263 | ILDC

1. Context and Rationale

Across India’s agrarian landscapes from the flood-prone valleys of Assam to the forested Eastern Ghats, farmers are navigating an era of profound ecological and economic transition. Land, the oldest foundation of livelihood and culture, is once again at the heart of contestation and creativity. The four studies brought together in this session reveal how farming communities are rebuilding resilience in response to climate stress, land degradation, market volatility, and shifting policy priorities.

Uttar Pradesh’s Seed Policy 2025 offers a state-level experiment in innovation and governance. Yet, as the paper on community-centred seed systems highlights, inclusion gaps persist (especially for Dalit, Adivasi, and women farmers) raising urgent questions about who benefits from agrarian modernization and who remains excluded from its promises.

The revival of fallow lands in Uttarakhand’s mountain villages illustrates how ecological restoration can become an act of social renewal. Here, women-led community-based organisations are transforming abandoned terraces into productive, biodiverse farms, restoring not only the soil but also the dignity and identity of farming.

While in the submerged landscapes of the Narmada Valley, smallholders continue to cultivate amidst uncertainty. The case study from Omkareshwar Dam demonstrates how displaced Adivasi farmers persist with agriculture as both survival and resistance, redefining resilience amid dispossession and climate hazards.

From the alluvial plains of Assam, the fourth paper turns our attention to flood and erosion-affected farmers adapting to ecological volatility with remarkable ingenuity- reviving traditional seed varieties, diversifying incomes, and blending indigenous and scientific knowledge to secure food and livelihoods.

Together, these stories illuminate the evolving relationship between land, livelihoods, and resilience. They show that the future of India’s farming systems depends not only on technology or policy but on the adaptive capacities of communities, their ability to blend tradition and innovation, stewardship and enterprise. This session, therefore, seeks to reimagine agrarian futures through the lens of resilience, justice, and ecological integrity, asking not only how farmers survive change, but how they can thrive within it.

2. Objectives of the Panel

To assess community-led strategies for restoring soil health, reviving fallow lands, and strengthening ecological resilience.
To analyse how agrarian and seed policies influence equity, access, and participation among smallholders, women, and marginalized farmers.
To examine the social dimensions of agrarian change – including displacement, livelihood diversification, and cultural identity.
To identify pathways for integrating regenerative practices, policy reform, and community agency in building sustainable farming futures.

3. Expected Outcomes

This session is essentially a deep dive into the massive shifts happening in Indian farming, looking across the nation's diverse landscapes and communities. By bringing together on-the-ground experiences from states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam we're highlighting the huge range of challenges and brilliant innovations that define modern agriculture. Our goal isn't just to talk; it's to create something tangible: a better grasp of how local communities, government policies, and the environment all work together to build resilient farms, practical advice on farming methods that are smart about the climate and good for both the soil and livelihoods, and evidence-backed ideas for making policies more fair and gender-sensitive. We also hope to offer concrete recommendations on things like land rights, seed control, and local governance, making sure small and marginalized farmers aren't left out. Ultimately, we want to change the narrative: farmers aren't just waiting for policies to change; they are the active drivers of ecological and economic transformation, proving that the future of sustainable agriculture depends on co-created, locally-rooted systems built on care, knowledge, and stewardship.