next 40 years. By restoring 22,670 hectares of land, the project seeks to boost community incomes, preserve biodiversity, increase land cover, and sequester carbon. With its focus on regenerative agroforestry, the initiative offers an innovative model for balancing ecological restoration with economic growth.
