Natural resources

Irrigation is one of the chief determinants of crop yields and sustainable agriculture. However, two surveys conducted among farmers and women in two regions of Uttar Pradesh highlight how irrigation sources impact women’s lives. The results reveal that the expansion of less important/used irrigation sources and water purchase have a positive impact on women’s participation in economic activities and empowerment. Thus, policies can be designed to improve the lesser-used irrigation sources, which, in turn, can contribute to women’s empowerment.

Forests are one of the crucial ecosystems in the world covering about 31% of the global terrestrial area (FAO 2020). More than 1.6 billion people worldwide are dependent on various forest resources and about 350 million people rely directly on them for their livelihoods, also contributing greatly to strengthen the overall gross domestic product (GDP) of nations (World Bank 2002; Li et al 2019). This has led to a decrease in forests globally due to the conversion to other land use and unsustainable extraction of timber and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to meet the demands of the growing population (FAO 2020). Owing to the numerous benefits that forests provide, a comprehensive framework focusing on a multidimensional aspect is necessary for sustainable management and effective utilisation.